asked the Minister for the Environment when it is proposed to provide the additional moneys required to commence building the sports complex in Finglas West, County Dublin.
Written Answers. - Finglas (Dublin) Sports Complex.
640.
The sports complex is being provided under the National Programme for the provision of Community and Recreational Facilities operated by the Department of Education. Under this programme the Department of Education offered grants to particular local authorities of two-thirds of the estimated cost of certain sports centres on sites which the local authorities would provide for this purpose. To enable the local authority to contribute to the cost, approval to borrowing of £84,000 was given to Dublin Corporation in 1981. In April 1982, the local authority applied to my predecessor for sanction for additional borrowing of £190,000 in respect of the project. At that stage, because of the necessity to conserve available resources for priority services such as housing, roads, and sanitary services, there were no further funds available to enable my predecessor to sanction the additional borrowing and the local authority were so informed in September 1982. Since then, the position has remained unchanged; resources must continue to be reserved for priority services and accordingly there are no funds at my disposal which would enable me to sanction the additional borrowing.