Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 2 Jul 1986

Vol. 368 No. 9

Written Answers. - County Galway Recreational Facilities.

104.

Mr. F. Fahey

asked the Minister for Education if he is aware of the urgent need to provide sport and recreational facilities such as a community centre and playing pitches at Ballybane, Galway; if he is aware that this large residential area with a high unemployment level and a growing young population has no recreational or playing facilities; if he accepts that Galway Corporation, because of lack of adequate finance, are unable to provide such facilities in the next few years; and if he will have his Department carry out a special investigation of the needs of this area with a view to making a special contribution available to Galway Corporation and Ballybane Community Council with a view to providing a community centre and playing pitches in this area.

105.

Mr. F. Fahey

asked the Minister for Education if he is aware that no playing pitch or recreational facilities are being provided by Galway Corporation in the rapidly expanding Terryland area of Galway city; if he is aware of the extremely high cost of land which Galway Corporation are in the process of purchasing which will make development of this land impossible in the immediate future because of the abnormally high development costs due to the difficult terrain in the area; and if in view of those circumstances, he will make a special allocation available to Galway Corporation for the provision of such facilities.

106.

Mr. F. Fahey

asked the Minister for Education if he is aware of the urgent necessity to provide playing field facilities in the Newcastle, Dangan area of Galway city; and if in view of Galway Corporation's inability to provide such facilities in the coming years, due to the absence of adequate finance, he will make a special contribution to the corporation for the provision of facilities in this area.

Minister for Education (Mr. Cooney)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 104 to 106, inclusive, together. My Department has no record of applications, under the capital grant scheme for the provision of recreational facilities, for financial assistance towards the construction of recreational facilities in the areas in question. It is not, therefore, open to my Department to consider the provision of grant assistance in these cases. In order to obviate any misunderstandings concerning the parameters of this scheme, it should be noted that it is exclusively concerned with assisting towards the cost of contract building work in the provision of youth, community and recreational facilities. It is not within the terms of the scheme to support either the purchase of land or the development of playing pitches.

Question No. 107 taken as oral.