Vol. 497 No. 5
41 Mr. Coveney asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if he will make a statement on the lack of progress of the north west ridge project in Cork; the moneys paid to date by his Department to the project; and to whom the moneys have been paid. [25635/98]
A total amount of £350,000 was allocated in 1997 under the sports capital programme to initiatives associated with the Cork Ridge project, comprising grants of £30,000 each to Castleview F.C. and Temple United F.C. and grants of £145,000 to St. Vincent's GAA Club and Na Piarsaig GAA Club.
In line with standard procedures, payment of the grants is subject to the clubs providing specific documentation and information confirming that the development complies with the terms and conditions of the programme. The necessary documentation has already been submitted by Castleview F.C and Temple United F.C. and grants of £30,000 each were paid to them in August and September 1997 respectively.
As regards the grants allocated to St. Vincent's and Na Piarsiag GAA Clubs, I understand the work in question has not yet commenced on these projects. The grants will be paid as soon as the necessary documentation is submitted and found to be in order. I am happy to tell the Deputy that approval, in principle, has since been given to a further contribution to the project to enable it to be completed, pending further clarification on matters such as terms and conditions of payment, draw down arrangements, etc.
Does the Minister agree it is a shame that 18 months after the project was first sanctioned and £350,000 was given by the Department work has not commenced on some of the key areas of the project because money was transferred from Cork to Dublin in July 1997 which resulted in an escalation of the cost of the project? Does he agree that the long delay and escalating costs are shameful in view of the revelation today that £5 million under subhead D4 of the Department's Estimates, which is allocated to local drug task forces, will not be spent?
The Deputy should ask a question.
How can the Minister reconcile the long delays in local projects with the handing back of £5 million which was targeted at some of the worst drug affected areas? This money is being handed back to the Department and will be spent under other headings in the tourism and sport budget. Does the Minister agree this is shameful?
It is ridiculous for the Deputy to suggest that money is not being drawn down and is going back to the Department. He seems to be inferring that the local task force in Cork is in some way culpable for not drawing down this money.
The Minister is culpable. He has delayed decisions for 18 months.
The Deputy is aware that it is up to the local drugs task force to draw down the funding. The funding will be drawn down and the Deputy is suggesting the local task force is in some way to blame. Deputy Flood can deal with this issue, but it is a matter for the local drugs task force. The money will not be taken back. It will be used by the local task force. The Government has an interest in the Cork Ridge project. The Taoiseach has given a commitment to this excellent project and we will continue to deal with it.
There have been teething problems with getting the Cork Ridge project off the ground. I hope the Minister can reaffirm that the project will go ahead and guarantee the funding commitment to the partnership between clubs, Cork Corporation and the Government.
The Deputy should ask a question.
I am sure the Minister understands that the four clubs and Cork Corporation are committed to the project. The Taoiseach turned the sod earlier this year. Because of the teething problems it is important that the Minister reaffirms the commitment to funding which would allay many of the fears included in the question and in some of the Opposition statements.
I agree with the Deputy as regards this project. It is an excellent project, the type to which the Government is committed in areas of disadvantage. The Taoiseach turned the sod on the project and gave a guarantee that the project would go ahead. I assure Deputy O'Flynn that the Government will make an announcement as to how the project will be funded. There is no possibility of the Government reneging on the project. I guarantee the project will go ahead and an announcement will be made shortly.
The Minister is a little out of date as the announcement was made the other day in Cork by Minister of State, Deputy Wallace. Does the Minister agree that £500,000 of the moneys allocated to the north Lee area by the last Government under the drugs task force report have been diverted to projects elsewhere in the country? As a result, the project was delayed for 18 months with the consequent escalation in costs. We have only received an announcment in the past few days. Under the drugs initiative programme, £5 million of subhead D4 will not be spent this year and will go to other areas of the tourism and sport budget. The Minister must agree this is shameful when we are dealing with a serious drug problem?
I have already responded to this question. The money will be spent on projects set up to deal with the drugs problems.
The money is being diverted. Is the Minister denying his own Estimate? This is disgraceful — total ineptitude and incompetence.
