Vol. 626 No. 3
1 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will prioritise applications for funding under the recently announced sports capital grant scheme made jointly by primary schools and a local sports club or clubs to provide a sports hall or other sporting facility on or adjacent to school grounds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35051/06]
The sports capital programme administered by my Department allocates funding to sporting and community organisations, local authorities and, in certain circumstances, schools and colleges, throughout the country. Priority is given to projects essential to improve sports performance or participation and, of these, the highest priority is given to projects in disadvantaged areas.
The circumstances under which projects involving primary schools can be funded are where the application submitted for funding is a joint application from the school and a local sports club or community group, or where the application shows a clear need for the proposed sports facility in the area as formally agreed with other local groups and-or the local authority. Primary schools can also be funded where the local community will have access to the proposed facility for a minimum of at least 30 hours a week throughout the year when it is not being used by the school or college itself, and where the application meets the general guidelines, terms and conditions which apply to all applications under the programme.
As the Deputy is aware, responsibility for funding school sports facilities rests with the Department of Education and Science, and the number of school-related applications to my Department's sports capital programme is relatively low. For example of a total of 1,338 applications in 2006, only 30 were school-related and, of these, 12 projects were successful and were allocated €1.4 million in funding. My Department has commenced work on the development of a long-term strategic plan for the provision of sports facilities. This work is being managed by a steering group, which includes a representative of the Department of Education and Science, and the issue referred to by the Deputy will be addressed during the process which will lead to a strategy for facility provision.
I advertised the 2007 round of the sports capital programme on Sunday 15 and Monday 16 October, with a closing date for receipt of applications set for close of business on Friday 24 November next. I assure the Deputy that any school-related applications received under the 2007 sports capital programme which meet the necessary conditions and which would clearly increase sports participation and fill an identified gap in the level of sporting facilities in that community will be given every consideration for funding.
I welcome the Minister's reply. I remind him that the 2005 report of the national task force on obesity contained a recommendation that children should have at least 60 minutes moderate physical activity daily. This and other recommendations of the report have not been acted upon. I conducted a survey of 1,400 schools in 2005 and found that only 23 had sports halls. Therefore, most schools are not in a position to provide physical education, especially in bad weather. Most principals who responded to my survey pointed out that the amount of time they could devote to physical education was weather-dependent.
There are approximately 300,000 overweight or obese children in Irish schools and this figure is increasing by 10,000 annually. While I understand that the Minister does not have sole responsibility for this, I ask him to ensure that priority be given to applications from schools which satisfy the criteria he has laid out. Under this, sports halls could be provided and children would have the opportunity to exercise in bad weather. The local community could also use the facilities by night. It is a simple solution and one that would resolve some of the problems in schools. It is there to be done under the sports capital programme because the Department of Education and Science certainly does not seem to prioritise the provision of sports halls in schools.
It is open to any school to make an application under the sports capital programme jointly with a club or clubs. As Deputy Deenihan will be aware, our concern is to ensure sufficient facilities in communities for use by everyone in the community. We have been successful in this respect to date. Since 1998, more than €470 million has been spent on facilities across the country and 5,721 projects have been assisted. We have had a beneficial impact in every city, town, village and parish in the country. We have touched young people's lives for the better in virtually every part of Ireland.
The deficiency or otherwise of sports facilities in primary schools is, in the first instance, a matter for the Department of Education and Science to resolve. On the other hand, as Deputy Deenihan points out, it may be possible to marry the interests of the community with its local school. We have sought to meet this aspiration where possible.
In appealing to the Minister to prioritise applications, including school involvement, I would point to recent surveys that show increased incidence of obesity. For example, a recent survey showed that four years ago the standard waist size of a 12 year old child was 26 inches and this has now increased to 30 inches and more. We are sitting on a potential time-bomb if this is not acted upon. The Minister can make a contribution and I appeal to him to do so through the sports capital fund.
There is a good programme in operation in schools across the country, namely, the Buntús programme under the auspices of the Irish Sports Council. Our primary objective is to ensure sports facilities are made available and improved for all members of the community. Children in schools are as much at liberty to utilise community facilities as anyone else. I am conscious that an appropriate application may be submitted from a club or clubs in conjunction with a school. That will, in accordance with the normal criteria, be given due cognisance by officials in the Department.
2 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the situation in regard to art works previously on display in the Great Southern Hotels; if the collection has been returned to the State in its entirety; if he plans to proceed with an inventory of all art in the possession of the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35071/06]
Following my intervention with the Dublin Airport Authority, the Great Southern Hotel group returned all the works in its possession to the OPW last month. This followed a period of research by the visual arts consultant appointed by the Arts Council, who made visits to each of the Great Southern Hotels to codify the works. The Arts Council is confident that all works in Great Southern Hotel group's ownership at that time were returned. Arrangements are being made for public display of the works.
A number of bodies and agencies have responsibility for purchasing and acquiring art works, including the OPW, the Arts Council, the National Gallery, the Irish Museum of Modern Art, the Crawford Gallery and local authorities. Each of these maintains an inventory of these works. For example, the OPW maintains a list of the works in its collection. The Arts Council also has a complete list of works, purchased through the joint purchase scheme, in its collection. The responsibility to maintain inventories and to develop appropriate policies in this regard resides with these organisations and all other State bodies which acquire art works. The bodies responsible for collecting works are best placed to maintain such works in a way that is consistent with their own policies.
The joint purchase scheme was established in the 1950s to encourage the acquisition of art works for display in public places, creating opportunities for the public to come into contact with art and providing essential opportunities for artists to have their work purchased. While the current inventory held by the Arts Council requires updating, it shows that up to the 1990s more than 1,600 works had been purchased under the scheme by 175 bodies. These bodies include, for example, the ESB, UCD, DIT, Sligo General Hospital, Aer Lingus, VHI, Bord Fáilte Éireann, Cork Corporation, Roscommon County Library and Kilkenny Design Workshops. Works were purchased on a 50:50 basis and at that time the Arts Council's contribution to the cost stood at almost €180,000.
It is understood from the council that of the 1,600 works purchased under the scheme, 143 were jointly purchased with CIE. These include works by Gerard Dillon, Patrick Collins, Louis le Brocquy and Basil Blackshaw. These were purchased primarily in the 1960s and 1970s, at a cost to the council of £7,233. The total cost of these works came to £14,466.71. The Arts Council is undertaking research into the joint purchase scheme which will update the inventory of works purchased through the scheme, establish the current location of works and inform Arts Council policy on the amortisation of works and on its obligations to the disposal of works.
The Arts Council is independent on a day to day basis. I have made the council aware of my firm view that these works of art are part of our national heritage and belong, in effect, to the people of Ireland. They should not be disposed of for short-term pecuniary gain and should be regarded as part of the national collection and retained for continued public viewing and enjoyment. This is also the view to which the Dublin Airport Authority subscribed and I am happy with the final outcome in that situation.
I thank the Minister for that detailed reply. On the last occasion I raised this issue in the House, he did not have as much information and much work has obviously been done in the interim. I am delighted these paintings will go on display. The Minister stated that 143 paintings were purchased for display in the Great Southern Hotel Group. Have they all been returned?
This programme, involving the purchase of 1,600 paintings, had major benefits. Will the programme be reviewed in the context of continuing with that format, with various State agencies purchasing works in conjunction with the Arts Council?
In the archives of museums, there are many priceless objects that should be on display. Local authorities have a role to play in this area. Will the Minister develop this further, along with the joint purchase scheme? Local authorities, through heritage centres and local museums, should be given the option of displaying particular works of art.
Arrangements are entered into with local authorities by the national cultural institutions from time to time to ensure items go on display in the regions and I encourage this.
The Dublin Airport Authority returned 91 works from the Great Southern Hotel Group to the State and they are now in its possession. Arrangements are being made for their exhibition. We are still pursuing the remainder and I will keep the Deputy informed of progress.
3 Mr. Gogarty asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the areas his Department is involved in regarding the promotion of good environmental practice within the tourism industry. [35070/06]
The New Horizons report of the tourism policy review group found widespread acceptance of the importance of good management practices in maintaining and enhancing the attractiveness of both the built and natural environments. However, rapid growth has resulted in pressures on the environment, including congestion, some inappropriate development and waste management systems that may not be consistent with the green image of Ireland.
For about 80% of our visitors, the scenic landscape is a factor in deciding to holiday here, which means that a major strategic challenge over the next ten years will be to manage the natural and built environments in ways that maintain and enhance their attractiveness.
The promotion of good environmental practice within the tourism industry is primarily a matter for the national tourism development authority, Fáilte Ireland. When I established the authority in 2003, I made it clear that it should have a strong focus on environmental issues. Historically, Bord Fáilte was well ahead of its time in this area but its focus shifted as the organisational remit became mainly centred on marketing.
The Department has pursued the matter with the authority and it established an environment unit towards the end of 2005, the functions of which are to promote good environmental practice within the industry and the protection of the environment. It also discharges Fáilte Ireland's role as a prescribed body in the planning process.
In September, Fáilte Ireland commissioned a review, to be completed by the end of 2006, of good environmental practice within the industry. This study will allow the authority to establish a baseline from which to measure how the tourism sector is currently performing in environmental management practices. Case studies of good practice within the sector will also be identified and used to promote higher standards generally.
The Department also led a session on tourism at the recent national conference, organised by Comhar, on sustainability in the National Development Plan, 2007-2013, which focused on our recent performance and considered how we could improve and enhance future performance over the life of the next NDP.
The Minister referred to waste management. The New Horizons programme is working well and has fostered an element of stewardship among tourism bodies. What ongoing discussions is the Department involved in with the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the county managers of various local authorities?
Some time ago, I asked for an investigation into allegations that staff in a cruise company were telling customers that they could dump the contents of toilets into the lakes. That is a small part of the wider problem whereby pumping stations in many county council run areas are not working so boats cannot empty material into the pumping station. When visitors find a pumping station that works, sewage facilities are often woefully inadequate and it is pumped back into the lake. Given the serious pollution of our waterways and the importance of this sort of tourism, what discussions are taking place with the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and county managers? What plans are in place to tackle this problem?
The Department is responsible for national tourism policy and in its work it seeks to influence the policies of other key Departments and agencies on matters that impact on the tourism agenda. It has little or no involvement in direct regulation of tourism.
On the tourism side, it works through its agencies as far as environmental issues are concerned; the key agency is Fáilte Ireland. As a Department, we are represented on various State environmental fora and we are actively involved in the steering group for the national spatial strategy. The Department has an input into the national spatial strategy and all of the regional planning guidelines, where it has taken a clear line in support of positive, balanced policies to conserve the basic physical tourism resource and allow for sustainable tourism development. We have also sought to ensure that concern for the environment was a key theme during the recent tourism product development scheme and that if there is to be a forthcoming scheme, it will have an even stronger environmental focus. A new scheme would ensure there would be a voluntary environment assessment.
Since we set up the environmental unit within Fáilte Ireland, it has produced position papers on environmental issues which impact on tourism as a means of influencing future development of the environment, including papers on litter, landscapes, wind farms and fish farms.
I reject Deputy Gogarty's contention that tourism is a polluter. There is no evidence that tourism, per se, is a significant source of damage to the environment and I reject any assertion to the contrary. It might be argued that tourism is responsible for a large number of one-off holiday homes but these are the product of local planning decisions and not driven by tourism policy or programmes.
The Department asked Fáilte Ireland to establish the environmental unit and it is now in place. We pursued this so vigorously because we understand that if the environment is damaged the industry will suffer because Ireland's green image is vital to it.
The time for this question has elapsed.
In the interests of fairness, may I make a quick intervention?
As the Deputy is aware, six minutes are allocated for each question.
Is the Minister embarrassed by the lack of action by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and local authorities?
4 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if his attention has been drawn to the 8% decline in real terms in visitor spend here between 2000 and 2005, that the number of pure holidaymakers has remained static over those five years, that there was a net decline in US visitors and that between 1999 and 2004 there were 3.3 million fewer bed nights in western regions; if his further attention has been drawn to a decline in car touring and a loss of general competitiveness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35052/06]
The Deputy presents an unduly dismal picture of tourism performance in recent years and I am glad to have the opportunity to put the position in context. In 1996, 4.7 million people visited Ireland and foreign earnings from these visitors amounted to €1.79 billion, excluding passenger fare receipts. In 2005, we hosted almost 7 million visitors who generated foreign earnings of more than €3.4 billion. Most recent available statistics suggest visitor numbers could grow at a rate of more than 10% this year.
The past five years have been one of the most turbulent periods for tourism and travel in recent history. Despite this, the number of overseas visitors to Ireland in this period increased by almost 11%, while the number of pure holidaymakers grew by more than 2%. Holidaymaker numbers have increased by 14% this year and domestic tourism is growing rapidly. Furthermore, if we exclude passenger fare receipts, which have fallen as fares to Ireland become more competitive, the revenue from these visitors increased by 32% since 2000. In real terms, this constitutes an increase of approximately 11% in on-the-ground spend.
After a record year in 2000, the North American market was hit hard by the attacks on 11 September 2001 and general outbound travel from the US decreased. The number of US visitors to Ireland fell by almost 19% between 2000 and 2002. However, our North American business has recovered in the intervening period with clear evidence of strong growth this year. Other European countries have not been as fortunate.
A number of initiatives are in place to improve the regional spread of tourism. In terms of the tourism regions along the western seaboard, I am pleased the measures taken seem to be working, with a 6.3% increase in bed nights in 2005. Tourism here has a competitiveness challenge and I have stated on many occasions that we cannot be complacent. Nonetheless, in recent years our general record is one of which we can be proud.
I remind the Minister that according to Irish Tourist Industry Confederation figures, the average spend per tourist declined by 8% between 2000 and 2005. This has major implications for the hotel industry and rural tourism. In addition, as the Minister accepted, the number of US holidaymakers visiting Ireland has declined. Typically, US tourists are higher spending and they tend to visit the western seaboard. Between 2000 and 2004, the western region experienced an extraordinary decline of 3.3 million in the number of bed nights.
Surely the Minister is concerned about the level of car touring. Visitors who tour the country in cars visit villages and stay in rural hotels and bed and breakfast accommodation. The Minister did not refer to the pressure facing guesthouses and providers of bed and breakfast accommodation. To take just one activity holiday, is he aware that the number of golfing holidays to Ireland declined from 306,000 in 2000 to only 138,000 in 2004? Not all is well in the tourism sector. While many more tourists are visiting Dublin, this does not necessarily mean that the rest of the country is benefiting or that the tourists in question spend more.
Will the Minister comment on the competitiveness of the tourism sector? Does he agree that the increase in the cost of energy, particularly gas and electricity, waste disposal and refuse and water charges is affecting its competitiveness? A large number of operators are seriously considering their future. I ask the Minister to comment on the issues I raise, including the competitiveness of tourism here, which has been primarily affected by the imposition of Government stealth taxes.
There is no denying that tourism is a good news story. The number of visitors has doubled since the 1990s, a development which most people will strongly welcome. I anticipate that this year will be the best year for tourism since the foundation of the State. Growth levels are expected to be very strong. We know that traffic from the United States, whose visitors, as Deputy Deenihan correctly points out, are the highest spenders, has increased by 10%. In general terms, there is clear evidence of substantial growth across every single market, be it North America, Britain or continental Europe. I anticipate that, for the first time, we will break the 7 million mark in annual tourist numbers.
It is true that there is a difficulty in western regions. This is due to short breaks, particularly urban-based breaks, being taken by many visitors as well as a shift from sea to air travel. These are key factors impacting on the spatial spread of tourism and tourism to rural areas, especially those which lack direct access by air and sea, and they have contributed to a decline in nights spent in tourism regions along the western seaboard.
As I indicated, a rejuvenated, integrated marketing approach combined with enhanced air travel has led to a reversal of this trend in western regions, with the number of overseas visitors nights and holiday nights increasing in 2005 and delivering the highest recorded number of bed nights in the past five years.
It is true that the number of visitors touring by car has declined. For example, in 2005, 42% of all holiday makers used a car while on this island. This figure increases to 45% when confined to the North American market. There has, however, been a significant decline of 22% in the number of visitors bringing a car to Ireland, while the number of cars hired has increased by 2%. The decline in the use of cars by visitors can be attributed to a number of factors, including frequent and cheap air access, a decrease in the length of stay and an increase in the number of city breaks. Incidentally, the decrease in length of stay is a trend evident across Europe.
