I will proceed anyway because I will not delay the committee. I will briefly set out the background to and recent developments at the National Sports Campus. NSCDA was established on 1 January 2007 under the National Sports Campus Development Authority Act 2006. The principal functions of the authority are to: develop a sports campus at Abbotstown; furnish and equip the campus; manage, operate and maintain the campus; and encourage and promote the use of the campus by professional and amateur sports people and members of the public. In 2008, through consultation with all relevant stakeholders in Irish sport, NSCDA commenced the preparation of a master plan to include: a national field sports training centre; a national indoor training arena; athletes' accommodation; sports science and medical facilities; and all-weather pitches for community use.
This master plan, which has secured the full support of all key stakeholders, was granted full planning permission in 2009. In light of the changed Exchequer and public resource environment brought about by the economic downturn, the development of the campus in its entirety as originally envisaged was no longer deemed feasible. As a result, the authority adopted a strategy aimed at ensuring an incremental development of the campus. This focused on three broad elements: to commence works on the community aspects of the master plan, to bring forward a cost-efficient scheme to develop the national indoor arena and to progress the field-sport elements through a partnership approach with the various national governing bodies of sport, NGBs.
As members will be aware, the first element of the campus to be put in place was the National Aquatic Centre, which was opened in March 2003 and hosted the aquatic events of the Special Olympic World Summer Games that year. Since then, the centre has gone from strength to strength and has welcomed over 7 million visitors, while consistently ranking in the top four paying visitor attractions in the State.
In 2013 more than 858,000 visits were recorded at the centre and our swim academies attracted an average of almost 2,300 children learning to swim per week.
In addition to the completion of the master plan, during the ten years since the opening of the NAC, the authority has also put in place new office accommodation for the FAI, the Irish Institute of Sport and, most recently, a new Irish sport headquarters, which houses 19 different national governing bodies of sport.
During 2013, there was considerable activity with regard to developing sports facilities. In October last, and following consultation with Horse Sport Ireland and Pentathlon Ireland, we completed work on the National Horse Sport Arena, located within the walled gardens of the Abbotstown grounds, and a national modern pentathlon centre, which provides a dedicated training facility for fencing and shooting. These facilities together with the NAC mean that the campus is now the only location in Europe catering for all five modern pentathlon disciplines on a single site.
To complement the diving programmes at the NAC, we have also developed a national diving training centre, incorporating an indoor dry diving area.
In addition to facilities for high-performance and elite training purposes, our master plan also provides for facilities which, like the NAC, are aimed at participation and recreational level sport. In December last, we opened our new all-weather multi-sport synthetic pitches. This facility has been very well received, not only within the wider sporting community, but also in the local community. In the coming weeks we will commence development of two multi-sport grass pitches, which will be similarly used.
We have also recently completed the renovation of a former farm residence to provide on campus athlete accommodation for the Swim Ireland high-performance programme, which is centred at the aquatic centre. Plans for the refurbishment of a further residence will be progressed in 2014.
The national indoor arena contained in our master plan is generally viewed as the key missing piece of sporting infrastructure in the State. It comprises a national indoor athletics training centre, national gymnastics training centre, and national indoor training centre. It will also include covered synthetic pitches.
The 2014 budget provided for a special allocation from the sale of a new national lottery licence to enable the development of the national indoor arena to commence in 2014. Prior to this announcement, and in order to speed up the delivery of vital training facilities, the authority had engaged with the Irish Sports Council and Irish Institute of Sport to bring forward proposals for a high-performance training centre. This will include additional medical, strength and conditioning, boxing, and athlete services areas. Notwithstanding the decision to commence the national indoor arena, it is intended that this project will proceed later this year and be completed in the third quarter of 2015. This will have a significant impact on high-performance training in advance of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
As mentioned, we have worked very closely with the four main field sports to establish a framework for the development of their respective facilities contained in the master plan. This strategy involves the authority putting in place basic infrastructure and access to the identified sites. Each facility will be developed by the individual NGB on the basis of the existing master plan. In agreement with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, the authority will provide limited matching funding of up to €500,000 to each body. This strategy involves the individual NGB taking responsibility for programming of the facilities but also allows the use of the facilities by the authority. The agreement of the four NGBs was secured in 2012, and it is intended that works on the GAA and FAI facilities will commence in the coming weeks.
The authority continues to engage with sports organisations and NGBs to bring forward proposals for additional sports facilities, as well as possible options for new office and headquarter accommodation.
To support the day-to-day operation of the campus, the authority has a wholly-owned subsidiary, NSCDA (Operations) Limited. While the main focus of the company was for many years the NAC, it is also responsible for the management and operation of our new sports facilities, the office accommodation on site, and under an agreement with Fingal County Council, the operation of Morton Stadium in Santry.
As mentioned, 2013 was a remarkable year for the NAC. Despite the difficult trading conditions, visitor numbers reached over 850,000, compared with 813,000 in 2012. Record attendances were regularly broken at the swim academies, with total enrolments of almost 9,200 children. The centre also provides free hours to Swim Ireland enabling it to develop its high-performance programme. It is estimated that the value of such free pool time to be almost €550,000 per annum based on normal pool hire charges.
In 2012, we played host to a number of international squads and individuals in the run-up to the London Olympic Games, with more than 190 athletes using the facility. As a result, the potential use of the facility by teams competing in the Commonwealth Games later this year is being pursued. The centre also plays host to a number of non-aquatic athletes and squads as part of their overall training programmes.
The centre has won a number of industry awards, as well as the Q-Mark for leisure centres and was short-listed for a Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland award.
The authority has had an opportunity to review the general scheme of the proposed sports Ireland Bill 2014. As the proposed Bill encompasses all relevant provisions of our existing legislation, we do not see this impacting our objectives. Sport Ireland can only lead to a more cohesive structure for sport development and delivery in Ireland. We look forward to sport Ireland continuing the roll-out of world-class facilities in the years ahead, and to maintaining the high standards of service delivery for which our campus and staff are known.
I invite members of the committee to visit the campus if they so wish and I would be happy to answer any questions they may have.