To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will guarantee continued funding for the sports complex at a school (details below) in County Dublin; when he will make a decision on such funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
(Palmerstown Sports Complex, Pobal Scoil Iosolde, Palmerstown, Dublin 20, which risks closure in December 2008 due to lack of funding, given that the complex only opened in September 2008 and that to allow it to close after only three months would deprive the area of a much-needed community facility and would have detrimental and potentially costly knock-on effects)
To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will provide funding for a recently opened sports complex (details below) in Dublin 20; when he will make a decision on such funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
( Palmerstown Sports Complex, Oakcourt Avenue, Palmerstown, Dublin 20. given that the complex only opened in September 2008 and that to allow it to close after only three months would deprive the area of a much-needed community facility and would have detrimental and potentially costly knock-on effects, when he will be in a position to make a decision on such funding)
Reply : Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism (Martin Cullen T.D.):
Letters have issued to each of this year's unsuccessful applicants under the Sports Capital Programme, including the one in question, setting out the reasons why they were not awarded a grant. As that letter pointed out, given the level of demand for funding and the amount of funding available under the Programme, it is not possible for my Department to allocategrants to every applicant. In this instance, the project did not meet two of the qualifying conditions of the Programme in that the proof of titleprovided and the evidence of own funding submitted were not sufficient. There are no funds available to the Department to meet the rising costs of sports facilities.
To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason a school St Brigid's GNS Palmerstown in Dublin 20 has not been given approval, despite being on the verge several times; the process in relation to decisions made to postpone sanctioning of works; the timeframe in relation to applications and correspondence received from the school regarding an extension and major refurbishment; the reasoning behind the decision to put the school's progress to the next stage on hold; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
