To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in view of the stated aim of originally funding the sports hall at schools (details supplied) in County Dublin and the two Tallaght sports halls, he will liase with the relevant Ministers in the Departments of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Social and Family Affairs, Health and Children, Arts, Sport and Tourism, along with
Dublin County Vocational Educational Committee and South Dublin County Council to ensure that a guaranteed funding stream will be provided into 2009 and beyond in order that these halls can remain open as both school and community facilities and continue to provide the essential and valuable service they have been providing to residents living in the adjoining areas.

Pobailscoil Isolde, palmerstown, Collinstown Park Community College, North Clondalkin

To ask the Minister for Education and Science his intentions for the continuation of funding for community sports halls linked to schools details supplied) in County Dublin along with two other facilities in Tallaght,following the closure of dormant accounts funding; if the decision to appoint the vocational educational committee as the supervisory body means that
funding should be primarily channelled through VEC funding; if he has satisfied himself that the VEC has sufficient funds to cover the operational costs of the sports hall; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

At Popalscoile Isolde in Palmerstown and Collinstown Park Community College in North Clondalkin

To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will review the decision to  appoint the Dublin County Vocational Educational Committee as the body responsible for ensuring that the sports hall in Palmerstown and North Clondalkin referred to in previous questions remain open and operational after dormant accounts funding dries up on 31 December 2008, in view of the fact that the VEC says that it does not have the money; and if he will make a statement on the matter.


Reply : Minister Batt O'Keeffe

I propose to take questions 277, 278 and 279 together.

The position is that the allocated funding will provide for the operation of the sports halls referred to by the Deputy until the end of 2008. My Department does not fund community facilities and I regret to say that it has not been found possible to identify an alternative source of funds that would enable the facilities to remain available for community usage on an ongoing basis. In the circumstances, my Department has written to the relevant stakeholders to advise them of the position.