asked the Minister for Education whether he will approve a grant from the tripartite fund for a sports complex in Castletownbere, County Cork, for community and recreational purposes.

28.

asked the Minister for Education if he will give details under the national programme for the provision of recreational facilities of how the capital sum of £2.1 million will be allocated in 1981 including (a) the location of the 19 major sports interests under the aegis of local authorities and the involvement of local management committees; (b) the 14 community recreation centres for each local authority and the names of the community groups who will be organising such centres; (c) the 29 projects for each local authority and the name and details of the various organisations, from youth groups to vocational committees, who will be involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

29.

asked the Minister for Education if he anticipates any expansion of the tripartite fund for the provision of sporting facilities for various organisations; and if he is prepared to extend the scope of the scheme to aid projects that are as yet uncompleted due to lack of funds after all sources of revenue at local level have been exhausted.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 27, 28 and 29 together.

In April 1980 I announced that funds had been allocated to a national programme for the provision of recreational facilities. The total amount allocated was £5.6 million — £3.5 million from the Tripartite Committee on Employment and £2.1 million from Exchequer funds in 1981.

This money was allocated to the projects announced in the national programme details of which are shown on a schedule which, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to circulate with the Official Report.

Some projects have been withdrawn from the original programme. The question of re-distribution of the moneys made available by these withdrawals to cases on a substitute list is at present under consideration.

Under the conditions governing the national programme it is not possible to grant-aid projects on which work had already commenced. I am not in a position to approve a grant in the case of Castletownbere at present. The application has been noted for consideration in the event of additional funds becoming available.

In the event of a location getting a substitute grant, who is first informed of the giving of grant?

I do not know whether there is any prescribed formula but, in respect of a substitution in the Deputy's constituency, I am sure he is aware that Deputy Deasy, Deputy Kenneally and the Minister of State, Deputy Fahey, who had made representations received notification.

Could the Minister explain why Deputy Fahey got the first information on this?

That is not correct.

It is correct.

Deputy Fahey, Deputy Deasy and Deputy kenneally made consistent representations during the year and raised it on the Adjournment.

And myself.

The three of them were informed simultaneously.

That is not true.