The Government will take any action necessary to deal with problems surrounding the National Aquatic Centre's operating contract, the Minister for Tourism, Sports and Recreation, Dr McDaid, has said.
"I greatly regret that neither the board of Campus Stadium Ireland Development nor I were told about the dormant status of one of the companies, which was awarded the contract to operate the centre.
"I can assure you that this Government will take whatever action is called for in dealing with this matter. It is unfortunate that there has been disquiet about this project which is very special and worthwhile."
The Minister was speaking during a debate on his cabinet brief at his party's ardfheis. Dr McDaid said initial inquiries appeared to show that there was nothing wrong with the awarding of the contract, but investigations would continue.
His remarks came shortly before he spoke to the Tánaiste and Progressive Democrats leader, Ms Harney, who remained deeply unhappy despite reorganisation proposals from the CSID board.
He said he was still "passionate" about the plan to build a national stadium complex in Abbotstown, which would prove in time to be "a vital infrastructure asset".
Defending his performance as Minister, Dr McDaid said he refused to accept "lectures" from the Opposition which had failed to invest in the area during its periods in office.
"I don't think that there is anybody in this country who can claim that sport has not prospered under this Fianna Fáil-led government," the Donegal North East TD told delegates gathered in the Citywest Hotel. "The decision at the outset of this Government to make sport a full Cabinet position has had a huge impact in the sporting arena. Successive budgets have reinforced that position."
Grants worth €135 million have been given to 2,044 clubs and community groups since 1997, including money for 20 GAA county grounds, 13 League of Ireland grounds and regional athletic tracks.
"Compare that to the derisory €25 million allocated by the rainbow coalition to local sports projects during their time in office and you can gauge the blatant hypocrisy of Michael Noonan's professed concern for local sports facilities. The fact is that there is hardly a village or parish in the country that has not had some sports or community project," he said.
On tourism, the Minister acknowledged that the number of foreign visitors has fallen, in the aftermath of the downturn in the US economy and the September 11th attacks.
The public, however, "rallied to the cause" by spending 16 per cent more on holidays at home, following competitive deals from hotels and guesthouses and an intensive Bord Fáilte marketing campaign.
During the same debate, the Minister of State at Dr McDaid's Department, Mr Eoin Ryan TD (Dublin South East), insisted that the Government's efforts to combat the drugs crisis were working.
"The policies are making a real difference to the lives of people living in marginal communities. Three hundred drugs-related projects are up and running," he said.
In all, he told the ardfheis, €19 million was being spent on a four-pronged approach to cut the supply of drugs on to the streets - prevention, treatmentand research, backed up by the creation of regional anti-drugs task forces.
