Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Under the current round of the local authority swimming pool programme, grant aid to a maximum of €3.8 million is provided to local authorities towards the capital cost of new swimming pools or the refurbishment of existing pools. So far, 47 projects have been completed and 11 other projects are at various stages of development.

The current round of the programme was closed to new applicants on 31 July 2000. No decision has been taken on the timing of a new round of the programme. It is incorrect to say that funding for swimming pools has been suspended. Last year, €7.7 million was paid out in respect of swimming pools and €5.6 million is available this year, all of which is expected to be paid out to grantees.

Since 2005, three projects have been added to the list of pools under the programme. In 2005 €3.8 million was allocated where a local authority swimming pool in Monaghan had to close for safety reasons, and Monaghan was the only county in the country without a local authority pool. In 2006, a special Estimates allocation of €300,000 was made by the Minister for Finance towards the refurbishment of the swimming pool at St Joseph's School for Deaf Boys in Dublin, and in 2010 the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport approved a grant of €648,000 towards the refurbishment of the de Paul Swimming Pool, operated by the Daughters of Charity, in Dublin. This grant was subsequently increased to €948,000.  The latter two pools are in the Dublin City Council area. 

On the possible withdrawal of grants, I am conscious that local authorities, like all other organisations, have been facing financial difficulties in recent years and my Department is trying to afford them every opportunity to draw down this funding, within the terms and conditions of the programme.  Of course these grants cannot remain open indefinitely and I would urge the relevant local authorities to progress their projects as quickly as possible.

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