Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The local authorities' big problem, the complaint with which they came to me and with which I dealt for some of them last year related to heating pools and making them wheelchair accessible. In that regard, I introduced a scheme last year and we allocated funding to 56 pools. It was for a number of pools throughout the country in financial difficulty because the local authority could not heat them and because of the energy wastage involved. In my opinion, it was the best scheme I introduced in the Department since I came into office. I visited Sligo, Ballina, Donegal and Galway.

Every one of them tells me that but for the grant aid that we provided to upgrade their energy efficiency and make them wheelchair accessible many of these pools would have closed. The big problem we have is with the existing pools - they are not able to run them or fund them. The fuel prices are creating great difficulty in heating them. Regarding the scheme, I will need to put pressure on the remaining local authorities to either get in or get out. I will then have to see if I can find some funding to allow in some other counties with a need for swimming pools.

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