It is estimated that around 425,000 people participate in swimming throughout the country. Among leisure and recreational activities it is generally considered to be one of the best and most enjoyable forms of physical exercise for developing and maintaining high levels of physical fitness. It is vital that the promotion of sport and the development of facilities, such as swimming pools, is carried out in a strategic and focused way. This means establishing priorities, avoiding overlaps and ensuring full access to available facilities. Under the swimming pool programme, the development of pools for the future will be done in a structured and focused way, concentrating on areas of greatest need.