Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

I thank Senator Phelan for raising this issue and I am pleased to respond to him on behalf of the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Deputy O'Donoghue, on the local authority swimming pool programme and, in particular, on the position of the Kilkenny swimming pool project which comes under that programme. The aim of the programme, which is administered by the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism, is to assist local authorities in the provision of new public swimming pools or in the refurbishment of existing pools. Grants of up to €3.8 million are available towards refurbishment or the provision of new pools, subject in both cases to the total grant not exceeding 80% of the eligible cost of the project, or in the case of projects in designated disadvantaged areas, 90% of the cost. Support is available towards the cost of a swimming pool, a toddler pool, sauna and steam room. The closing date for the receipt of applications under the current programme was 31 July 2000.

Various stages must be completed before a decision is made on the formal allocation of moneys under the programme. The four principal stages are the feasibility study and preliminary report, the contract documents, the tender and finally, construction. The Department's technical advisers at the OPW evaluate each stage and local authorities cannot proceed to the next stage of a project unless they receive prior approval from the Department. Grant aid is allocated only when tenders have been approved and the grant aid is capped at the time of the allocation.

In May 2000, Kilkenny town council applied for grant aid to replace ——