Ulick Burke (Fine Gael)

As I recognise what the Acting Chairman said during the previous Adjournment Matter, I will be orderly. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Lenihan, and thank him for coming to the House to speak about this issue.

The swimming pool project in Loughrea has a long and difficult history. The action group initially established raised funds in difficult times, for example by organising small events, to assist the development of a swimming pool in Loughrea. A substantial amount of money was eventually gathered with a view to purchasing a site. The first proposed site, which was made available by Galway VEC, was beside the new vocational school. It was an appropriate site because it facilitated the use of the swimming pool facility by the two adjoining schools. However, the engineering personnel and the consultants who were in charge of the planning application decided, for one reason or another, that the site was unsuitable.

Some time passed before an alternative site, which was adjacent to one of the main residential areas in Loughrea, was provided by Galway County Council. When that site was on offer, a further housing development was planned on a site adjoining the proposed swimming pool site. The developer in question decided to support the swimming pool project by investing the necessary resources to provide top-of-the-range swimming facilities in Loughrea. The project has been bedevilled by queries, responses and delays for the last three years, however.

I ask the Minister of State to clarify the matter by indicating that the Government will provide the necessary funding to pursue the project with the developer in question, who has offered to provide some resources on a PPP basis. The only possible reason for further delays lies with the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism. Like Galway County Council, which eventually played its part by providing a site, Loughrea Town Council fully supports this development. While the action group that did so much of the initial work to bring this project to its current stage continues to support the project, its patience will run out and it will get frustrated if there are further delays. Therefore, I ask the Minister of State to indicate clearly that the Department is willing to give the project the final go-ahead.