Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

I am saying the third cannot be too far away. Some 30 other applications are at various stages in the process, ten are at tender stage, 12 are at contract document stage and eight are at preliminary report stage. It can be seen, therefore, that significant progress is being made to implement the programme.

The Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism is carrying out an expenditure review on the swimming pool programme, which is expected to be completed later this year. This review will examine, among other things, how the programme has worked to-date, the benefits which have accrued to the areas where pools have been built, the levels of project completion and finance necessary to bring the current programme to a close and any amendments which may be required to ensure effective and efficient delivery of the programme.

It is vital that the promotion of sport generally and the development of facilities, such as swimming pools, is carried out in a strategic and focused way, which means establishing priorities, avoiding overlaps and ensuring maximum public access to available facilities. The Government is anxious to ensure that the investment of taxpayers' money provides value for money by ensuring that attractive, viable facilities are built. The level of funding provided in 2005 by the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism, at almost €62 million in respect of the sports capital programme, €34 million in respect of the Sports Council and €32 million under the local authority swimming pool programme, which is an increase of 82% on last year's swimming pool expenditure, indicates that the Government's commitment to sport, leisure and swimming is being sustained.