Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 197: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if there is money available or if he will make money available to refurbish the Gus Healy swimming pool in Cork; if he has had any representation on this project from Cork City Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5620/05]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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Under the local authority swimming pools programme, which is administered by the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism, grant aid is provided towards the capital costs of new pools or the refurbishment of existing pools. The closing date for receipt of applications under the current programme was 31 July 2000. No application was made in respect of the Gus Healy swimming pool in Douglas before that date.

The programme's priority is to support the proposals on hand. New proposals for swimming pools are not being considered at this time. The Department is conducting an expenditure review of the swimming pools programme, which is examining, among other things, how the programme has worked to date, the benefits which have accrued to areas where pools have been built under the existing programme and what amendments, if any, are required to ensure the effective and efficient delivery of the programme. The review is expected to be completed by the middle of the year. The question of re-opening the programme can be considered when the review has been completed.

In a letter dated 16 December 2004, Cork City Council requested a meeting with me to discuss grant aid towards the refurbishment of the public swimming pool in Douglas. Due to a heavy schedule of commitments, I am not in a position to meet the delegation at this time. However, the request will be kept on file and I will be in touch with the council if an opportunity arises for such a meeting in the future.

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Question 198: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism when funding will be granted for a project (details supplied) in County Laois. [5931/05]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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The proposal to refurbish Portarlington swimming pool is one of a number of swimming pool projects within the local authority swimming pools programme being considered by the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism. The four stages of the programme are preliminary report, contract document, tender approval and construction. The Portarlington project is at contract document stage. The question of this project moving to the next stage in the programme is being considered in the Department in the context of the funding available in the Department's multi-annual capital envelope for the local authority swimming pools programme.

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 199: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the number of public or private public partnership swimming pools here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5945/05]

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 200: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the number of public or private public partnership swimming pools here; the towns in Ireland which have such a facility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5946/05]

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 201: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his views on the need for the Department to publish guidelines for public private partnership provision of swimming pools; if, pending the publication of these guidelines, it is permissible for a local authority to proceed with plans for a public private partnership provided swimming pool in its administrative area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5947/05]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 199 to 201, inclusive, together.

Under the local authority swimming pools programme, local authorities can seek grant assistance in respect of swimming pool projects developed by them or in conjunction with community or private sector interests. An expenditure review of the local authority swimming pools programme is under way in the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism and is due to be completed by the middle of the year. As part of the review, all data on the number and location of swimming pools promoted by local authorities throughout the country, some of which date back to the 1960s, are being updated. The Department's existing records are not complete because they relate to projects which were grant aided, whereas local authorities have always been able to construct swimming pools without reference to the Department. Local authorities have not been required to update the Department on the status of grant aided swimming pool projects after they have opened to the public. The expenditure review is seeking to update all records in this area.

Some 55 projects are being dealt with under the current round of the swimming pools programme, which closed for applications on 31 July 2000. Some 25 of those projects have been grant aided, of which 15 have been completed. The completed projects are located in Arklow, Courtown-Gorey, Dundalk, Ennis, Enniscorthy, Monaghan, Navan, Wicklow, Roscommon, two in Tralee, Ballinasloe, Finglas, Grove Island in Limerick city and Clonmel. Ten projects are under construction, in Ballymun, Ballyfermot, Cobh, Youghal, Churchfield in Cork city, Drogheda, Letterkenny, Jobstown in south County Dublin, Monaghan town and Tuam.

Some 30 projects are at various stages of the programme. Two projects are at tender stage, in Killarney and Ballybunion. Some 13 projects are at contract document stage, in Askeaton, Athy, Claremorris, Clondalkin, Dunmanway, Glenalbyn in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Longford, Naas, Portarlington, Portlaoise, Skerries, Thurles and Tullamore. Some 15 projects are at preliminary or feasibility report stage, in Ballaghaderreen, Ballybofey, Birr, Buncrana, Bray, Castlebar, Clara, Dundrum in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Edenderry, Ferrybank in Wexford, Greystones, Kilkenny, Loughrea, New Ross and Roscrea.

Private sector involvement in the programme is being considered in the context of the expenditure review. The work of the interdepartmental working group, which was established in 1999 to advise on key issues relating to the operation of a public private partnership approach to swimming pools, will be taken into account as part of the review process. The experience of local authorities, national legislative and policy developments in the area of PPPs will also be pertinent.

The arrangements and accompanying guidelines in place for PPPs are geared towards major and complex capital projects with significant ongoing maintenance requirements — projects with a capital cost of €20 million or more. The PPP model should be used where it is appropriate and where it can deliver value for money. The model would not be appropriate where the transaction costs of pursuing a PPP are disproportionate to the value of the project. The policy framework for PPPs in the local government sector issued by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the implementing guidelines issued by the Department of Finance are detailed and complex in implementation terms.

The project costs in the local authority swimming pools programme are in the region of €8 million and are not seen, therefore, as being of sufficiently high cost to justify the extra resources involved in pursuing a formal PPP approach. The Department of Finance confirmed some time ago that there were several considerations which would militate against a PPP approach to this programme and that pool projects do not strictly comply with the definition of a viable PPP in terms of scale and optimal transfer of risk to the private sector.

It is important to consider that the swimming pools programme is just a grant scheme. Local authorities can devise funding and operational arrangements as they see fit to complement the grant element. Experience shows there is potential for private sector involvement in the provision and operation of local authority swimming pool facilities. Many local authorities are exploring various ways of involving the private sector in their projects. The Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism does not object to the involvement of the private sector, as long as the generally accepted operational considerations of a public pool form part of the project. The considerations involve, for example, non-membership pay per swim access, concessionary rates as part of social inclusion measures, etc.