Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 203: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism when the arrangements for the provision of a swimming pool proposed for north Kildare are likely to be concluded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13695/05]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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Kildare County Council applied for grant aid under the local authority swimming pool programme towards the cost of replacing the swimming pool in Naas. I am pleased to say that I recently approved the contract documents for this project and this approval allows the council to seek tenders for the work proposed. The project will be considered further when the tender documentation is received.

There are four principal stages in the grant process — feasibility study-preliminary report, contract documents, tender approval and construction — and specific ministerial approval is required before a project can move from one stage to the next. Grant aid is allocated only when tenders have been approved for the project and the amount is capped at the time of allocation.

Under the pool programme, the maximum grant available is €3.8 million, which is available towards either the refurbishment of existing pools 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 located in disadvantaged areas, 90% of the eligible cost.