Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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Question 381: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the position regarding the application from an association (details supplied) in County Dublin for a major grant towards its project; the status of the confirmation by his predecessor that he had approved the preliminary report submitted by Fingal County Council for the project in Skerries, County Dublin. [22466/05]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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A preliminary report on the proposal for a swimming pool in Skerries, submitted by Fingal County Council on behalf of Fingal Swimming Pool Association, was approved in January 2001. This approval allowed for the preparation of detailed contract documents for the project. No such documentation has been received. However, Fingal County Council recently indicated to my Department that following an internal review and the coming into force of a new county development plan, it is now in a position to advance the pool project. The project will be considered further when the contract documents are received.

The local authority swimming pool programme, administered by my Department, has four principal stages in a swimming pool project: feasibility study and preliminary report; contract documents; tender; and construction. My Department's technical advisers, the Office of Public Works, OPW, evaluate each stage and local authorities cannot proceed to the next stage of a project unless prior approval issues from my Department. Grant aid is not allocated until the tenders have been approved for a project. The maximum grant available under the programme is €3.8 million, which is available towards either the refurbishment of an existing pool or the provision of a new pool, subject in either cases to the total grant not exceeding 80% of the eligible cost of the project or, in the case of a project located in disadvantaged areas, 90% of the eligible cost. The local authority must provide the balance of the financing directly or in a combination of local authority funding, community group financing, private sector etc.

Where a project is being undertaken by an organisation other than a local authority, the proposal must be considered, supported and submitted by the relevant local authority. Before supporting a project, the local authority must be satisfied that the proposal is viable, that the balance of funding required to complete the project is available and that the project, when completed, will have a satisfactory level of public access.

Projects are considered on a case by case basis and consideration is given to such issues as whether the area is classified as disadvantaged, the number and geographical spread of projects within and between counties, the viability of the project, particularly regarding operational and maintenance issues, overall funding package for the project, technical details and the Department's annual Estimates provision for the programme.