Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 12: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the position regarding plans to introduce a new local authority swimming pool programme. [2481/06]

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 70: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the position regarding plans to introduce a new local authority swimming pool programme. [2522/06]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 70 together.

The priority under the local authority swimming pool programme, which is administered by my Department, is to continue to support those projects remaining to be completed under the current programme, where the deadline for submission of applications was 31 July 2000. Of the 56 projects being dealt with, 31 have been grant aided, of which 18 have been completed, leaving 13 under construction or about to begin construction. The remaining 25 projects are at various stages in the programme — three at tender stage, 15 at contract document stage and seven at preliminary report stage. It is important to note that expenditure under the programme is largely determined not by my Department, but by the speed at which individual local authorities progress their projects. In this regard, however, I am pleased to say that activity under the programme has increased considerably as evidenced by the results for 2005 where I approved grant aid for five projects — in Monaghan town, Ballybunion, Clondalkin, Killarney and Askeaton which permits the project developers to proceed with placing the contracts and having the work commence; contract documents for eight projects — in Naas, Clondalkin, Askeaton, Thurles, Portarlington, Portlaoise, Athy and Longford, allowing them to invite tenders for the projects; and preliminary reports for nine projects — in Athy, Kilkenny, Buncrana, New Ross, Castlebar, Bray, Greystones, Birr and Roscrea which permits the preparation of contract documents for the projects. The House will agree that we are now seeing good progress with this programme which is aimed at providing modern public swimming facilities for our people.

My Department is carrying out an expenditure review of the programme, which is examining, among other things, the number and nature of projects supported under the programme, the benefits which have accrued to the areas where pools have been built under the programme and what amendments, if any, are required to ensure the effective and efficient delivery of the programme. On the completion of this review, which I expect will be available by mid-year, the question of re-opening the programme to new applications will be considered.