Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 300: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will provide in tabular form the number of public swimming pools in each county here; if, in Dublin in particular, this figure is below or above the EU average per head of population and by how much; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13431/06]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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The following table shows, in so far as my Department is aware, the number of local authority swimming pools in the country, broken down by county council, city council, borough council and urban council. In addition, there are a number of swimming pools which are in private ownership and are open to the public.

New locations for local authority pools, where projects are under construction or about to start construction, are Ballybunion, Youghal, Jobstown and Killarney. Replacement pools under construction or about to start construction are located in Cobh, Drogheda, Ballyfermot, Letterkenny, Monaghan, Clondalkin, Askeaton, Portlaoise, Portarlington and Longford. My Department has not been able to locate any data on the European average referred to by the Deputy.

My Department administers the local authority swimming pool programme, which provides grant aid to local authorities in respect of the capital costs of a new swimming pool, a replacement pool or the refurbishment of an existing pool. The closing date for receipt of applications under the current round of this programme was 31 July 2000 and since then a total 57 projects have or are being dealt with. Of the 57 projects within the programme, 18 have been completed and 14 pool projects are now under construction or are about to start construction. In addition, 25 other projects are at various stages in the programme — six at tender stage, eleven at contract document stage and eight at preliminary report stage.

My Department is carrying out an expenditure review of the programme which is examining, among other things, how it has worked to date, the benefits that 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 completion of this review, the question of re-opening the programme will be considered.