Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 12: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if the expenditure review of the current swimming pool programme will be completed at the end of July 2006, as expected; and if so, when will the issue of whether to re-open the programme be looked at, in view of the demand for swimming pools across the country, including for example Lucan, which has recently had a pool sanctioned by the local authority, which is committed to funding it, but for which a part-grant from his Department would be put to good use and may even speed up the delivery process. [26951/06]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Expenditure Review of the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme which my Department is carrying out is examining, among other things, how the programme has worked to date and what changes, if any, are required to ensure its effective and efficient delivery. A draft of the Expenditure Review has been prepared and will be considered shortly by the Steering Committee which is overseeing the project with the intention of having it finalised in a matter of months.

On completion of the Review, the question of re-opening the programme can be considered. If the Pool Programme is re-opened, it will be open to all local authorities including South Dublin County Council, which my Department has been informed has recently completed a Review of its Water Leisure Strategy, to submit applications under the terms that will apply.