Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 55: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the amount of funding awarded by him in respect of sporting or recreational grants in the years 2003 to date in 2006; the intended expenditure for the coming year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34830/06]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 129: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the amount of funding available for expenditure on major and minor sporting and recreational grants in 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35032/06]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 55 and 129 together.

Under Subhead C1 of my Department's Vote, payments are made in respect of Grants for Sporting Bodies and the provision of Sports and Recreational Facilities. A total of €67,724,000 is available for expenditure in 2006 under this subhead.

The total amount of grant allocations relating to this sub-head for the years requested by the Deputy is as follows:

2003: €56,352,733

2004: €101,783,014

2005: €63,239,419

2006: €75,065,000.

The 2004 amount includes a grant of €40m in September 2004 to the Gaelic Athletic Association towards the re-development of Croke Park.

In the case of the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme, which is also administered by my Department, the sum of €32.3 million is available for expenditure under the Programme in 2006. My Department provides grant aid under the Pools Programme to local authorities towards the capital costs of a new or replacement public swimming pool or the refurbishment of an existing pool. Of the 57 projects currently being dealt with, 22 projects have been completed, 15 other pools are under construction or about to begin construction. The remaining 20 projects are at various stages in the programme. So far this year, I have approved 8 projects for grant aid and approved contract documents for 9 public pools. Details of the amounts available for expenditure in 2007 for both sports capital and local authority swimming pool projects will be available when the Abridged Estimates for my Department is published next month.