Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 361: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if the public swimming pool programme has been reinstated; if applications received in his Department are being dealt with at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30846/07]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme, which is administered by my Department, grant aid is provided to local authorities towards the capital costs of a new or replacement public swimming pool or the refurbishment of an existing pool provided by local authorities themselves or by other bodies where the application for capital funding is supported by the local authority. Under the Programme, a local authority undertakes four stages in developing a swimming pool project. These, in order of progress, are: Feasibility Study/ Preliminary Report; Contract Documents; Tender and Construction. Local authorities may not proceed to the next stage of a project until prior approval issues from my Department. Grant aid is formally allocated when the tender is approved. The Department's technical advisors, the Office of Public Works (OPW), evaluates each stage.

The current round of the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme closed to new applications on 31 July 2000 and the priority since then is to continue to support those projects remaining within the programme. Of the 57 projects within the current round, 43 projects have been formally allocated grant aid, of which 29 have been completed and 14 are under construction or about to start construction. 3 projects are out to tender and the remaining 11 are at earlier stages in the process.

My Department is completing a Value for Money and Policy Review Report of the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme at present. The Report 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. Thereafter, following consideration of the recommendations in the Report, it is my intention to launch a new round of the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme. When the programme is re-opened, it will be open to all local authorities to submit applications under the terms that will apply.