Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 310: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism when he expects the swimming pool grants programme to be reopened; his views on granting funding for the provision of a swimming pool in an area (details supplied) in County Dublin; when he expects funding to become available again for swimming pools in areas of population growth which have not benefited from previous funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19685/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The current round of the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme provides grant aid to a maximum of €3.8 million towards the capital costs of new swimming pools or the refurbishment of existing pools. The current round of the Programme closed to applicants on 31 July 2000 and the expenditure under the Programme since that time has focused on the 57 projects which make up the existing Programme. €184m has been provided in the National Development Plan 2007-2013 for supporting existing projects in the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme and for new projects to be selected following the launch of a new round of the Programme.

The terms and conditions of a new round will be devised taking into account the recommendations of the Value for Money and Policy Review report on the existing Programme which has been completed by my Department and which will be published shortly. I have not yet decided on the timing for a new Programme. However following the launch of a new Programme, Local Authorities, including South Dublin County Council, may submit applications under the terms that will apply at that time.