Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Question 316: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the position regarding the construction of a swimming pool in Wexford town in respect of Wexford Borough Council; if funding has been allocated; when the project is expected to be completed; if this project has been assessed as part of the value for money audit undertaken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33414/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme there are four principal stages in a swimming pool project which 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 only when the tender is approved. The Department's technical advisers, the Office of Public Works (OPW), evaluates each stage.

My Department approved the Contract Documents for the Ferrybank, Wexford Swimming Pool Project in November 2007, allowing Wexford Borough Council to prepare tender documentation. The Council submitted tender documentation on 29 September 2008. The tender documentation is currently being evaluated by the OPW, which acts as technical adviser to the Department, and will then be considered by my Department.

The Value for Money and Policy Review Report of the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme, which was published recently, was carried out by the Department to examine, among other things, how the Programme has worked to date, and what changes, are required to ensure its effective and efficient delivery. It did not assess individual projects under the current round of the Programme.