Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 211: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the position regarding an application for funding (details supplied) to assist with refurbishment works; when this application was received by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34946/08]

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 following the submission of a feasibility study. These, in order of progress, are: Preliminary Report; Contract Documents; Tender and Construction. Two proposals have been submitted to my Department by Cork County Council on behalf of Dunmanway. The first proposal was for a refurbishment of the existing pool together with an extension to accommodate additional facilities including a gym. A Preliminary Report on this proposal was approved in March 2001. The second proposal was for demolition of the existing facility and a rebuild to incorporate the pool, gym and ancillary facilities and this was received in December 2001.

The OPW advised that the second proposal made a convincing case for a replacement pool. However, as Cork County Council envisaged a private company operating and managing the pool the OPW instructed that the operators of the facility should be sourced and included prior to contract preparation so that their requirements might be incorporated in the design. Cork County Council tendered for operators on two occasions but received only one submission.

On re-examining the matter this year Cork County Council are considering reverting to the original proposal of a refurbishment/extension with the intention of operating the pool using their own employees and possibly operating or outsourcing the management of the gym.

Cork County Council have therefore instructed JODA Engineering Consultants (who are the consultants appointed for this project) to update the costs of both proposals with the intention of making a final decision within the next month or so on which proposal to pursue. The Council will notify the Department once a final decision has been made.