Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 779: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the position regarding the proposed public swimming pool for Ballybofey/Stranorlar, County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2228/09]

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. These, in order of progress, are: Feasibility Study/Preliminary Report; Contract Documents; Tender and Construction. The Department and its technical advisers, the Office of Public Works, evaluate each stage and local authorities cannot proceed to the next stage of a project unless prior approval issues from the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism. Grant-aid is allocated only when tenders have been approved for the project and is capped at the time of allocation. The Preliminary Report for the Ballybofey/Stranorlar Swimming Pool Project was approved in May 2007. The Contract Documents were submitted to the Department in late 2008 and were forwarded to the Office of Public Works for evaluation. The OPW has now approved these documents and I am pleased to state that I have decided that approval be granted to Donegal County Council to prepare tender documentation for the project.