Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 382: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the grants available for public swimming pools and the conditions therein. [6358/10]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme, which is administered by the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism grant aid to a maximum of €3.8 million is provided to Local Authorities towards the capital costs of new swimming pools or the refurbishment of existing pools, subject in both cases to the total grant not exceeding 80% of the eligible cost of the project or, in the case of projects located in disadvantaged areas, 90% of the eligible cost. Proposals must comply with the standards set out in the Department's "Procedures for the Planning, Approval and Financing of Swimming Pools and Technical Guidelines."

Under the Guidelines 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. Grant-aid is allocated only when tenders have been approved for the project and is capped at the time of allocation. The Department and its technical advisors, 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 Department of Arts, Sport & Tourism. The current round of the programme has been closed to new applicants since July 2000. An allocation of €7.5m has been provided to meet commitments under the current round arising in 2010. No decision has been taken on the timing of a new round of the programme.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 383: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the amount of each grant for swimming pools issued by his Department for each of the past 15 years; and the location of each pool which benefitted from the grant. [6359/10]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The information requested by the Deputy is attached in tabular form and will be circulated with the official report. Prior to 1998 the swimming pool programme was operated by the Department of Environment and Local Government. Payments are shown in the table from 1998-2002 when the programme was operated by the Department of Tourism Sport and Recreation and from 2002 – 2010 when the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism was established.

Swimming Pools funded, by Pool, since 1998

(since transfer to this Department)

Grants were allocated prior to 1998, but part of the grants were drawn down in 1998 and

in ensuing years

Swimming Pools funded, by County/City Council, since 1998

(since transfer from D/Env. to this Department)

* Grants were allocated prior to 1998, but part of the grant-aid was drawn down in 1998 and

in ensuing years

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 384: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he has had communications in the past five years with Dublin City Council regarding Crumlin swimming pool, Dublin 12 and the need for refurbishment or rebuilding; the extent of the exchange; the outcome of same. [6360/10]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 385: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if his attention has been drawn to the fact that Dublin City Council proposed to close Crumlin swimming pool, Dublin 12, a public swimming pool due to lack of the funds required to refurbish or rebuild the facility; his views on the importance of keeping such facilities open to encourage active participation in the sport of swimming. [6361/10]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 386: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he had communications in the past five years with Dublin City Council regarding the Coolock swimming pool, Dublin, a public swimming pool in need of refurbishment or rebuilding; the extent of the exchange; and the outcome of same. [6362/10]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 387: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if his attention has been drawn to the fact that Dublin City Council proposed to close the Sean McDermott Street swimming pool, Dublin due to the lack of the funds required to refurbish or rebuild the facility; his views on the importance of keeping such facilities open to encourage active participation in the sport of swimming. [6363/10]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 388: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he had communications in the past five years with Dublin City Council regarding the Sean McDermott Street swimming pool, Dublin 1, which is in need of refurbishment or rebuilding; the extent of the exchange; and the outcome of same. [6364/10]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 389: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if his attention has been drawn to the fact that Dublin City Council proposed to close Coolock swimming pool, Dublin due to lack of the funds required to refurbish or rebuild the facility; his views on the importance of keeping such facilities open to encourage active participation in the sport of swimming. [6365/10]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 384 to 389, inclusive, together.

Under the current round of the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme which closed to applicants on 31 July, 2000, no application was received from Dublin City Council on behalf of Crumlin, Coolock or Sean McDermott Street swimming pools. Since then a number of discussions have taken place with Dublin City Council relating to a number of pool projects, which the Council wish to develop in the event of a new round of the Programme being opened.

The question of the management of these swimming pools is entirely a matter for Dublin City Council. The current round of the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme, operated by my Department, provides grant aid to a maximum of €3.8m to Local Authorities, towards the capital cost of new swimming pools or the refurbishment of existing pools. As already stated, the current round of the programme closed to applicants on 31 July 2000. Under the programme, 45 pools have been opened throughout the country with a further 12 pools at various stages of development. In the administrative area of Dublin City Council, new pools have been opened in Finglas, Ballyfermot, St. Michael's House, Belcamp Lane Dublin 24, Ballymun and work is underway on a new pool at Rathmines. No decision has been taken on the timing of a new round of the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme. When a new round of the Programme is launched it will be open to all Local Authorities, including Dublin City Council on behalf of Crumlin, Coolock and Sean McDermott Street Swimming Pools, to submit an application under the terms that will apply.