Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 158: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism her plans to develop indoor and outdoor sporting facilities, both active and passive in the short to medium term; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14241/10]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 161: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism her plans to develop facilities to encourage participation in the various sports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14245/10]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 158 and 161 together.

Under the Sports Capital Programme, which is administered by my Department, and part funded from the proceeds of the National Lottery, funding is allocated to sporting and community organisations at local, regional and national level throughout the country. While no decision has been made on the timing of the next round of the Programme, €48 million has been provided in Subhead C1 of my Department's Vote for 2010 to cover payments to be made for sports and recreation facilities which were awarded grants in earlier rounds of the programme. The Deputy will be aware that since 1998 €725m has been allocated to 7,400 sports facilities throughout the country. Under the Local Authority Swimming Pools Programme (LASPP) a provision of €7.5m has been made in 2010 which will be sufficient to meet existing commitments under current round of the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme. The Deputy will be aware that since 2000, 45 new and refurbished swimming pools have been opened. No decision has been made on the timing of a new round of the programme.