Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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274. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will change the current pre-qualified builders' tendering criteria for capital projects (details supplied); if his attention has been drawn to the exclusive nature of the existing criteria; and if it is his intention to review same as it potentially discriminates against builders who have both the competence and capacity to construct and who have a strong track record of providing valuable local employment. [9760/14]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Under the Local Authority Swimming Pools Programme (LASPP), grants of up to €3.8 million are made available towards the provision of a new pool, a replacement pool or the refurbishment of an existing local authority pool, subject to the total grant not exceeding 80% of the eligible cost of the project (90% for projects located in disadvantaged areas). 

 Under the LASPP there are four principal stages in a swimming pool project, which are: Feasibility Study/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 OPW, evaluate each stage and Local Authorities cannot proceed to the next stage unless prior approval issues from the Department.

 There are many complex technical aspects involved in building a swimming pool.  The Department's technical adviser (OPW) has confirmed that the Council's pre-qualification tendering criteria for this project were reasonable and appropriate.