Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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1182. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the value for money report on the local authority swimming pool programme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37894/15]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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​Under the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme 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. The current round of the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme was closed to new applicants on 31 July 2000. Since 2000, 58 projects have or are being dealt with under the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme of which 50 have been completed and the other 8 projects are at various stages of the Programme.   

A Value for Money and Policy Review Report of the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme was completed and published by the Department in 2008.  The Review recommended that the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme should continue to be the means by which public swimming pools are provided and any new round should take account of the recommendations of the Value for Money and Policy Review Report on the Programme. 

My priority now is the completion of the projects in the existing Programme.

No decision has been taken on any new round of the Programme.

The terms and conditions of any new round of the Programme will be devised taking into account the recommendations of the Report.  If the Programme is re-opened, it will be open to all local authorities to submit applications under the terms that will apply.