Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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24. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of licences that have been granted for the swimming pool at the Garda College, Templemore; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61122/22]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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The swimming pool in the Garda Training College is primarily for use by the trainees at the College but has been made available to local schools and community/voluntary groups, where appropriate. Arising from an audit relating to the Garda College in 2017, the Garda College and the OPW put a licensing system in place in order to continue this practice and regularise the licensing arrangements.

Where a group is interested in using the facilities, they must apply to the Garda College, in the first instance, as the application process is managed by the Garda College. If deemed appropriate, the College will then request the OPW to grant a licence to the group for the use of the pool facilities.

The assessment and approval of applications rests with the Garda College authorities in terms of satisfying conditions around insurance, vetting, etc. in advance of submitting an application to the OPW to enter into a licence agreement. In addition, it is for the group to arrange that the relevant qualified persons, e.g. lifeguards are present during the period of use of the facilities.

The swimming pool was closed from March 2020 to March 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and when the pool reopened in March 2022, the OPW granted 5 licences to local Templemore schools to use the pool until June 2022, on foot of requests received from the College. No further licences have been granted in 2022.

The table below details the number of licences granted by the OPW since 2017, on foot of requests received from the College –