Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

48. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if Government have received the National Swimming Strategy, and when it will be published; whether it is envisaged that this strategy will lead to the opening of the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund, or a similar fund, that would allow for local authorities to develop public swimming pools in towns such as Carrickmacross. [23065/23]

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Work on the first National Swimming Strategy continues apace, with the working group tasked with its development scheduled to hold its eighth meeting on 23 May. The working group is chaired by my Department and comprises representatives from relevant National Governing Bodies for sport and stakeholders, specifically Swim Ireland, Sport Ireland, Active Disability Ireland (formerly CARA), Ireland Active and the Local Authorities.

Whilst it is difficult to be precise about the exact time-frame for the delivery of the Strategy, I hope to be in a position to publish it by the middle of 2023.

My Department's capital support for any new swimming pools is now being provided through the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF), a review of which is currently underway.

The first LSSIF allocations were announced just prior to the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic obviously gave rise to significant financial challenges for all grantees with many of them having to reprioritise their own expenditure plans due to reductions in their income streams. In more recent times, the high level of construction inflation has also presented considerable challenges for grantees.

In view of these issues, it was considered timely to review progress on all projects that were allocated grants and meetings with all grantees have taken place. It is encouraging that, based on these discussions with grantees, it is estimated that more than half of the 33 projects should be in a position to draw down funding this year. While this progress is very welcome, these discussions also confirm that some projects in receipt of LSSIF grants may not proceed in the short to medium term.

In view of this, Minister Martin and I are currently considering whether additional resources could be provided to projects in need of further assistance and whether a new round of the LSSIF could be opened in due course. There is ongoing engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform in this regard and in the context of budgetary and National Development Plan discussions. Once these discussions are concluded, I will provide an update in respect of any new round of the LSSIF including any changes to the terms and conditions of the scheme.