Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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Capital support for new swimming pools is currently being provided through the Department’s Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). Eight of 33 projects awarded funding under the most recent round of the LSSIF are swimming pool projects.

Separately, applications for improvements or renovations to existing, publicly accessible swimming pools were accepted under the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) which closed for applications in September 2023.

Both the National Sports Policy 2018-2027 and the Sports Action Plan 2021-2023 commit to the development of a National Swimming Strategy. A Working Group chaired by my Department was established in 2022 and tasked with developing the Strategy, which is based on a vision to ‘provide everyone in Ireland with an opportunity to swim’. The working group 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.

Extensive stakeholder and public engagement has allowed for a wide range of viewpoints to be considered in shaping this Strategy. Over 5,800 submissions were received during the public consultation process which is testament to the popularity of the sport and the critical role it can play in terms of our physical health and mental well-being.

Work on developing the Strategy is nearing completion with a view to publishing it before the end of the year.

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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Capital funding for new swimming pools is currently being provided through the Department’s Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). No application was received under the first call for LSSIF proposals for a new swimming pool in the location referenced.

The National Sports Policy, which was published in 2018, provided for the establishment of a LSSIF. The first call for proposals under the LSSIF closed in 2019 with applications confined to local authorities and National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of Sport. All applications were assessed in accordance with the published Evaluation Procedures and Guidelines and the first allocations were announced in January 2020. Thus far, approximately €86.4 million has been awarded to 33 different proposals. Eight of the 33 projects are swimming pool projects.

With regard to a possible new round of the LSSIF, Minister Martin and I are determined to see continued investment in sports facilities in order to ensure we achieve our ambitious targets for sports participation across the country. Accordingly, we will continue to engage with the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform on the funding required to underpin any new round.