Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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17. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the steps that Monaghan County Council should take to secure funding for a swimming pool in Carrickmacross. [23860/24]

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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My Department operates two capital funding programmes for sport, namely the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) and the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). Capital support for new swimming pools is currently being provided through the LSSIF. New swimming pool projects and the refurbishment of existing swimming pools are eligible to apply for grant funding subject to published guidelines and conditions of the scheme.

The first LSSIF allocations were announced in January 2020 and so far €124 million has been awarded to 33 different proposals including 8 swimming pool projects. Almost 25% of all approved LSSIF projects to date have a swimming pool element, representing one of the highest level of success for any sport.

Minister Martin and I recently announced funding of up to €120 million under the new round of the LSSIF which is open for applications until 3pm on Monday 1 July 2024. Assessment of applications, for funding of between €600,000 and €30 million, will take into account such factors as population size, sustainability and ensuring that similar access is provided to accommodate access by men and women to LSSIF-funded facilities.

While this new round of the programme is again aimed primarily at local authorities and National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGBs), it is also open to other bodies, such as sports clubs, voluntary organisations, Education and Training Boards (ETBs) and third level institutions to apply but such applications must be submitted and prioritised by a local authority and/or an NGBs. All local authorities and NGBs are asked to engage constructively with any such requests from outside bodies to ensure all potential projects, which best achieve the Fund’s objectives, get due consideration.

An information guide on the new scheme is also available on my Department's website and department officials also recently held an information webinar for all NGBs and local authorities intending to apply to the new round.

I understand that no application was received under the first call for LSSIF proposals in 2019 for a new pool in Carrickmacross and I would encourage all eligible projects to consider applying for this competitive application process.