Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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39. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will consider fast-tracking funding for the building of a 50-metre swimming pool in Sligo given there is no 50-metre pool in the north west. [36482/24]

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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The 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. Earlier this year, Minister Martin and I announced funding of up to €120 million under the new 2024 round of the LSSIF, which closed for applications on 1 July 2024.

New swimming pool projects and the refurbishment of existing swimming pools were eligible to apply for grant funding under LSSIF 2024 subject to published guidelines and conditions of the scheme.

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.

The initial assessment of applications is now under way and it is clear that this round of the LSSIF has generated significantly more applications and a much higher volume of demand than the first round. It should be noted that no application was received by the Department under LSSIF 2024 for a swimming pool in Sligo.