asked the Minister for Local Government if he will provide moneys for the provision of a swimming pool at Thurles, County Tipperary, in accordance with proposals submitted by the urban district council.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Swimming Pools.
45.
Mr. Dunne
The question of providing capital for the financing of the pool proposed to be built by the Thurles Urban District Council is under consideration in my Department in conjunction with a number of other similar proposals.
Is the Minister aware that the fund raising committee of Thurles Urban District Council has collected over £6,000 towards this project? In view of the large population in the area and the distance it is from the sea would the Minister give urgent consideration to this project when he is next allocating moneys?
I am aware that Thurles Urban District Council are trying to raise £6,500. The only information I have about the success of this project is that they have raised £4,300 of that target. I am anxious to see swimming pools constructed in strategic places throughout the country and the proposal for a pool at Thurles, along with others before my Department, will receive favourable consideration from me bearing in mind the capital limitations upon me.
Arising from the Minister's reply is he not aware that his predecessor, as a policy matter, decided that the question of further allocations of moneys for swimming pools would be put in cold storage at this point in time? Am I to take it that the Minister is departing from that policy?
There was no question of my predecessor putting the question of money for swimming pools into cold storage. In fact, my predecessor sanctioned the provision of 11 pools including two in Dublin, one each in Ballin-asole, Carlow, Ennis, Enniscorthy, Kilkenny, Mallow, Naas, Tipperary and Tuam. I am disappointed that the Deputy is so badly informed about the work of my predecessor with regard to the construction of swimming pools.
Arising from the Minister's reply and his rather childish attempt to misinterpret me may I ask him to look up the records of previous observations made by his predecessor to that effect in this House? If he does this the Minister will find that what I am saying is true. The previous Minister had arrived at a situation where he felt other priorities would have to be considered before the question of providing swimming pools. He may have been right—I am not saying whether he was right or wrong —but that is what he said.
There is a question of priority, but the Deputy gave the impression tht the provision of money for swimming pools had been put in cold storage. I was merely informing the Deputy of the number of pools sanctioned by my predecessor, construction of which is well under way. I hope to have the pleasure of opening some of these pools in the coming summer.
(Interruptions.)
Order, order.
The Minister has stated that the urban district council has collected £4,300 but I would like to inform the Minister that they have now collected over £6,000.
I am very pleased to hear that.
46.
Mr. Dunne
asked the Minister for Local Government if he will state (a) the number of local authorities that have submitted proposals to his Department for the erection of swimming pools, (b) the names of those local authorities and (c) the date each proposal was received in his Department.
As the reply is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to circulate it with the Official Report.
Following is the statement:
TABLE showing proposals submitted for the erection of swimming pools and dates on which proposals were received in Department.
|
Swimming Pool at |
Date on which proposal was received in Department |
|
*Strandhill |
October 1962 |
|
*Limerick City |
November 1964 |
|
*Dublin City (4 centres) |
December 1964 |
|
*Thurles |
May 1965 |
|
*Wexford |
June 1965 |
|
*Mullingar |
July 1965 |
|
Ballina |
July 1965 |
|
*Letterkenny |
July 1965 |
|
Dublin (St. Mary's School for the Deaí, Cabra) |
July 1965 |
|
*Wicklow |
August 1965 |
|
*Templemore |
November 1965 |
|
An Uaimh |
February 1966 |
|
*Roscommon Co. (Ballaghaderreen, Boyle, Roscommon, Strokestown) |
April 1966 |
|
*Kildare Co. (Athy, Droichead Nua, Kildare, Maynooth) |
November 1966 |
|
Birr |
March 1967 |
|
Edenderry |
May 1967 |
|
Bunclody |
August 1967 |
|
*Fermoy |
December 1967 |
|
Carrick-on-Suir |
February 1968 |
|
Ballyhaunis |
June 1968 |
|
*Portlaoise |
July 1968 |
|
*Athlone |
October 1968 |
|
Nenagh |
January 1969 |
|
*Clonmel |
January 1969 |
|
Galway (Holy Family School, Renmore) |
February 1969 |
|
Drogheda |
March 1969 |
|
Charlestown |
May 1969 |
|
Limerick (Janesboro') |
May 1969 |
|
Callan |
September 1969 |
|
*Clones |
October 1969 |
|
Askeaton |
November 1969 |
|
*New Ross |
January 1970 |
|
*Blessington |
February 1970 |
|
Dublin (St. Vincent's Home, Navan Road) |
March 1970 |
Total number of proposals: 43.
NOTE: (i) Asterisk denotes local authority proposal.
(ii) In some cases the proposals are of a preliminary nature.
(iii) The provision of pools at the following eleven centres has previously been approved: Dublin (2 pools), Ballinasloe, Carlow, Ennis, Enniscorthy, Kilkenny, Mallow, Naas, Tipperary, Tuam. In addition, there are commitments in respect of pools at Williamstown (Dún Laoghaire) and Galway.