Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 16 Oct 1991

Vol. 411 No. 1

Written Answers. - Provision of Recreation Facilities.

Dermot Ahern

Question:

606 Mr. D. Ahern asked the Minister for Education if she will outline (a) money which is available from her Department for the provision of swimming pools around the country whether from national lottery funds or otherwise, (b) the take-up on any of this money; if she has any plans to divert funds not taken up to other centres such as Dundalk, County Louth, which badly need the finance to add to local finance already collected in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Education (Mrs. O'Rourke)

Capital grants towards the cost of sport, recreation and amenity facilities are provided for under a number of schemes administered by the Departments of Education and the Environment.

In the case of the Department of Education, the Government approved a multi-annual sports capital programme for the provision of sports facilities at national, regional and local level in designated locations throughout the country, funded from the proceeds of the national lottery. This programme includes the provision of swimming pool complexes at Cork, Sligo and Carrick-on-Suir with fixed grants of £1.75 million, £1 million and £0.5 million, respectively. A number of projects in the programme have been completed and the remainder are at various stages of planning.