Vol. 515 No. 1
203 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if a priority list exists in his Department for the upgrading and refurbishment of swimming pools; the amount to be allocated on this refurbishment in 2000; the position of Castlebar swimming pool on this priority list; the category and status attached to its claim for assistance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5402/00]
Last year, my Department commissioned ILAM (Ireland) to undertake a study of the present condition of local authority pools, which were built between 1966 and 1981. Upwards of 30 pools, including the pool in Castlebar, were identified as being in need of major refurbishment. To ensure these pools could be refurbished and brought to an acceptable standard, I secured additional funding of £36 million, commencing in 2000, for the Department's swimming pool programme, a minimum of £10 million per annum of which will be available this year and in the next two years to refurbish existing swimming pools.
Contract documents for the refurbishment of Castlebar swimming pool were approved recently and Mayo County Council has now been authorised to seek tenders for the work proposed. Grant aid is not allocated to a project until such time as tenders are received and an accurate costing is available. Consideration will be given to the allocation of funding to Castlebar swimming pool, when tenders for the project are received.
