Jim O'Keeffe
Question:45 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the State support that will be available for the development of sporting and recreation facilities outside of Dublin over the next three years. [25979/00]
Written Answers. - Sports Funding.
My Department provides funding for the development of sport and recreational facilities, throughout the country, under a number of programmes: the sports capital programme, the swimming pool programme and the national development plan.
The sports capital programme operated by my Department provides funding for sport and recreational facilities at national, regional and local levels and aims to assist voluntary and community organisations with the development of appropriate facilities for an integrated and planned approach to sports and recreation, with priority for designated disadvantaged areas. I hope to be inviting applications for funding under the 2001 programme before year-end. All applications are assessed having regard to criteria set out in the guidelines accompanying the applications. No funds are specifically earmarked before applications are assessed and allocations are made having regard to the merits of each application. However, this year, in order to further ensure a more even distribution of funding throughout the country, I introduced an arrangement whereby each county was allocated a minimum of £200,000.
My Department has committed a grant of just under £6 million towards the construction of a 50 metre swimming pool at Limerick University. Construction is progressing and the pool is scheduled for completion next year. Under the swimming pool programme grants of up to £3 million are available towards both the refurbishment of existing pools and the provision of new pools, subject in both cases to the total grant not exceeding 80% of the eligible cost of the project or, in the case of projects located in designated disadvantaged areas, 90% of the eligible cost. Support is available towards the swimming pool, toddler pool, sauna and steam room and ancillary accommodation that relates directly to the swimming pool. There are four stages in the approval process for a swimming pool project and my Department gives prompt consideration to progressing each proposal to the next stage, in the context of funding available. During the period 2000-02, an amount of £45 million will be available for the swimming pool programme.
Under the culture, recreation and sports measure of the local infrastructure sub-programme of the regional operational programmes of the NDP, £85 million has been specifically allocated for the provision of community sporting and recreational facilities for 2000-06. These facilities will be located at gateway towns to be identified in the national spatial strategy currently being undertaken by the Department of the Environment and Local Government. Once the gateway towns have been identified, proposals will be sought from local authorities, and where appropriate voluntary and community organisations, for the provision or upgrading of sport and recreational facilities. Work on the identification of regional gateways is scheduled for completion by the middle of 2001, when implementation of the measure can begin.
Question No. 46 taken with Question No. 14.