Vol. 547 No. 4
204 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if grant approval has been given for a new swimming pool in Ballinasloe, County Galway; when work will commence on the building; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3935/02]
Under the local authority swimming pool programme, which is administered by my Department, there are four stages in a swimming pool project, following the submission and approval of a feasibility study. These, in order of progress, are; preliminary report; contract document; tender and construction. My Department's technical advisers, the Office of Public Works (OPW), evaluate each stage and local authorities cannot proceed to the next stage of a project unless prior approval issues from my Department. Grant-aid is allocated only when tenders have been received for the project and will be capped at the time of allocation.
The position with the proposed Ballinasloe pool is that my Department has received the contract documentation from Ballinasloe Town Council and is considering this documentation at present.
