I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this matter on the Adjournment.
The people of Birr, Clara and Edenderry provided three excellent swimming pools many years ago. The cost of building them was met by the people of those towns. The major portion of the money collected to build them was raised by the hard work of voluntary committees made up of members of the respective communities, in most cases, parents who wanted to provide facilities for themselves and their children. The money was raised by selling lotto tickets, sponsored walks, church gate collections, cake sales and a variety of other activities. The people of Birr, Clara and Edenderry have welcomed those facilities.
As the Minister of State is aware, the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Deputy McDaid, gave a commitment more than three years ago that the provision of swimming pools for inland counties was a priority, but sadly failure to honour that commitment has resulted in frustration for the people involved in trying to develop the pools in Birr, Clara and Edenderry.
In regard to Tullamore swimming pool, the development of which is also of the utmost importance, the Minster of State is no doubt aware that the Minister has refused to meet representatives of the Tullamore swimming pool project committee. He was contacted about a meeting six months ago but has still not agreed a date for one. It concerns me that he refuses to have such a meeting? Regrettably, on each occasion Offaly County Council and Tullamore Town Council requested him to proceed with these projects they were met with stonewalling, further requests for information and at this stage they are frustrated about the matter. I call on the Minister of State to give a commitment that the Minister will proceed with the development of each of these pools. That is an absolute priority.
If one is well off, one can swim in the excellent facilities provided in a number of hotels and clubs in these towns, but the cost of joining those clubs is way in excess of what most young people can afford. Swimming facilities are available, but many people cannot afford to use them.
Initially the Bertie bowl project was to cost £350 million, but it now seems it will cost in excess of £1 billion. The aquatic centre, in respect of which so much has happened, including the resignation of its former chairman, Mr. Paddy Teahon, was to have cost about £35 million, but it now seems it will cost in excess of £60 million. The people of Offaly are seeking much less funding than that being provided for those two projects. They need those facilities because Offaly is an inland county. Such funding should be provided and it is worrying it has not been. It is my duty to speak on behalf of the people who provided the existing facilities in Clara, Birr and Edenderry. The people in Tullamore have collected €317,000 to date and a further €580,000 has been promised by Tullamore Town Council to develop these pools.
I ask the Minister of State to give a commitment to the development of these facilities. This is something that I and other members of my party will raise in the run-up to the general election because we believe it is essential that those facilities should be provided. If the Minister of State were to say the Government would give a commitment to these projects, everybody in those areas would be happy.