Under the local authority swimming pool programme, which is administered by my Department, the amount grant aided in 2002 to enable the refurbishment or construction of swimming pools was just under €3.9 million. Swimming pool projects in Ennis, Monaghan, Roscommon, Wicklow, Ballinasloe and Finglas received grant-aid last year. The Estimates provision for the swimming pool programme for 2003 is €9 million.
Under the swimming pool programme, there are four stages in a swimming pool project following the submission of a feasibility study. These, in order of progress, are: preliminary report; contract documents; tender and construction. My Department's technical advisers, the Office of Public Works, Office of Public Works, 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 approved for the project and will be capped at the time of allocation.
There are 43 applications in-hand in the swimming pool programme and these are at various stages of progress. The current status of these applications is set out in the form of a tabular statement which I propose to circulate in the Official Report.
Status of Swimming Pool Applications
