Vol. 562 No. 2
135 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if only local authorities are now eligible for grant aid for the provision of swimming pools from his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5670/03]
Under the local authority swimming pool programme, which is administered by my Department, there is provision for swimming pool projects to be undertaken by organisations other than local authorities. The procedures for the planning, approval and financing of swimming pools require that such proposals must obtain the support of and be submitted through the relevant local authority. Before supporting an application, the local authority would have to be satisfied that the proposal is viable, that the balance of funding required to complete the project is available and that the project, when completed, will have a satisfactory level of public access. Proposals must comply with the requirements set out in the Department's "Procedures for the Planning, Approval and Financing of Swimming Pools and Technical Guidelines".
Under this 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.
