Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 November 2004
99 Mr. McHugh asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will allocate a grant to a development committee (details supplied) in County Galway in order to allow the project to proceed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29640/04]
View answerUnder the guidelines for the local authority swimming pool programme, Procedures for the Planning, Approval and Financing of Swimming Pools and Technical Guidelines, there are four principal stages in a swimming pool project. These, in order of progress, are feasibility study and preliminary report; contract documents; tender and construction. The Department and its technical advisors, the Office of Public Works, evaluate each stage and local authorities cannot proceed from one stage to the next without prior ministerial approval.
Galway County Council submitted documentation for a joint venture for the development of a swimming pool facility at Loughrea that did not follow the guidelines as outlined above. However, officials in my Department are considering the proposal as submitted and are in correspondence with council officials in this regard.
