Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 March 2014
229. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the criteria with respect to population requirement for the allocation of funding for the construction of a public swimming pool; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14447/14]
View answerThe current round of the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme was closed to new applicants on 31 July 2000. Since 2000, 58 projects have or are being dealt with under the Programme, of which 49 have been completed and the other 9 projects are at various stages of the Programme. There are four stages in the development of a project under the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme, namely Preliminary Report, Contract Documents, Tender and Construction.
There is no criterion regarding a specific population requirement for the allocation of funding for the construction of a public swimming pool. However, the Feasibility Study prepared by the local authority as part of the Preliminary Report Stage is a key part of the overall process, focusing as it does, on central aspects of any pool project including the geographical location of the pool, its hinterland, the facilities to be provided and the consequent potential number of visitors or visits per annum needed to sustain business viability. Of particular relevance in this regard is the size of the target population within a reasonable travelling distance of the pool, the demographics involved, and market surveys of likely participation in swimming activity for the purpose of calculating the potential numbers of visitors to the pool. The effect of other swimming facilities in the area is also taken into account.
