Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 January 2016
189. Deputy Emmet Stagg asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the funding available for the local authority swimming pool programme following his request to chief executive officers of local authorities to submit expressions of interest on 20 January 2016; and given their tag deadline for expressions of interest is 5 February 2016, when he will make a final decision on allocations. [3296/16]
View answerUnder the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme grant aid to a maximum of €3.8 million is provided to local authorities towards the capital costs of new swimming pools or the refurbishment of existing pools. The 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 Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme of which 50 have been completed and the other 8 projects are at various stages of the Programme.
I have commenced the process of opening a new limited round of swimming pool allocations. As the Deputy has mentioned, the Department recently contacted local authorities seeking expressions of interest in such an allocation with 5 February as the closing date for reply. I await receipt of that information before any further decisions shall be made.
