Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 April 2021
427. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the extent to which she proposes to fund swimming pools in 2021 having particular regard to the interest likely to be generated in the sport arising from the Olympic Games; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22345/21]
View answerIn relation to swimming pools, my Department's direct role is to provide capital support for the construction of pools and the Department has no role in the day-to-day running of these facilities.
The Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme (LASPP) provides grant aid towards the capital costs of new swimming pools or the refurbishment of existing pools. To date 52 pools have been completed and three swimming pool projects (Lucan, Buncrana and Edenderry) remain in the programme.
Exchequer support for any new swimming pool projects is now being provided under the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). The LSSIF was launched in 2018 to provide Exchequer support for larger sports facility projects including swimming pools with at least €100m being made available over the period to 2027. Provisional grants to 8 swimming pool projects under the LSSIF were awarded in January 2020. Those projects are now at various stages of a due diligence process. While it is not proposed to open the LSSIF for new applications at present, my Department is undertaking a review of the LSSIF Programme which is expected to be complete in the coming months. This review will consider, inter alia, progress on all existing grants and whether any additional grants should be awarded. The timing of any new call for proposals will also be considered. Any new allocations or a new call for proposals will be dependent on receiving additional funding for the LSSIF following the completion of the review of the National Development Plan.
In relation to future swimming pool needs, the National Sports Policy 2018 -2027 (NSP), launched on 25 July 2018, commits to the development of a National Swimming Strategy. This will involve close collaboration with relevant Government Departments, Local Authorities, sporting bodies and other stakeholders. As part of this, there will be a review of swimming pool provision to identify where gaps exist and how these can be met. Furthermore, a Sport Action Plan, covering the period to end 2023 is nearing completion and will be published shortly. It is envisaged that the development of a national swimming strategy will be significantly progressed as a priority action in the early stages of that Action Plan.
