Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 November 2023
81. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if the swimming pool grant will be available to groups in the coming months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52720/23]
View answerCapital support for new swimming pools is currently being provided through the Department’s Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). Eight of 33 projects awarded funding under the most recent round of the LSSIF are swimming pool projects.
Separately, applications for improvements or renovations to existing, publicly accessible swimming pools were accepted under the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) which closed for applications in September 2023.
Both the National Sports Policy 2018-2027 and the Sports Action Plan 2021-2023 commit to the development of a National Swimming Strategy. A Working Group chaired by my Department was established in 2022 and tasked with developing the Strategy, which is based on a vision to ‘provide everyone in Ireland with an opportunity to swim’ . The working group comprises representatives from relevant National Governing Bodies for sport and stakeholders, specifically Swim Ireland, Sport Ireland, Active Disability Ireland (formerly CARA), Ireland Active and the Local Authorities.
Extensive stakeholder and public engagement has allowed for a wide range of viewpoints to be considered in shaping this Strategy. Over 5,800 submissions were received during the public consultation process which is testament to the popularity of the sport and the critical role it can play in terms of our physical health and mental well-being.
Work on developing the Strategy is nearing completion with a view to publishing it before the end of the year.
