asked the Minister for Local Government whether he consulted with the Irish Amateur Swimming Association, the Irish Red Cross Water Safety Sections or the Royal Irish Lifesaving Society before announcing his plans for basic indoor swimming pools.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Indoor Swimming Pools.
21.
I did not consult with the organisations referred to by the Deputy before I announced details of the prototype indoor pool. Representatives of these organisations were, however, present on invitation at the film premiere of the water safety film "To Save a Life", on which occasion I made the announcement in question and had copies of the plans for the pool available for inspection.
22.
asked the Minister for Local Government how many local authorities have agreed to erect basic indoor swimming pools under the scheme recently announced and the names of those authorities.
23.
asked the Minister for Local Government how many local authorities have requested information on his scheme to erect basic indoor swimming pools, and the names of those authorities.
24.
asked the Minister for Local Government how many local authorities have received grants towards the erection of indoor swimming pools since 1955; the names of those authorities; and the amount of the grant allocated in each case.
25.
asked the Minister for Local Government how many applications he has received from local authorities wishing to avail of the 50 per cent grant towards the erection of indoor swimming pools since 1955; and the names of those authorities.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take the replies to Question Nos. 22, 23, 24 and 25 together. With your permission, I also propose to circulate parts of the reply with the Official Report.
Since 1955, nine local authorities submitted technical documents involving eleven proposals for the provision of public and privately-sponsored indoor swimming pools with State assistance: the names of these authorities and details of the location of the pools will be circulated with the Official Report. Preliminary enquiries were also made by a number of other local authorities and voluntary bodies. Subsidy has so far been paid in respect of one proposal only, namely, at the rate of 50 per cent of the loan charges arising from a loan of £7,500 payable by Limerick County Council for a completed pool at Mungret College, Limerick. In the case of the other proposals seven are at an advanced planning stage and two pools are in course of construction.
To date, 34 local authorities, the names of which will be circulated with the Official Report, have requested information on the scheme to erect basic indoor pools. While no local authority has yet formally notified me of its intention to provide a pool under this scheme, my Department is in consultation with a number of voluntary bodies in the matter, and the position is also being considered at meetings of elected representatives of local authorities. I have impressed on interested bodies that they should contact my Department without delay.
Following is the information referred to:
Technical documents submitted since 1955
|
Local Authority |
Location of Pool |
|
Carlow Urban District Council |
Carlow |
|
Castlebar,, |
Castlebar |
|
Dublin Corporation |
Marian College, Ballsbridge |
|
,, |
School for the Blind, Merrion. |
|
,, |
Willie Pearse Memorial Park, Crumlin. |
|
Dublin County Council |
Dominican School for the Deaf, Cabra. |
|
Ennis Urban District Council |
Ennis. |
|
Limerick Corporation |
Limerick City. |
|
Limerick County Council |
Mungret College. |
|
Longford Urban District Council |
Longford. |
|
Thurles,, |
Thurles. |
Local Authorities which have requested information on scheme
|
Dublin Corporation |
Westmeath County Council |
||
|
Drogheda |
,, |
Wexford |
,, |
|
Limerick |
,, |
Wicklow |
,, |
|
Waterford |
,, |
Ballinasloe Urban District Council. |
|
|
Kilkenny |
,, |
Ballina |
,, |
|
Wexford |
,, |
Birr |
,, |
|
Clare County Council |
Castlebar |
,, |
|
|
Dublin |
,, |
Cobh |
,, |
|
Galway |
,, |
Enniscorthy |
,, |
|
Kildare |
,, |
Kinsale |
,, |
|
Laois |
,, |
Letterkenny |
,, |
|
Limerick |
,, |
Longford |
,, |
|
Offaly |
,, |
Mallow |
,, |
|
Roscommon |
,, |
Nenagh |
,, |
|
Sligo |
,, |
Thurles |
,, |
|
Tipperary (NR) County Council |
Tralee |
,, |
|
|
Tipperary (SR),, |
Wicklow |
,, |
Would the Minister say whether any medical officers of health have raised any objection on health grounds to the type of pool proposed to be built according to the plans and specifications of the Department of Local Government?
No. I am not aware of any such objection and I would be, I take it, if there were such.