asked the Minister for Local Government if an application for a grant towards the erection of a swimming pool at Navan, County Meath, has been received by him; and, if so, what action has been taken on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Swimming Pools.
63.
I would refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 23 on 11th June, 1970, when I stated that I would be prepared to sanction the raising of loans to finance the building of a number of pools, including a pool at An Uaimh.
64.
asked the Minister for Local Government the locations for swimming pools for which grants have been sanctioned by his Department; if he is in a position to sanction further grants for other pools; and, if not, when he will be in a position to do so.
65.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he will state the list of priorities for swimming pools which have been approved by his Department; and the probable length of time which will elapse before additional pools can be added to the list.
With your permission, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 64 and 65 together.
The location of the swimming pools sanctioned in 1967 and 1968 and of the additional pools in respect of which I recently indicated I would be prepared to provide finance is given in my replies to Questions Nos. 46 and 23 on 21st May and 11th June, 1970, respectively. I cannot say at this stage when further pools can be released.
Would the Minister be able to include the current list in the Official Report? There may be slight changes.
I have given the information quite recently in reply to the questions to which I have referred.
Would the Minister put the whole lot together in one reply? If he does not want to do that, it is all right.
There is no problem. The Deputy can get the information he requires in the Official Report.
In two parts.
I have been even helped the Deputy by telling him the questions in reply to which the information was given.
I know but that is the reply to my questions today and the Minister would have to reply to them somehow. I thank him very much for giving me the information but I do not know in what other way he could have replied to the question. Would the Minister have an idea——
This pool in An Uaimh is sanctioned and the Deputy is a bit late putting down his question.
Will the Minister wait a minute? I know he has a heavy agenda. Is he prepared to say whether there is any possibility of further money being made available in this financial year for further improvements? That is all I want to know.
That is an extraordinary question. Twenty-four pools have been sanctioned or an indication given to the local authority of preparedness to sanction loans for pools. At present there are 24 pools either just recently opened or at present under construction or at the planning stage and for which we have indicated our preparedness to sanction the loans to allow them to proceed and some progress will have to be made with those that have already been released before I make any further announcements. Furthermore, I have already told the House that the remainder of the pools for which applications have been made to the Department for financial assistance are under review and that review has not been completed.
I am sorry if I have made the Minister angry but——
(Cavan): He gets angry when one pursues this line.
——it is a little bit early in the Minister's career to get angry about small questions.
Do not assume that I am angry. If the Deputy wants information I will give it to him if I can and if I cannot——
I have asked the Minister for information and he obviously cannot or will not give it to me. The reason I am asking this is that a number of areas have indicated that they are anxious to apply for pools. Instead of putting them to the trouble of doing this if it will be a number of years before there is more money available I think they could expend their energies in a better way. If there is a hope of getting the pools, then I shall encourage them to go ahead with their plans.
Nobody, except the Deputy, has said that it will take a number of years but, of course, what the House is not aware of is that Deputy Tully made an utter fool of himself in his own constituency over the question of the Navan swimming pool which he assured the people in the area would not become a reality for many, many years. Of course, he was not aware of the representations Deputy Hilliard was making to ensure that this project was kept on the move and I was very happy to sanction it at the request of Deputy Hilliard.
The Minister made a statement. I will not be allowed to say it is a lie so I want to say it is untrue. It is unworthy of the Minister to try to pull chestnuts out of the fire, for some of his pals in this House. As for making a fool of myself, I have made a fool of the Minister more often than many people in this Houses and that is why he is angry.
You were not in the swim, Jim.
66.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he will give priority to an application for a swimming pool grant to the Cabra area, Dublin, which caters for approximately 15,000 children.
67.
asked the Minister for Local Government when Dublin Corporation intend to proceed with the provision of a swimming pool and tennis hardcourt at Nephin Park.
I propose with your permission, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 84 and 85 together.
I have no proposal for the provision of a pool at Nephin Park, Cabra, nor have I any information about a tennis court at that location.
Generally, as regards the provision of further swimming pools in Dublin city, I would refer the Deputies to column 1221 of the Official Report of the Adjournment debate on 16th June, 1970, in which I indicated that the initiative in these matters rests with Dublin Corporation.
Can the Minister assure this House that when the local authority applies to him in accordance with the application sent to them on the 19th June and also sent to him on the 19th June, he will give priority to the Cabra area and the inland north west region of Dublin for swimming pool facilities?
As I have already told the Deputy, the initiative rests with Dublin Corporation and, if they will suggest to me where they wish the next swimming pool to be built, I will be only too happy to recommend it.