Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 30 Apr 1998

Vol. 490 No. 4

Written Answers. - Swimming Pool Projects.

Paul Bradford

Ceist:

126 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the total allocation of money for the upgrading of swimming pools and construction of new swimming pools in 1998; the number of refurbishment projects; the plans, if any, there are for new projects before his Department; and the situation in relation to the application of Cobh Urban District Council, County Cork for a swimming pool grant. [10332/98]

Minister for the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Dempsey)

A sum of £4 million is available to my Department under the swimming pool programme for the refurbishment and construction of swimming pools in 1998. It is expected that this amount will be fully expended on three new and ten refurbishment projects during the year.

In addition a total of nine refurbishment projects and 15 new pools projects, including the proposal for Cobh, are currently before my Department awaiting approval. These projects which are at various stages of planning, are estimated to cost over £44 million.

Contract documents for the proposed new swimming pool complex in Cobh were submitted by Cobh UDC in October 1997 and are currently under examination in my Department. Having regard to the high level of demand for funding for swimming pool proposals generally it is not possible to indicate when capital funding will be available for the Cobh swimming pool project.