I thank Senator Kitt for raising this matter and affording me the opportunity to outline the current position on the application for funding to provide a new local authority swimming pool in Tuam. The aim of the local authority swimming pool programme administered by the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism is to help local authorities to provide swimming pools. The Minister wishes me to recall for the Seanad the administrative procedures of the programme.
Following the submission and approval of an initial feasibility study, there are four distinct stages which a swimming pool project must complete. In order of progress, these include preliminary report stage, contract document stage, tender and, finally, construction. The Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism's technical advisers in the Office of Public Works evaluate each stage and local authorities cannot proceed to the next stage of a project unless prior approval issues from them. Grant aid is allocated only when tenders have been approved for the project and is capped at the time of allocation. Grants up to a maximum of €3.8 million are available towards the refurbishment of existing pools or the provision of new pools subject in either case to the total grant not exceeding 80% of the eligible cost of the project or 90% in the case of projects located in designated disadvantaged areas. Support is available to help meet the cost of swimming pools, toddler pools, saunas and steam rooms.
Since 2000, 55 projects have been or are being dealt with under the programme. Grants were paid in respect of 11 swimming pool projects in Arklow, Courtown-Gorey, Dundalk, Ennis, Enniscorthy, Monaghan, Navan, Wicklow, Roscommon, the Tralee aquadome and Ballinasloe. There are four projects at construction phase in Finglas, Tralee, Grove Island in Limerick, Limerick city and Clonmel. In addition to the 15 projects mentioned above, 40 applications are at various stages in the process. Of these, four have passed contract document stage, 18 have passed preliminary report stage, 13 have passed feasibility study stage and five are under consideration.
Turning specifically to Tuam, the Minister is aware that the swimming pool in the town had served the community well over many years. It has long been recognised that the pool was in urgent need of refurbishment. In fact, the pool was closed recently for urgent repairs. Following an examination of a number of options, Galway County Council decided in December 2001 that the best value for money would be obtained by providing a replacement pool rather than the refurbishment of the existing facility. The proposed replacement facility includes the provision of a six lane 25m pool, a learner pool, a toddler pool, group and family changing facilities, a gymnasium, a steam room, sauna facilities, spectator seating for 100 and an aerobics studio. In March this year the contract documents for the proposed replacement pool were approved. This approval allowed the county council to invite tenders for the work proposed and in mid-October tenders were submitted to the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism for approval. This documentation is now under consideration in the Department and the Minister is expected to be in a position to make a decision shortly.
On a more general level, the Minister is pleased that throughout the country there has been steady improvement in the quality of the facilities being provided under the programme. There is increased sophistication in the applications being made by local authorities and there is a welcome emphasis on sustainability of projects. This trend of looking more closely at the life cycle of a swimming pool and the vital issue of usage rather than simply the capital cost of a project is welcome. The latter, of course, remains a critical factor. It is vital that the promotion of sport generally and the development of facilities such as swimming pools is carried out in a strategic and focused way. This means establishing priorities, avoiding overlaps and ensuring maximum public access to available facilities. The Minister is anxious to ensure that the investment of taxpayers' money by this Government provides value by ensuring that attractive, viable facilities are built. The 2003 provision of €61 million by the Minister's Department through the sports capital programme and €9 million through the local authority swimming pool programme demonstrates that the Government's commitment to sport is being sustained. Since 1998, over €12.8 million has been provided to various sports clubs in County Galway under the sports capital programme.
The Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism wishes to record that in formulating future policy on swimming pools, officials in his Department have commenced an expenditure review of the local authority swimming pool programme. This review is examining the way in which the programme has worked to date, the benefits which have accrued to the areas in which pools have been built and what amendments, if any, are required to ensure the effective and efficient delivery of the programme in the future.
