Swimming Pool Projects.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 April 2006

Tuesday, 4 April 2006

Ceisteanna (271)

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

300 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will provide in tabular form the number of public swimming pools in each county here; if, in Dublin in particular, this figure is below or above the EU average per head of population and by how much; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13431/06]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism (Mr. O’Donoghue)

The following table shows, in so far as my Department is aware, the number of local authority swimming pools in the country, broken down by county council, city council, borough council and urban council. In addition, there are a number of swimming pools which are in private ownership and are open to the public.

New locations for local authority pools, where projects are under construction or about to start construction, are Ballybunion, Youghal, Jobstown and Killarney. Replacement pools under construction or about to start construction are located in Cobh, Drogheda, Ballyfermot, Letterkenny, Monaghan, Clondalkin, Askeaton, Portlaoise, Portarlington and Longford. My Department has not been able to locate any data on the European average referred to by the Deputy.

My Department administers the local authority swimming pool programme, which provides grant aid to local authorities in respect of the capital costs of a new swimming pool, a replacement pool or the refurbishment of an existing pool. The closing date for receipt of applications under the current round of this programme was 31 July 2000 and since then a total 57 projects have or are being dealt with. Of the 57 projects within the programme, 18 have been completed and 14 pool projects are now under construction or are about to start construction. In addition, 25 other projects are at various stages in the programme — six at tender stage, eleven at contract document stage and eight at preliminary report stage.

My Department is carrying out an expenditure review of the programme which is examining, among other things, how it has worked to date, the benefits that have accrued to the areas where pools have been built under the programme and what amendments, if any, are required to ensure the effective and efficient delivery of the programme. On completion of this review, the question of re-opening the programme will be considered.

List of Local Authority Swimming Pools

Local Authority	Location	Status1
County Councils
Carlow County Council	Bagenalstown Graiguecullen	O.S. I
Cavan County Council	Drumalee	I
Clare County Council	Ennis	I
Cork County Council	Dunmanway	I
Donegal County Council	Buncrana Bundoran Ballyshannon	II I
South Dublin County Council	Clondalkin	I
Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council	Monkstown Glenalbyn	I I
Galway County Council	Tuam	I
Kildare County Council	Naas Athy	I I
Laois County Council	Portlaoise Portarlington Ballinakill	I I O.S.
Leitrim County Council	Drumshanbo Carrick-on Shannon	O.S. O.S.
Limerick County Council	Askeaton	O.S.
Longford County Council	Longford Town	I
Offaly County Council	Edenderry Clara Birr	I I I
Mayo County Council	Ballina Ballyhaunis Belmullet Castlebar Charlestown Claremorris Kilmovee Westport	I I O.S. I O.S. I O.S. I
Meath County Council	Trim Kells Navan	I I I
Roscommon County Council	Roscommon Town Castlerea	I O.S.
North Tipperary County Council	Borrisokane Ballina	O.S. O.S.
South Tipperary County Council	Tipperary Town Carrick-on-Suir (Seán Kelly)	I I
Westmeath County Council	Mullingar Town	I
Wexford County Council	Gorey/Courtown	I
City Councils
Cork City Council	Douglas Bishopstown Churchfield	I I I
Dublin City Council	Townsend Street Crumlin Coolock Ballymun Finglas Seán McDermott Street Rathmines	I I I I I I I
Galway City Council	Salthill	I
Limerick City Council	Grove Island	I
Waterford City Council	Waterford Crystal	I
Borough Councils
Clonmel Borough Council	Emmet St, Clonmel	I
Kilkenny Borough Council	Greensbridge, Kilkenny	I
Sligo Borough Council	Cleveragh Pool, Sligo	I
Wexford Borough Council	Ferrybank, Wexford	I
Urban Councils
Arklow Town Council	Ferrybank, Arklow	I
Athlone Town Council	Retreat Road, Athlone	I
Ballinasloe Town Council	Cleaghmore, Ballinasloe	I
Bundoran Town Council	Bundoran	I
Dundalk Town Council	Dundalk	I
Enniscorthy Town Council	Templeshannon	I
Fermoy Town Council	Fermoy Park	I
Letterkenny Town Council	High Road, Letterkenny	I
Mallow Town Council	New Road, Mallow	I
Mullingar Town Council	Mullingar	I
Nenagh Town Council	Dublin Road, Nenagh	I
New Ross Town Council	Barrack Lane, New Ross	I
Templemore Town Council	Town Hall, Templemore	I
Tralee Town Council	Clounalour, Tralee AquaDome	I I
Wicklow Town Council	Wicklow	I

1I = Indoor — all year; O.S. = Outdoor pool operational during summer months only.