I propose to take Questions Nos. 482, 483 and 486 together.
Under the current (2000) round of the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme (LASPP), grant aid to a maximum of €3.8m is provided towards the capital cost of new swimming pools or the refurbishment of existing pools. To date 51 pools have been completed under the Programme and these are listed in the table below.
There are four principal stages in the LASPP, namely: Preliminary Report; Contract Documents; Tender and Construction. Grant-aid is allocated only when tenders have been approved for the project and is capped at the time of allocation. My officials and technical advisor evaluate each stage and projects cannot proceed to the next stage unless prior approval is given by the Minister.
In January 2016, my Department contacted local authorities and sought expressions of interest in a limited round of swimming pool allocations. There were three expressions of interest received for new pools, two of which were valid and both in Dublin, one in Lucan and the other in Ballyogan. The third was for North Kildare but was not valid as the Council did not have title to the proposed site. Following consideration of the expressions of interest, and the two valid proposals for new pools, it was decided to include the proposal from South Dublin County Council (SDCC) for a new swimming pool in Lucan in the LASPP.
In April 2016,
pool projects in
Balbriggan, Ballaghaderreen and Loughrea, which
had been included in the 2000 round of the Programme since 2000, were voluntarily withdrawn from the programme by the relevant local authorities.
Glenalbyn was also originally included in the 2000 round of the LASPP. However, in 2010, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council (DLRCC) asked that Glenalbyn be replaced in the LASPP with Loughlinstown. Following receipt of a detailed case, the Department agreed to the Council’s request. €3.8 million was then allocated to Loughlinstown swimming pool in 2010 and the pool was developed and
opened in May 2013. Accordingly Glenalbyn Pool is not considered to be in the current round of the Programme.
As mentioned earlier, in January 2016 the Department sought expressions of interest for the construction of new swimming pools and/or the refurbishment of existing pools. In response to this, DLRCC submitted an expression of interest for a pool for Ballyogan. An expression of interest for a grant for Glenalbyn swimming pool was not submitted.
Accordingly, there are currently four projects remaining in the current round of the LASPP. These are: Castlebar, Co Mayo, (a replacement pool where construction is underway and is nearing completion); Buncrana, Co Donegal, (a refurbishment which is at Contract Documents stage); Lucan, Co Dublin, (a new pool which is at Contract Documents stage); and Edenderry, Co Offaly, (a replacement pool which is at Preliminary Report stage). The priority in 2018 is on progressing the four projects through to the next stages of the programme, as appropriate.
In terms of any possible future funding, the recently published National Development Plan (NDP) contains a commitment to establish a new “Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund” (LSSIF) with at least €100m available over the coming years. It is intended that the Fund will primarily be targeted at larger new projects, including swimming pools, where the proposed Government contribution exceeds the amount currently available for individual projects under the Sports Capital Programme. The draft terms and conditions of the new scheme are expected to be finalised shortly and an announcement in relation to when applications will be accepted will be made once this work is complete. At this stage, it is envisaged that the fund will be initially focused on the National Governing Bodies of Sport and Local Authorities and the possibility of accepting applications for larger scale refurbishment work is being considered.
|
|
County
|
Pool Name
|
Replacement or Refurbishment
|
Date Opened
|
|
1
|
Wicklow
|
Arklow
|
Refurbishment
|
Jan 00
|
|
2
|
Wexford
|
Enniscorthy
|
Replacement
|
Jan 00
|
|
3
|
Meath
|
Navan
|
Replacement
|
Aug 00
|
|
4
|
Wicklow
|
Wicklow
|
Replacement
|
Jun 01
|
|
5
|
Wexford
|
Courtown/Gorey
|
Replacement
|
Oct 01
|
|
6
|
Louth
|
Dundalk
|
Replacement
|
Mar 02
|
|
7
|
Roscommon
|
Roscommon
|
Refurbishment
|
Apr 02
|
|
8
|
Clare
|
Ennis
|
Replacement
|
Sep 03
|
|
9
|
Kerry
|
AquaDome Tralee
|
Refurbishment
|
2003
|
|
10
|
Galway
|
Ballinasloe
|
Replacement
|
Oct 03
|
|
11
|
Dublin
|
Finglas
|
Replacement
|
Apr 04
|
|
12
|
Limerick
|
Grove Island Limerick
|
Replacement
|
Jun 04
|
|
13
|
Kerry
|
Sports and Leisure Centre Tralee
|
Refurbishment
|
Jul 04
|
|
14
|
Tipperary
|
Clonmel
|
Refurbishment
|
Dec 04
|
|
15
|
Cork
|
Churchfield, Cork City
|
Refurbishment
|
Jun 05
|
|
16
|
Dublin
|
Ballymun
|
Replacement
|
Jun 05
|
|
17
|
Galway
|
Tuam
|
Replacement
|
Sep 05
|
|
18
|
Louth
|
Drogheda
|
Replacement
|
May 06
|
|
19
|
Monaghan
|
Monaghan
|
Replacement
|
Aug 06
|
|
20
|
Cork
|
Cobh
|
Replacement
|
Aug 06
|
|
21
|
Cork
|
Youghal
|
Replacement
|
Sep 06
|
|
22
|
Dublin
|
Jobstown
|
Replacement
|
Nov 06
|
|
23
|
Kerry
|
Ballybunion
|
Replacement
|
Jun 07
|
|
24
|
Offaly
|
Birr
|
Refurbishment
|
Jul 07
|
|
25
|
Donegal
|
Letterkenny
|
Replacement
|
Jul 07
|
|
26
|
Limerick
|
Askeaton (outdoor)
|
Replacement
|
Aug 07
|
|
27
|
Longford
|
Longford
|
Replacement
|
Sept 07
|
|
28
|
Dublin
|
St. Joseph's School for Deaf Boys
|
Refurbishment
|
Nov 07
|
|
29
|
Laois
|
Portarlington
|
Refurbishment
|
Dec 07
|
|
30
|
Laois
|
Portlaoise
|
Replacement
|
Dec 07
|
|
31
|
Dublin
|
Clondalkin
|
Replacement
|
Jan 08
|
|
32
|
Tipperary
|
Thurles
|
Replacement
|
Apr 08
|
|
33
|
Dublin
|
St. Michael's House
|
Replacement
|
Apr 08
|
|
34
|
Kerry
|
Killarney
|
Replacement
|
Jul 08
|
|
35
|
Wicklow
|
Bray
|
Replacement
|
Sep 08
|
|
36
|
Dublin
|
Ballyfermot
|
Replacement
|
Oct 08
|
|
37
|
Wicklow
|
Greystones
|
Replacement
|
Oct 08
|
|
38
|
Offaly
|
Tullamore (outdoor)
|
Replacement
|
Oct 08
|
|
39
|
Kilkenny
|
Kilkenny City
|
Replacement
|
Dec 08
|
|
40
|
Kildare
|
Athy
|
Replacement
|
Mar 09
|
|
41
|
Kildare
|
Naas
|
Replacement
|
Mar 09
|
|
42
|
Dublin
|
Dundrum
|
Replacement
|
Apr 09
|
|
43
|
Mayo
|
Claremorris
|
Replacement
|
Sep 09
|
|
44
|
Tipperary
|
Roscrea
|
Replacement
|
Sep 09
|
|
45
|
Wexford
|
Ferrybank
|
Refurbishment
|
Jun 10
|
|
46
|
Dublin
|
Loughlinstown
|
Refurbishment
|
May 13
|
|
47
|
Donegal
|
Ballybofey Stranorlar
|
Replacement
|
Oct 13
|
|
48
|
Wexford
|
New Ross
|
Replacement
|
Aug 13
|
|
49
|
Dublin
|
De Paul, Navan Road
|
Refurbishment
|
Oct 15
|
|
50
|
Offaly
|
Clara
|
Refurbishment
|
Nov 15
|
|
51
|
Cork
|
Dunmanway
|
Replacement
|
May 17
|
