Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 July 2023
83. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media when the national swimming strategy will be published; and if she intends to open a capital grant process for the development of public swimming pools in towns such as Carrickmacross. [34730/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraWork on the first National Swimming Strategy continues apace, and the working group tasked with its development held its ninth and most recent meeting on 5 July. The working group is chaired by my Department and comprises representatives from relevant National Governing Bodies for sport and stakeholders, specifically Swim Ireland, Sport Ireland, Active Disability Ireland (formerly CARA), Ireland Active and the Local Authorities.
Whilst it is difficult to be precise about the exact timeframe for the delivery of the Strategy, I hope to be in a position to publish it in Q3 of 2023.
My Department's capital support for any new swimming pools is now being provided through the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF), with the first allocations announced just prior to the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic obviously gave rise to significant financial challenges for all grantees with many of them having to reprioritise their own expenditure plans due to reductions in their income streams. In more recent times, the high level of construction inflation has also presented considerable challenges for grantees.
In view of these issues, it was considered timely to review progress on all projects that were allocated grants and meetings with all grantees have taken place. It is encouraging that, based on these discussions with grantees, over half of the 33 projects should be in a position to draw down funding this year. While this progress is very welcome, these discussions also confirm that some projects in receipt of LSSIF grants may not proceed in the short to medium term.
In this regard, following engagement with the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, and in recognition of the challenges faced by some grantees due to the Covid 19 pandemic and the recent high level of construction inflation, officials in the Department have now written to all of the grantees inviting them to apply for additional support by 4 August 2023. To be considered for additional funding, grantees have been advised that the key elements of the project should remain as set out in the original LSSIF application and that priority will be given to applicants who provide evidence-based documentation to support their application. Once the application deadline has passed, we will consider further allocations with a view to ensuring that all projects still proceeding can be completed.
In relation to a new round of the LSSIF, Minister Martin and I will continue to engage with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, in relation to the additional funding required and the timing and terms and conditions of any new round of the LSSIF will be announced in due course.
On foot of a review of the 2020 round of the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme, which is published on the Department’s website, it was recommended that the remit of the SCEP be expanded to include applications for upgrades to swimming pools. Once the Review was finalised, I asked my officials to draft the "Guide to Making an Application" for the 2023 round to reflect the recommendations in the Review. This work is now complete and yesterday (12 July) Minister Martin and I published the new "Guide to Making an Application" for the 2023 round. We also announced that the Programme itself will be open for applications from 17 July until 8 September and I am very pleased that applications for improvements to swimming pools will be accepted for the first time.
