Sports Funding

129. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he plans to introduce a new grant scheme for local authorities to fund the development of swimming pools. [73536/26]

When will the LSSIF be reopened or will there be anything specific considered for swimming pools? As the Minister of State will be aware, I am raising this in the context of Loughrea where there are ongoing efforts to progress a new swimming pool for the local community.

As the Deputy pointed out, Ireland's first national swimming strategy sets out a vision to provide everyone in our country with an opportunity to swim. It includes an action plan containing over 50 actions across five thematic strands. In support of the strategy, my Department has provided additional funding of €1.5 million to Swim Ireland for 2024, 2025 and 2026 for the deployment of swimming activators to work within local authority areas focusing on increasing participation among underrepresented groups and improving coaching supports and facilities. While the provision of public swimming pools is a matter for local authorities, my Department administers two capital funding programmes for sport, namely the community sports facilities fund and, as the Deputy pointed out, the large-scale sport infrastructure fund, that can be accessed to improve and develop public swimming pool infrastructure. The new round of the community sports facilities fund is now open and will stay open until the end of February. Applications in relation to swimming pools that support objectives under the national swimming strategy will be prioritised within that. The LSSIF so far has allocated just under €43 million for 12 swimming pool and aquatic infrastructure projects. I was delighted earlier today to officially open the newly completed Lucan leisure campus in County Dublin where the project received an allocation of €3.8 million under the LSSIF and consists of two newly constructed swimming pools, including a multi-use pool with a moveable floor. Regarding the next round, which is the Deputy's key interest, our plan is to open it in 2028. We are currently assessing a swimming pool gap analysis report completed by Swim Ireland to assess exactly what the level of need is across the country and to consider how best we can tailor capital funding from the Department in the context of LSSIF or a tailored element around that to try to work on addressing those gaps across the country to make sure there is good provision in all parts of the country, including Loughrea.

On Saturday, I was glad to attend to launch of the feasibility study report for the Loughrea swimming pool. I give huge credit to Colm O'Donnell and all his committee for their work in progressing that study. The study has found there is a clear need for a swimming pool in Loughrea to serve the town and surrounding areas. A number of sites have been identified, including a preferred site. This was a very important step forward for the committee in achieving its goal of a public swimming pool in Loughrea. There is a huge need for this in Loughrea. This is a growing town with a population of over 6,000 people. It has a very large rural hinterland as well. It is important for us to remember the benefits that swimming facilities can bring for children, older people, the disabled and so on. It would be a fantastic addition to the local community. Regarding moving the project forward, things like securing a site, carrying out design works and planning will need to be done. Will the Minister of State and the Department offer assistance to the local community and Galway County Council to progress those items and be shovel-ready for the LSSIF in 2028?

At the invitation of Senator Shane Curley I met the Loughrea swimming pool committee along with the Deputy and other public representatives from the constituency. Whether it is the LSSIF round in 2028 or a fund alongside that, we will work to try to develop further swimming pool facilities around the country. It will be key for each local project to identify and secure its own site, working with the local authority. I was very clear when I met with the swimming pool committee that it is a key step that needs to be taken and secured at local level. In relation to the Government moving forward and trying to address the gaps that we have across the country to make sure the opportunity to swim is available in all communities, we look forward to assessing any application that comes in then on its merits.

I take on board the Minister of State's feedback in respect of securing a site. As I mentioned, they have identified a preferred site. Obviously, securing a site, getting design work, planning and other items completed and the project development stages will be very costly. Loughrea was previously allocated €1.7 million under the local authority swimming pool programme a number of years ago. It would be a huge boost to this project if that money could be reallocated to the Loughrea swimming pool project to get those initial project development costs covered and to progress this. Galway County Council has made a request for this also. Similar funding has been given to other projects elsewhere, including in Buncrana in the Minister of State's constituency. That is just for the initial stages. There is a funding gap when it comes to the LSSIF, and matched funding is required, which would be a challenge for Galway County Council. The question for now is, how can we progress this to get it shovel ready? Will the Department offer assistance?

It will be important for every project, including Loughrea, to be able to come forward, in terms of any application, with a site and a design proposal. The onus is on the local authority to develop those proposals. The Deputy mentioned Buncrana in my constituency in Donegal, for example. In that instance, the work on putting the design together was advanced by the local authority with its own funding. That is also the case with the Lucan swimming pool, which I opened today. That project cost just under €20 million to deliver. It is an exceptional facility. Funding from the Government was just under €4 million, while the other €16 million was primarily from the local authority, as well as the local community through fundraising. It is up to the local authorities to bring projects forward and develop initial designs.