Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media | The extent to which Kildare County Council has continued to promote the case for a swimming pool in Maynooth, County Kildare

QUESTION

To ask the Minister for Tourism; Culture; Arts; Gaeltacht; Sport and Media the extent to which Kildare County Council has continued to promote the case for a swimming pool in Maynooth, County Kildare, as previously indicated; the extent to which any changes have taken place in this regard without adequate consultation with the local support group; to outline the degree to which proposals have been made and by whom to alter the priorities; to now indicate that the local authority, her Department and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage are at one in regard to the provision this important facility in a university town with a student population of almost 20,000 and a local population of more than double that; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY

My Department operates two capital funding programmes for sport, namely the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) and the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). Capital support for new swimming pools is currently being provided through the LSSIF subject to published guidelines and conditions of the scheme.

The National Sports Policy, which was published in 2018, provided for the establishment of a Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). The aim of LSSIF is to provide Exchequer support for larger sports facility projects where the Exchequer investment would be greater than the maximum amount available under the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP).

Minister Martin and I recently announced that funding of up to €120 million is being made available under the new round of the LSSIF which is open for applications until 3pm on Monday 1 July 2024. Assessment of applications, for funding of between €600,000 and €30 million, will take into account such factors as population size, sustainability and ensuring that similar access is provided to accommodate access by men and women to LSSIF-funded facilities.  

While this new round of the programme is aimed primarily at National Governing Bodies of sport (NGBs) and local authorities it is also open to other bodies (including third level institutions), philanthropic funders, clubs and voluntary organisations to apply but such applications would necessarily have to be made and prioritised by a local authority and/or an NGB.  The issue regarding priorities, as raised in the question, are primarily a matter for the local authority in the first instance.

The LSSIF homepage on my Department’s website includes the LSSIF guide, frequently asked questions and slides from a webinar that was recently held for NGBs and Local Authorities who will be submitting applications.

I would encourage all eligible projects to consider applying for this competitive application process.