Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 June 2025
163. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport when his Department will begin to implement the new national swimming strategy by investing in pools and swimming facilities allowing everyone an opportunity to swim, as outlined in the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34970/25]
View answerIreland’s first National Swimming Strategy was published in August 2024 and includes an Action Plan containing over 50 actions across five thematic strands, focusing on providing improved facilities, increasing access for people with disabilities, improving the culture of inclusion, better coaching supports, increasing safety awareness and providing a pathway that allows for the nurturing and development of potential high performers.
The public consultation that informed the development of the National Swimming Strategy suggested that existing swimming pool stock is insufficient and, as a result, a key focus of the Strategy is on providing improved facilities. There is a specific action in the strategy to complete an in-depth analysis of swimming pool provision within Ireland with particular reference to identifying gaps in provision. Swim Ireland, the National Governing Body for swimming, is currently undertaking an analysis of the type and nature of swimming pool ownership in the country and will publish a report in this regard in the coming period. This report will be central to the future development of swimming pool facilities.
Responsibility for the delivery of the Strategy’s Action Plan will be shared across Government Departments, State Agencies and other key stakeholders, including local authorities. Sport Ireland has established an oversight group of key stakeholders to give leadership, policy direction, prioritisation and mobilisation of resources to support, monitor and measure the Strategy’s implementation.
Capital support for new swimming pools, and the refurbishment of existing pools, continues to be provided by my Department through the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund, which to date has allocated €28.9 million to 9 swimming pool projects. While my current focus is on ensuring project delivery under the first two rounds of the LSSIF, 2018 and 2024, I would expect that the period of time to a future LSSIF round will be less than the period of time between the first and second rounds.
