Charlie McConalogue tight-lipped over why Wicklow swimming pool funding application failed

By Hugh O'Farrell Walsh, The Wicklow People

Junior sport minister Charlie McConalogue would not be drawn on the specifics of why two applications for government funding to build a new swimming pool in west Wicklow have failed.

Wicklow County Council were informed last November their application for a long-awaited swimming pool and multi-use sports facility in Blessington was rejected.

It had been hoped the new amenity would serve the wider west Wicklow region which has seen significant population growth in recent years.

The council has identified a suitable site on land they own near The Avon in Blessington which is already zoned for sports and recreation purposes.

However, the local authority missed out on the latest round of the Large-Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF), with plans for the swimming pool having already been rejected for the first round of LSSIF in 2019. The 2019 application sought design funding, while the 2024 application looked for funding towards a ‘swimming pool build’.

In both rounds of LSSIF, all applications were assessed in accordance with the published scoring criteria. Earlier this year Sinn Féin TD John Brady expressed his “dismay” when it came to light there was an underspend by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media in relation to swimming pool grants provided to local authorities.

It was revealed at a meeting of the Public Accounts Committee in June, which Deputy Brady now chairs, that the department underspent by €3.2 million.

In addition, only 21pc of the LSSIF budget was utilised – only €3.1 million out of a total allocation of €14.6 million.

The assessment of applications looking for funding of between €600,000 and €30 million considered population size, sustainability, and ensuring that similar access is provided to accommodate access by men and women to LSSIF-funded facilities.

In a recent update provided to Deputy Brady, Mr McConalogue said the underspend in part was due to the project not meeting all the necessary parameters of the scheme.

“Following a comprehensive assessment process, the development of a swimming pool in Blessington did not achieve the requisite criteria to qualify for grant support under either round of the scheme. Due to the significant demand, a range of valid applications did not receive an LSSIF allocation at the initial allocation stage.

“The swimming pool build application will be re assessed and, as additional LSSIF funding becomes available, projects on the reserve list may then be funded.”

He added: “My current focus is on ensuring project delivery under the first two rounds of the LSSIF, 2018 and 2024, and this process will then inform any decisions regarding the timing of a future funding round.

“The timing will also be considered in the context of determining the spending allocations within my Department under the National Development Plan as recently agreed by Government.”

Swim Ireland, the national governing body for swimming, is currently undertaking an analysis of the nature of swimming pool ownership in the country with a report due to be published shortly.

This report aims to provide a blueprint for the future development of swimming pool facilities.

Additional funding worth €500,000 was provided to Swim Ireland in 2024 for the deployment of swimming activators to work within local authority areas, to increase participation amongst under-represented groups and improve coaching supports and facilities.