Cork South Central Fine Gael TD Jerry Buttimer has said that additional funding will improve disabled access and increase energy efficiency at Cork swimming pools.
“I am please the Minister for Transport Tourism and Sport, Leo Varadkar, TD has approved additional funding to improve the swimming facilities at Cork’s public swimming pools.
“In the current round of funding under the Disabled Access and Energy Upgrade Scheme Douglas Swimming Pool will receive €59,730 and Bishopstown will receive €195,377 to improve and enhance the facilities available to swimmers. This funding is in addition to the respective 2011 allocations of €340,270 and €201,930. In the last twelve months the Minister has allocated €400,000 under this scheme to Douglas Swimming Pool and €397,307 to the Bishopstown swimming pool
“In total the public swimming pools in Cork have been allocated an additional €468,059 under the Disabled Access and Energy Upgrade Scheme. The condition on the funding is that the work must be carried out by September.
“In the last twelve months a total of €1,191,059 has been provided to the three public swimming pools in Cork. That is an average of almost €400,000 per swimming pool, a significant investment in these amenities. In 2011 the three Cork swimming pools, at Bishopstown, Douglas and Churchfield, were allocated €723,000.
“There is an obligation on government and local authorities to ensure that there are sufficient numbers of facilities available for sport and recreation. As a society we must invest in providing access to facilities that promote physical activity, such investment can have an impact in improving health across society.
“As our lives are becoming more and more sedentary as a result of advancing technology the need for facilities such as public swimming pools is increasing. This funding will assist in making the public swimming pools in Cork more enticing places for people to use for their regular exercise routines.”
ENDS