merrion street

Minister of State for Tourism & Sport Michael Ring has today announced grants to a further 30 swimming pools across Ireland to improve access for people with disabilities, along with additional funding under the green swimming pool initiative to make pools more energy efficient and less reliant on State support.

Minister Ring said: ‘I am delighted to be able to allocate further funding to improve access and facilities for people with disabilities. The new €5.3 million worth of grants will be used for a range of purposes depending on the pool, including installing new ramps, widening doorways to allow wheelchair access, fitting hoists and providing purpose-built changing facilities. Local authorities will be matching or exceeding the funding in a number of cases’.

“I am also allocating additional funding under the green swimming pool initiative to improve energy efficiency in swimming pools. Swimming pools require a large amount of heat, so these grants will help more pools to become energy efficient, reduce their impact on the environment and also reduce costs for taxpayers.

“I am happy that these grants will help to sustain jobs and also create new ones at the work stage.”