405. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to provide a schedule of each swimming pool in that is open to the public in the State. [42790/24]

Neither I, my Department nor Sport Ireland has responsibility for maintaining a schedule of swimming pools open to the public, and neither is such a schedule known to me elsewhere.

The current landscape of swimming pool facilities in Ireland is complex and disparate and has a diversity of management and operational arrangements, including local authorities, private operators, local community groups and schools and colleges. The majority of pools in Ireland are privately owned by hotels and companies in the health, leisure and fitness sector.

The representative body for the leisure industry - Ireland Active - has previously estimated that there are over 400 swimming pools, both public and private, in operation in Ireland.

I was proud to launch Ireland’s first-ever National Swimming Strategy earlier this year, which sets out a vision to provide everyone in our country with an opportunity to swim. The public consultation that informed the Strategy’s development 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 and the environmental sustainability of facilities.

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 outlining same in the coming period.

The deputy may also wish to note that Sport Ireland’s Get Ireland Active Digital Database of Sport and Recreational Amenities may be of assistance as regards the location of swimming pools in Ireland. This database, which is under continuing development, brings together the collective resources of the Government of Ireland, Sport Ireland, local authorities, state agencies, local sports partnerships, and Irish sport’s national governing bodies, to capture all sports facilities and places for people to be active in Ireland in one free, convenient, and comprehensive website. The database can be found at the following link: www.getirelandactive.ie/