Does the Taoiseach agree every major town should have a swimming pool? It is a basic facility. Bandon is the biggest town in my constituency of Cork South-West. It has a population in excess of 8,000 but it does not have this basic facility that every family and every child should be able to access. There is a swimming pool in Dunmanway. It is a public pool but it is oversubscribed. It is fully booked and people cannot get swimming lessons or a swimming lane. Swimming is a basic life skill. It saves lives and trains up our future lifeguards. A town like Bandon, because of its size, where it is and the population, should have a pool. I ask that the Government starts a process of perhaps setting up a strategic group involving Cork County Council, the local business association and local groups to try to find out if we can establish a swimming pool in Bandon.

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. His idea is a sensible one. I will certainly ask the Minister for sport and suggest she and the Minister of State, Deputy Thomas Byrne, ask Swim Ireland to assist with that. I know from my constituency that can be helpful in mapping this out. We have seen an improvement in the availability of swimming pools and public pools. We need to see more and a town like Bandon has a compelling case.