The government has confirmed that it is set to allocate €20,000 to improve and enhance facilities at a popular outdoor swimming location in Co. Westmeath.
The money is being provided by Sport Ireland on behalf of the Department of Health following a joint application made by Westmeath County Council and Westmeath Sports Partnership.
The allocation of the funding for Co. Westmeath is to provide changing shelters and facilities at the diving board area at Lough Owel.
Earlier this month, the Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy, Colm Burke announced the successful applicants for the €500,000 funding scheme for outdoor swimming facilities.
This initiative, developed in line with the Healthy Ireland objective of enabling more people to be more active, more often, builds on the recent growth in popularity of outdoor swimming by improving the facilities and equipment at designated swimming locations across the country.
Applications for the Healthy Ireland funding were received from Local Sports Partnerships in almost every county. Awards of up to €30,000 have now been granted to 51 projects around the country, including designated swimming spots at beaches, lakes and rivers, as well as outdoor pool facilities.
Coordinator of Westmeath Sports Partnership, Tony Wheat, has welcomed the funding announcement for the popular outdoor bathing area “we are delighted that our application under this scheme has proven successful with €20,000 being allocated to upgrade facilities at Lough Owel. The provision of changing facilities will allow us to significantly improve one of the most popular outdoor amenities in Co. Westmeath. We look forward to making the diving board area more inviting and accessible for everyone.”
The below table shows the funding recipients in each county.
| Location | Funding purpose | Amount |
| Carlow – Bagenalstown Boat Slip and Barrow Path | Improved access handrails and swimming ladders at Bagenalstown Boat Slip | €26,000 |
| Cavan – Lakesides at Arvagh (south west), Virginia (south), Killashandra (west) and Barnagrow (east) | Changing and showering facilities, accessibility mats, access hand rails, demarcation buoys | €30,000 |
| Cork – Garretstown, Garrylucas and Inchydoney beaches | Improved pedestrian and disability access to all three swimming sites | €15,000 |
| Donegal –Buncrana (Culdaff, Ned’s Point), Dunfanaghy, Carrickfin beach, Mountcharles pier, Killybegs, Rossnowlagh, Bundoran outdoor pool | Precast swim shelters with changing facilities across all locations | €24,000 |
| Dublin City – Dollymount Strand | Access railings, shower facilities, demarcation buoys | €13,000 |
| Dun Laoghaire Rathdown – Forty Foot, Sandycove | Repairs and upgrades to changing and showering facilities | €20,000 |
| Fingal – Balbriggan Beach | Shelter facilities | €25,000 |
| Galway City – Ladies Beach | Upgrades to access points to facilitate universal access to swimming area | €15,000 |
| Galway County – Loughrea, Portumna, Kinvara, Gurteen Bay; Traught Beach Kinvara | Access ladders, changing facilities | €28,000 |
| Laois – Ballinaskill Outdoor Pool | Changing facilities | €7,000 |
| Leitrim – Gulladoo lake, Carrigallen | Installation of storage and changing facilities | €28,000 |
| Limerick – Riverside at Glin, Loughill, Kilteery, Curragower, Castleconnell, Limerick City | Access handrails, portable changing units, access mats, towfloats, amphibious wheelchairs | €21,000 |
| Longford – Fitzpatrick’s Shore, Lough Gowna | Changing facilities, access gantry and pontoon | €28,000 |
| Louth – Clogherhead, Port, Templeton beaches | Amphibious wheelchairs at each location | €10,000 |
| Mayo – Ross and Kilcummin beaches at Killala; Eachleaim beach, Belmullet | Swimming shelters at each location | €24,000 |
| Meath – Laytown beach | Beach shelters and changing facilities | €23,000 |
| Monaghan – Emy Lough | Changing facilities | €15,000 |
| Offaly – Banagher riverside | Ramp and access rails | €15,000 |
| Roscommon – Lough Errit waterway | Shelter, demarcation buoys, tow floats, booms | €16,500 |
| Sligo – Curry Outdoor Pool | Accessible shower, toilet, improved pool access, handrails | €25,000 |
| Tipperary – Dromineer Bay | Rescue and emergency equipment, demarcation buoys, safety information | €5,500 |
| Waterford – Access points to Clonea beach, Dungarvan | Changing shelters, showers, access handrails | €26,000 |
| Westmeath – Diving board area at Lough Owel | Changing shelters and facilities | €20,000 |
| Wexford – Whitegap beach, Rosslare beach | Changing shelters | €25,000 |
| Wicklow – Wicklow Harbour, Greystones south beach | Access ladders, handrails, demarcation buoys, beach access matting | €15,000 |
| Total | €500,000 |