An application for €12 million in funding has been made to Government to progress plans for a tidal pool in Salthill.

And Galway City Council has moved to clarify that people will be able to swim in the pool – but it will not be suitable for swimming lengths.

Director of Services for Roads and Transportation, Patrick Greene, confirmed at Monday’s meeting that the City Council had applied for funding under the Government’s Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF).

Mr Greene said €12m was sought to progress the tidal pool project.

He told Councillor Clodagh Higgins (FG) that he was ”anti” releasing further details of the project to elected members or the public because there was no guarantee it would be granted funding.

Mayor Peter Keane (FF) said the information should be made available.

Councillor Helen Ogbu (Lab) sought clarity on how the pool would operate – she had heard that swimming would not be permitted in the tidal pool.

Mr Greene said it would be a leisure pool, for recreational swimmers, and would not be like a 25-metre indoor pool where swimmers can do lengths.

The closing date for applications to the LSSIF was July 1. The fund supports sports projects with funding of between €600,000 and €30m.

Pictured: Clodagh Higgins: Told by Director of Services, Patrick Greene, that he was ‘anti’ releasing further details of the project as there was no guarantee of funding.