Council criticised over swimming pools saga

DUBLIN City Council has been criticised for an ongoing delay in upgrading three swimming pools, despite getting Government funding of

?¬600,000 three years ago.

The council got a further

?¬500,000 last year but works to upgrade the public pools in Sean McDermott Street, Coolock and Crumlin have yet to take place.

The pools were threatened with closure in late 2009 because they were considered to be in a distressed state but the council didn’t have the money to renovate them.

However, the facilities were given a reprieve after local residents, the Save our Swimming Pool Campaign and politicians lobbied the Government for funding to support the works.

It was hoped that the refurbishment would have been completed by September of this year but as work has yet to get started, autumn of next year seems a more realistic expectation.

Dublin City Council was recently asked why the improvements have yet to be carried out even though the financing has been ring-fenced.

Cllr Gerry Breen (FG), who raised the matter with the council, criticised the delay and said:

“It is an appalling example of what could be done but hasn’t been done in these harsh times.

“A spend of e1.1m over the past three years might have been the difference between employment and unemployment, the difference between a company staying alive or going bust,

? Cllr Breen stated.

“As a city councillor, I hoped the city council would have shown a greater urgency in using the available funds to generate activity and also enhance these three pools in challenged areas.

?

A spokesperson for Dublin City Council confirmed that it had received

?¬600,000 from the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism in late 2009 and an additional

?¬500,000 internal Dublin City Council capital funding as part of the 2011 estimates process.

“The final package was completed by the City Architects Division on September 25, 2012,

? the spokesperson stated.

“The works are currently undergoing a pre-tender estimate and a meeting has been organised for councillors from the Arts, Culture, Leisure and Youth Affairs SPC and the Area Committees from the Central, North Central and South Central areas to agree the final package.

“It is hoped that the final package will go to tender in the New Year.

?