Council urged to ‘provide clarity’ on timeline of Samuel Beckett Campus

Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has been called on to “provide clarity” on the progress of the construction of the Samuel Beckett Civic Centre in Ballyogan.

Phase Two of the campus’ development is currently underway which includes a swimming pool and sporting facilities.

Sinn Fein representative for Dublin Rathdown Shaun Tracey was speaking after receiving correspondence from the council saying that the Phase Two is being split into 2A and 2B.

Under the new structure, the construction of the swimming pool and sports campus will be included in Phase 2B.

The correspondence received by Sinn Féin also confirms that the leisure centre in the current building is to close to make way for a library.

“I recently asked my colleague Chris Andrews TD to write to the council to seek clarity on the delivery of Phase Two of the Samuel Beckett Civic Centre and for an update in relation to the leisure centre,” Tracey said.

“Unfortunately, the council did not provide us with a timeline for the delivery of this facility.

“And, even more worryingly, the correspondence from the council tells us that the delivery of the second phase of the facility is to be split into two projects – Phase 2A and Phase 2B.

“Phase 2A consists of the Ballyogan Library which is actually going into the current building and we have now been informed that the leisure centre is to close to facilitate the library.

“And Phase 2B consists of the Swimming Pool and the Sports Campus.

“The fact that this part of the project has now been allocated to Phase 2B will add to the concerns in the community that this facility is once again being put on the long finger having originally been delayed due to the financial crash more than a decade ago.”

Planning permission for the sports campus was granted in 2012 but delays have mired the project ever since.

“The community has been waiting way too long for this facility,” Tracey says.

“Children who should have had the benefit of this facility are now adults and are hoping that their own children will not be let down the way that they were.

“We need absolute clarity from the council on this matter.

“We know that a grant of €5million euros has been secured for the project.

“We need to know how the rest of the funding will be made up, when the project will go to tender and ultimately when will the swimming pool and sports campus be open to the public.”