Aquatic Centre gets into hot water over drip loss

THE owners and operators of the National Aquatic Centre (NAC) are locked in a dispute over who should pay for repairing problems at the centre, which has been leaking millions of litres of water over the past few months.

Campus and Stadium Ireland Development (CSID), which oversees the €62 million centre on behalf of the State, is currently seeking to have Dublin Waterworld, the company which runs the NAC, removed on a number of grounds, including its alleged failure to maintain the building as well as contribute towards the cost of repair works.

It is understood both parties believe the other has the legal responsibility for bearing the cost of repair work needed to stop the leaking through cracks in the floor of an underground plant room.

The leaking is the latest in a series of problems that have befallen the controversial centre since it opened in April 2003. The centre re-opened in May after being closed for around five months due to damage caused to the roof in a storm.

CSID is seeking possession of the centre, alleging breaches by Dublin Waterworld of its 30-year lease to operate the facility.

The High Court recently heard that Dublin Waterworld, which has its registered office in Tralee, Co Kerry, has not paid any rent since obtaining the lease two years ago. The company is also disputing CSID’s claims that it owes a further €10m in VAT.

Opposition parties have tabled a Dáil motion, to be heard today, in which the Government will be asked to explain the latest controversy to hit the centre.

Labour finance spokesperson Joan Burton criticised the repeated failure of Government ministers to provide detailed answers to concerns raised about the operation of the controversial centre.

Sports Minister John O’Donoghue has so far refused to publish the findings of a €17,000 report into the recent storm damage to the centre.

“The questions surrounding the quality of the construction of the Abbotstown Aquatic Centre keep piling up and won’t go away,” said Ms Burton.

Fine Gael Sports spokesperson Jimmy Deenihan described the latest problems at the NAC as a “shambles.” “This costly mess is typical of the Government’s haphazard handling of important pieces of public infrastructure,” he said.

Both CSID and Dublin Waterworld declined to comment yesterday, citing the ongoing court case for their inability to discuss the issue.

Under the terms of the lease, CSID personnel have to give Dublin Waterworld 48 hours notice of any inspection of the premises.

A spokesperson for Dublin Waterworld said the centre remained open for business with all facilities operating as normal. However, she declined to state if the NAC would have to close for repair work to be carried out as a result of the leaking water.

A High Court judge recently remarked that it was “nothing short of astonishing” that the company which obtained the lease to run the centre had a share capital of €127 and no fixed assets.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Fingal Co Council confirmed that Dublin Waterworld has queried water bills it had received from the local authority. The company received a €22,000 bill while it was closed for repairs.

However, council staff who inspected the site said water meters at the NAC were functioning correctly and the bills were accurate.

They also pointed out that the leaking water did not contain chlorine, which means the problem relates to water from the mains supply rather than the swimming pool itself.