Plans for five public pools

FIVE new public swimming pools are set to open in the next six months as the Government splashes out on facilities in 38 towns and neighbourhoods across the country.

The new pools are part of a plan to build from scratch, replace or refurbish 38 pools over the next five years, and follow the completion of 19 similar swimming pool projects since 2000.

The Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism, in conjunction with local authorities, currently has five pools close to completion, 11 more under construction or about to begin building, and eight others out to tender.

A further seven are at the stage where contract documents are being drawn up and seven others are at preliminary report stage awaiting formal approval for contract details to be drawn up.

Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism John O’Donoghue said on average each swimming pool would attract 150,000 visits per year. “I doubt there is any single piece of sporting or recreational infrastructure which can be used on such a regular basis, by people of all ages, in any weather conditions, from early morning until late at night, all year round, as in the case of a public swimming pool,” he said.

“Apart from supporting the Government’s aims for increased participation by all in sporting and recreational activity for obvious health reasons, being an island nation doubly blessed with so many inland waterways, means that everyone should be able to swim.”

The five pools scheduled to open to the public in the coming months are in Cobh and Youghal, Co Cork; Letterkenny, Co Donegal; Jobstown, Co Dublin; and Monaghan town.

They will be followed by pools in Ballybunion, Co Kerry, to open in March next year, and Ballyfermot and Clondalkin, both in Dublin and scheduled for completion next summer.

At various stages of construction are pools in Killarney, Co Kerry; Askeaton, Co Limerick; Portlaoise and Portarlington, Co Laois; Thurles, Co Tipperary; Athy, Co Kildare; St Michael’s House, Dublin; and Longford town.

Mr O’Donoghue said total expenditure on pools built or under construction was €287m. The department gave €119m, and the balance of €168m came from local authorities.