Legal row over aquatic centre costs state at least €1.2m
The row was described as a “long, sorry saga” by the then sports minister John O’Donoghue in 2006.
In 2002, Dublin Waterworld, had been awarded the 30-year lease to operate the €62.5m centre.
Two years later, the state took legal action against Dublin Waterworld, alleging several breaches of the lease.
The High Court found Dublin Waterworld had breached the lease terms by transferring ownership of it to a Limerick businessman in a secret deal in 2003, to secure capital allowances of around €2.8m a year.
Dublin Waterworld and the businessman then failed to pay over €11m due in rent and VAT.
The High Court ordered the company to hand the centre back to the State.
Dublin Waterworld later withdrew its appeal to the Supreme Court after reaching an agreement with the State, and handed back the centre in November 2006.
Fine Gael TD Joe McHugh recently queried Mr O’Donoghue’s successor as Sports Minister, Séamus Brennan, exactly how much the legal battle had cost the taxpayer.
In response, Mr Brennan said: “Legal fees paid by the National Sports Campus Development Authority (formerly CSID — Campus & Stadium Ireland Development) from 2003 to date total €1.241m in respect of cases involving the previous operator of the National Aquatic Centre.
“Due to the fact that all legal proceedings have yet to be finally resolved, it is not possible to provide an indication of the anticipated final costs involved.”
