Aquatic centre operators to sue state body for €30m

The former operator of the National Aquatic Centre is claiming over €30m losses and damages over being pursued by a state-owned company for years to pay €10m Vat under the centre’s lease.

Dublin Water World (DWW) says documents obtained under freedom of information legislation show Campus Stadium Ireland Development (CSID), the since-dissolved state firm that developed the centre, pursued the Vat claim in an “alarming” manner, despite advice that it was not acting in strict compliance with Vat legislation.

DWW entered into a lease with CSID in 2003 to operate the centre but a dispute later arose whether Vat was payable on it. DWW claims papers show that, in 2002, CSID received advice from the Revenue Valuation Office to the effect the €35m open-market value of the lease was less than the €60m “economic value”, making the lease Vat-exempt.