Report raises safety fears over aquatic centre

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) should urgently examine the National Aquatic Centre after a damning report found 126 cracks in pool walls, it was claimed today.

The Health and Safety Authority (HAS) should urgently examine the National Aquatic Centre after a damning report found 126 cracks in pool walls, it was claimed today.

A study by independent consulting engineers also found unsafe storage of chemicals and questionable structure at the €62m West Dublin facility.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said the condition of the Aquatic Centre raised very important public health concerns and a HAS inspection was immediately required.

He said: “These revelations represent a damning critique of the facility that the Taoiseach described as a “visionary concept brought to magnificent fruition.”

“This is also the €62m euro facility that has been described by Sports Minister John O’Donoghue as ‘money very well spent’ – a view backed up by the Taoiseach in the Dáil on Tuesday.”

Mr Kenny said he fully supported a forthcoming audit on the centre by the Comptroller and Auditor General as recommended by the Public Accounts Committee.

“We found that we had, and have, chlorinated water leaking into the ground and a roof that was not assembled properly,” he said.

“Now we find that there are 126 cracks in the walls of the pool, the chemicals used in the facility are not being stored properly and the overall integrity of the structure is being called in to question.”

“In the immediate future, the HSA needs to conduct an inspection of the facility with a view to providing the public with much needed assurances that the centre is safe to work in and use and not likely to pose a health or injury risk.”

Problems began for the facility – which Mr Ahern admitted was his ‘pet project’ – when its roof was damaged by freak winds on New Year’s Day.