Swim pool decision should be reviewed

CORK Chamber of Commerce has been following the debate on the Douglas swimming pool for some time, and notes that the offer of a public/private partnership does not seem acceptable to the city council.

The chamber finds it extraordinary that at a time when local government in general, and Cork city council in particular, is financially constrained in meeting its many demands and obligations that an offer which would considerably alleviate such a situation is not being accepted.

The proposal put forward by the city manager would result in no cost to the taxpayer while at the same time the various interest groups’ needs would all be facilitated.

The chamber feels this is a golden opportunity for the council to have a facility such as the Douglas swimming pool financed from outside its own limited resources.

We would ask councillors to reconsider the implications of this decision as there would not appear to be any valid economic reason for adopting such an approach.

The inevitable result of such a decision will mean that Cork’s commercial rates (which have increased by double the rate of inflation since 1992) and charges will continue inexorably to increase to the detriment of promoting business in the city centre.

Michael F Geary,

Chief Executive,

Cork Chamber of Commerce,

Summerhill,

Cork.