Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 16 Jun 1970

Vol. 247 No. 8

Committee on Finance. - Adjournment Debate: Swimming and Recreational Facilities.

Dr. Byrne

Today I gave notice that I would raise on the adjournment the following matter: the problem of the lack of proper swimming and recreational facilities for the children and youth of this country. This weekend we had a total of nine deaths in this country. Teresa Mooney, Noel Whelan, Marie O'Leary, Brian Anderson, Evelyn and Mary Wolohan, Mary McAnanama, Gerard Kelly and Noel Parnell lost their lives in the water over the weekend. We have a new Minister for Local Government who declared as recently as last Thursday at Question Time that he regarded swimming pools as a highly important amenity. I quote from page 1035 of the Official Report of that day:

I know that there has been a growing public demand for pools in numerous areas throughout the country.

Further down in the Minister's reply to what I might call an obviously prompted question from a Member of his own party the Minister disappointingly stated that pools were being provided, "provided the demands on public capital resources do not impede progress on essential services such as housing, water supplies and sewerage facilities". I ask you, following the events of last weekend when nine of our children lost their lives, what are now the essential services? Are lifesaving, swimming and recreational facilities more essential now in this day and age than water supplies and sewerage? We certainly need both, but surely it is not enough for the Minister to say that, provided the demands on public funds and capital resources do not impede progress on those other essential services, it is his aim to encourage the provision of as many swimming pools as possible of a proper standard?

It is my lot here today to speak on behalf of the parents and the wife of some of those who lost their lives in the water over the weekend. While the memory of this weekend is still fresh, we must also bear in mind the other tragic accidents which have occurred. For example—I know this is something which concerned the Minister deeply— the terrible boating accident in Galway Bay last year when so many children lost their lives; the tragedy in Kenmare Bay within the past 12 months, and, more recently, the boating accident in Skerries, when three men lost their lives, the body of one of whom has not yet been recovered.

The Minister for Local Government has accepted responsibility in part for the provision of swimming pools in local areas and has stated that all the necessary precautions with regard to boats should be taken. The Minister in his reply said that people using boats should take heed of warning signs, always keep near the shore, always make sure the boat is safe, wear a suitable lifejacket, wait for good weather, not go boating in isolated areas, tell somebody on shore where you are going and what time to expect you back. This is all very well but I want to say that a far more dramatic approach is called for to get through to the youth of the country today. I am not denying the truth of what the Minister has said but the communication line is blocked. It just is not getting through to the teenagers. There is no contact with them.

Our present Minister for Local Government is a very fine athlete. He is an excellent man with the interests of the youth of the country at heart. However, when he was replying to this question on Thursday last, I do not think he was fully aware of the length of time it will take to provide an adequate number of swimming pools throughout the country, because so many others factors are involved. Although the Minister has stated that he will play his part provided 20 per cent of the cost is met by voluntary subscriptions and that the application is in the proper form, the time has come now for him to take a more definite stand on this. He is a Minister in the Government. It is time for young men like him to come forward, make a stand and say that recreational facilities such as swimming pools and playgrounds will be provided hand in hand with the provision of new housing estates.

Recently we had the tragic death in the Coolock area of a young boy who fell on a bottle and was killed because there were no recreational facilities available there. Even more recently we had in the same area the death of a young boy who accidentally hanged himself from a tree in the children's own self-made play space. Those are great tragedies and we cannot get away from them. We, as the elected representatives of those people, are responsible for this. We cannot shun this responsibility. The Minister for Local Government has a responsibility for it, even though the local government authorities are more directly responsible.

The time has come to cut red tape in those matters and for the Minister for Local Government, with the full backing of every Member of this House, to go forward with his cash in his hand to start building those recreational facilities and those swimming pools. One of the pools which the Minister mentioned as already sanctioned was the pool in Cabra. I do not wish to use for any ulterior motive the tragic death of two of my constituents over the weekend, but one comes from Cabra and one comes from Finglas. We have Teresa Mooney from Cabra, aged 17 years, who a fortnight ago was engaged to be married. She celebrated her seventeenth birthday then. We also have Noel Parnell, aged 14, from Finglas who was drowned in Howth and whose body was recovered yesterday. This pool in Cabra, as the Minister stated, is not for public use and neither is the pool in St. Mary's Hospital in Phoenix Park for public use. The massive area of Dublin north west, with a population totalling 100,000 people, has not got one swimming pool available for the use of the people. I am not fighting a battle for my own constituents alone. I am talking here for all the parents of little children. I do not want the Minister in his reply to say that there is a swimming pool at Broombridge because I will not accept this and I will tell the House why. I visited this pool on Sunday and I got this bottle from it and saw one of the swimmers with a lacerated foot. That is a sample of the murky water of the Tolka which supplies this pool, the only pool for 100,000 people in Dublin north west.

An Ceann Comhairle

It is not in order for the Deputy to exhibit those objects in the House.

Dr. Byrne

I beg your pardon. I was not aware of that. However, I would say that I feel particularly emotional about this. I am a person of relatively reasonable means and position in my constituency. Two of my children were in a pool on Sunday last. My eldest boy, aged seven years, was fished out drowning at 11.30 a.m. My other boy, aged five years, was fished out a quarter of an hour later. These incidents happened in a pool with proper supervision. What is it like on the beaches of Ireland where there are no signs? People will not take heed of warning signs and always keep near the shore. What are the local authorities doing to provide sufficient warning signs and sufficient lifeguards? They have not made much effort in the past. I remember that there was a sign in Trinity College in the gymnasium which read: "In case of fire, shout ‘fire'". The Minister's warnings to swimmers would have as much force as that. We need a far more dramatic approach to this problem. We have lost nine citizens over the weekend. I should like to see the Minister for Local Government, at Cabinet level, bring up this subject as a top priority in the propaganda battle against the dangers and treachery of the sea, rivers and lakes. I should like to see consultation with the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs. A nationwide radio and television programme should be launched giving dramatic coverage to the dangers lurking in the very attractive seas and river waters.

Many of the poor city children rush off immediately to the seaside when they see the sun. They do not heed warnings or look at signs. I would like the Minister for Local Government to have sufficient authority to inspect the beaches which are used and to see that they have the proper lifeguards. I can only strive to impress on the Minister for Local Government, who is very aware of them because he is a champion swimmer himself, the dangers which exist for these children.

In his reply last Thursday the Minister stated that he had appealed for help and co-operation in promoting water safety measures in all areas so as to prevent drowning tragedies. We have had nine drowning tragedies over the past two days. Obviously there is lack of communication. The Minister is not getting through to the local authorities. They are not co-operating in this important matter. On a tourist beach in County Kerry where lifeguards are employed eight people are rescued per week on an average over the season. At this particular beach a constant watch is kept. In other places it is impossible to keep a close watch on everyone. That children should drown within hailing distance of land is an absolute tragedy.

There is a need for the provision of recreational facilities for the youth of the country. People in the rural areas have wide open spaces and their need for recreational facilities may not be as great as those of people in the cities.

I wish to draw the Minister's attention to a subject which I with Deputies Belton and Clinton brought up on 9th June in the form of a question. That question referred to the playing grounds in Ballymun satellite town. It is indicative of the lack of communication between the local authority and the Minister and the lack of communication between us, as public representatives, through the Minister, with the local authorities that the Minister could give only an approximation of the number of children in the area. The Minister gets his figures from someone else and gives them to us. We who work in Ballymun know that there are more than 8,000 children in the area. This is a pilot area where the units of accommodation were erected long before any facilities were erected. Children have fallen out of the windows. I remember a patient of mine leaving the surgery and returning 20 minutes later because a child had fallen 40 feet from a widow on top of him. This is a replica of what has happened at Coolock where two children have died by means other than drowning. We know the hazards which face youth today. We know the temptations which are put in their way. I wish to show the Minister for Local Government something which I have in my hand. I have in my hand a 25s tablet of LSD which was purchased at my request at 15 minutes notice by a university student today. I have mentioned these dangers to the Minister for Health on previous occasions.

An Ceann Comhairle

What connection has this with the question?

Dr. Byrne

The connection is with the lack of recreational facilities in the country and particularly the lack of recreational facilities in the university. If they had sport to occupy their minds they would not experiment with these drugs.

An Ceann Comhairle

We cannot discuss drugs on this question which deals with swimming pools and recreational facilities.

Dr. Byrne

The question of the lack of swimming pools is to my mind serious because it leads to drownings. The lack of recreational facilities leads to slow death by creating a demand for alternative means of escape. I am not going into the details of drugs which are readily available here. The Minister for Justice had the audacity to say in this House that there was only one conviction for serving drink to persons under 18 years of age.

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy may not continue on these lines. The Deputy must keep to the question which he put down or allow the Minister to conclude.

Dr. Byrne

If there were sufficient recreational facilities the dangers would be less. There is no point in closing the door after the horse has bolted. The facts of the matter are that we have not got sufficient recreational facilities. There is a swimming pool in Chapelizod which could cater for the youth in that area but it is attached to the hospital there and it is available only to the Dublin Health Authority workers. Last Saturday evening six teenagers were arrested for drinking in that area. This group included girls. If there were alternative means of recreation I do not think drinking would go on to the extent it does. I call on the Minister to launch immediately a publicity campaign along dramatic lines which will get through to the teenagers of the country. I ask him not to persist with the stiff-necked attitude which has been used in the past. The Minister has set great example. I have seen pictures of him in the newspapers diving into swimming pools here and there and promoting the image of physical fitness. Mens sana in corpore sano—in a healthy body there is a healthy mind.

Minister for Local Government (Mr. Molloy)

Normally I might welcome the opportunity to speak on the need for the provision of swimming pools and recreational facilities generally in the country but on this occasion I regret the circumstances in which Deputy Byrne has chosen to raise this matter on the adjournment especially in view of the fact that I made a very full statement to the House on last Thursday evening about my policy as Minister for Local Government regarding the position of what I consider to be a very necessary amenity. It is regrettable that the Deputy has thought it fitting to name the people involved in the drowning tragedies. The families involved have suffered sufficient pain and I would not like to add to their burden.

It is rather naive of Deputy Byrne to state that swimming pools will cause an end to all drownings. If that is the kind of logic behind the thinking of Deputy Byrne I am afraid he does not seem to realise that this is a much bigger problem than he appreciates. One of the greatest needs when one takes to the water even if one has been taught how to swim in a swimming pool and has become a very competent swimmer, is to exercise due care at all times. That applies whether one is a learner or a first class swimmer. However, I feel that there is a need to ensure that every child in the country gets an opportunity of becoming a competent swimmer. As I have stated, it is my policy and I shall pursue it as vigorously as I can to bring about the construction of as many pools as possible. Much as I regret it there are limitations on me just as there are on any other Minister. The funds available to the Government are not unlimited and there are priorities as the Deputy well knows. At Question Time here week after week many questions are asked of the Minister for Local Government regarding the different schemes operated by the Department. Deputy Byrne is well aware of the many demands on the moneys available to my Department. The top priority—the provision of houses—is something which we must always keep in the forefront of our minds and the need to service land for future housing development with services which are so expensive—water and sewerage. It was rather unfair of the Deputy to castigate my efforts so far in view of the fact that these demands on the State capital resources are many and that I have to ensure that the money provided for swimming pools does not impede the progress in the provision of these essential services.

I went a long way last week in announcing that I was prepared to sanction loans for the building of ten further pools throughout the country and I have since indicated this to the local authorities. The Deputy should appreciate also that I chose this House to make that announcement because I felt it was of particular importance.

Mr. L'Estrange

Hear, hear. The Minister is due credit for that.

Mr. Molloy

I can only continue to appeal to people to exercise care and to remember the simple rules—there are not very many of them—for those who go swimming and boating. The Deputy went over them rather glibly but they are the result of years of experience on the part of those who have trained people in swimming and in lifesaving and of those who are experienced with boats. I again appeal to parents to bring those simple little rules to the attention of their children and to exercise great care for the remainder of this summer season.

I should like to say to Deputy Byrne that there is no need for him to impress on me the great need to provide swimming and recreational facilities. He referred to recent drownings which were terrible tragedies, but I want to tell him that drowning is not an experience unknown to me. I had the terrible experience in my youth of having been given up for lost. I was recovered and due to the expertise of people trained in lifesaving and resuscitation my life was saved. I have done whatever I can since then to ensure that as many children as I can help will not find themselves in that terrible predicament in which I found myself— going down for the third time and not being able to swim.

The recreational facilities that have been provided by Dublin Corporation are quite substantial. As the Deputy knows, pools have been provided in Dublin in the past year—one at Crumlin and one at Townsend Street. There is a pool at present being built at Coolock. This is part of a commercial centre development. The pool is being financed by the corporation and it was due for completion this summer. It has been held up by the cement strike. There are other centres where it is proposed to construct swimming pools—Finglas, Cabra, Ballymun, Ballyfermot and Rathfarnham. The plans have been prepared for the Ballymun pool and preliminary plans have been prepared for the Ballyfermot pool. The question of a package deal for the design and construction of pools at the remaining centres is under consideration by the corporation. It may be accepted that every sizeable housing area would support a pool. This is borne out by the great popularity of the pool recently provided at Crumlin.

I should like to remind the Deputy that on the 5th May I sent a circular letter to the chairman of each local authority throughout the country in which I requested their special attention to the provision of proper warning notices in places where people go swimming. I should like to express my appreciation of those chairmen who have written back to me informing me that the circular was discussed at their meetings and that special heed was being taken of it. In the circular I placed special emphasis on the need to appoint a specific officer in each local authority who will have the responsibility throughout this summer of regularly inspecting warning notices, lifebelts and other facilities which have been provided to try to make these areas safer for those who swim there.

Repeated appeals and the erection of signs are a help and I can only continue to make an appeal to the public to take special care. I appeal to the mass media in the country to come to my aid in this matter. I am rather disappointed that it took the death of so many young children to attract the full weight of the Press and television to a message which I have been trying to put over for the past three weeks. However, I appreciate what they have done recently and the help they are giving me now. I hope they will continue to help me and that my co-operation with them will be appreciated.

As regards the provision of pools in Dublin, the initiative rests now with Dublin Corporation. If they indicate to me the area which they consider should have next priority I am prepared to give the matter consideration in the context of the statement I made on the 11th June.

Local authorities may make recreational facilities available. Some local authorities have provided facilities for games and recreation with the aid of employment schemes and grants. Dublin Corporation have provided substantial facilities for games and recreation. An example is the stadium at Sundrive Road, Kimmage, Dublin, where Dublin Corporation have provided facilities for track and field events and also cycling, and more recently at St. Anne's Park, where 40 to 42 football and hurling pitches, 12 to 14 tennis courts, and a par-three golf course have been provided. In all Dublin Corporation have 140 playing pitches —football and hurling—74 tennis courts as well as handball alleys, basket ball pitches and bowling and putting greens, and many of these facilities are even now underutilised.

The whole question of recreation and the provision of recreational facilities is now being looked after by the new physical recreation section in the Department of Education, where I was recently Parliamentary Secretary. A good start has been made there in encouraging all the voluntary organisations to provide facilities, and substantial financial assistance is being given by the State.

Condensing my reply to Deputy Byrne into ten minutes does not suit me at all because the problem is a big one and I feel there is a need to draw public attention to it. I am concerned at the great reliance at present on voluntary organisations for the teaching of swimming and I am investigating at the moment some system whereby I can give assistance to local authorities to enable them to employ full-time swimming instructors where they have swimming pools and part-time instructors where swimming is carried out only during the summer months. In this way I hope to supplement the work that is being done by the swimming associations, by the life saving associations and by all those dedicated people who have given so much of their free time to this important work.

Mr. Coogan

Jimmy Cranny.

Mr. Molloy

I should like to help them and to ease the load on them and in this way see that a greater number of pupils are taught to swim and become competent swimmers.

I should like to pay a special compliment to men like Jimmy Cranny in the west of Ireland, whom Deputy Coogan has mentioned, who has turned out thousands of young swimmers. These are the kind of people to whom we owe a great debt and I hope to be able to supplement the work that they are doing.

Dr. Byrne

I should like to thank the Minister for the keenness and enthusiasm he has shown since he took over his new office and to say that it is a pity that more was not done previously.

The Dáil adjourned at 11 p.m. until 3 p.m. on Wednesday, 17th June, 1970.