Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 27 Feb 1996

Vol. 462 No. 2

Adjournment Debate. - Ennis (Clare) Swimming Pool Complex.

Mr. Killeen

Gabhaim buíochas leat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, as cead a thabhairt dom an ábhar seo a phlé agus táim buíoch don Aire as ucht teacht isteach chun freagra a thabhairt.

The greater Ennis area has a population of about 16,000 people and is situated in the centre of a county with a population in excess of 90,000. The existing swimming pool is about 30 years old and was obviously constructed to serve a smaller town, which it has served fairly well. In the long term there will be excessive maintenance costs and already there is a substantial drop-off in usage because the pool is substandard.

There is a great lack of facilities in Ennis town. Late in 1993 and for some time previously undertakings were given on the provision of pitches. Even though I facilitated negotiations on the property element, no finance has been forthcoming. There is no major indoor sports facility, except the existing swimming pool which no longer meets the required standard and is in urgent need of replacement.

The projected cost of the new swimming pool is £2.6 million. Ennis UDC and Clare County Council are aware that the Department receives a huge number of applications for funding for projects such as this. In those circumstances they have decided to request 50 per cent of the funding and are prepared to provide the remaining 50 per cent. That involves each council raising £500,000, with a local fund raising venture of £300,000. The committee to organise that funding is in place and obviously its efforts would be boosted by a positive signal from the Minister. I understand that an official announcement in this regard would be made by a member of the Minister's party and I have no difficulty with that. The preliminary report has been submitted so recently that the Minister may say it is unreasonable of me to come before him at this stage. I already raised the matter twice by way of parliamentary question as well as directly with the Minister.

The councils initially made an application for a waterworld type project incorporating a swimming pool. The matter was actively pursued, with a request for Structural Funds under the Operational Programme for Tourism. The councils incurred substantial expense as a result, they believe, of very bad advice. Eventually the project was rejected. That caused a delay in putting forward the current plans. The councils are now seeking approval for the preliminary proposal, which is with the Department, and permission to proceed to the next phase, which is to prepare contract documents. I ask the Minister to consider the project favourably.

Minister for the Environment (Mr. Howlin)

I thank Deputy Killeen for the opportunity to again set out the position of the proposed swimming pool complex in Ennis. He and his colleagues, including my party colleague from the Clare constituency, have highlighted this issue in recent weeks.

Clare County Council submitted preliminary proposals to my Department last January for this project, the estimated cost of which is £2.6 million. The complex will be at the existing swimming pool location and the proposed facilities include a 25 metre pool, a children's pool, sauna, steam room, crèche, gymnasium, spectator area and a multipurpose activity hall. My Department requested further information from the county council on 5 February on the proposal, including the full financial plan. When this information is received the proposal will be further considered. Obviously, the provision of funding by the Department does not arise at this preliminary stage of the project.

All swimming pool proposals have to go through various stages of planning before a grant commitment is made by my Department. Approval must be given initially to the preliminary proposals. At that stage, the local authority would be advised by my Department to proceed with the preparation of detailed drawings and specifications, generally known as contract documents. When contract documents are approved, tenders are invited by the local authority and their proposals for the acceptance of tenders are submitted to the Department for approval. It is only at this stage, when the acceptance of tenders is being sactioned, that a grant is formally allocated to a project so that work may proceed.

I am mindful of the Deputy's interest, and that of his constituency colleagues, in this matter. The preliminary report is with the Department and it is a little soon to expect a commitment from me on the proposal.