Portmarnock swimming pool closure
Deputy Duncan Smith seeks help reopening Portmarnock’s closed pool, citing lost jobs and reduced access to swimming lessons; the Taoiseach agrees to discuss roof repairs with the relevant Minister.
The Taoiseach, like me and probably many people in this Chamber, probably learned to swim in a local authority or community pool. Fingal has no local authority pool. The closest we have to one is the not-for-profit pool provided by Portmarnock Sports and Leisure Centre. Due to extensive works needed for the pool roof, the pool is closed indefinitely. This is not only threatening jobs and the viability of the leisure centre but also removing a vital resource, that is, the ability to learn to swim, from people in Portmarnock, Malahide, Swords and all over the Fingal area. The Minister, Darragh O'Brien, is aware of this. We need funding to repair the roof for this pool. There is no local authority funding stream any more for pools from the Government, but there needs to be an investment in the repair of the roof. It is the only community pool available in Fingal and it needs to be repaired at the earliest possible opportunity. I ask the Taoiseach to engage with the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, me and the board of Portmarnock Sports and Leisure Centre to ensure that this can be repaired.
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I do not have the background to this. I learned to swim in the sea, actually, down in west Cork, or maybe Robert's Cove or somewhere like that, but we had a baths long ago. We used to call it the baths, the swimming pool-----
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We used to have one too.
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We still have not got it back.
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-----next to City Hall, and the craic was good. I passionately believe in swimming opportunities for young people and children in particular to learn how to swim, as Deputy Smith says, because water safety is essential and it can be a very joyous and healthy discipline for the rest of your life.
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I will talk to the Minister, Deputy O'Brien. He is fairly innovative when it comes to projects in Fingal. I will see what can be done. I take the Deputy's point. The Minister of State with responsibility for sport is here. We will see what can be done in respect of the roof on the swimming pool in Portmarnock.