Independent review requested on €20m Leisure Centre project

An independent review has been requested on the Lucan Leisure project after delays and the termination of a contract.

The termination of the deal with contractors PJ McLoughlin occurred on Friday, August 22 after six years of delays in building the swimming pool due to Covid-19 and other reasons.

Councillor Liona O’Toole has called for a review on the project, noting that transparency and the trust of the public are essential Cllr O’Toole said: “I believe that this review is warranted at this stage so we can understand what went wrong, how delays and cost overruns happened and to ensure that lessons are learned for future capital projects.”

The Lucan representative noted that she would be open to helping South Dublin County Council figure out how to fund this independent review.

The council is currently in the process of preparing tender documents for the procurement of a replacement main contractor.

Councillor Helen Farrell has echoed the calls for clarity on the delays in the project that could have been averted.

Cllr Farrell stated: “I think we’re all aware of Covid delays, the breakdown in supply chains that happened and even situations within the company that was the main contractor.

“Even at that, I do believe there were further delays within the project that could have been averted and I think bringing some clarity to those delays may help future projects.

“I don’t think there’s any public appetite for any unnecessary spending or additional spending at this point.”

The council has stated that a review will not be conducted until the project is completed in its entirety.

The ‘dry side’ of the Lucan Leisure Centre opened on Monday, July 28 with an updated project timeline on the pool set to come when a new main contractor is in place.

Figures obtained by the Irish Independent under a Freedom of Information request earlier this year show that costs so far were €17.87m.

Final costs are expected to reach around €20m upon completion of the project, 11 years after the ‘Pool for Lucan’ lobbying campaign began.

Councillor Joanna Tuffy noted the excitement of the community to finally avail of the finished product.

Cllr Tuffy said: “The most important thing is we want this to be finished. It’s going to be a fantastic facility. It’s a hugely ambitious project.”

Funded by The Local Democracy Reporting Scheme