Push for swimming pool gains momentum
By Maurice Garvey
SOUTH Dublin County Council expect to contribute €6 million of the estimated €10 million cost for a new swimming pool in Lucan – should the project receive government funding.
The Pool4Lucan campaign has received cross-party support – their petition gathering over 3,500 signatures since 2014.
Fine Gael councillors Vicki Casserly and William Lavelle hailed the recent announcement at the SDCC Finance Committee meeting, that council-related costs would be included in the Rolling Capital Programme in December.
Cllr Casserly said: “As SDCC were always going to be the majority funder, the Chief Executive confirmed to me that he expects the council will have to contribute €6 million and this will be listed in the Rolling Capital Programme.”
Independent councillors Liona O’Toole and Paul Gogarty have warned of premature celebrations, with Gogarty noting a danger that national funding won’t be provided until the council comes up with its share of the project budget.
Cllr O’Toole said: “We can’t say we are going to get €6 million until the government opens up the national pool programme at the end of the year. Only then can we apply, and one would hope we’ll be successful.
Pool4Lucan organisers Helen Farrell and Sandra Whelan say the pool needs to be planned as a “multi-functional centre” and to be a financial success.
In October, €400,000 was allocated for planning and design costs for Lucan swimming pool from the council’s 2016 Budget.
Ms Farrell and Ms Whelan have requested a meeting with SDCC Chief Executive Danny McLoughlin.
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