Residents’ concerns over prices at new Lucan swimming pool
PRICES at Lucan Swimming Pool, due to open this summer, have come under fire for being “much higher” than in Tallaght or Clondalkin.
An adult swim is listed as €10 at the Lucan pool, compared to €7 for an adult swim at Tallaght and Clondalkin leisure centres.
Meanwhile a family swim in Lucan is €20, compared to €25 in Tallaght and Clondalkin.
Aura Leisure Services won the contract from South Dublin County Council to manage the new €20m Lucan Leisure Campus.
The Irish owned company manage 11 leisure centres in Ireland including Lucan, which is nearing completion, and due to open in the coming months.
Residents in Lucan, who have been waiting for decades for a swimming pool, noticed the price discrepancies and have been making complaints to local representatives.
“The cost is much more than in Tallaght and Clondalkin. Lucan residents have to stay at the back of the queue when it comes to supplying amenities people in other areas of the county have had for decades,” said Lucan resident Mairead Hilliard.
Lucan pool had been scheduled to open at the end of October 2023, but this was put back to allow works to be completed.
Lucan councillors visited the site in February but were not allowed to take pictures of the swimming pool.
Cllr Paul Gogarty (Ind) said the pricing does not reflect the public element which has “disappeared.”
In an update on his website, Cllr Gogarty said: “It was always going to be dearer tendered to a private company rather than run directly or by a not-for-profit company like South Dublin Leisure Services, but SDLS (part owned by SDCC) did not tender to manage the pool. SDCC was still supposed to have subsidised prices.
“That said, they also maintained that they would ensure future pool repairs were paid for out of day-to-day income.
“The pricing provided by Aura Leisure was supposed to be reflective of the subvention being provided by South Dublin County Council.
“However, it is clear from looking at Pay As You Go and annual membership with Clondalkin pool, other Aura pools and some private facilities that the prices are at the upper end of a mid-range facility and do not reflect that this is a public, community pool.
“My understanding is that the pricing is partially geared in such a way that the pool’s future refurbishment costs will be self-financing. However for the average family the prices are relatively expensive,” said Gogarty.
The Echo contacted Aura Leisure Services for comment.
The new facility will employ between 35-40 people between full and part-time contracts.
It is located at Griffeen Valley Park, and will comprise a new state of the art public swimming pool, fitness gym, health suite, café and exercise studios.
