€10 million fund ‘ring-fenced’ for Stillorgan pool may be scrapped

“A degree of uncertainty” hangs over €10 million set aside for the reopening of Glenalbyn Swimming Pool in south Co Dublin, because of costs associated with Dún Laoghaire Harbour, the local council has said.

The pool is a key constituency issue for Minister for Transport Shane Ross who campaigned for its reopening. As recently as August the council said €10 million “ring fenced” in its capital budget for the project to reopen the pool which closed in 2013, remained in place.

Mr Ross formally signed the transfer of the harbour company’s functions to Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council earlier this month, which brings millions in associated costs to the council.

Following the refusal of the State to fund an immediate €10 million in repairs for Dún Laoghaire Harbour, the council said all capital projects including the swimming pool were uncertain.

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‘Not in contract’

Referring specifically to the Glenalbyn pool project, council chief executive Philomena Poole said: “I can’t say that the ringfencing nature of Glenalbyn pool or any major capital project that is not in contract would be certain – the news was uncertain, the outcome is uncertain and that decision will be uncertain.

“So the harbour really has created that degree of uncertainty and it is something that we’re going to have to look at as soon as we have that final account completed. But at this stage I couldn’t say that any project that is not already in contract can go ahead until such time as we have adequate information at our disposal.”

The council has said the information it has is that the cost of ongoing repairs necessary to bring the harbour up to “taking in charge” standard was €33 million, €10 million of which needed to be spent immediately.