The Irish Sports Council has commissioned a review of Tiglin, the National Mountain and Whitewater Centre in Co Wicklow, which faces closure due to a serious shortage of capital funding.
However, the Mountaineering Council of Ireland, which is one of four bodies involved in running the 33-year-old centre as part of the Irish Adventure Sports Training Trust, has denied that any decision has as yet been made about Tiglin's future and says no protective notice has been issued to its staff.
Brendan Whelan, director of mountaineering at Tiglin, said staff had been told on October 14th last that the centre would be closed on December 31st. He called for further clarification on the issue.
The Irish Canoe Union, also a constituent of the managing trust along with the Association for Adventure Sports and City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee, says substantial capital funding estimated at over €2 million is required for the centre.
Based in stable buildings at the Devil's Glen in Ashford, Co Wicklow, Tiglin has trained thousands of school pupils, teachers, youth leaders and adventure sports instructors since its establishment.
The centre employs five full-time and 40 part-time staff and runs accredited training and safety courses for the main adventure sport organisations.