Limerick Chamber of Commerce has called for the new Olympic-sized pool and sports facilities at the University of Limerick to be used for the Special Olympics if the National Aquatic Centre, proposed for Abbotstown, Co Dublin, is not built by next year.
No contingency plan exists for the staging of the international swimming events, Ms Margaret Hayes, secretary-general of the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation, told the Public Accounts Committee recently. The organising committee for the games had suggested a 25-metre pool in the Dublin area would be used if the controversial aquatic centre was unfinished by June 2003.
The president of Limerick Chamber of Commerce, Mr Tom McInerney, said in that event, the city's new 50-metre pool would be the logical location to stage the swimming events.
The pool, officially opened last month by the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, was built as a training centre and is part of an overall €28 million sports arena which incorporates a 13,500-square-metre sports hall with running tracks.
The lack of a warm-up pool has been cited as the reason why Limerick is not suitable for international competitions. But the pool has a movable boom, which means it could be divided into two 25-metre pools, one for warm-ups and one for competitions.
Mr McInerney said he had raised the issue with tourism agencies and had been told the pool did not have sufficient spectator space. It has a spectator gallery with a capacity for 350 people. "If it is not held in the aquatic centre, there is no other pool in the country that has as good spectator facilities. To me it is not an issue, it is an excuse."
Mr Ronnie Long, a Limerick-based athlete and former board member of the National Coach and Training Centre, which is also based at the university, said the campus pool was the best alternative to Abbotstown. The campus has 1,450 rooms available for accommodation in the summer months. "I think there is a lot of jealousy going on about Limerick," he said.
Mr Paul Donovan, manager of the university arena, said there was an expectation the Abbotstown centre would be ready by next year.