Cllrs eager to take the plunge on new swimming pool

A COMMITMENT to delivering a permanent swimming pool for Carrickmacross was emphatically reaffirmed by public representatives for the area on Monday.

“We will move heaven and earth to get the project built,” declared Cathaoirleach Cllr Noel Keelan (SF) at a special meeting of the Carrickmacross-Castleblayney Municipal District held at the M-Tek building in Monaghan Town following the November meeting of Monaghan County Council.

It was confirmed at the meeting that the local authority will not be financing needed repairs to the pop-up swimming pool which has been operating in the town for the last two years, meaning the facility will close in December.

“We will be advising Swim Ireland that we will not be making an investment in the pop-up pool,” stated Director of Services Cathal Flynn, confirming to the Cathaoirleach that the MD will be open to the facility returning to the town in the future if Safe Ireland carries out the repairs.

“Never say never,” stated the Cathaoirleach.

The special meeting was convened after Swim Ireland wrote to the MD seeking financial assistance to carry out repairs to the pop-up pool estimated at costing between €12,000-€18,000, not including a separate leak repair.

The meeting was requested by Cllr P J O’Hanlon (FF) to address the question of funding the long-mooted project.

After extensive debate, the Cathaoirleach said the MD is confirming its commitment to the project. “We have the site, we are moving ahead with the design and we intend to get the project to planning stage as soon as possible,” Cllr Keelan stated. “It will be a flagship legacy project for our town, county and region. I am excited by the project and from now on it is forward steps only.”

Mr Flynn told the meeting that a design team is in place and a feasibility study last year established without question the huge need for the pool development.

The appointment of the integrated design team came on foot of the study report.

A budgetary provision of €300,000 was made in 2026 for the project and it if it arrives at the point where a sporting infrastructure funding application can be made, 70% funding can be secured.

“If we keep up the financial provision in our budget,” he explained, “we will be able to progress the design and service a loan to match-fund any allocation.”

Mr Flynn said the matter arose for debate at the last MD meeting after Swim Ireland made a proposal to Monaghan County Council to invest in the pop-up pool that had been available in the town for a protracted period in order to maintain it. But the Council has no provision in its budget for this and Swim Ireland has informed them the pop-up pool will close at year end.

“The first question we will be asked when the pop-up pool closes in December is when will the new pool be coming?” stated Cllr O’Hanlon, pointing out that the minimum cost of the project is estimated at €20 million. Even with 70% grant funding the MD will have to find €6 million.

“Where are we going to get it?” he wanted to know. “Can we go to a bank or other provider? How much are we borrowing and what interest rate will we be paying? Is it the MD or the County Council paying for this?”

Replying to questions from Cllr Colm Carthy (SF), Mr Flynn said the MD executive’s recommendation is that the provision set aside in the revenue budget be used to service the design of the large-scale sports structure and also service loan repayments if they are successful in securing 70% funding.

“We should accept the fact that the pop-up pool has reached the end of its life,” Mr Flynn added. “It was always a temporary arrangement and I don’t think it’s feasible to use the funding set aside to service something that is not the property of the County Council.”

Cllr Carthy said that 30% is “a massive amount of match funding” for the MD to meet, and suggested PEACEPLUS be considered as an alternative funding source, noting that Carrickmacross-Castleblayney is the only MD in the county without a flagship PEACEPLUS project.

Cllr Peter Conlon (FG) also asked if the MD was limited to a single funding stream or if there are others.

“We will explore every funding mechanism available,” Mr Flynn assured the councillors. “We are only at preliminary design stage and it is early to think of the grant aid that might be available, but we will use the avenue that gets the best return for the people of the county.”

“How much money do we have to spend before we look for the €6 million?” Cllr O’Hanlon asked.

“€400,000 should get us to statutory consents stage,” the Director of Services replied.

“€6 million will not be the final figure, costs will rise,” Cllr O’Hanlon predicted.

“Carrickmacross needs this facility and we have to get it but I want to know what our business plan is. We can’t go down the road of the Peace Campus in Monaghan Town, the County Council is spending €10,000-€12,000 a week to keep it open.”

Cllr Conlon agreed that €6 million will be “the minimum expense” the MD will face. The question of whether the project will lead to a rates increase will also have to be determined, he added, as well as the possible future running of the facility by a leisure company.

“We need to know the running costs,” urged Cllr O’Hanlon. “These facilities aren’t cheap to run and a detailed business plan needs to be put in front of us.

“I can’t see us getting PEACEPLUS funding without a cross-border dimension.”

Cllr Carthy said a subvention could be required from the County Council over the first years of operation before the pool starts “washing its face” but he hoped eventually it will become a profit-making enterprise.

Cllr Conlon asked if the MD can “touch base” with leisure providers regarding turnover and how such facilities run from year to year.

Mr Flynn said Monaghan County Council owns the facility in Monaghan Town operated by Coral Leisure and are very familiar with the operating model. “In recent years the Monaghan facility hasn’t been a cost to the ratepayers and Coral Leisure has been generating a profit.”

The meeting agreed to set up a steering committee for the Carrickmacross swimming pool project, comprising the six MD councillors, a councillor from each of the other two MDs in the county and “subject matter experts” familiar with leisure facility operations.