Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

Will the Government come out of hiding and explain what is going on at the National Aquatic Centre? The centre closed its doors on New Year's Day following roof damage by high winds, has not opened since and seems unlikely to do so for at least another three to five months. I understand the engineering firm originally appointed on behalf of the OPW, Kavanagh Mansfield, to inquire into the damage to the centre has now also been appointed to act on behalf of Campus and Stadium Ireland Development, CSID.

Has this firm reported and will the Minister publish the report? When I last raised this matter in the Dáil at the end of January, I was told the preliminary report was expected at the end of that week. We have heard nothing six weeks later. Are engineers still refusing to allow any public access on safety grounds, has liability been established for insurance purposes and will the public have to pick up the tab for repairing this €70 million facility? Engineering consultants are working on the site for the various parties with a view to identifying the cause of the damage, to ascertain whether there was a design or construction flaw and, most important, who will pick up the tab for repairing the damage, now estimated to cost at least €2 million.

The National Aquatic Centre was one of the first examples of a design, build and operate procedure, with a contract awarded to a consortium consisting of a construction company, Rohcon, an architectural firm, S & P Architects and the operating company, Dublin Waterworld. There now seems to be a blame game with Dublin Waterworld referring inquiries from the centre's users, swimmers and gym centre members, to CSID, the Government company which manages Abbotstown and which provided Government finance of €70 million to build the water sports complex. There seems to be a serious conflict over responsibility for the roof damage and who should pay for the repairs.

In the meantime, one of the country's most outstanding sports facilities remains closed. There are many distressed people, from the 60 employees who appear to face a lay-off of at least six months to gym centre members who are paying gym fees for facilities they cannot use. There is growing concern in swimming and water sports circles and among the thousands of gym club members at the continued closure of the centre and all its facilities. Some 60 staff have been laid off for more than two months and face the prospect of many more months on the dole, yet they have not been told anything by Dublin Waterworld about when the centre may reopen with its roof repaired. Thousands of gym club members have paid expensive gym fees to use the pool and the gym centre but have been left completely in the dark as to when they may enjoy the facilities for which they have paid.

Water sports interests, including swimming, platform diving, scuba diving and water polo, are also finding it impossible to get reliable information as to what is happening at the National Aquatic Centre. We already know that major swimming events planned for May have had to be cancelled, including the Celtic Masters. It seems that no one at Government level — the Taoiseach, the Minister for Finance or the Minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism who are the shareholders in Campus Stadium Ireland on behalf of the taxpayer — is prepared to take responsibility for or an interest in what is going on or, at a minimum, to advise the interested parties what is a realistic timescale for the repair and reopening of this facility which cost the taxpayer €70 million to build two years ago this month and which was opened by the Taoiseach recently. This is a marvellous facility which has suffered a terrible accident. The Government must come clean on when it expects the competition pool, the gym and the leisure pool to reopen to the public and the staff to be re-employed.

Having regard to the unusual nature of the contract arrangement through a consortium, its seems that no one, the Government included, is willing to take responsibility. That is disappointing. Where is the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism? He has written to me that he is concerned about the impact of the closure of the facility on divers, swimmers and so on, but he does not seem to be exerting himself to ensure the necessary work is carried out.

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