Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 7: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism when the National Aquatic Centre will reopen; the reason for the delay in re-opening the centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9239/05]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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During the severe weather conditions experienced in the west Dublin area on New Year's Day 2005, damage was caused to the National Aquatic Centre at Abbotstown. The roof of the 50 metre pool and diving pool and the roof of the leisure water area were both damaged and, in addition, damage occurred to lights and fittings around the complex. This has resulted in the National Aquatic Centre being closed to the public while the building was being made safe, the damage assessed and repairs undertaken. Fortunately, nobody was hurt as the centre was closed for the holiday period.

On 2 January, Rohcon Ltd., the company responsible for the design and construction of the National Aquatic Centre, carried out some initial repair work to make the building safe. During the days immediately afterwards, Campus Stadium Ireland Development Ltd. was at hand to manage and oversee the response to the situation. CSID's first priority was to ensure the safety of the general public and anybody using or working in the facility. They were also focused on ensuring that the damage was accurately assessed by the insurance assessors, that liability for the repair work was established, that repairs would be carried out as quickly as possible and that the debris in the facility, and in its vicinity, was safely removed. Because of the weather conditions, in particular the high winds experienced during January, it was not safe to access the roof until towards the end of the month and this delayed the work of the engineers who examined and reported on it.

At the request of my Department and in consultation with CSID, the Office of Public Works engaged Kavanagh Mansfield & Partners, Consulting and Structural Engineers, to provide an independent, expert opinion. They were requested to examine the damage and to provide a report. In addition to this independent report, a separate report was prepared by engineers on behalf of the company carrying the insurance cover on the NAC.

Following the presentation of their report, Kavanagh Mansfield & Partners were appointed by CSID in regard to the development and implementation of the appropriate remedial works for the storm damage. A copy of the independent report has been given to Rohcon Ltd. and a schedule of remedial works has been prepared on behalf of Rohcon and submitted to CSID. This will ensure the centre is restored to the highest standards. The costs of the storm damage will not accrue to the State. Detailed discussions have been taking place with the various parties involved to resolve the situation as quickly as possible. CSID has confirmed to me that remedial works to the National Aquatic Centre effectively commenced yesterday, Monday, 21 March, when Rohcon, its roofing sub-contractors and consulting engineers responsible for the work were on the roof. These parties are now finalising, in consultation with CSID's engineers, the details of the schedule of works to be undertaken to repair the damage. While it is difficult to be precise about how long the work will take, my best information as of now is that it should be completed in six to eight weeks. The contractors have promised a firm estimate for completion of the repair work later this week.

Additional information not supplied on the floor of the House

I wish to reiterate that I want to see the National Aquatic Centre reopened at the earliest possible date. Although I fully understand the frustration of the staff and the general public, including members of facility clubs, at the continued closure of the centre, the alternative scenario, that of opening the centre while there was a risk to people using the facilities, is not an option that anybody would be prepared to contemplate. Therefore, the inconvenience of the centre being out of commission is, in my opinion, the lesser of two evils. Over the past months, CSID has put a considerable effort into working with the various parties to have the centre reopened as quickly as is feasible in the context of finding a safe solution. I am satisfied that this will be achieved.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Who is liable for the damage and who will pay for it? Also, who will compensate Dublin Waterworld Ltd. for the loss of approximately €100,000 per week while the centre is closed? The centre has been closed for so long because of health and safety issues. Will the Minister clarify the precise health and safety issues involved? Has the Government offered to compensate unsuccessful bidders for the National Aquatic Centre to run the centre? Perhaps the Minister will clarify that matter.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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I am not aware of any issue regarding compensating underbidders. With regard to the actual repairs to the facility, CSID's first priority was to make the building safe and that work, together with the weather proofing, was undertaken straight away. At that point Kavanagh Mansfield & Partners, Consulting Structural and Civil Engineers, were commissioned to provide an independent report to examine the damage and provide a preliminary report as a matter of priority. The loss adjustor for the insurer also commissioned engineers to examine the damage but because of the weather conditions, in particular the high winds experienced during January, access to the roof proved to be very difficulty and that delayed the work of the engineers.

The Kavanagh Mansfield report was received on 28 January. Rohcon Limited, the company responsible for the design and construction of the centre, was supplied with a copy of that report on 4 February and it was asked to supply its proposals for immediate works. Rohcon, in turn, required some time to study the findings of the Kavanagh Mansfield report, including consultations with the roofing contractors who were based in England, and to do its own investigations before it could bring forward acceptable proposals for remedial works, which it did on 22 February. Discussions between the various parties, in particular between Kavanagh Mansfield & Partners and CSID on the one hand and Rohcon Limited and its sub-contractors on the other, and also involving the insurance company and its assessors, have taken place over the past three weeks and a schedule of remedial works was discussed at a meeting on 15 March between CSID's engineers and the contractors and their engineers and architects.

Work has commenced. Some further discussions are necessary to finalise the schedule of remedial works. Following finalisation of these discussions, the contractors expect to advise CSID tomorrow as to when the remedial works will be completed and of the consequent reopening of the centre. As I said, the best information available to me at this point is that the work will be completed within a six to eight week period.

I should explain to Deputy Deenihan and the House that there are many parties involved in this process, which is part of the reason it has taken so long, but the health and safety of the members, staff and general public has been CSID's primary concern in dealing with this unfortunate event.

As far as I am concerned, the State and the taxpayer will not be responsible for restoring the National Aquatic Centre to its former state. This is an issue for the contractors and their insurers to resolve. That is the manner in which I am approaching the issue at this point.

With regard to Dublin Waterworld Ltd., I would have hoped that it would have employment insurance cover in respect of its own staff. I have no plans whatsoever to compensate Dublin Waterworld Ltd. In fact, I do not have plans in regard to this matter which will cost the taxpayer any money.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Will the Minister accept that it has taken an unacceptable length of time to carry out repairs on the centre, taking into consideration the process that had to be gone through? This centre was built in little more than a year but it appears it will take almost five months to repair a 25 sq m hole in the roof. Will the Minister agree that this issue has got bogged down in bureaucracy and that there has not been any urgency in ensuring that the centre should be open for use sooner? Will he agree also that the centre could be opened on a phased basis? The recreational part of the centre could have been opened before now because that was not as severely damaged in the storm and the pool could be opened at a later stage. Also, the Minister may be aware that a number of important international swimming events have been cancelled because of the delay in reopening the centre.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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I reiterate that I want to see the National Aquatic Centre reopen at the earliest possible date. Although I fully understand the frustration of the staff and the general public, including members of facility clubs, at the continued closure of the centre, the alternative scenario, that of opening the centre while there was a risk to people using the facilities, is not an option that anybody would be prepared to contemplate. Therefore, the inconvenience of the centre being out of commission is the lesser of two evils.

To be fair, Campus Stadium Ireland has, over the past months, put a considerable effort into working with the various parties to have the centre reopened as quickly as is feasible in the context of finding a safe solution. Naturally, I am also concerned to ensure the taxpayer's interest is protected to the best of my ability. That is my duty and, more particularly in this instance, it is the delegated function of Campus Stadium Ireland.

It is a matter for the contractors and-or their insurers to ensure that the aquatic centre is reopened at the earliest possible opportunity. I do not foresee an eventuality whereby the taxpayer will be obliged to foot the bill for that. Unfortunately, there has been a lapse of time between the commencement of work and the damage which occurred but much of that was down to weather constraints and the necessary steps which had to be taken to ensure reports were available to identify the cause of the problem and who should be liable for it. It took some time to resolve such issues. I do not accept there has been an inordinate delay. The time that has passed has been used constructively by Campus Stadium Ireland Development Limited and its agents. While it is regrettable that the centre will not be reopened at an earlier time than that now envisaged, we had to ensure that all the necessary steps were taken to safeguard the health and safety of the facility's users, to protect the interests of taxpayers and to ensure that due process was applied throughout.