Lorraine Clifford Lee (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Helen McEntee, to the House. As evidenced from the wording of this commencement matter, the town of Balbriggan has no swimming pool. According to the latest census data, Balbriggan town and its environs has a population of approximately 26,000 and is growing rapidly. I am sure the next census will show a huge increase in that population. Also, it is a very young population.

In 2006, An Bord Pleanála approved a plan for the public swimming pool to be built on a site located at Balbriggan Rugby Club. In 2014, this was put out to tender but there has been no progress since. I hope the Minister of State will be able to provide me with an update on the results of the tender process in 2014. For a population of this size not to have access to a swimming pool in the town is not good enough. Swimming lessons are seen as a core part of the primary and second school curriculum. Children living in Balbriggan cannot easily access swimming lessons, which is a real shame. Many schools have to travel long distances to access a swimming pool and swimming lessons, which has a knock-on effect on parents in terms of the cost of providing buses and so on. It is also taking time out of the school day which teachers could be using to teach other core parts of the curriculum.

I have spoken with many local parents who have children with learning difficulties, ADHD and autism, who would benefit greatly from aqua-therapies, but the benefit they would receive would be outweighed by the travel involved in getting to swimming pools located a far distance from Balbriggan and so there is no point doing it. In my opinion, it is an absolute disgrace that the children of Balbriggan with special needs cannot access these very beneficial therapies. Older people can also benefit from aqua therapy and aqua aerobics but these therapies need to be provided within their community.

I ask that the Minister of State outline what plans are in place and, if any are in place, if they can be fast-tracked.