Carlow council to explore €60m plan for 50m swimming pool

COUNCILLOR Fergal Browne proposed a motion to have the possibility of developing a 50m swimming pool in Carlow explored by the council at a recent meeting of Carlow County Council.

“There is a need for a serious long-distance pool in the area,” said cllr Browne.

He noted that he wouldn’t expect the council to take responsibility for such a large project but wanted it to investigate how much a project would cost and how it would proceed.

Cllr Adrienne Wallace said it was “a very good motion”, considering the risks young people face when swimming in the River Barrow each summer.

Councillors were warned by director of services Michael Brennan that such a project could cost up to €60m to complete, and millions of euros to run each year. He said the council were working on progressing the outdoor swimming pool, as suggested previously by cllr Browne.

“I don’t think that’s a massive amount of money,” said cllr John Cassin, supporting the motion. “The impact it would have on whatever area it was in would be phenomenal,” he continued.

Cllr Paul Doogue, who works at Graiguecullen swimming pool, voted against the motion, saying a pool of this size was being built in Mullingar and that Carlow’s population doesn’t warrant it, while also expressing a worry that the project might put other local and hotel pools out of business.

The majority of councillors voted to pass the motion.