Renewed call for swimming pool to be provided for Newbridge, County Kildare

A renewed call for a swimming pool to be provided for the town of Newbridge.

The call was heard at the latest Kildare-Newbridge Municipal District (MD) meeting, which took place on Wednesday, September 18 last.

Independent councillor Tom McDonnell put forward the following motion to Kildare County Council (KCC) at the meeting: "That the council provides a site in Newbridge to build a swimming pool."

Cllr McDonnell submitted a similar motion at the last MD meeting, which took place back in July.

NORTH KILDARE PRIORITY

KCC gave Cllr McDonnell the following answer via its report at the meeting: "There is currently no provision in the capital programme to provide a swimming pool in Newbridge, and it is not within the current work programme of the department."

"The priority of KCC is to provide a swimming facility in North Kildare," KCC added.

Commenting further on his motion, Cllr McDonnell said: "If we don’t have a site selected, then we can’t proceed with it at all."

He also suggested that the Liffey Lodge / former convent building could be considered for a potential site for the pool, adding that '15 Ukrainian refugees are left in the convent', referring to Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTP) from Ukraine.

Cllr McDonnell concluded by reiterating his wish to see a site being allocated by KCC.

Independent Cllr Tom McDonnell. Photograph via Facebook.

Social Democrats Cllr Chris Pender also chimed in with his views on Cllr McDonnell’s motion.

Cllr Pender said: "I am not against the idea of seeking a site for a pool, but time and time again, the former convent site is being brought up.

"It will give people false hope, let’s be honest... the Liffey Lodge will be for age-friendly accommodation."

He was also critical of Cllr McDonnell’s comments about BOTP, adding: "It makes it seem like the BOTP are holding up the progress of the pool."

Cllr McDonnell denied this assertion from Cllr Pender: "That is not it. You need the site near schools, and the site is massive."

"Don’t complicate the matter," he added.

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Fianna Fáil Cllr Noel Heavey then weighed in, saying that a community facility was planned for the area.

Mayor of the MD, Fine Gael Cllr Peggy O'Dwyer, told Cllr McDonnell that the Local Area Plan (LAP) for Newbridge 'is an opportunity to submit ideas for the pool site.'

"I have two in mind personally," she added.

A representative of KCC also said that there are limited resources to provide a pool for Newbridge at present.

However, the representative added that considering a site for the provision of a pool in Newbridge 'could be looked at' for the LAP.