March decision on 50m pool

The long-awaited decision on the construction of a 50-metre swimming pool will be made by March next year. The Minister for Sports, Dr Jim McDaid, in answering a series of questions from Deputy Bernard Allen earlier this week, said that a public procurement procedure is being put in place in order to comply with EU regulations and that an advertisement seeking development proposals for the pool would be placed in the national media within the next two weeks.

Mr McDaid also stated that the Minister for Finance will look favourably on the funding of the complex.

Meanwhile, Adrian O'Connor, of New Ross, added a bronze medal over 100 metre back-stroke to his third place in the 50 metre backstroke on Thursday on the second day of the British Winter Championships in Sheffield.

Lee Kelleher, the 15-year-old Irish junior record holder, captured the fifth place in the women's 100 metre butterfly in 63.87 seconds, marginally outside her own record time of 63.71 secs.

Northern Ireland's Emma Robinson captured a relay gold medal over the 4 x 100 metre medley to become only the second Irish swimmer to win a British title.