UL still leads the 50m pool race

The recent announcement by the Minister for Sport, Dr James McDaid, that the Government is to seek tenders for the development of a 50m swimming pool will have been greeted with interest. In the past, three universities have expressed an interest in hosting such a development.

In 1992, UL, UCD and DCU were among 12 consortia which made submissions to the Department of Education for the construction and running of a 50m pool complex, with partial funding from the National Lottery. At the time, the cost of such a development was £15 million, with running costs estimated at anything from £250,000 to £1 million per annum. The likely cost would now be higher. In addition, the Government's new proposal emphasises the training of high-performance athletes for international competition; any consortia that apply will be expected to indicate how their proposals will meet that demand. The Government has not yet indicated how much private funding consortia will be expected to bring to the project.

This time, UCD is not seeking to host the pool. While Dr Tony O'Neill, UCD's director of sports, says the college has been targeted as a possible venue over the years, college authorities believe it is a "very difficult proposition". The annual deficit funding on the pool is estimated by UCD at up to £500,000, he says, and there are also problems associated with security, traffic and hosting competitions during term time. UCD has instead been working on a proposal for its own 25m pool for staff, students and the local community.

TCD is building a £12 million sports complex on Pearse Street, to include a pool development. According to college secretary Michael Gleeson, the economics of a 50m pool were considered during planning; now it is hoped to include a 25m pool for use by staff, students and outside groups - and as a possible competition venue.

DCU is still interested in building the 50m pool, especially since the new ring road has improved access to the college. "We certainly would have the space, a suitable site and we would be interested," said Martin Conroy, secretary of DCU. "We would particularly like to see it situated on the northside of the city."

DCU has been successful in the past in accessing private funding for key projects, Conroy says - though it has not yet sought to focus on funding for a pool. Conroy observes that such a facility would have to be multi-purpose, with ancillary leisure facilities, since elite swimmers would only use it for a small portion of the day.

UL remains in the strongest position to tender for the pool. As well as its own degrees in physical education and sports and exercise science, the National Coaching and Training Centre is situated on campus and 30 rooms in its sports centre are dedicated to elite sports. During the summer months, up to 400 rooms on-campus may be occupied by people involved in sport.

According to John O'Connor, director of finance and physical development in UL, a 50m pool is "essential" for the college's needs. He sees the pool in the context of a "quality multi-purpose facility", which the college is already beginning to build. It will include a basketball court, a jogging track and health and fitness studios.

The pool could be developed for less than £20 million, O'Connor says. He says UL is "not interested" in building an Olympic pool with seating for 2,500 people, nor in erecting a 10m diving board for the small number of divers who would use it. He reckons "substantial Government funding" will be needed to develop the pool. "Obviously, we do private fundraising to support our core teaching research mission. It's difficult to do it in other areas. Sport is more the function of Government."

Tenders will invited in the coming weeks. Minister McDaid says he is anxious the competition will proceed "with all possible speed".