The North Fingal Pool Campaign calls on public to lobby candidates in the election to ensure a swimming pool is located in the north county.
The campaign is asking supporters to make it one of the issues they raise with candidates when they call to the doors over the next number of weeks.
The swimming pool issue is sore for many in north Fingal given that over the years, there have been projects promised in Skerries and Balbriggan, which failed to materialise. We believe investment in swimming is vital and that swimming budget back to 2007 level- local campaign.
A report in The Journal found that the national budget for local authority swimming pools has dropped from €27m in 2007 to just €4m in 2019, barely enough to build a single pool. Swimming has many benefits in terms of health and well being. It is recommended form of activity for those in recovery from various physical ailments. It is one of life’s milestones alongside learning to ride a bike or learning to drive. “Nobody expects libraries to make money. But pools are expected to make money,” says Mary McMorrow from Swim Ireland, the national governing body for swimming. “But pools shouldn’t necessarily be expected to make money.” We agree with this sentiment but the focus of attention has to change from commercial viability to community necessity. In terms of health expense, swimming actually saves the exchequer money. There is an election coming next month and we believe funding for swimming needs to be increased up to 2007 levels nationally. Locally, the North Fingal Pool Campaign is calling for Fingal County Council to build a swimming pool in Balbriggan or north Fingal. https://www.thejournal.ie/swimming-ireland-pool-dublin-leisure-4960677-Jan2020/
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