Council report on Glenalbyn site contradicted by Dept of Education figures – Mitchell

Speaking about the report of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council which raises doubts about the suitability of the Glenalbyn site for a swimming pool, Olivia Mitchell, Fine Gael TD for Dublin Rathdown said, “the priority was first to establish the extent of demand for a pool.”

“I would strongly question the ‘demographic’ argument made by the Council, which makes the case that almost half of the population of Stillorgan is over 40 years of age. The corollary is that more than half is under 40 years of age. But the really telling fact is the forward planning figures of the Department of Education and Skills which indicate a rapidly expanding young population.

“These verified figures of existing primary school demand led to an announcement only last week of a new primary school to meet the demand of precisely the same area as that served by the Stillorgan pool. The figures would seem to indicate demand for a leisure facility in the areas for at least the next twenty to thirty years.

“There are also reservations about rebuilding on the Kilmacud Crokes site. I certainly understand these reservations about a site which the Council does not fully own or control, where car parking is limited, and where the income stream is inevitably constrained by the small site, which can only provide a limited number of facilities.”