Wicklow Sinn Féin local election candidate for the West Wicklow area Connor Byrne, and Sinn Féin TD John Brady have called on Wicklow County Council to make the submission of a funding application to bring a swimming pool and all-purpose sports campus to West Wicklow their number one priority over the summer.
The deadline for funding submissions under the Large-Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund is July 31st. with a fund of €120 million, and having already been turned down in 2019, the time for Wicklow to act is now.
West Wicklow remains the only municipal district in the county of Wicklow without a swimming pool. Wicklow County Council need to apply under the Large-Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund, for a major sports campus in addition to a pool for West Wicklow.
Connor Byrne said:
“As a native of West Wicklow, I am very aware of the demand on the ground for sporting facilities, especially for a community pool in the area.
In 2022, the local Community Pool Committee, working with Wicklow County Council and Swim Ireland were able to bring a pop-up pool into the area for three months, the success of which across all age groups clearly underlined the support and need for a pool in the area.
This level of support and the fact that an application for funding was turned down in 2019, coupled with the fact that we remain the only municipal area in the county of Wicklow without a pool needs to be taken into account by the Council, and they should their main priority to ensure that an application is submitted to the Large-Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund.”
John Brady TD said:
“We in Sinn Féin have given strong support over the years for the campaign for a community pool for West Wicklow and continue to do so.
The potential that a pool and a sporting campus has to deliver for the area is vast. That West Wicklow remains the only area in the county without a swimming pool is not acceptable.
West Wicklow is an area that is growing in population. We need to see investment in infrastructure and facilities to support this growth.
Support for a swimming pool is evidenced by the volumes who made the use of, and the range of people who accessed the pop-up pool when it was in the area, and speaks volumes for the levels of enthusiasm for a community pool in West Wicklow.
I am calling on Wicklow County Council to make the submission of a funding application for a swimming pool and multi-sports campus for West Wicklow their number one priority.”