There have been renewed calls for officials from the Garda College in Templemore to reopen the swimming pool to the public.
The saga involving the pool began when it was announced that it would not be reopening to the public following its closure during the pandemic.
Since then, numerous protests have been organised by the We Just Want to Swim – Templemore group, with assurance given last month that access to the pool would be restored.
However, Deirdre Ryan from We Just Want to Swim says that since then, the college have ignored repeated requests from the local schools to be able to use the pool.
“On the 9th of November, the Garda College put out a public statement to say that by late November the community groups and the schools in the area would have access to the swimming pool.
“The following day, the schools contacted the Garda College and they have done so numerous times – emails, calls and the Garda College has stonewalled every inquiry made by the schools. They have ignored them, they have not responded to any of the calls or emails.
Deirdre also says that not allowing locals to use the pool shows that officials in the college don’t care about the community.
“I think it shows the college does not give a damn about the children in our community and by not responding to any calls or emails, I think it shows the contempt for the community by the college. But it also illustrates their contempt for Micheál Martin, for Helen McEntee, for all those ministers who really want to move this along and resolve it.”
