Public swimming pool for Dungarvan

I urge the Council to make provision for a public swimming pool in Dungarvan. There are many benefits to be gained from this, including:

• Due to the proximity of Clonea Beach, swimming is a very popular activity amongst the locals. Even moreso since the Covid restrictions. Many of these people have limited options for maintaining thier fitness and proficiency in the winter months, when the sea is often too rough or too cold for swimming.
• Most of the local young people engage in water-based recreation, at various spots around Dungarvan Bay. To help avoid tragic accidents, we need to ensure as many of these people as possible are proficent swimmers, or have life-saving skills. The availability of a public pool would facilitate water-skills training programmes.
• The availability of a public pool that provides a comprehensive training programme for life-saving skills, would increase the number of qualified lifeguards that are available for beach-patrol duty. This would allow a broader range of lifeguard cover than is currently available, thus halping to maintain a safer environment for all beach users.
• A public pool would provide an alternative option for participation in sports, for those young people who are not attracted to more traditional options, such as field sports.