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National Aquatic Centre 'being let run down' national |
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news report
 Sunday August 28, 2005 21:19 by Ha Ha Ha
 What a mess. 'The National Aquatic Centre is being poorly maintained leading to an air of decay in the new facility, it has been claimed. Members complain of dirty changing areas, broken toilets as well as the build up of grime on mirrors, walls and underneath benches.' The National Aquatic Centre is being poorly maintained leading to an air of decay in the new facility, it has been claimed. Members complain of dirty changing areas, broken toilets as well as the build up of grime on mirrors, walls and underneath benches.  We are currently not accepting any more comments on this article. printable version
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Comments (317 of 317)
Jump To Comment: 317 316 315 314 313 312 311 310 309 308 307 306 305 304 303 302 301 300 299 298 297 296 295 294 293 292 291 290 289 288 287 286 285 284 283 282 281 280 279 278 277 276 275 274 273 272 271 270 269 268 267 266 265 264 263 262 261 260 259 258 257 256 255 254 253 252 251 250 249 248 247 246 245 244 243 242 241 240 239 238 237 236 235 234 233 232 231 230 229 228 227 226 225 224 223 222 221 220 219 218 217 216 215 214 213 212 211 210 209 208 207 206 205 204 203 202 201 200 199 198 197 196 195 194 193 192 191 190 189 188 187 186 185 184 183 182 181 180 179 178 177 176 175 174 173 172 171 170 169 168 167 166 165 164 163 162 161 160 159 158 157 156 155 154 153 152 151 150 149 148 147 146 145 144 143 142 141 140 139 138 137 136 135 134 133 132 131 130 129 128 127 126 125 124 123 122 121 120 119 118 117 116 115 114 113 112 111 110 109 108 107 106 105 104 103 102 101 100 99 98 97 96 95 94 93 92 91 90 89 88 87 86 85 84 83 82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65 64 63 62 61 60 59 58 57 56 55 54 53 52 51 50 49 48 47 46 45 44 43 42 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1There's no way staff wrote the last thread. Staff are being constantly subjected to bully boy tactics in there and now management are trying to divide and conquer them by setting them off against one another. This is a despicable state of affairs and the sooner the end of the month comes the better. People should boycott the place until these charlatans are actually out of the building and leave on the horses they rode in on from Tralee!
The amount of lies that amnagement tell to the staff is nothing short of criminal.
This needs to be publicised
Frankly I don't care who writes or why writing, if there's a problem with your mother you deal with it at home or call social workers....
In this case you guy (s) have the legal representatives, though they are not recognised, nevertheless, by labour law/constitution they are,
A lot is happening yes, people been fired/ disciplined for unseen reasons threats of being sucked (fired)/ or staff leaking information to SNR staff / Mngmnt so they can be superior and may be retaining their employee of the year… Yes they turn their back against a friend made him to lose the job, so what… probably they did the right thing, may be not,
May be you missed my point, I think it's time you stop writing about internal issues...stand up like a leader if you are, may be you will get a better clarification.
Kind regards
There is a story to tell it is with my legal people at the moment and when they pass it you never know I might write a book as there is a lot to tell.I might even get on the Late Late Show with Pat Kenny now that would be ironic.Outside of that I will contact you when time right
OK, but the posts will probably be hidden.
If you want to tell the story, a new article with some details would be the best way. I think this discussion should now start with a new article on the current state of affairs. Best thing would be from the horses mouth. All anonymity preserved at the contacts above, (the imc address is publicly archvied so get an anonymous email address if u want before contacting.)
These posts are not just chat the person who came to Dublin from Tralee on Saturday and collected a computer reads this site and knows who they are and why the question is being asked.Lets wait to see what happens on the 25th before we decide what to do.
if you want a hand CT, mail [email protected] or fill out the contact form on the site here looking for people to contact you..
Your story about the computers is being hidden because it is not fully laid out, but I reckon its worth writing if you want to get in touch. I can be up around Blanch to meet you if you want.
These two posts will probably be hidden tomorrow because they're just chat really, not news.
I see that the nac is advertising on this site again does this mean we can enquire about people coming to Dublin from Tralee for computers and if there are any computer shops in Tralee again.
wots a poll
The Competition Pool will be closed from Tuesday 11/04/06 to Sunday 16/04/06 due to essential repairs.
Alternative Swimming is Available at restricted times. Please click here to see the Timetable.
WHILE EVERY ENDEAVOUR WILL BE MADE TO STICK TO THIS SCHEDULE ALTERATIONS MAY OCCUR.
We all know they are getting ready to leave they think all the staff are stupid , but they will not let the staff know they are gone till they are safely back in Tralee and do not have to face them, you see they are not as clever as they think but they are not stupid or brave either.
The following are statements made to staff by DWL
DWL will pay all staff a percentage of profits-As revealed in the High Court a small profit was made but the staff saw nothing.
DWL are not in court-when in fact they were and as was pointed out earlier it was even in the papers.
DWL will give free membership to all members of your immediate family- all family members have to pay,except for the chosen few decided upon by the directors.
DWL will chase the insurance company on behalf of the staff for loss of earnings for the period of when the centre was closed- Despite receiving over 1million euro the staff have not seen a penny.
Dwl will take a counter claim against CSID and we will pay loss of earnings from this-They dropped counter claim and never told staff.
Now does anyone really believe them when they say they are appealing ( to be honest a more unappealing group of charlatans you would not wish to meet) they have locked staff out of computers and offices does this sound like someone who is appealing,no because if you were appealing you would let everything run as normal knowing that you are there for at least another year,the actions DWL have taken are only taken by people desperate to clear the decks before the new people arrive.
Do your staff your members and suppliers a favour tell them the truth for once.
To be honest, I reckon these are more lies perpetuated by these guys to let people think they're staying so they can take more money off them. Why would you believe a word they say? They were even telling the staff that they weren't in the high court, when it was in the papers that they were.
They haven't a leg to stand on.
Anyway, if they stay around nobody is going to support them, not least the suppliers that they haven't being paying.........allegedly....
And there's still that little matter of the 10 million vat..........
dwl are going to appeal the recent decision aginst the, needless to say both members an especially staff are devastated that they will have to work under the current dreadfull management for up to another year, that is if the place doesnt fall apart from lack of maintenance in the mean time. A disaster.
Can anyone let me know how that poor boy who cut himself in the centre today is ,as the management were not very helpful when I asked in fact they were quite rude.They should get lessons in how to deal with the public.
Its certainly looks like the personal vendetta against certain staff members and staff is still going strong. Reading between the lines is very interesting. One person has posted under various names and got personal each time. As it says play the ball not the player. Items are removed when they get personal. Other people have not dropped to name calling and infantile rhymes. I wonder if this person understands that to see somebody behave in a manner like this makes me feel sorry for them. The lack of any sense of respect for other people or themselves shows true. The other part is that everybody in the centre will know who they are by the comments. So the next time you walk around the centre realise everybody who works there has read your ranting and raving on this site. Respect I doubt it, I can understand why a lot of the negative things in the press and other media cover if you are how the management company comes across. It is obvious as you style of writing never changes and you once signed your own name. So instead of blaming everybody else, you might look inside and see where you went wrong. I doubt it as your writing profile suggests otherwise. However everybody deserves good things in their life and I wish you the best in your next career choice in 3 weeks or so.
Seriously.. As much as you may have lots of time on your hands and lots of frustration to dal with I suggust you put it to use some where constructive... This 'get the manager' thing is vendictive, and boring and not to mention the fact that its making matters worse for members and staff reading this blog. YES the suituation is crap YES its unfair on members and YES its a horrible suituation for staff to be in BUT... They are all well educated and intellegent enough to see this for themselvs rather than have people fule this further. It is up to the staff to stay united and the members to be vigilant. We are all aware that DWW may have and most likely do have alternitive and YES they are treating staff and members badly but they will face their bad behavious at some stage but stop the boring rant.....
I see Miss Manager was in work at 7 this morning ,for someone who normally turns up at 10 and is gone by 3 this was a shock for all the staff. I am sure it had nothing to do with the fact CSID were in the centre today.Next thing you know she might stay after 2 on a friday and even make an appearance on a weekend, although probably not ,we all saw what happened the last time she was in on a saturday,late friday nights out do not suit her .
Does anyone know whether arrangements have been put in place to ensure that Members will continue to have access after April 29th?
What is there to stop DWW Management taking the computer records, taking the membership fees and leaving the place in chaos?
I would send this memo to CSID as evidence as they may be able to ensure with their legal team and the judge that it is honoured when the end of the month comes.
We the staff were sent a memo signed by the Manager and Directors stating that our salary would be paid this month,now as they promised to pay us our loss of earnings when they received the insurance money and did not keep their promise should we believe them this time.
I was in the centre tonight and while talking to another member she told me that a van was broken into on Friday night and valuables taken.I feel the people running the centre should increase security immediately ,if they are not willing to do so then they should hand the keys back early to CSID.
Thanks for your comment.Although we were let go it was on a temporary basis and when we returned to work we were assured that they would sue the insurance company for our loss of earnings and they told us not to get involved. We made the mistake of trusting them as we have not seen a penny of the insurance money of over 1 million euro they received,
Baz,
They could well appeal and you would have the directors running the company for another 12 months. Appeals take a long time believe me.
from what you say i do not think you are entitled to wages once they lay you off though.
I am not suggesting that I want these people to stay , I like the vast majority of the staff want these people out asap, however some of us have had to take loans to pay our debts for the time we were out of work and if they do appeal we would have extra time in which to sue for our loss ,also we might get somr publicity which would show the public what these people are really like.
They never had any intention of paying the staff during that period so I would forget about it and move on. You can't seriously be hoping that these guys remain in the centre and destroy our aquatic flagship so you can chase these guys through the courts for the next few years for some spurious payment that you think they need to pay you. There are a lot of things these guys should have done but the best thing now is to be rid of them and for you to have a secure job there with proper terms and conditions.
Anyway, if they haven't paid you by now after getting their 1 million compensation they hardly will into the future. They will be well on to their next scam by then
I see that DWL have been given a month to leave and I do not know if should be happy or sad as I am one of the employees who never received the loss of earnings money due for when the centre was closed and which DWL told us they would get from the insurance company on our behalf.Now if they are gone within a month I do not think they will pay us , I hope I am wrong but we have not seen a penny of the insurance money. The only hope we have is if they appeal it will give the union a chance to sue them for our money, does anyone know if they plan to appeal, if so can you let us know.
The court was on again today and waterworld have to get out in a month!!
Brilliant news
I take it you did not get the job then. I am not out of work which I am sure you are glad to hear and as you seem to spend a lot of time on this site what does that say about you.The verdict was out last week CSID won.
I see management have 3 new aliases from the 3 previous posts.I must say I am very impressed that she could find time to write these posts when she had such an important interview today. By the way how did your interview go ,did you get the job.
In for a swim yesterday evening all seems well in the centre spoke to staff member ,very confident all staff will be kept. thats great most of the staff very pleasant glad they got rid of the bad pennies
Great I hope the latter is true.
I have just been for a swim. Who is the very sexy man going around the centre in the suit? someone told me he is the new P.R.O. Thank god someone sexy at last , I will have to go to the centre everyday now as there wasn't much to see there before.
The little yellow men were removed the next day
Have you heard the news. No jobs at the NAC for ex employees Only current staff contracts honoured. No need to reapply as refusal might offend.
Bye Bye
Well its nearly over the great NAC scandle, DWl and the lackeys are about to go. The staff will get the wages they are entitled to, the centre will be put back in order and all is well with the world. No its not because, How did a world class facility get into this state? How was the mismanagement of the centre be allowed to go on so long? How were people bullied by an out of control power freak? Where did the insurance money go? Lets hope that the rest of Campus Ireland will learn from the mess that was made of the NAC. Dont throw good money after bad by allowing people to run a fantastic facility for profit alone. It cant be the tax payers that pay for it but a combination of public and private ownership and running the centre to make a profit but not an obscene one. By the way I have been led to believe that the owners of DWI are also involved in the Jeanie Johnson debacle. Guys quit while you are ahead, you are about to caught with your hands in the cookie jar again and with some well known GAA star, the papers will love it. By the way the ship looks great in Dublin harbour. You should call down before you leave. Lets hope the centre is run right this time. I will look forward to hearing how its all going . Might even go back as a member. All depends on what I hear and what I read and of course how I am dealt with when I call in.
Having read the above paper tonight I was disgusted to see how run down the Aquatic Centre has become and to blame the filth on suppliers is a pathetic joke , it is obvious that the Manager of the centre ,has no idea whatsoever ,as to how to run a centre of this magnitude.This Manager should resign and not try and blame everyone else on her failure to maintain a clean and well maintained building. Remember if you are in charge of the entire building ,the buck stops at your door , you take the credit when things are good you take the blame when things are bad.
And one of the mirrors in the ladies members section is still missing since the place opened up again.
The ladies showers in the members section are a disgrace. A full row of 4 shower cubicles on the right hand side has been out of order all week, with a row of yellow men in front of each cubicle. That half of the ladies showers out of commision.
And one has been out of order for over a month because of a missing tile. I love the centre but this is a joke.
Will someone explain to me how there is a Vat bill of 10 million on the lease? That makes no sense at all.
Tax payer - Do you know how top read accounts? If so then look again, its losing money!
Do yourselves a favour and buy the Daily Mail look at page 19 it says it all.
BS are you trying to say that the staff who have been kept in the dark by the General Manager and Directors know everything that is going on.The facts were presented to the High Court . I ask you again are you saying that the audited accounts presented to the High Court are false, you have not answered my previous posts.
Its losing money believe me, ask the staff!
The story and photos have been reproduced on page 32 of todays Evening Herald.
No accreditation of course, in case the Evening Herald reporter be deemed a late night prowler, and be accused of trying to burn down the PD offices!
BS you are talking BS you still say the place is losing money despite the evidence to the High Court stating otherwise you still have not answered my earlier post as to whether the audited accounts presented to the High Court which state the centre is not nor never has lost money are false. You have also not answered the post which asks ,if the centre is losing money why have DWL spent so much money trying to hang on to it.
Check out the operating costs - Its losing money.
Gold Mine my arse!
they fought so hard as they were representing the 2.8 million tax benefit of a certain individual in Limerick who was bankrolling the whole operation. The original entry fee was only supposed to be 5 or 7 euro but these guys increased it without getting it sanctioned by CSID. It's their short term thinking of feck the punter that it's so quiet. That and the dirt. If it is run properly it will be a gold mine and I certainly will be joining up as a member.
If the nac is losing money as you state why have DWL fought so hard and paid so much money in legal fees to hold onto it,get a grip.
You read somewhere it was losing money where?
The facts are if you read my earlier post the NAC has broken even every year it has operated and in fact last year it made according to accounts furnished to the High Court 12k euro are you saying that the audited accounts handed to the High Court are false?
Also if you read my post correctly you would have seen that I stated that if DWL could break even despite their dreadful effort at running the place then a professional outfit like CSID could definately make a profit.
Please read posts properly before ranting.
If you think the NAC can operate at a profit you are a plonker. Any fool and his dog who goes to the NAC can see that its not doing the business it should be doing. i read some time back it was operating at a substantial loss and looking at the business its easy to believe that. With Energy costs and staffing costs continuing to rise it will increase its defecit. Prices are too high and i think CSID may drop them to encourage more business.
5 euro admission would be about right. Get the kids off the street i say.
The NAC was not and is not losing money it was in fact breaking even ,according to figures eventually released by DWL and this despite the horrendous way in which they ran it.Therefore now that we will have professional people in CSID coming to operate the NAC I for one expect a very bright future for the NAC. I notice you seem to dislike unions , I would ask you read previous posts which clearly outline the horrendous conditions the staff had to put up with under the manager of the centre and you will see the reasons the staff joined the union , it was not out of greed. The only greedy ones were DWL directors and their manager, the staff have been great and deserve all our support.
Well thats decided then. My crystal ball shows CSID hitting Dublin WW for massive costs that will no doubt put the company into liquidation. CSID will then bring in Rohcon to put the building right, plug the leaks fix the cracks, stop anything else falling off. Not much will change for staff i think they are protected as members will be, CSID will obviosly want to keep them. Staff will get union recognized and get big pay awards from Govt. might even get benchmarking (they should be so lucky) But as i understand NAC is losing money and who is going to foot the bill now? Me the tax payer as usual!
In one years time when bills coming flooding in for NAC we will see it being a hot potato again and CSID will be looking for another private operator to come in and run it.
I know we all remember Pat Kenny being taken to court by DWL because he questioned their ability to run the NAC properly , DWL won the case as yesterdays verdict proved Pat right will Pat get an apology from DWL and will they refund the money to him
To all the ordinary, Joe Bloggs staff at the NAC. It's over. With any luck DWL will not do anything more in the time they have left to mess up the centre any more than they already have. I will do my best, as a member and member of Joe Public, to convince D. Morgan and Co. to keep the good guys where they are. I know it's been a stinker of a time recently, not least because DWL lied right up to the morning of the court case, telling staff that Judgement was not happening, but they are out now and we can all look to the future. Well done to you all for keeping things going in the most incredibly difficult circumstances.
With love and best wishes.
Your, hopefully favourite, member.
As someone who has been accused wrongly as it turns out,of putting certain posts on this site and of not being truthful when talking to members of staff, the court records prove otherwise, can I jjust say to staff that we all need to look to the future. The main focus for staff I feel is to work with the new operators,should there be no appeal,to make this centre an enjoyable place for members ,the general public and staff to be in ,once again. So lets look to the future and make the National Aquatic Centre a huge success.
I am just home after celebrating the outcome of todays court case I have been afraid to comment before due to threats from so called management but I have to say that I am delighted that CSID are going to be our new employers .I know they say the devil you know is better than the devil you dont know but let me tell you that in this CSID could not be any worse than this crowd.
good by to all THOSES men and that women now the staff will talk about you no jobs in the aquatic line four you when all this over ha ha
I agree totally with everything in your piece concerned member.The Chairman returned to the centre after the court today and got the G.M. to inform the staff about the situation , he did not even bother to address the staff . What does this tell you about this man.
I watched the news tonight and I did not know whether to laugh or cry when a statement from DWL stated that they were disappointed to lose and all they were worried about was their staff and members.When did these people ever worry about their staff or members ,if they did ,they would have paid their rent and would have produced accounts and not have ended up in the courts. If they worried about their staff they would not have let their General Manager implement a zero tolerance policy with their staff and they would not have let the G.M. prevent staff from talking to each other, they would have also recognised the Union.THEY WOULD HAVE ALSO PAID THE WAGE INCREASES DUE TO STAFF UNDER NATIONAL WAGE AGREEMENTS.If they had any interest in their members they would have made sure the centre was kept clean and that all the rides worked all the time and that the 50m pool was repaired as soon as it was broken and they would not have left one maintenance man on his own for the last 6 months.I saw this man when he started and he was a bit heavy he is now ,after 6 months of pressure , only about 8 stone and in need of a help and a good relaxing holiday.
I really hope that there is not a long transition period.
The place needs a good shaking up and fast.
I fear that these cowboys will not go without a fight and will do their best to screw members, suppliers & staff on their way out the door.
Although I am delighted that these charlatans have been told to go I have no doubt that they will meet with their legal team and accountants over the next few days to try and find a way to get themselves off the hook.I will give them this advise save your time and money and just GET OUT NOW you have caused enough trouble to your members , staff and the tax payer just dig yourselves a big hole in tralee and bury yourselves, you will not be missed.
With the good news today I thought of some lyrics from songs that fit the moment.
1) I wish I was back home in Kerry
2) Bye Bye Baby
3) Its Been Offaly good to see you.
4) Parting is such sweet sorrow
5) Celebrate, C'mon
And to finish off
6) You wont get me I'm part of the Union, till the day I die.
Link to RTE report:
Waterworld have lost the court case! Woo Hoo! See below for RTE report
Court says DWL breached aquatic centre lease
21 March 2006 12:31
The High Court has found that the company appointed to operate the National Aquatic Centre, Dublin Waterworld Ltd, has deliberately breached its lease.
The court has granted an order for possession of the building to Campus and Stadium Ireland Development Ltd, the State company which owns the centre.
It found that Dublin Waterworld Ltd, which was granted the lease for the centre in April 2003, had breached that lease by consciously and wilfully failing to pay rent and failing to produce audited accounts.
The court also found that DWL had breached the terms of its agreement with CSID by holding the lease in trust for a Limerick businessman, Pat Mulcair.
Mr Justice Gilligan found that even though DWL had now regularised its financial situation, the 'background circumstances' of what had gone on did not augur well for the future.
The Chief Executive of CSID, Donagh Morgan, told RTÉ News that the Aquatic Centre would not close down.
Dublin Waterworld Limited refused to comment after the judgment.
The exact terms of the order for possession of the building will be finalised at a further hearing next week.
I am sure the result will be put up as soon as it is known no matter who wins.Lets just hope it is CSID who win.
Will you put the result up on this website as soon as you hear it as we have a celebration party to organise!!! Hopefully we will get our Aquatic Centre back and this sorry mess will be over. These guys have no sense of integrity and should be ashamed of themselves. I would imagine that their reputations in business will be down the toilet after this.
Tomorrow in Distillery Court 1 Church Street at 10am is Judgement Day . ALL WELCOME.
Hey, this goes on and on cos us poor users don't have the option of going elsewhere for the facilities we need for our sport. Are you going to tell the 3 or 4 people that had their cars broken into the other night with a drill that they are disgruntled ex employees. Why does the previous thread smack of management! I am temted to take the day off tomorrow to go in and see the judgement of that court case myself. For too long we have endured a crap service at the hands of these charlatans.
It just goes on and on. While I have every sympathy for disgruntled ex-employees in general, I think this thread is getting ridiculous.
Having read this site and seeing how the Manager and the Directors treat their staff and the way in which they run this centre , is it just me or do other people feel that these people read a lot of Charles Dickens novels and thought they were training manuals on management,
I was there on Friday night and one of the cars that was broken into was the coach of a group of deaf waterpolo players. They arrived to find out that the NAC had decided that afternoon to close early so their session was cancelled...but no one told them. So in the 15 or so minutes this guy was in reception, his car was broken into. They used a drill to get through the lock of that and 2 other cars I heard, right under the noses of security. He had a substantial sum of membership money taken that was concealed in the car. You couldn't blame him for hiding it in the car when lots of locker doors in the NAC have been riipped off. Apparently there is only 1 security guy on now, so when the receptionist goes for her break he has to come inside and cover reception. The thugs know this very well. They also know that most of the cameras in the car park don't work. So, it woul be surprising that when it is so easy that they wouldn't keep coming back fo more. The first thing I was told going out the door was to check my car in case it was broken into. Another weekend a while back 6 cars had been broken into on a Saturday morning. These guys have a free rein. Is this what our national aquatic centre has turned into?
I am not surprised that cars continue to be broken into at the centre ,just look at who the new security company are .Their record is not very good lately in England .
I was in the NAC last night and the car beside mine was broken into, on talking to the unfortunate person whose car was broken into he told me that his was the fourth car broken into last night. If the people running the NAC are not able or are not prepared to pay for decent security then they should get out.
Can anyone tell me how two of the Directors of the NAC whose real jobs are managers of small facilities in Tralee which allow Union Membership for the workers ,refuse to recognise the Union in the NAC. Do the owners and workers of these facilities in Tralee know about the animosity that these people have shown towards the Union and the workers who have joined this Union in the NAC.
I hope for the sake of the hard working staff in that place that they get the out come they deserve.. It cant be easy for them listening to bull every day and trying to do the best they can and all they get back is nothing form their managment. I am a member since opening and have stayed with this pool and gym because the majority of the staff are freindly, the gym never gets too full and the staff their are more than happy to help you out. The mens changing area is a disgrace but my wife maintains that the ladies isnt too bad. My kids love thier lessons. This place needs a once and for all overhall. And what s for sure is the cleaning.. that has GOT to be sorted. Same goes for maintainence. Its obvious to me that something or someone is holding them back. Lets hope that the directors that have cheated us and their staff to fill their fat pockets get just what they deserve and we can have a 'national stadium' that fits its purpose.
I have done some research on the people in charge of the NAC and it is interesting to note that of the 3 Directors , 2 are not Directors of any other company and the other one is a Director of only one other company which, is a Civil Engineering Company. Having looked at this is it any wonder that the NAC is in the state it is , these people have NO EXPERIENCE on how to run a Centre of this size.
Good to see an end in sight, whichever way it goes. If the tenant is up front then they will be well rewarded for their troubles and treatment when they claim damages. If the landlord wins out the day then there are serious repercussions for the tenant, if half of these comments have even a screed of truth. Hopefully we will have a professional facility at the end of this, run by professionals for the public good and not individuals gain or glory. Personally I think the facility has not produced benefit as intended by the initial concept and has evolved into tax avoidance role. The incentive to operate efficiently and effectively may have been overshadowed. It is unfortunate that there is such strife but that is life in this celtic tiger era. pleasant isn't it. No doubt a few relationships have perished along the way and as usual it will be the working person who will lose out. Shame on those who lied through their teeth.
Well done to the honest and truthful who stood firm, whichever side you are on as we shall find out on tuesday by the looks of it.
called in yesterday afternoon and the changing room was closed due to cleaning, at 3 pm in the day??????? called back in the evening and they were as filthy as ever, which for those of you who dont know is really really filthy, what are the cleaning staff doing? the gym staff were cleaning it last nite, the floor was disgusting, the showers clogged with hair, under the benches in the sauna is a nasty brown coulour, its a disgrace that has just gone on too long. is there any management left running the place?????
I note the reason given for the damage to the 50m pool , was this person not trained in how to change the pool from 25m to 50m and if not why not, it has been said that there is no such thing as an accident.
It is also stated that we should complain to management , we would if we could find them they are never there do they work part time?
Lastly if the money stated is all that it will cost to repair it why has it taken so long to fix , remember this building cost 60 million to build , should people that can not afford 20+ thousand to fix one of the main features be running this our National Swimming Stadium?
What about the green algae forming on the white plastic gutters on the pool sides of the diving pool? Are they waiting for someone to fix this also or should we just bring in our bottles of domestos and take our chances if we want to use this pool??
The 50 m. boom was broken by someone who didn't raise the floors properly. IIt was genuinely an accident but will cost about €22,000 to fix. All complaints to management.
What's the story about the broken 50 metre pool. Is it going to remain a 25 metre pool indefinitely or are there plans to actually fix it any time soon? So much for the 50 metre pool that we all waited years for. It's a disgrace that these guys have run our national facility into the ground like this.
Pinochio was famous for telling lies just like the management of the NAC does this mean that Pinochio is Management.
Its because management read this thread that the Steam Room was fixed today. Only when they read the complaints on this site that they do anything, they are never in the centre to hear them. They also defend themselves under various names, thank god for this site.
One other thing all the problems there seem to me due to lack of maintenance and yet they try and blame everything on CSID and the builders ,who are they kidding ,lets hope the judge sees through them.
This is all beginning to look like sock-puppetry. I think even the management have given up bothering to look at this thread.
Its nice to see that while I have been away everybody has been nice and busy. Good to see that the GM does some work defending the centre. Lets see where we stand,
No security worth talking about.
Not enough maintenance staff.
Not enough cleaners.
Staff morale down to all time low.
Union being ignored and members being victimised by management.
Management in High Court with Landlord.
Facilities getting worse and worse.
Well thats the state of play and all you defenders of the management can look at what I have said and try and find fault but yiu won't. No need to lie or spread rumours. The state of the NAC is a testament to incompetance and in some cases down right stupidity of the management company and its managers.
I was up there today Steam Room still out of order not for maintenance just broken staff told me.
I was there last night and the steam room is out of order now....like everything else....for "maintenance". As if.....
Well, no photo to date of photoman had any person in it so I wouldn't be worried. Also, these photos were also featured in local papers which was good thing to raise awareness of this. We're talking about maintenance and hygiene here. The court should have their decision made in the next 2 weeks I heard, so hopefully the centre will be handed back so it can be run the way it was intended, as a national flagship facility, not the run down dilapidated shell it has become.
If no children are in the picture no Act is being breached, mind you when has the Aquatic Centre ever worried about breaching Acts.
Observer, As if the general manager would allow such photos to be taken??? Only for these photos exposing the dirt and filth this scandal would never be exposed. We should be thanking photo man
With regards to your comment made on Friday 3rd march, prior to you going to the centre for a “re-run” I do hope that you will seek accreditation from the general manager before you take any pictures, failure to do so will result in a breach of the ASA Child Protection Policy.
The children were not all under 1 year old that is the problem ,also who looks after the remaining children when the 1 staff member has to take a child to the bathroom, not I would suggest the Lifeguard looking through the glass into the Creche.
I looked up the regulations on the web a minute ago and 3 under 1 year old kids to 1 child minder is within the regulations, so they seem to be okay. Although I would be more concerned about the hygiene in the place if I had a kid there
http://www.rte.ie/tv/theafternoonshow/story/1069656.html
I was in the Centre this morning and could not believe my eyes when I looked into the Creche and saw 3 children being minded by only 1 yes 1 minder this is this a breach of regulations. Can someone tell me how these people can say they are doing a good job running this facility . I know they blame everybody else for the problems in the Centre but they are the ones that are supposed to adhere to Childcare Regulations not CSID.
I called to the Sales Office on Saturday to pay for Lessons only to find it closed and nobody knew where the Sales Staff were,
Today was a day to be shouted at by the Sales Manager for daring to enter the Sales Office they were having a meeting for the sales staff what sort of way is this to run a Sales Office. Meetings for staff should be held outside opening hours . Remember the Customer is King except in the National Aquatic Centre where the Sales Manager sets a very bad example.
So Members or even potential members the message that seems to be that if you want to talk to a member of the Sales Team you must ring first to see if they are going to be there during their advertised times ,as these do not seem to count for anything, failing that if you turn up on the off chance Knock before you enter and wait till you are granted permission before entering , it is safer .
We were in the competition pool last last night for a training session and one of the young kids picked up a razor head (the blade part) from the pool deck. I'm sure if we hadn't picked it up it would still be there a month later. It is criminal the way this place is being let go to ruin. I even saw last night that the old security firm took away their booth that was near the front gates too. I heard they're paying people for casual labour to do security now. Charming!
Just, please, remember that there are certain places you are not allowed to photograph, for obvious reasons.
I thought I was one of the lucky ones when I won a pass to the N.A.C on Tubridy. Having not been there before I decided to Google the N.A.C and this is one of the sites I came across. Having read the comments on this site I now know why I got free Domestos with my pass, I assume I will be expected to clean the place when I get there. I have decided that I want a day out not a day cleaning I do enough of that at home, so I will just throw my pass away , having read this site I would not even give it to my worst enemy.
Photoman, the ones I have seen are as follows:
Just under the main notice board in the competition pool a sheet of glass/perspex shattered a few months ago and there is still a sheet of plywood is there permanently.
The 50 metre pool format doesn't work any more as the wall moving facility is broken so now we have a 25 metre national pool.
On the 3 metre diving board the safety rail came away along with a big chunk of concrete and you can see this from the spectator area.
There is green mould forming on those white gutter covers all along the pool and the diving pool is particularly bad.
Lift any of the gutters in the men's showers in the competition pool and you will see about 2 years of grime, dirt and hair in these.
There are ladders missing all through the pool area with tape covering them or those familiar yellow men in front of them.
There are lots of locker doors missing in the competition poool changing rooms
There are also cracked tiles near the sides of the diving pool and layers of grime all over the steps to the diving boards and platforms.
You would slip on the algae covering the pool times it has got so bad. Apart from these things just the usual filth in the changing room with toilets in an awful state etc. etc
Good luck with the photos and I look forward to seeing them!!!
Can some one familiar with problems CURRENTLY there list here what they are, and I'll make a re-run and get shots of as many as possible?
I think the point the irate mamber was making is that it is not possible for our elite swimmers to train for Olympics etc. as there is no 50m pool available to them in our National Pool. Also if any records are broken in the upcoming Gala will they stand , I doubt it as the pool is not in its present damaged state up to FINA standards. Can an expert please clarify.
Do these athletes even have a choice? Thay are there, despite the place and are just waiting for it to be sorted out. INstead of reclaim the streets protests we should have a reclaim the national Aquatic Centre protest to highlight this disgrace.
Courts website will give you record no. of cases, previous judgements (mostly in this case to do with arbitration and vat elements of case) and date of next court appearance for mention or, hopefully, eventually, judgement.
As for who is training there. Everyone who normall trains there is still training there, divers, (scuba and board diving), swimmers, etc. Galas all still continuing to be held there. One coming up on the 12th March (Leinster schools).
photoman, the results of the court case should be out in the next 2 weeks I have heard, despite the management trying to drag it out at every turn. . In the meantime, management at the nac took internet access off all the staff as they obviously didn't like what was being said on this website. You should take some more photos like before and after to show the state of the place almost a year on. I really pity the staff as along with the taxpayer, these are the people who are really being shafted and have no one to represent them against these charlatans.
I never imagined that all these months later the Aquatic Centre would still be in such a run down state, and this story would run for so long.
It is disgraceful.
What has happened to our national pool the 50m pool has been out of operation for nearly 2 months now with no sign of it being fixed and the 25m pool is not legal as the walls are bent out of shape so the pool is not up to the standards required for competition . What are these people doing to our National Swimming Stadium this pool was we were told the best in the world when it opened now it is a piece of junk .Can someone please tell me how long more these people are going to be in charge at the rate they are neglecting and damaging our National Stadium it will have to be demolished and rebuilt if they are there much longer.I asked what happened to the pool and the sales manager told me that it was damaged when the walls were being lowered , were the people that were lowering it not trained or what. I would ask every member to look for money back on their membership to compensate them for the loss also what are Swim Ireland and the Leinster Squad doing for training and why are they not complaining.If it is true that you are not paying your bills then this will not be sorted out until you are thrown out. Do everyone a favour leave PLEASE.
I have heard that they are not paying lot of their bills and some of the suppliers are getting irate. Even half of the vending machines (which shouldn't even be in a health promotion facility such as this) are out of order. They don't need a maintenance guy to clean the place. It's absolutely filthy and not a scrap of detergent is used in the changing rooms which is disgusting. Just water that the staff fill in a bucket from the shower (while people are using them)
I don't know anything about maintenance I only hope whoever is conducting the interviews does as the place is in bits, what I am interested in is that I have just left the centre and there is a new security company there . How many security companies have they gone through since they opened are they not paying their bills or what ? Something weird going on here.
While it is great to see that after months of having only one maintenance person in the building and as a result the building has been let fall apart , the unglorious leader of the nac is interviewing for maintenance staff, why has she had to go to the UK to find someone , are there not enough people here qualified or is this just a delaying tactic on behalf of management knowing that by the time they get somone the verdict will be out and so will they.
Just another suggestion maybe your staff union should buy copies of the court transcripts and inform the staff as to their contents I think they will find it very interesting reading and will prove who is telling the truth.
I have just read that Dublin Waterworld have withdrawn their Counter Claim against CSID , is this true. If this is true why were the staff not told . Are the staff going to be paid now seeing as though they have withdrawn the case and they got the insurance money the staff must be due their few bob now unless there is no money to pay them.
If you look at the courts website it looks like the nac/waterworld are in court again this morning at 10.30
http://www.courts.ie/legaldiary
This mess would want to be sorted out soon. I was in the competition pool last night and they even have a sheet of plywood covering a section of glass that broke about 2 months ago! Not to mention the myriad of cones protecting broken areas/ladders etc in the pool area.
The place is going from bad to worse.
Does anyone know what is happening with the aquatic centre? I was there the other night and the place is absolutely filthy. There is rust all over the place in the pool area and the building is less than 2 years old? The dirt surely has to be breaking some law in a public facility such as this where young children are entering. Is there no equivalent of the food safety people to monitor changing rooms and showers etc.?
Apparently, the other day directors/management were feeding the staff a load of spin saying that they had struck some deal and would be there for the next five years. They must know something the rest of us don't or even anyone else for that matter, as the judge still hasn't come back with a decision in the high court case against the government. Unless they are well in there too??!!
These people that took over the nac never for one second thought about staff. All they were interested in from day one was signing over the massive tax benefit of the lease to one of their cronies and receiving €2 million in return for the favour. This centre has just been used a a vehicle to "process" money and funds and avail of tax breaks.
Any athlete using the centre can see that. This is the biggest scandal to ever hit sport in Ireland
I must have hit a sore point with my last post as there has been no reply from the usual defenders of negative comments. I did some research and boy oh boy are some people busy, a high court action, another one in the LRC and a case of a union not being recognised. Whew,did anybody check on the labour laws in this country when they started to run this place. I am amazed that anyone still works there but I did hear that the cleaners are an endangered species just like maintenance. Mind you from the earlier posts thats not a suprise. It has been proven that a happy staff are a great staff who wil go the extra mile for you but when they are unhappy problems arise. Now what is the difference betwen the first year and the last year or more. Is it money? Is it terms and conditions? Is it people? Think about it! In my mind, and I, over the years have worked for some right chancers, the answer is suprise suprise, PEOPLE. If you are happy and treated like a worthwhile human being you produce brilliant results, you work longer, harder and with a smile on your face. I have worked for over 20 years in the service industry and I know this for certain. I started at the bottom and worked my way to the top of my business. I am not the owner but am recognised as an expert in my field, which is people in the workplace. I can tell you now, to work in the NAC you have to be happy and enjoy yourself as no money is worth the hassle of working with the public. It is so clear that the staffs hearts have ben broken by something or somebody. so the thing is, the operators of the NAC and the senior management must look at themselves first whem appointing blame. As its their fault if staff turnover is high,its their fault if the staff feel as if they need a union to protect them. Its their fault if the staff don't care. A big hint for you try Maslow, McGregor or Hertzberg, basic stuff but you obviously never heard of how to look after people. Thats what they are human beings that deserve respect they are not just numbers on you worksheets.Try caring for your people and they will move mountains for you. Dont forget a happy work enviorment makes for profits and its well known how much you like profits.
I was looking through this site and read a fine piece of union and staff bashing as seen in many a long year. As I have never seen or heard of this supposed "get the manageress out campaign”. I can however after reading this post see while people might want to do so. I have noted with concern the slow sinking of the NAC and its staff under the weight of incompetence and greed of the owners and senior management. As a union man all my life and till the day I die. It sickens me to see the good name, without mentioning the name, of a staff member involved in union activity being blacken in this earlier post. This smells like somebody trying to protect themselves. I know that management will try anything to destroy a good union as it hampers them in bullying, abusing and treating staff like lesser beings. So remember this if Irish Ferries and An Post did not get away with it what makes you think you will. Just because you are cute h***s from Kerry or a biffo don’t think you can beat the legend of BIG JIM and the unions of this country. Brothers and sisters don’t give in stand together, as you will never be beaten as long as you do so.
I know a few of the staff and the stories I get told about their work practices and conditions of work make me feel sorry for them. And the type of language one member of staff in particular uses to their subordinates has no place in a place of work. "Just do your fu*king job" has been cited to me on a few occasions. I don't see a union doing anything for them. Until the court case is over, no one can do anything to sort out the staff conditions. So it's apparently up for mention in the court on the 25th January if a decision hasn't been made before that. So roll on the court decision so we can have this mess sorted out and get rid of these charlatans.
what sort of obnoxious behaviour does your "niece" work under?
it all seems a tad incestuous for my liking and has all the stamps to this union thing i've been hearing all about on my visits. i reckon i am the only non staff member posted on here in quite a few messages from what i am reading. it does look like the whole "get the manageress out" campaign is back up and running. And this very well looks from previous posts like it is an inside job, maybe brought on by an ill informed shop steward?? i am led to believe she informs all on all matters like this as she has a business mind apparently.
What department are these mavericks from anyway? gym?reception? pool staff? at least inform us, after all, if you are an outsider you may as well inform us.
My niece works here and I have only just heard her good news about the abusive behaviour she has to endure under certain managers. Is this another move to reduce staff numbers on the quiet. the behaviour of a certain party has been so abnoxious, I believe the staff presented a letter, refusing to work with them and signed by all concerned. In all my years working I have never known a group of workers to have to do such a thing in an attempt to stop abuse. Where is the manageress in charge here, do you know the law regarding such matters. Failure by management to deal with this bullying leaves the question as to whether they actually condone it, or heaven forbid, have instigated it and the offender is only carrying out orders. I will watch the proceedings here and will advise my niece accordingly..
Well it smells. But do any of the rides work? Miss Manager any comments for us members. Went in the other day and your eyes looked a bit puffy, tears in the NAC perhaps? Their should be the way things have gone in there. So its off to Fort Lucan or The Zoo for me and the munchkins. I can go to the NAC for free as a member but because of the state of the place I will have to fork out about a €100 for the kids on a day out. Any chance of a refund of that on the membership fees.
I was there last night and the pool area stinks. They don't even seem to have the people pushing the water around the changing room floor anymore and it looked like a few builders with muddy boots had passed through it with the state of the floor. But the smell would take your breath away. It can't be healthy and begs the more important question, where is ithe smell coming from??
After the Christmas toys are broken, no good or just boring, the rugrats are looking to do things. So the big qustion is whats working in the NAC and whats broken. I rang the membership office before and was told everything is great and on arrival the black hole, the little angels favourite was still broken. Now I know that that was well before Christmas but as somebody said before the only thing tou see now is those little yellow men. So can anybody tell me honestly, WHAT RIDES ARE BROKEN AND WHAT IS THE GENERAL STATE OF THE PLACE.She who must be obeyed will murder me if her little princes come home pissed off and smelling of stale socks or with some water born bug.
I was in the pool last night and the smell that hit me as soon as I walked into the pool area was horrendous. It smelt like stale socks or something but pervaded the whole length of the pool.
I don't know what's going on in there but cleaning isn't high on the list of priorities. How long before this place becomes a health hazard and notifiable?
Unfortunately, it seems this aggression appearing on this site is "the management".
I so pity the staff having to work under these conditions until this whole sorry mess is sorted out.
With over 60 people working at the nac all the dysfunction in there is bound to get out into the public arena
I have been reading this site with interest and it does seem to me that a member of the staff is posing as a member to conduct some sort of witch hunt in a very agressive way, is it any wonder that all their secrets are being posted on this site obviously the staff are afraid to talk to management about their concerns when people like this are allowed in the building. My advise would be that ,whoever is in charge there , should take this person in hand and talk to your staff if they are not too scared to talk after all the agression they have seen displayed on this site, it is frightening to say the least.
What brilliant entertainment!
The whole topic (which was originally about the deplorable levels of cleaning and basic maintenance at the NAC) has been hijacked by (supposedly) two individuals at each others throats.
Now we have our very own Dr Frasier Crane offering psychoanalysis. Fantastic!
I read with great concern the postings of that person member. I work in social services and that, obviously a gentleman, displays the classic agressive behaviour of a physcopath. DO NOT meet this person as he intends. he has violence on his mind and does not display normal reason capabilities. BE VERY AWARE OF THIS PERSON !! If you are aware of his identity, alert friends to this situation and make this person aware that you have alerted friends with regard to the situation so as he knows there is a trail to follow. For heavens sake Member, seek help before its too late. you appear to be an employee of this company and I would caution your employers to take control of this situation and deal with these individuals. Employers are liable if they ignore threatening behaviour in the work place. Lets see some responsible behaviour developing here from here on.
can you just imagine working for people like this, with this kind of vendetta going on and (ex) staff being wrongly accused of postings? ?
It's scary stuff, realising that the centre is being run by people with this kind of personality.
Anyhow, rumour has it that the court case results should be out this week and I can't wait.
Okay, A......, you know exactly who I am. You know that I am not a staff member. Never have been, never will be.
This is it. My last ever comment. I am a MEMBER, with an id. card and a gym id. no. which I am not giving out here.
Having said that, everyone knows who you/madness/fed up/ big brother are. All one person with a major chip on his shoulder that has turned very nasty. On a personal level, as I say, I could not have been more upset than when I realised that it was you. As I have said over and over again, meet me at the NAC, either inside or outside the doors and I will talk to you. I am not giving your name out here for obvious reasons. I am not giving mine for my reasons.
For my sanity I am deleting the link I had to this web site so I stop getting dragged back here to this nonsense. You have your views, your reasons for what you have done and I have mine.
I repeat, I am happy at the NAC, happy with Aimee, Dave, Mairead, etc. etc. etc. I asked in one person at the gym yesterday who Ben is but he didn't know who he was, so I presume I am not the only one who is unaware of who he is. No offence meant to Ben if he is upset that a member doesn't know who he is.
If you do not know who Ben is you must be from a different planet .However I digress ,who do you think you are fooling, you are obviously part of the system in there and you just do not have the guts to state who you are , you are having a go at someone you refuse to name because you say you might be wrong , this means you really do not have the courage of your convictions .Why dont you approach the individual you state is the Mole and ask them out straight if they are the Mole. Having read all the comments it is obvious there are problems with the NAC lets just hope they get sorted out soon for the sake of the staff and real members, not the fakes.I see one of your employees took a case against you lot last week and they won.
We, nac users, are hoping to have a happy new year too, hopefully celebrating the exit of these charlatans from our national facility.
Then, we can have it back to be run for the sport not for the vested interests of 3 directors and an investor from Limerick
We at westpoint wish all our new friends and future members a happy and joyous new year. A happy new year is assured to one and all. Our relaxed, fully functional, facilities are open all year round and we guarantee you a pleasant, stress free relaxation period.
Due to lack of complaints our complaints dept now only opens for one hour a year, usually just for building checks,
"It's like everything else in life, jobs, gyms, shops, etc. - if you are not happy, you can walk away, get another job, join another gym, shop somewhere else. No-one is glued to the NAC and if you are not happy there, go somewhere else."
sorry member, I don't get this. Will the same apply to other facilities that the state supplies?
Ah sure the guards are crap, I'm choosing my own justice enforcers.
Don't like these roads - I'm choosing my own.
This is the National Aquatic Centre - it is not ok to say if we are not happy with it go somewhere else.
Okay, sorry for getting dragged back here. One I have no idea who Ben is, obviously not the person I think has been on the inside. Secondly, I AM NOT MANAGEMENT. I am not being agressive. My one and only personal link to the NAC is that I am a member. Fully paid up, fully involved MEMBER. That's it! Get it yet? I have no connection to DWL, CSID, Donough Morgan or Liam Bohan or any of their other directors/managers etc. etc. etc.
Goodbye. See you at the NAC sometime. Can't see myself anywhere else. No disrespect to Westwood or anywhere else!
And obviously, no aggression meant.
Love to all at the NAC.
Pardon my innocence, but do I see senior management attacking an ex employee here. can see why he or she is an ex employee with management like that. I would bet on the oucome of a claim here if there was a dismissal involved. Very agressive "members" there. Come over to Westpoint here and see what a nice environment is like. I think Ben wil be in there after the new year.
Sorry, just to say, finally, that as long as the NAC is open, and as long as the current staff remain, I shall continue to be a member - and a happy one at that. It's like everything else in life, jobs, gyms, shops, etc. - if you are not happy, you can walk away, get another job, join another gym, shop somewhere else. No-one is glued to the NAC and if you are not happy there, go somewhere else. Though I won't be, obviously.
Sorry, I am not intending to slander anyone. If I were to publish someone else's name and was wrong it would be slanderous. If I am right and they are the one writing these comments, then I am not saying anything that is not true. I asked the person involved, as per there previous comment that my "agressiveness belies" me, to confront me personally at the NAC. They initiated this, they think they know who I am and I am not stupid enough to put my personal details down on a web site. As they know who I am, they probably have an idea of when I will be there. I still say that they can discuss this with me in person on a one to one, hence no slander, anytime.
As this is all getting very nasty and dirty and, if I am correct, incredible, I am signing off.
Yours.
NAC Member.
Can the nac member please let us know what they mean by their first paragraph and also let us know who they are and who they they are attempting to slander or if they so sure it not slander please name names.
The Darkhole is still broken - is it 4 or 5 months now?
Given your recent silence, i can probably put two and two together and get pretty close to four as my answer. Guess the only internet access you had was work, and we all know what has happened there.
So, if I am right, I am truly gobsmacked, disappointed, disgusted, upset and mad. You come across in public as being so supportive and yet behind everyone's back you are creating messages on this site that slate individuals, demoralise everyone and put nothing but a downer on everyone, staff, members, people accidentally coming across this site who want to visit the centre.
I am so sure I am right about this and yet, I hope I am wrong which is why I won't publish your name. If I am right, you know who you are and what it would mean to a lot of people if they found out that it was you writing this stuff. If you still have someone who can read this stuff to you, remember you can access the internet at any internet cafe and you can respond to this there.
I hope I am wrong!!!
What agressiveness. I am just sticking up for the staff that you seem to think all hate the place. We don't hate the place at all, just the management and the mismanagement of it, as well as those who do nothing but criticise and complain. I was there on Monday night and there were no unhappy divers that I could see. Nor on Tuesday night either.
By the way, if you care to mention my name in your next response, I will happily confirm in person at the NAC if you are right or wrong, given that I believe still that you or "Fed Up" work there.
I dare you.
The agressiveness of the previous submission is very similar to that of previous submissions. It is obvious who this person is. Her agressivenness belies her.
I rest my case. By the way, heat up the diving pool. Apparently that's broken at the moment too (according to the staff) and even the waterpolo players were freezing in there last night. Disgraceful to the last.
Why do I get the impression you are a staff member? You seem to know a lot? It is this constant begrudgery and moaning that is bringing the staff down. I am in the NAC six times a week, sometimes seven. Yes the toilets in the restaurant area are often dirty but I have no complaints about the members area at all, though I am obviously never in the male changing area. I will give you names/positions of staff that are carrying on regardless if you like: ALL the gym staff, Tracey and Enda on reception (though I am not excluding any of these staff), Aidan in the office, Amy in the sales office, Dave Malone, Celine, Rose (even if she does have a tendency to moan about things in general), a lot of the restaurant staff. How demoralising is it for them to be constantly reading/listening to this bitching and moaning. They are great people, the pools are clean, despite what has been written here in the past, my changing room is fine, the gym is PERFECT, the staff are friendly. I am not discussing management here. I couldn't give a stuff about them to be honest or indeed whose name is "over the door" as it were. The people you meet on a daily basis at the NAC are great. The gym staff are all friendly and helpful and indeed encouraging when you need that extra push. I say again "F**K THE BEGRUDERS!".
I don't work there, I have no axe to grind against the NAC, I have no political motives. I am just a member of the public who appreciates the facilities that I have use of. If you hate it that much then GET OUT!
It's still filthy and a breeding ground for bacteria. How can anyone say it's perfect???? The operators perhaps??
These guys are holding us to ransom with this facility and the sooner this shambolic situation is remedied the better.
They treat their staff in a way that makes us embarrassed to be Irish, and this week alone they will be in the labour court with one of them, defending their abhorrent treatment of this staff member! watch this space......
Okay there are things being let go in the NAC but it is still a great facility and while there are a couple of staff who have found the need to take out their frustrations on the customers, 99% are great people and love what they do. I love the NAC. There is no better place I would work out or send my kids. Stop knocking it because you can. Put up with the shit that's going on right now and look forward to it being fixed after the Court case is over. Bertie isn't going to let his "dream" go under. At least .... I hope he's not. So "fuck the begrudgers" and just get on with it, enjoying your facility. The jacuzzi is open and working, the gym is fine and great, the pools are perfect. There are more positives than negatives and it's the best facility in Ireland, bar Limerick University!
well the judge is away making his decision now after the high court case to get these shysters out of the nac, so there should be news soon hopefully on the result. I know who I'm rooting for,.....and they're not from Kerry!
At last the great news has been released. The rest of the funds for Campus Ireland have been granted. The site will be developed, not up to the level we all hoped for ie the Bertie Bowl but a lot of other great facilities for all sports in Ireland will be developed. The most important thing is that the lessons of the NAC should be learned and that no fly by night businessmen should be allowed to run it or the same thing will happen as happened in the NAC. That is a great start and then slowley but surely let run down for profits to faceless business people who are in for the money. Sport is a business of course but it is also for the people. The way the NAC has been run down is a national disgrace and only for Irish Ferries and An Post it would be headlines in all the papers. Just like the other two, wanting to make obscene amounts of money at the expense of staff and customers alike.
Yes, its true about the lady being led in to the centre I know cos I was there. The fog was down and the morning was dark it was time to switch on the lights if any of them worked. I had my own torch so I dident need assistance. Good fun though. Find the NAC, a game for all the members. Now if we could only find the idiot running the centre we could get it sorted out.
Maybe its those little yellow men that seem to be everywhere God knows they could not do a worse job. They also seem to multiply as everytime you go into there is more of them about. Maybe they got the missing insurance money.
Apparently, the management are getting ready for a propaganda campaign about the building by throwing a few red herrings into the media again. All of which will be untrue, and backed up no doubt by one of their spurious "experts". They did this before with their "water leaking" stories and tried to fool everyone. Watch this space and treat all these reports with a grain of salt as their aim is to confuse and distort the picture about what is really happening. The biggest issue in the building is the dirt of the place and the lack of a proper cleaning and maintenance teams and procedures being put in place. Look at all the out of order signs in the place. Almost nothing is fixed once it breaks down. I am fed up with this group of people trying to use the media for their own dishonest end.
Can anyone tell me when the lights in the carpark will be fixed as I do not like going when it is dark as it can not be safe are you insured with so many lights broken what happens if I fall . I heard a woman had to be led into the building recently by a security man with a torch .Is this true does anyone know.
Besides as cBowyer says how would you all like it if cleaners or pool staff were to go around cleaning around customers it would be physically impossible and a waste of time. as the place would be dirty 2 minutes later!!!
I went in for a relaxing, I thought, jacuzzi , sauna today instead I had cleaners cleaning out the steam room with a power hose ,what a raquet , could not relax I thought that was what that area was all about ,get night cleaners whose idea was it to clean this area when it is full of members ,obviously someone without a brain who is running this place ,it is like the twilight zone.
Now can anybody spot the poblem with these two posts. On one hand we are told you cant clean around customers and on the other we have exactly that! cbowyer what have you to say about that. By the way, car parks are meant to be secure not a spare parts depart for the local thugs as the nac car park has become. Maybe its six weeks to get security for it.
Did glass get into the pool ? How would you see it? how could you 100% ensure it was out?
I was appalled to see a broken glass on the balcony and young kids flying around there. kids wouldnt respect a ribbon to keep them back. only the grace of god keeps them safe. Can you not put up a bit of wood or something. what you are doing there is against the law. I'm not rejoining here unless something changes. the state of the place. thank heavens theres somewhere to record my complaint in writing and know it wont end up in the waste paper basket. My husband reckons the health and safety authority wouldnt tolerate the same conditions on a building site.
I went in for a relaxing, I thought, jacuzzi , sauna today instead I had cleaners cleaning out the steam room with a power hose ,what a raquet , could not relax I thought that was what that area was all about ,get night cleaners whose idea was it to clean this area when it is full of members ,obviously someone without a brain who is running this place ,it is like the twilight zone.
I feel sorry for the staff as they seem to be trying their best but are being let down by people that call themselves management apparently there are no maintenance people around this weekend as it is his weekend off which he is entitled to, please take note Yvonne Gaulle , no problem with that , but surely management would arrange cover , so if anything breaks down please wait till monday to complain management must want us to go to tralee to the aquadome as it apparently working ok and it clean is there a reason for this. How do I know that maintenance off this weekend I asked while I complained staff seem fed up and not prepared to tell lies what does that tell you about management.
Is anything working my child went there for a birthday party of a friend and neither the Dark Hole nor the Flow Rider were working is there any maintenance working there at all I know that there was only 1 poor guy there as rest had left but is he still there or has he gotten fed up and left also.Management any answers PLEASE
These people also run the AquaDome in Tralee and Tralee Sports Complex.. A few inquiries among my mates at Tralee Institute of Technology, Leisure management course.. Velly interesting indeed..
AquaDome has white flag awarded,, highest quality award, no green water there.
Tralee Sports Complex perfect water too.
So they can do it, question is Why not? mate calculated chlorine cost at €20 a day. small price to shut up all these critics. Someone needs to wake up alright. Buddy reckons that these gents have lost all credibility within the leisure industry.
Apparently the AquaDome is moving into property speculation and development as well according to the local newspaper this week. 40+ houses, 20+ apartments. Is this yet another speculator, developer clique, creaming off the taxman. Wonder who's all stuck in the AquaDome scene? Theres one for the legal eagles among you. Wonder what names will pop out of the woodwork there now?
Well done NAC management... I see you've taken to using my alias to write more crap.. Showing yourselves in your true colours now. Deceitful, untruthful, very very personal in your targeting... Thats probably what happened the staff.... The waters filthy, any plonker with eyes in their head can tell the difference between green and blue.. Anyhow I wont be reporting on it anymore. NOT GOING BACK.. Three more cars robbed last night. The words out, the scumbags know our cars are sure thing for their christmas bonus.. as the old saying goes birds of a feather. What is wrong with you people there. its only a simple job you have to do, are you not up to it... Our local pool has perfect water and the guy there sweeps the car park and empties the bins as well.. To think I never gave him any credit. He makes it look so easy too... This dirt thing has only happened since the roof went off... I'm sure it's against the law to knowingly allow people be exposed to unsanitary conditions for money.. Of course, the law holds no threat there by all court accounts.. WELL DONE NAC ,, ADD IMPERSONATION AND CHARACTER ASSASINATION TO YOUR SUBSTANTIAL CURRICULUM VITAE.
Story includes following:
Ena Holland of Scoil Mochua said her most recent communication from the NAC was that it had acquired a single shower chair. The hoist was inadequate, she added, and there were no changing beds.
THE National Aquatic Centre has no facilities to allow disabled children to take a swim in the €60m pool.
This is despite the fact that the centre was rushed to be completed to showcase the Special Olympics in 2003.
A school in nearby Clondalkin, west Dublin, which caters for severely disabled children, has been told for more than two years that it cannot have access to the facility.
Scoil Mochua in Clondalkin, which has swimming on its curriculum, first tried to gain access to the NAC in June 2003, only to be told it had no changing beds, shower chairs, suitable hoist or changing rooms wide enough for wheelchairs.
"This, to my mind, is a disgrace and a blatant case of discrimination," she said.
Full story on irish independent site
Only 6 weeks waiting for parts of course you should give him benefit of doubt I mean if it were 7 weeks you would ask questions get a life they not spending money cos they have not got any, sooner they out the better.Also read earlier message asking people if they thought they could manage centre better why dont they , maybe reason they dont is because never saw job advertised where was it advertised and when is closing date cos I for 1 will apply I could not do any worse, also what qualifications IF ANY are required.
No the black hole is not open yet, spoke to one of the maintenance men (never saw him before must be new) said they are waiting for parts to arrive, I give the man the benefit of the doubt.
Is the black hole open again yet?
Just been for a swim the pool is crystal clear, maybe things are looking good now, and my critisim has been acted upon , Well done NAC
Cel...I mean Nadine, they should put a web cam in there and broadcast it from the nac website so we can see the colour of the water in the pools before we venture over there. I know so many swimmers from that place with infections at the moment an I'd be surprised if the green diving pool didn't have something to do with it. Apparently, yesterday they did something else with the water and it turned a luminous shade of blue. I can't wait until this sorry mess is sorted out and we get our aquatic centre back.
Nadine you complain that everyone has an alias but who are you .Can I ring up NAC membership and ask if they have a Nadine as a mamber and I wonder if you and the NAC can be prosecuted you for fraud and NAC for disclosing information that is protected under Data Protection Act as previous message asks.
Under the data protection act I doubt if Nadine could have rang up querying someone elses information.. private and confidential see... OR is it? Is this another leaking portion of the NAC. Ring up, ask am I in, then burgle my house, rob the wheels off my car, easy peasy, I'm in the pool see... If you checked out peter ryan ,Nadine,,,, then you got access to the system... i.e. Manager !!!!
Wouldn't blame members for sticking with aliases.... you'd be well shafted if this one got you... print your photo, credit card details and all on this site probably... Now if they spent as much time cleaning and fixing as they do bitching and checking, then all this would go away.. bloody brilliant I am...
You silly young thing you. a lifeguard is not for you if you dont see whats going on around you. Do you not see the dirt? do you not see the broken equipment? Did you not miss the maintenance men when the rides broke down and nobody waqs fixing them? When you were standing beside these for a month and they weren't working, did you not notice? You'd wanna up your level of observation. I hope Nadine didn't threaten you with your job.. Ooops I never said ***ine was ***ine.
For the information of the person who asks why there no site for positive comments this site will accept positive comments about the NAC the fact there are not many of them should tell you something .
One more point about cleaning has nobody in management heard of a night cleaning crew that way place can get a deep clean every night when no customers are in the building.During the day only light cleaning needs to be carried out , result everyone happy or is it that management will not pay for such a service , any answer management.
Yvonne the reason for the lack of support from the public is because the management do not support the NAC themselves they just letting the place run itself down waiting on the court case to finish. If they win can they afford to pump the millions of euro needed to bring it up to scratch again, can management please answer or are you going to continue to let the place fall apart and go back to whatever it is you do in Kerry.What is it you do can anyone answer this for me who are these people and what companies do they run.
YVONNE of course you have no problem with the NAC are you not employed there , so of course the management are perfect what else would you say when you publish your name and if I were you I would pay more attention to your fellow staff members as 3 Maintenance staff have left and only 1 remains and you have not missed them did you not even buy them a card to wish them well in their new jobs.
If I was Peter what would I be doing asking myself for my membership no. Cop on INTERESTING and answer the question? what is your membership no. You seem to change the subject all the time and havn't haven't answered any questions asked to you ?????? COWARD
Nadine are YOU Peter Ryan? Just wondering if you might oblige by answering?
Sorry Peter Ryan just rang the NAC pretending to be you and quering my membership. They don't have a Peter Ryan on the membership list. I think you might be a bit confused or have you just made up the name like all the others eg: Billy Boo,Betty Boo, Bradley, Curious Sunday, Prime time,etc etc etc. If you are who you say you are don't be a coward and quote your membership no.
'u'd swear that the way the NAC is run is actually seriously affecting their lives'
Seriously affecting my pocket and my gym budget for the year anyhow. You see, I am one of the unlucky ones that paid up front.
My money banked, the place is now filthy and all I can do is swim in the dirt (literally).
Damn right I am annoyed.
Have people got nothing better to do than give out about things, u'd swear that the way the NAC is run is actually seriously affecting their lives. The reason 4 the 6 month closer is between the management, CSID, and the builders I dnt know were every1 gets off claiming to know wats going on but among the all the lies and made up stories there is the truth.
how come there isnt a website about all the good things about the NAC!!!!
Ive never had a problen with the place Friendly staff, clean at 9 in the morning but as expected places do get dirty due 2 use. On many occasions Ive heard pool staff tell customers they arent allowed on pool deck in clothes and outdoor footwear, (can ya imagine how dirty the place would be if that was allowed happen), and yet I can gurantee you that these are the people who are complaining bout the clenliness of the place!!!!!
Besides as cBowyer says how would you all like it if cleaners or pool staff were to go around cleaning around customers it would be physically impossible and a waste of time. as the place would be dirty 2 minutes later!!!
Oh and on the maintance thing, there is 3 maintance people and is there some reason why people are compalining about them having a day off. They dnt go to your job and complain you are on a day off.
So what I basiclly have to say is that instead of complaining all the time why dont we support the NAC, lack of support is one of the main reasons 4 the bad publicity of the NAC..
Hear hear, photoman and quizman. I was laughing into my cornflakes this morning reading these comments. You're right, it is definitely the manager/directors putting in these submissions. The venom and aggressiveness speaks for itself.
I'm tempted to bring in my camera myself these days as I think I could easily outdo the photos at the top of this article. I was in the pool last night and there are more traffic cones than ladders at the exits of the pools. How on earth can you not reattach a ladder when it comes loose. It looks like the roadworks on Snugborough road with all the yellow men and traffic cones! Then I saw 2 guys working there stare at the diving pool pensively for about 10 minutes and then walk away. To be honest they didn't look like they knew what was going on and wouldn't inspire confidence.
The photos I took betray your arguements that these concerns voiced are simply imagined.
An national asset has been allowed run down. Just to add a little to the story, the guy that bought the lease secretly is also MD of Roadbridge in Limerick.
Roadbridge Limerick registration jeep drivers are the contractors that threatened the Rossport families some months ago.
Guys, it ain't just the centre's water that stinks.
Unfortunately [or fortunately] I am not a director, I am just a regular PAYE worker like the majority of you. I am also not going to use this forum to facilitate a slagging match between participants. The core issue here is the court case!
New game in town. Last guy is an employee. the guy before him is one of the directors.... hmmm LLO and Nadine are managers of some sort. Billy boo can sit in any square.. its quite easy to pick them out. few more to go but it looks like the "NOs" have it. No defending the current state of the place. We public pay for clean water.... I said clean not green. did anybody see that diving pool at the weekend... could a diver have actually penetrated the surface.. call sinn fein, blow the place up and start again.
Bit obvious there director. we got a broken toilet three years ago and we left it cos cos we got a duff building.. so stuff the punters.. what are they moaning about.. this is about us poor directors and our bar buddies... we certainly cant be expected to put our bistro allowance into this crapper for ungrateful punters.. I mean to say we only have a paltry tax free allowance of 2.8 fucking million spondulicks per annum ( or is that anus ) The public getting a bit above their station. I mean what could they possibly think they'ree doing questioning the high rollers and the learned law layabouts. Like the green pools theyre full of crap... anyway, I off up to the NAC to rob something, if theres anybody there that is..
Folks,
The fact of the matter is that the tenant is currenty involved in a serious litigation with the landord. The outcome of this result will mean large financial losses for whomever loses. Put the situation in context, if you had a long term lease on a home, and suddenly you were faced with the prospect of being frog-marched out of it some day, because the house that you leased was poorly constructed, and you were being blamed for its demise, how forthcoming would you be to inject cash. When this case is resolved, I have full confidence that whatever management is in place, will act in their own and in the membes and customers best interest, and have the facility running to the highest standards. I think that if you or I were in managements position at the moment, you woud do precicly the same thing. As somebody who has been a member from day one, I have experience of how the current management have run the NAC, to a Grade A standard, during the Special Olympics; and in the intervening period. Let hope that for the NAC this case can be resolved swiftly.
Please dont change the subject who is your source ??? why are you so wrapped up in all the internal politics of the NAC ??? you must have nothing better to do
You should be know as Billy Boo Hoo Hoo because you do nothing but moan. The staff must hate to see you comming through the doors. DO YOU MOAN OR WORK OUT WHEN YOU GET THERE????????
All you have to do is scroll up on this site and see that these people have nothing to get. Are you saying the nac is going to compensate them? Oh, sorry, they're covered, they just lose their no claims bonus and their insurance goes through the roof....sorry, I forgot, that's a four letter word in the nac.
Dear Big Brother
I am also a member (who has just stumbled on this web site while looking up class times at the NAC)and like LLO I don't know as much as you.
How do you know that the people have no comeback??? Perhaps you have been wrongly informed (again) ???? I'm sure like all drivers they are insured against breakins (they can happen anywhere)
Come on LLO, The dog in the street knows what is going on with that centre, especially after all the (negative I might add) local coverage it has been getting the papers for the past few months not to mention what you can't help but see every time you walk in the door of the place. People talk as well! All I can say is I pity those people who had their cars broken into with no comeback which is funny cos I'm sure the cameras in the car park should have picked up something??? Or are they broken too???
I'll say no more. Only those guys running the place would even dare to try to defend it. This isn't the back of beyonds in Kerry, this is our "National Aquatic Centre" and we demand better than this.
I like you am a member of NAC but i dont seem to be getting the same newsletter as you they dont confide in me about money spent and staffing issues obviously your well in there perhaps you are in a position to see everything thats going on(Big Brother) I just use the facility to keep fit perhaps you should do the same
LLO, I like many other members and swimmers are just waiting until this nonsense is sorted out. Of course management are to blame if nothing is fixed, if minimal money is spent on chlorine and cleaning materials, if there is only 1 mainenance guy, if cars are being broken into at the rate described in the submissions above. Who do you expect to sort these things out? "Your" customers?? Cos, you're obviously one of the management team as you are trying to defend the indefensible. I am glad websites like this exist so that people can outline their experiences, as that's what most of these submissions are....people's actual experiences!
Dear Member
Your problem seems to be with management (is this personal)? You seem to forget that a lot of people use the facility and alot of the breakages are more than likely caused by disrespectful members (just like you) Why don't you join some other centre I'm sure NAC would gladly refund your membership.
Who needs snitches when you would want to be blind not to see the place falling into disrepair with all the rides and facilities that are broken? The other night I was there, and both handdryers in the ladies were broken, no doors on some lockers, the water cooler broken and that's just the changing rooms before you go into the pool and smell the stench of the dirty gutters and floor tiles and see the green diving pool, which could be one of the novelty waterpark attractions in itself. Not to mind the broken ladders which are a hazard to swimmers. Please!, give us some credit for being able to spot what is totally unacceptable and can't by any stretch of the imagination be called "management". The staff are the real victims in all this and I pity them haivng to face people every day and try to explain away this lack of concern by management.
I was in the centre on Sunday Afternoon with my children. What a great day . I think the manager is doing a great job considering all the bad publicity and the events of the 1st January .This website is extremely negative and is a very bad reflection on all the hard work and dedication of all the staff. TO MR KNOW IT ALL ** you seem to know a lot about what goes on in the centre and are well informed about all recent events!!! who is the snitch? seems they have nothing better to do with their sad little lives that they have to worry about what goes on in the NAC. If you are so knowledgeable on facility management why don't you go to the NAC and run it yourself.
Swim Club, I think you should write to Campus Ireland as they are the ones who are in court with the operators to voice this complaint. And maybe they can do something about this. Their contact details are on www.csid.ie.
It's getting ridiculous at this stage and the nac is being left go to ruin.
I just had an horrendous weekend.. Some of our colleagues had their cars robbed, Christmas shopping all gone as the security guards saw Nothing.. NOTHING!
SIX CARS.no not one. SIX CARS ROBBED IN ONE SESSION. No security cameras, gardai shrugged their shoulders. What a kip. Did any other club notice the dark green diving pool.. filthy, If a child fell in there you wouldn't see it at the bottom. Somebody do something with this place. Even better if the managers are reading this. GET OUT AND LET SOMEONE ELSE CLEAR UP YOUR MESS. you are a bloody disgrace and I'll not let our club send swimmers back there again. and this is our national presentation to the rest of the world shameful shameful to present this as the face of our NATIONAL WATER SPORTS CAPABILITIES. Bertie nowhere to be seen when theres bandits about. AS USUAL.
I would imagine that security were in the same place as they were when the car that had its wheels stolen off it a few weeks ago no where.This place has become an absolute farce who is supposed to be in charge please someone tell me.
Was in the NAC today heard that a number of cars broken into is this true and if so where were security is there any security or have they cut back on it just like maintenance is it safe to park there.
Just back after going up for swim and Jacuzzi should not have bothered Jacuzzi broke again. I asked why was told power cut last night , I asked why it not just turned on after power came back on I was told that the 1 remaining Maintenance Man was on his days off .WHAT A JOKE
well, it looks like they're bleeding the place dry that there's nothing left inside anyway.
Re the insurance, they certainly didn't leave the million they got for the insurance payout in the place, that's for certain.
Hasn't been knocked over by the Westies... it must be a poor show when the car park is a more profitable hit than the cash office : ) get 20 quid for a knocked off stereo. har har.
Everything about these operators stinks. They don't seem to have even basic levels of decency or self respect to either do the job properly or get out and leave someone else who's capable do it. More importantly is the way they treat theri staff. The lack of management "expertise" is so striking and obvious at every customer point of contact in the centre. I'd say if you left the security guard manage the place he'd do a better job.....oops, they have got rid of him too recently.....which begs the question, who is looking after the carpark security during the week??? So, there's little or no maintenance (cos the jobs are being advertised on their website) , no head of sales and no mid week security.......
centre cud not reopen for so long because insurance company said it was thye builders fault, shoddy work and all, builders refused to fix it for ages etc etc, when they eventually fixed it, it leaks again, anyway, wud u put money into a sinking ship???there only passing time till they lose the court case and sumone else comes in.
I must admit that when my house was damaged in the same storm as the NAC my insurance company sent me my cheque and I paid for the repairs to the house in a fairly short period of time. The NAC must be different it reopened 6 months ago and instead of the place being all shiney and new again its worse than ever. If you dont think so look aroud you.So the reason I am confused is.................................WHAT HAPPENED THE INSURANCE MONEY?..................
Is it in Kerry or Limerick or somewhere else maybe the Isle of Man or Jersey or some other tax haven as it has not been spent on the NAC. Are you waiting to see if you win your court case? Whatever it is will you get up off your lazy a**e and fix the place before the only things that work in the place are the money grabbing vending machines. On another issue why does the NAC advertise a rival funpark? Do you have a vested interest? As I dont see any advertising for Fort Lucan or The Zoo. You must own that one as well. That must be a conflict of interests.
It's a pity the HSE didn't include the NAC in its nationwide hospital hygiene audit.
At least it would publicise the absolute dirt and filth the public are expected to put up with in a centre that they funded in the first instance. I would be scared to bring an infant or young child in there for a mother and tots class with the dirt and the dodgy coloured swimming pools. I hope the court case is completed soon so we can get our centre back and have it run properly
My brother in law has a pool in the states and he used all the correct chemicals for years. A friend of his told him to use standard bleach for a dollar a bottle. It turned the pool blue again and nobody got burnt. Cant be any worse than what they are not using. Maybe one of the phantom managers should go down to lidl and get a box of the stuff. with the money they save they might be able to fix the toilets or the rides or any of the various broken lockers. BODY FAT ugh felt sick after that post.Can you get weils disease from a pool. cos god knows what nice little creatures are living in the green pools.
Maybe they could get some cleaning tips from James Connolly hospital! Could only be an improvement.......
My problem is; how on earth does one get a response from management in this place. I have yet to see a guy in a suit anywhere. I dont expect to see any improvement from people who could let things go as bad as they are there. Obviously the people in position there have poor home hygiene and their place of work is a reflection of their attitudes. I have no doubt that MSRA or whatever you call it would survive nicely there in the warm dirty environment. It is right beside James connolly hospital too.. God are we dicing with the devil here. S**t happens with regularity in this country.
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So, anybody is free to use sections, print out the page and hand it round, put the text to music and produce an operatic version - whatever. Just remember to pay something back - take a picture, write a report, whatever.
As to the second section of your comment Consumer opinion appears to have a free voice here and I await and observe whether the Facility under seige can silence the critics, either through debate or terminate the site. Adversarial publications historically seccumb to the power of the wealthy opponent. ..... again webmaster, a simple note will suffice.
The Indymedia network has more powerful enemies than the National Aquatic Centre - still here though. A link to other attempts to silence people
Eeeuuugh!!! I have never heard anything as bad as that. it almost leavesthe whole hospital hygiene thing in the shade.
Is it just me or is the Health Suite gone tacky all those posters stuck up willy nilly and they not even originals they badly photocopied whats going on I paid 100 euro more to join the N.A.C. then I would have paid to Ben Dunne thinking that this was a place that was supposed to set high standards obviously I was wrong .I will move as soon as my membership is up and dont ask me to complain to management as they are either not there or you are told to wait and a friend of mine had to wait 15 minutes about another problem and did not get a decent answer.Whats going on.
I was in the centre recently and I saw a child get stuck in the green slide his father had to go down the slide to free him .I have been told that the reason for this was that there was a build up of body fat and that the slides are not cleaned regularly as they used to be.
Get a grip and clean the place also the Dark Hole is still out of action why.
So, if you add up all the lists of comments above of the various rides and things broken in changing rooms etc., what is left working I wonder......?
Do they give you a discount on the entry charge to make up for all the shortcomings??
I was there yesterday and there are little yellow 'temporarily out or service' all over the place.
And that is even without considering broken cannons in the kiddies pool and the showering 'mushroom' in the kiddies pool too..
Please do something - this is our national centre
have you seen the nac site 2 more guys quit who is going to fix anything now? How many were in he maintenence dept anyway. Not enough thats for sure.
Complain we have and a fat lot of good it has done. The reception staff are great, I feel sorry for them but the management well the attitude of them is unbelievable. Its a case of take it or leave it. Have you ever seen the way people are treated in the Nac. Its we have your money GO AWAY. Anyway this site should be a message to the management. As talking to them never works, it it did the place would not be in the state it is.
Can the webmaster clarify if I can have permission to use extracts from this site for my thesis. I am exploring the evolution of the customer in todays profit driven business environment. Todays customer has an opinion and the internet has opened the floodgates for communication media not under the control of the wealthy. This site displays a consumer reaction to the proverbial brick wall of previous eras. Consumer opinion appears to have a free voice here and I await and observe whether the Facility under seige can silence the critics, either through debate or terminate the site. Adversarial publications historically seccumb to the power of the wealthy opponent. ..... again webmaster, a simple note will suffice.
Member too, I am laughing so much at your comments!! Hear hear. Despite loving waterparks I have never gone on one of the slides there as a few of the lifeguards I know advised me that not alone would they rip my swimsuit but possibly more.
You'd nearly want to get vaccinated these days before going for a swim in there....at least until they replace the maintenance department.
Maybe they could do something like the Liffey Swim and hose people down with detergent when they come out of the water!! At least until the maintenance people come back.
The court case is supposed be over in the next few weeks so hopefully it will be sorted out then.
Anyway, i'm still laughing a the accuracy of your mail and how funny it is, despite being true.
Took water advice and dipped the bit I was using... not happy, but it could have been a once of.. Was asking the staff about who does the water thing and apparently, the three maintenance technicians have ALL walked since the summer.
There were three and now recruiting two? Who looking after it now, today, bank holiday weekend and no-one there?
Apparently the biggest place like this in the north has seven maintenance people just to cover the opening hours properly. Must be why the dark hole is closed, the green giant would rip the back off you and the surfing thingy has less power than my garden hose. HAirdryers removed, handryers and drinking fountains not working. its gone very grubby alright, even the thugs have stopped coming. Funny smell at that jacuzzi thing, something not right. Is there any way to have these things sorted.. I didn't sign up to run the place, I just wanted to come to relax and swim, hadn't intended to have to do quality control on it. thats what I thought I was paying for... Westpoint next year for me. I'm a coward, I dont want to be locked in argument and stress in my leisure time. I am disappointed..
did anybody see the nac website yesterday where they are advertising for another head of maintenance (presumably to replace the guy that walked out) and another person to look after water quality etc. My question is who's playing sketch and keeping an eye on the water treatment and quality until this replacement is found?? The receptionists? The cleaners? It's a bit like Fawlty Towers in there where one day a person could be a cleaner, the next a lifeguard or a maintenance person (and this is a comment from the staff working there!). Roll on the end of the court case
You see it is in bits, and you are annoyed because the story is running here.
The question is not who the users are posting here, but who you are and why you are trying to defend the indefensible.
Do ya live in Limerick boy??
its obvious that this website is filled with vested interests, if people want to complain, make crude remarks about the staff(sell more memberships in the bikini?????? very adult comment indeed) at least have the courage to put your name to your comments. i have no doubt people will continue to sling mud from behind there alias's. theres a word for people like you, let me spell it for you..........
C..O..W..A..R..D..S.
the problem is that most of the people posting the comments are regular users of the centre (many because their sport requires it) and are just waiting for all this mess to be sorted out and for it to be taken over and run properly like a national centre should be. This is the only place where we can voice our frustrations and share our experiences.
I do not know what hidden agenda some of the posters obviously have on this board but i would say one thing - let people visit the facility and make their own mind up.
Hey, labman, how does one get a water sample tested? How much does it cost and then who will take the responsibility to act on it? I heard form one of the staff that they haven't been putting enough chlorine into the diving pool and that's why it's green.
The court case is still on and should be finished in the next week or two. It hasn't reached the paper in the last few days, probably because the ferns Diocese story took over.
Rephrase your statement above:
1. I heard about this article on Indymedia
2. I therefore decided to look at NAC
3. Was so pleasantly surprised that I joined
4. I'm so glad people are complaining because I would never have known about NAC from my friend if he hadn't stumbled across this thread, and having investigated I will now join..
Beautiful - brings a tear to my eye.. Pity it's a made up story. Keep it up Dunlavin man - you and your Ballycoolin mates are fierce entertaining.
hi, got tol about this website today, from a mate in work, i work in ballycoolin so we decided to drop by to see the 'cracks' went to reception to ask bout membership, was sent to sales office,carpet was a bit dodge but it was over ran with popcorn eatin kids and their mothers, 2 people on, both made short work off the q and seemed quite polite( not bad for 7.30 on a wed nite) asked the girl bout mship, took my details,apologised about the wait but this was due to swimmin lessons, then she took me on a tour, pools were full with kids and adults swimming, and diving, fun park seemed fine, checked the changin rooms and sauna etc, seemed fine, gym was cool clean and not over busy, came back to the office and joined, 55 quid a month, even eddie hobbs would see the value in that!!!!!!!!!, seems some people only see the bad sides of things.
To many claims flying here. Play smart and grab yourself a sample of the water there for the health board to test. simply take a dip of the pools and jacuzzi and deliver them to your local environmental health officer if you have a worry. a pool is supposed to have 1.5 ppm chlorine, so I'm informed. Apparently they are supposed to test all pools 4 to 5 times a day. The black shadows on the floors is just dirt, grained in, growing algae to beat the band for you to carry into the pool on your feet.
This is Billy Boo's head, apologising for my ass talking above. I see the old manager's stamp all over the comment. The staff are always to blame, yawn, blah. Us managers are only here to, to , to, to, not quite sure what we are to do if its not keep the staff in line. head says managers job to run staff else manager not needed. shut up ass before you drop us all in the crap.
if Man utd not win premiership, would they sack the team or Sir Alec. Well there you are now asshole, even you figured that out quick enough.
I heard about this site. was mentioned when I was going on about the black bikini. it's on my camera phone but I'm afraid she'd sue the ass off me if I put it up here. fair play wild thing. you looking good. dear santa, please please please can I change my letter fto just one item.. PLEASE!!!
My mate Decco is a complete plonker and he says to me that he thinks the auld place is gone to a kip and all the talent has left. Nothing nice to look at in the gym anymore. Jesus if dec can see it and he's thick! Somebody needs to get on the job there. Surely they got a head manager there somewhere. What are they paying him for. Who owns this site. disagree with last writer about price. I'm looking for half price next year after this years performance. place is fairly grubby alright. think a few of the comments up here are from managers trying to play it down.
What's wrong with a tipsy lass in a bikini giggling around the place.. beats the hell out of the manager with a face on her that would stop the titanic. The boys there are shown up in the court details last week... 2.8million tax benefit; what do they care if it never opens. Do the same myself for that kinda money. Does anyone know if they still in court. gone very quiet about it, or have they got to the media and the judge as well. Saw one of the manageresses going around today f**k**g all and sundry out of it. probably peeved at the black bikini and I can see why :) Overheard the staff using the BIFFO tag. That's not nice guys. I know you read the site so don't be cruel like that. Anyway how can you expect the owners to be putting money in there when they're pumping hundred of thousands into the four courts. Then theres a barrister sitting upstairs there all the time who needs his few bob as well. How are they paying all this, its coming to a fortune in my calculations.. I'd say membership will be ten grand a head next year.. I'm in for it, where else would I be so entertained.. PS black bikini signed me up initially, bloody sick I missed that leaping around in a bikini.. would've made my month. Sorry must go, the wife's here, but I'll be back..... Arnie
Many times.. The staff agree that it is being abused.
The contract holders don't care. Re changing gyms:
1. I've paid for a year
2. This is the NATIONAL aquatic centre, supposed to be a prestigious operation.
It will be a prestigious operation when the current shower of cowboys get kicked out.
There is a serious absense of cleaners by the way, and that is where the problem lies.
Re Dunlavin, you must take us for fools. Troll elsewhere
I know lots of people have complained about the hygiene and I don't think it's the staff's fault. When the pool reopened they cut back on staff numbers and it doesn't look like they're even given the right tools to do the job. Never mind training. The buck stops with management.
So why don't you complain to the Management? Whose responsibility is it to keep the place clean? Answer - the staff.
If you have a complaint make it through the proper channels.
I'm not a staff member either and the place is filthy and mis managed and it looks like it is being bled dry of its finances, with no money being put into maintaining things. Anybody that can't see that is blind. I walked through the jacuzzi area recently and it stinks and on some days the pool area is the same. It would take your breath away. At this stage, I reckon the water in the diving pool has a half life!
theres this great thing called a car, it can get you places even people from dunlavin, if you find it so bad why are you still a member.
No, sorry - I am still a member, not an employee, and never was.
I find it interesting someone living in Dunlavin would join considering how far away it is.
By the way I have nothing but praise for the facility, sympathy for the staff and contempt for whatever thing is letting a national asset be destroyed by filth and mis-managemennt.
You see the place is filthy, and prone to breaking downs. I should also point out that only a couple of the posts are mine.
i told it like i seen it just because you had a bad time there doesnt mean everybody will. by the sounds of it i say you worked there and you got the sack thats why you are so bitter. i have read all what you have to say and i have written about how i was treated while i was there and because i wrote what i thought of the place you call me a waffler, i think you need to get a life and stop trying to trun people of the centre because you had a bad time or got sacked ( did one of the girls or guys turn you down )
Place is filthy. There is a photo at the top of this page which shows the grime on the walls, tiles and mirrors.
No amount of planting is going to make the truth that the place is being let run down go away.
I spoke to a guy the other day that joined from another gym in Blanch and he said he was sorry he had.
So there you have it - the truth.
I was in looking for membership for me and my family yesterday. i was looking for the gym and i have a 21 month old son and i want to bring him to the water park area. the girl i was talking to in the membership office was so helpful she went over everthing in detail and she was very friendly i think here name was amiee. i would just like to say thank you to her for her friendly service. myself, my son and my partner will be back and i am really thinking about taking the membership. when i got home i phoned my bother and told him about the gym and the water park, he is going out the weekend to have alook with his wife and child.
Hey, I have friends who are working there and they will tell you themselves what is going on there, which is shocking, and they have absolutely no control over it because of mismanagement by their superiors.
For instance, the diving pool at the moment is green. You mention that to management and see how far you get. I heard the latest maintenance guy left the other day, so things will probably go downhill even faster now. Who knows, the receptionist could be doing maintenance next week.....
Would that be a Barbie Queue ?
Some of the comments on this board are unbelievable, Do you really expect people to believe some of the shi** that is being written. The facts of the matter are this - The place is not subsidised so the customer has to cover the full costs, it is not making a profit and the staff are doing their best.
If you have a complaint to make, make it to the Managers on Duty or the General Manager. If i have a complaint at Tesco i do something about it there and then i do not put it on some web site for action.
I swim at the NAC and like it - its not perfect but its the best pool around by far.
I was in early the other day, not wasting my last month of membership, and the staff look like they had taken my advice. 8am and two of the staff running around dry areas in their bikinis(she might sell more if she wore the black bikini in the office by the way). The mess they made was unbelievable. As I was leaving their was a notice on the message board saying that the staff in question were drunk!!!. Who put the notice on the board? Why were staff running around in dry areas when just out of the pool etc. What are you playing at in there!!! Is there a manager reponsible for this debacle. Own up Who are you.!!!!!!!!!!!
The place is not making money because it is being run like a fairground. There is a complete lack of understanding of the needs of the customers and athletes who need to use the centre. The quick buck mantality won't work here. I was in the diving pool the other day and the water is almost green. The staff said it's because of algae! It is so obvious when it's beside the other pools that there is something drastically wrong. Maybe the jacuzzi water is coming from the same tank, hence the similarity. It's nothing short of a national disgrace that these guys were allowed to "run" it. Into the ground more like.
My reading of the Court case is CSId want them out cos of the Cap Allowances taken by some Limerick business man. Fact is place is not profitable and never will be. Overheads are too high. If they remove current company Govt will have to subsidise it.
I've kinda gone off these guys running this place... Someone reckons they've switched company names again. he was owed money and now reckons he'll be chasing a dead company for it. Looks like the government found a bad apple and finally getting it right for a change.. I work hard to pay my tax bill for these effers to walk off through the loop hole with it.. getting sick of reading about the cavorting around in the papers.. Hurry up judge before we turn up some morning and the damned place be sold off for the new prison.. they would have to clean it first of course.
I thought they had sacked the maintenance manager there but some of the staff say he was the first man gone when the roof blew off. Place gone downhill since due to no manpower they say.. then I read in the Indo they stroking off a 2.8million tax benefit. At 40% thats €1.2 million bucks of a payback. Jazus, nice money every year... 2 years 2.4 million... I'd be in the high court fighting for that kinda money... could surely afford to fix somethng around there.. must be paddy's day again, the jacuzzi was green, again. If they cant mind a bath full of water what is the pools like? Will there be snow in the sauna for christmas? give me the odds paddy power and I'll put up me money. I give the kids a good freezing there every second night and then I dont have to turn on the heating at home.. bring back that big fella, things used to work when he was about.
Who would join up as a member with all of the messing going on their.
I'm sure it'll be a nice little earner for the next company that runs it
Does the Limerick businessman not get massive tax relief?????????
If you read the papers you will realise that the NAC is not making a profit. It is being subsidised by a Limerick business man.
The court case is ongoing. TUPE may well not apply that depends on CSID.
Why does the nac have to be such a profit making entity in the first place? A few years ago I was in the Munich Olympic pool, complete with 50 metre pool and diving boards and entry was just the equivalent of 70p in Irish money. That's the kind of facility that serves the public and not a few greedy "investors".
And, it wasn't dirty.
Even the ones that might deserve to won't. They have right by law to transfer with the contract under same pay & conditions.
Only losers here are us the gobshite's that paid good money for dirty surrounds..
I too visited the centre at the weekend and asked staff why the doors were not working. I was told as it gets quite busy the doors tend to remain open. So to create a more comfortable (i.e. not bloody freezing) atmosphere for the reception staff and public using cafe/reception. How dare they!!!!! Looking after staff and users. This is a disgrace! As well someone going diving, as i have done in the past, must pay €3 on top of either entrance fee or membership. It's not excessive as far as i can see. It's a service provided under the supervision of a former olympic diving coach. Damn bastards, providing a service different to that elsewhere in the country, charging an amazing €3 for it. again, how dare they!!!!! People complain of high prices. At the end of the day it's a business. Who's fault is that?? The governments? I think yes. They were afraid to take it on for the fear of the backlash. That is why they put it up for tender. To a business. The object of business? at the end of the day no matter how much we want to admit is to make money! All of you entrepreuners out there. If you have a business that is select, something only you provide, are you not going to add a little bit on to the price? Are people going to stop using you? No. Are you going to get a web site dedicated to you? No. I have a good idea why these "oldtimers" might be in a bad mood. Cos all the bloody members can do is moan moan moan, whinge whinge whinge. listen guys, get over it. It's a business. It will remain a business. Those who believe the government could run it better are sadly mistaken. It'd probably close for the summer and school holidays!!!!! But remember this, whatever happens, approximately 100 people work at the NAC. Hands up who wants to see all them in the doll queue?
I was there at the weekend and even the front door is out of order now! There are signs stuck up on it diverting people through the other internal door. I suuppose this is their "being let own by suppliers" again rather than lack of maintenance or training.
ON another note, in the queue in fronto of me were a couple with a young child and an infant in a carrycot and they were going in for a swim and it cost them €27! That's absolutely outrageous and a disgrace in an economy that wants to create healthier citizens (or so we are told). Also I met a dutch girl who went in diving at the weeked and in order for her to go in for longer than the 45 minute session (which costs €15 incidentally) she had to pay €21! She couldn't believe it and said that would never happen in her country. When will this country wake up and hold people responsible for this disgraceful manipulation of taxpayers money, yes, your money.
I bought a family membership the week the NAC opened. We were members
of Westwood and while some of the facilities were not as good as
Westwood it was important to me to be a part of Irish Sporting
History, the setting up of Campus Ireland. The fact that it has not
happened is bad enough but the way the NAC has gone downhill, is
disgraceful. It was bad enough the roof blew off and we were told
nothing. but since we have come back I have been shocked with what has
gone on. Most of the old staff have gone and the oldtimers as us
members jokingly refer to them, are not the same, there seems no joy
to work there anymore. I work in an industry that has pressure and
customer service situations like you would not believe and I can see
the signs in staff who are not being treated correctly. Maybe it is
because I see a man one day as a cleaner and the next day as a
lifeguard and back to cleaner the folowing day, was he a lifeguard in
the first place, then a receptionist is in the creech what does she
do. Who is responsible for this? Somebody is telling lies and who is
responsible . Is it the people with the franchise from Kerry, never
heard anything like this about the place in Tralee. This is only going
on for a while. whoever you are, that run OUR NAC please please stop
messing around, this is not a swiming pool or a leisure centre this is
IRELANDS NATIONAL AQUATIC CENTRE and you for whatever reason are
screwing it up. The reason I am doing this tonight is I brought the
family to the NAC today so I could go out and watch the match.
The moaning and complaints from my family was enough for me to say no
more. I have had enough and am going back to Westwood. I dont know who
is supposed to manage the NAC but whoever you are think again about
your job as you cant run the NAC.
As a longtime member, I have to agree with most of the sentiments expressed.
Some examples of fairly minor issues that have not been addressed:
- Water fountain in male "public" changing area broken for months
- Water fountain in sauna/steam room area also broken for months
- Hairdryer #3 in male members dressing room broken for many months
- Keys to between 20% and 30% of members' lockers have had no rubber bands for months (lockers unusable)
- "Eggtimer" in sauna broken in December, never replaced.
It seems that nothing is ever fixed in a hurry with problems taking days rather than hours and weeks rather than days to resolve.
None of the above would require significant expenditure to resolve but they contribute to a culture of "I agree but what can I do" among the (obviously frustrated) staff members.
Its a pity because the gym is good and the pools are excellent.
The Irish Times covered it this morning. Nothing much. Basically the judge was going into the detail of the lease being transferred to the guy in Limerick and whether or not this was in contravention of the lease. It doesn't seem too clear how big a part of the case this is, but they said the implication of this manoeuvre was that the management company couldn't fulfil the obligations of the lease....like pay rent and what they owed in the percentage of profit. So I'm sure more of it will be featured as they get into the nitty gritty of it..........
I missed the news
The court case resumes today so fingers crossed we get our aquatic centre back so that it serves the people and not just the self interest of a few "offshore businessmen". Rarely have I seen facilities like this in a for profit setting. Often they are run by local authorities or universities so that the sport comes first as it should do. So, I'm going to be watching the news like a hawk and will be hoping for good news...for the taxpayer for a change.
i am absolutely sick of the bull from the staff that all is the fault of suppliers. The sooner there is new management the better.
Someone taking the piss here. The place is a mess alright.. I think theres something in court this next week or two to sort the thing out.. Some waste of taxpayer money.. bit of vat owed and if memory serves me correctly they never paid rent. Seems like somebody slid in, creamed the take and sliding out again. Only going on the papers but the tabloids score 99 out of 100 hits on these things. just give it time to emerge. Somebody is gonna take it by the horns and we'll get the proper thing soon, hopefully for the new year.... or they can stick my membership.
Is that why there are more "out of order "signs than you can shake a stick at in there?
Out of the 4 ladders in the diving pool, 2 are half broken with an orange bollard on each covering the missing sections of ladder.
The 2 hairdryers in the ladies have out of order signs on them.
There are loads of missing locker doors in the ladies also, 7 on my last count.
One of the showers doesn't work at all.
There is an out of order sign on one of the toilets.
And, I was there the other night seeing the cleaning regime, or lack of it. Scary!
They're doing a great job in there all right!
How dare anyone question the smooth running of the operation here. We have two excellent men who can handle the work of seven men in an equivilant facility in the UK. We have experts by the dozen here.
The place is shining, gleaming, positively sanitized. : ) :)
Actually, now that you mention it the sauna area is actually the worst. You can see the scum all around the water fountain area so obviously it has never been moved in order to clean properly around, or under it.
And you're right, that area stinks
Never clean, mildew covered, smells like a stale sweaty soggy sock
How can you say that normal cleaning procedures take place? You obviously never step foot in the pool area with your bare feet. Or smell the bad smell in the pool area from time to time.In the changing rooms there is regularly a layer of scum and it didn't just happen yesterday. As a weekly user of the centre I see the ongoing dirt and filth for myself. Using suppliers as an excuse is a cop out. What about the cracked mirror in the ladies? Is that a "supplier problem " too? Hey, B&Q is just up the road! Last week I lifted up the white plastic thing that covers the gutters at the side of the pool and you wouldn't believe the filth underneath...all around the pool. Maybe your cleaning guidelines don't cover this area. The shower area is just the same. I know that last thing at night the staff are still throwing water and nothing else on the floors of the changing rooms to clean them and the pool area. I have worked in pools before myself and cabn see what is happening. This would not be tolerated anywhere else and like the staff we are all waiting for this to be sorted out so the taxpayer can get the aquatic centre back and it can be run like the professional facility it was intended to be.
CBowyer, the place is in bits.
Whatever bull you come up with, it is just that - bull.
That urinal was broken for months - I saw it myself. Anyone else could gotten it repaired in a day.
Off the record, the staff say they can't wait for changes - maybe they aren't legging, but that's because they know that their jobs are safe when someone new takes over.
How do you explain the lease being passed over the day it was won??????
The building is maintained in accordance with recomendations which can be found in "Managing health and safety in Swimming Pools". The same schedules which were put in place on opening exist today. Regular microbiological testing is carried out and results are within normal operating levels. We have had visits from the Health and Safety authority and can assure you that no serious health hazard exists. Lockers and hair dryers are broken due to continued vandalism, but alternatives are available.
I would assume any complaints regarding the changing areas would be brought to the attention of the Duty Officers, who will deal accordingly. No facility would remain spotless during normal daily operations and every control is in place to ensure customer satisfaction. Detergents and scrubbing rarely happens during normal operations as this would effect customer comfort.
I can assure you that the current managment are not in exit mode and are committed to the staff, members and customers of the NAC.
I dispute that an air of decay is in existance at the NAC, the centre is cleaned and maintained in the same way it has been done since opening.In a centre of it's size, considering useage of facilities things do break!!! i can assure you that there is a competant maintenance and cleaning team employed at the NAC to deal with arising issues, although we are at the mercy of external suppliers for specialist parts.
& post them up here.
Why not - the place is a mess and they don't care.
But, by the place being so filthy, this has to pose a risk to staff working in the area. I can't see how they can separate the two. Staff will still be using the facilities to shower and change, will still be operating in the same conditions that customers are exposed to.
The sooner this sorry mess is sorted out and a proper management is put in there the better. I am so tempted to take some photos myself like the article above. I have seen much much worse in the ladies changing rooms.
Only employees, not customers.
There was a piece in Sunday Tribune about unhygenic gyms - didn't mention aqua centre though
Would this area not be covered by the Health and Safety Authority? Surely they are responsible for health and safety even if it's due to sinple bad hygiene and lack of proper procedures and training. Or do they just cover issues that impact on employees and not customers???
I tried to contact Fingal Co Co, Health and Safety authority etc. Even with a possibilty of Legionaires disease outbreaks from warm water out of the fountains, none of the were interested.
If there is a beauraucrat out there looking for a hole in the market in the world of officialdom for a new organisation, then consider looking looking out for public health in areas like the Aqua centre is a good possibility.
The place is filthy and there is noone to turn to. Ripped off yet again, I don't even go anymore.
Almost a month has elapsed since the article above and despite claims from the centre management that they have " pledged to better maintain hygiene at the facility" it's still very very dirty.
While I was there last weekend I lifted up one of the plastic strips that covers the gutters around the side of the pool, and what is underneath is just unbelievable. It's completely black with dirt, all along the length of the gutter. And not dirt that arrived yesterday or the day before but must have been there for quite some time. I did the same in the showers and that isn't much better either.
While I was changing at the end of the evening I saw one of the staff pouring a bucket of water over the changing room floors and then push it around with a rubber ended brush. Certainly no evidence of detergent being used or of any scrubbing in an area used by hundreds of people every day.
When is someone in authority in the public health area going to wake up and take notice and actually do some kind of audit or inspection so that people's health isn't being put at risk like this.
I have visited a good few pools in the UK, Butlins and several local authority pools. The best one was Coral Reef although Butlins had the best slides. I'm back 5 years now so not quite uip to date. Never been to Blackpool. I hear Alton Towers is good and may go their for a visit next year take in the park and pool.
Paddy, I'm curious as to which pools you have experienced in the UK? AJust as an example, a few weeks ago I was in a water park in Blackpool and it was far better than the nac. It was bright, cheerful, clean, child friendly. The attractions were imaginative and child oriented and there was a place to eat proper healthy food, not just fast food and chocolate. There was a good family atmosphere and the centre had gone to a lot of trouble to maintain the centre very well. Oh yes, and there weren't "Out of Order" signs every where you turned.
Anyone know if the leisure pool at the nac is reopened yet after the latest disaster?
Sorry meant to say better than anything in the UK.
Another pipe burst i believe caused the closure
The aquatic centre leisure pool is closed since Monday due to "technical difficulties". It looks like business as usual there so........
It's on page 6 of the latest edition and the heading says "The NAC is bordering on becoming dilapidated" and the "Conditions at the NAC questioned", basically much the same as the article on this website says and they even have the same photos published of the overflowing urinal.
Why , what have the blanch gazette being saying?
To respond to "forget it," I have been tempted to take swabs of the floors and changing areas myself, they are so filthy. But like you said, if there is no one to complain to or no one is taking responsibility for it, that says it all. The Blanch Gazette seems to be the only publication that is reporting all this stuff, and fair play to them.
And do you know what the worst thing is? We're all paying for it, whether we use their overflowing urinals or freezing jacuzzi or lunch sodden changing room floors or not. We're paying for it cos the taxpayer paid for the building and we're paying for the loss of profits abd rent due back to the government since these guys have signed the lease over to some other 3rd party in Limerick as was disclosed during the court case.
I think this has been the biggest scandal since the M50 toll bridge, but at least with the toll bridge the government are getting some profit back unlike the nac where they have received nothing.
The heat in that jacuzi is broken so it is NOT all perfect there. The water is absolutely freezing in it. No point having waffle saying all is perfect there when the place is not as it should be - an international venue maintained in top condition.
As an outsider looking in I would say those photos say it all. The place did not look great on that day - was that just a coincidence?
And that urinal was overflowing for over 3 months
I re-iterate that i don't think the NAC is dirty. I visited at the week end and found it quite acceptable. Cleaners were visible doing their job as were other staff. The only thing i spotted were customers making a mess, one threw his coke tin on the floor outside the entrance, 3 bins were nearby. And the other incidence was of the remains of some kids lunch on the floor in the changing area. In both incidents it is the users who are to blame.
I spoke to a member of staff about this web site and he said he would pass it on to the Mgt. By the way he said you can post comments on the NAC web site. nac.ie
I tried it once.
H&S authority say contact Dublin Corpo, they say contact Fingal Co Co, they say not our area.
Net result, no checks and no monitoring
I have just seen in the Indo this morning where there is apparently no regulation concerning the levels of hygiene in gyms and fitness clubs. Apparently "the Health Service Executive has no way of knowing how many people pick up illnesses and infections from these sources". Which poses my next question, if the nac is so dirty, which authority id responsible to come and evaluate it and do tests if complaints are made. Does anyone know who you would even complain to?
Either way it is a mess, and symptomatic of the rip off republic we live in, mismanaged by the government.
Tim
As far as i know the builders who were chosen are allegedly quite good supporters of a certain political party. Apparemtly if you look at majority of government buildings being built/refurbished you should see that same companies name on the side!
They were three different bids. No?
And top man, i wouldnt believe all you hear. Would it all be so public if it wasnt for all the political leaders coming out to attack the other?
The builders and the management company are all part of the one consortium! They are business partners, so for Waterworld to blame anyone else is like pretending they weren't involved. The contract was to design, build and manage the centre and 3 companies came together to "win" this contract. And, as the roof blowing off showed, this wasn't done correctly either.
To right. The roof blew off and that was the builders fault. It seems to me that the Management are getting the blame for all the faults and that can't be the case.
I also heard a rumour of the plant room being defective. But the place is open and i have no problems when i visit and i'm a member.
I have been a member of the NAC since it opened firstly and I have to say this one thing. The swim clubs that hire these lanes and water polo clubs that hire the pool believe they are in complete control. They are the most unmannerly ppl i have ever witnessed. If they all behave in this way it is I personally would prefer it like that.
One more thing,
If it was built correctly in the first place, would we be having this discussion at all?
The aquatic centre is a cracking facility.
Problem is that it is becoming decrepit, and is poorly maintained.
Who know - with the court case coming up maybe they think they will lose the contract and are keeping every cent they can for their own pockets.
Paddy, you're right, €200 is good value for a swim only membership. I am a member of a club and it's a totally different story re cost and access to hours. Also, I am familiar with the Swim Ireland situation with their free hours, and the complaints they have had with access and problems utilising the full hours. It is not a facility that is working in the spirit of what is beneficial for swimming in this country.
Regarding the dirt, if you go to the jacuzzi area at the moment you will see visible dirt /scum on the floor and especially in the corners. This is visible on the floors in the changing areas, showers and toilets and wet areas. This is unacceptable for areas where people are walking in bare feet which are hot and humid and ideal breeding grounds for bacteria. But I take your point on the swim membership
All i can say is i visit the NAC every week, i don't think its dirty, i have no complaints and my kids think its heaven on earth.
They may have a few problems with the building but i'm sure they will be put right if not already.
I know Swim Ireland get a lot of free time their and the clubs were complaining when it closed because of the cost of going elsewhere, but as of the cost for clubs i don't know what they are.
By the way Taxpayer you failed to answer the point about swim only membership surely you have to admit its great value?
So Paddy, if the club rates are so good why aren't more clubs using the facilities?? And swimming isn't the only aquatic discipline that people need to access. Talk to Waterpolo players and divers and you'll get a very different perception of the "great value" to be had there and/or access to training hours.
Value aside, the place is being left go to ruin. It is filthy and this is totally unacceptable for a facility of this type and must pose health risks for customers, especially children and babies.
And in response to "Truth's" comment, it seems like these guys have some kind of political guardian angel on their side and it wouldn't be surprising if this comes out after the court case in October when the media will be able to speak out.
Tax payer if you take out a swim only membership it costs around €200 for the year. If you swim 4 to 5 times per week then it makes excellent value. As for swimming clubs i know most of them get great rates at the NAC they probably went to Hamburg for a holiday.
As for access its always going to be miles from somebody. It doesn't stop 5 million people a year going to Blanch Shopping Centre.
Your all just a bunch of whingers!
Is Bertie mates with, or was he mates with the current owners?
What i mean by accessability is that for athletes that need to train at least 4 or 5 days a week an entry fee of €12 is far in excess of what the charge should be for a similar facility. The fact that a Dublin swimming club finds it cheaper to fly to Hamburg and rent a pool over there to have swimming camps speaks volumes.This was already covered in the media, and they are not alone.The waterpark should be priced separately to the competition pool as waterpark attendance tends to be more infrequent than usage for fitness or competition.. The reason the place isn't being supported at present is due to all the negative controversy, the ever increasing dirt of the place and the fact that many people think it is already closed. As a person that has spent time in other national facilities I can tell you this falls very far short of the mark.
Access. What are you talking about. I have to work all day, so I can't go to the National Aquatic Centre. So you expect then on my time off or free days to drive 10 and 15 miles through traffic to go and swim in a pool that is suffering cracks in it's base, is leaking water, the roof nearly blew off a while back, and risk infection because the place is manky.
And what about those who might want to visit it during the day, -you will find most of those will be younger people who don't own cars.
With our crappy bus services being purposely sabotaged like cutting back on the 48a, 77 and other routes so as to force privatisation on it by another means, how on Earth are people going to get all the way out to the NAC. It would take all day and cost a fortune!
Putting it out there was made with one assumption and one assumption only. Oil will remain cheap forever and lost forever. It is totally unsustainable. The days of easy motoring folks are behind us, now that thankfully Peak Oil is upon us to save us from further unsustainable insanity.
The NAC should have been built in a City Centre location like for instance near the IFSC, where the vast majority of all public transport can take people.
Tax payer what are you talking about NAC is open to everyone. You can get access from 6am in the morning till late in the evening. Maybe you should actually visit the NAC instead of whinging about something you know nothing about. www.nac.ie has the opening hours.
What are you people talking about - unfair access , innaccesible etc. The NAC is by the side of the M50 and about 4 miles from the City Centre. The fact is its not being supported by the general public as a visit any day of the week will show. Its losing money because of lack of support, maybe more people should support it because it is a great facility. Its got a fabulous leisure pool which is by far the best in the UK and is reasonably priced. Swim Only membership is excellent value.
Why cannot all us swimmers unite to highlight the disgrace that is the National Aquatic Centre.?It's all very well reading about this in the paper or on websites such as this, but the thousands of swimmers that are being denied proper access to this facility or are impeded by the poor runnning of it need to unite and speak out now and campaign about this. Why wait for a court case whose result may hinge on technicalities? The factsof the matter is that this National Centre is not being run as it was intended for the people of Ireland and is certainly not giving value for money. Us as taxpayers paid for this centre but as swimmers, we are not being given fair access to it . I would welcome any suggestions that others may have to give this higher prominence and to begin really campaigning about this and helping to change this situation.
I am a regular user of the National Aquatic Centre competition pool and feel I have to comment on the manner in which it is being maintained. The building is getting filthier and filthier by the day and is a breeding ground for bacteria. It has to pose a serious health hazard, especially for small children. In the women's competition pool changing rooms there are at least 5 locker doors missing, the hairdryers are broken, the water fountain is broken, there is a crack in the mirror held together by sellotape, there is frequently one or more toilets out of order. Handles on toilet doors are broken as well as toilet roll dispensers. There is a layer of scum and dirt very evident around the edges of the shower area as well as in the tiolet cubicles. There is never a clean smell in the changing rooms and staff can regularly be seen pushing water around the floor in them with a mop with little evidence of any detergent or scrubbing utensil being used. As well as this there is evidence of dirt in most areas around the swimming pools and one look at the drains will demonstrate this. The tax paying public have most definitely been shortchanged with this facility and it is nothing short of a national scandal. I am sure there are many similar comments like mine.
The National Aquatic Centre cost I believe around 50m euro to build and is a disaster in every sense. The decision to locate in an totally inacessible area for the public reflects the dominant car culture thinking. As usual no account was taken of Peak Oil nor that doing things this way was totally unsustainable. How big is the car park, I wonder? -more former agricultural land paved over!
This should at least have been built in towards the city centre. It could easily have been part of the redevelopement in the docklands area.
Not only that, while money was diverted to this big and what turned out to be useless project, there is no money around to either build, or rebuild local pools around the rest of the city and the country too.
For instance after 30 years the local DFRC swimming pool in the Dundrum / Ballinteer area closed last year. A new pool had been promised but because an (arbitary) cap was placed on the funding for the money in the government Pool Programme, it is only about 2 or 3 million euro short. The area is now without a pool. This area serves a huge catchment area and the former swimming pool was easy to get to and well known.
Likewise in Stillorgan the Glenablyn pool is soon to close and will need rebuilding, because of cracks in the foundations. At least it lasted 30+ years unlike the NAC
I hear there are other pools elsewhere in the county are closing too. And I also know money and not much of it, is needed to help fund new pools around the country side.
Yet the government is scabby over this but were perfectly happy to throw away 50m+ on the NAC with now nothing to show. White Elephant anybody.
It is worth noting that the Bertie bowl was to be sited beside the NAC. I wonder had this anything to do with pushing it through?
As part of the government latest so called health plan / initiative it is supposed to be tackling obseity and swimming is apparently part of the primary school curricula. That's clearly very hollow promise, with the current state of things.
For more information on the DFRC swimming pool campaign see the URL below
The real problem is that there is already a perfectly good aquatic centre on thte grounds of the University of Limerick. 50 metre pool, diving pool plus an array of other Sports facilities. The facilities are well supported by staff, students and members of the public in busy urban area as opposed to the N.A.C. which is fairly inaccessible.
The state could have designated the whole campus there to be Campus Ireland and the National Aquatic Centre but because it was not in Dublin they didn't. Instiutuional racism? Institutional bias? Decentralisation how are ya! Really it's true. Just go and visit the sports facilities in UL and decide for yourself.
I wonder does Eddy think the Irish people got a good deal here? Wouldn't say so..
What with all of the cracks and all.
Place is filthy
Dirty walls mirrors etc
It has been overflowing for months as well
.
Looks like the present management are in exit mode. Scarpering with the profits,possibly. Par for the course. Taxpayer picks up the enormous Bertie bath bill ,as usual. There should be a revolution in this state.Perhaps we need a 'Columbia 10,000' -but with 'people power' expertise, from Venezuela or the Phillipine Islands.