“Covid was a walk in the park compared to the energy crisis”.
So says representative a of Graiguecullen Swimming Pool.
Management there has had to make several changes to the operation of the pool to keep costs down such as lowering shower temperatures and limiting the sauna and steam room.
Dyane said that much-loved amenities could be in danger of closure if unsustainable increases in energy prices continue, telling KCLR “Covid shut us down for a short period of time and it was devastating, the energy crisis will close places if something is not done because you just couldn’t sustain a trebling of your energy costs and that’s what’s happening, now we have seen there has been a bit of help with the 9% VAT on energy which has made a bit of a difference but definitely more’s needed”.
She adds “Places like ourselves, we just won’t sustain over a period of time and we can’t keep pushing the costs onto parents bringing children to learn how to swim, Swim Ireland are putting this strategy out there, something more needs to be done so that people can avail of it through the schools, whether it’s funding for the schools directly to take the cost off parents in that way would definitely be an option to look at as well”.
