National Aquatic Centre in the News

by Disgusted Tue May 02, 2006 13:25

National Aquatic Centre going to ruin even more than before..
I was in the National Aquatic Centre yesterday and I couldn't believe the filth there. I am not exaggerating. In the toilet in the competition pool area there was toilet paper in 1 out of the 5 cubicles, dirt all over the floor, toilet roll holders on the floor and a selection of half eaten sweets left on the floor. There was a bad smell in the ladies members area showers.
Also, the jacizzi is closed again as the 2nd woman in the space of a week had her hair turn green from the jacuzzi.
Also, the chlorine levels in the pool (according to one of the pool staff) are sky high, as well as the jacuzzi as the maintenance person looking after them isn't trained in water treatment apparently.
Staff have complained the the Health and Safety Authority but no one will take any action unless their name is put to it, and in this place it means getting the sack, so as a result there are no inspections into the obvious health risks of the dirt and varying levels of chlorine in the various areas. Also they are operating a 50 metre pool with sometimes only 1 lifeguard. This is not acceptable but these people are hiding behiond the fear of staff of losing their jobs.

by Danny Wed May 03, 2006 10:34

I was in the centre the other day and was asking why there were so few staff and I heard that a few of them have been "fired" in the last few weeks. This seems to be the modus operandi of these people at the moment in an effort to cut even more costs. At least there seems to be a growing number of them attached to the union now which should afford them some protection.

Also, I noticed in the competition pool the other day that the air circulaton/conditioning system seems to be switched off. Is this another cost saving exercise?

by Bernie Fri May 05, 2006 11:18

Our kids had a class in the competition pool of the nac last night and the chlorine levels were so bad (sore throats, itchy eyes and itchy skin) that some of the kids left the class early as they couldn't stick it.
When is someone going to start monitoring the levels of chemicals in this place? They are at hazardous levels. Also, they seem to have turned off the air conditioning and ventilation in the pool area and it is like a sauna but worse, the members and participants are again beathing in levels of fumes and chemicals that are detrimental to health.
Everyone is afraid to complain to the Health and Safety Authority in case there will be retribution towards their club..
I think there is supposed to be some ecision inthe court today, it couldn't come soon enough. If these guys are allowed stay while they are crafting an appeal, the nac may as well close its doors for the harm these people will do.

by Terence Fri May 05, 2006 12:06

I recall hearing a few years ago that there were links between chlorine in swimming pools and asthma. As we know a lot of kids in school attend swimming lessons and would be exposed as such. While there may be a link, I would not presume it accounts fully for the increase over the past few decades of asthma but it certainly could be a component of that increase.

Here's what an article on the subject says about it and if we are believe it, then at the very least it is imperative that the ventilation is working properly and the minimum amount of chlorine as deemed necessary is used until further notice. This can be done today.

------ Article Extract Start ------

The chlorine used to disinfect indoor swimming pools may be implicated in the surge of childhood asthma in developed countries, suggests research in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

Trichloramine, or nitrogen trichloride, a highly concentrated volatile by-product of chlorination, that is readily inhaled and generated during contact between chlorine and organic matter such as urine or sweat, seems to be the culprit.

The research team measured levels of lung proteins (SP-A, SP-B, and CC16) associated with cellular damage in the blood samples of 226 healthy primary school children from rural and urban schools. The children had swum regularly at indoor pools weekly or fortnightly since early childhood.

Blood samples from 16 children, aged between 5 and 14, and 13 adults, aged between 26 and 47, were also analysed before and after a session in an indoor pool to test for the immediacy of the effects of trichloramine.

Finally, the researchers assessed the prevalence of childhood asthma, using data from a survey of almost 2000 children aged between 7 and 14, carried out between 1996 and 1999.


The results showed that regular attendance at indoor swimming pools was consistently and significantly associated with the destruction of the cellular barriers protecting the deep lung (respiratory epithelium), making them "leaky" and potentially more vulnerable to the passage of allergens.

The effects were cumulative, and for children who swam the most frequently, equivalent to the damage found in the lungs of regular smokers, say the authors.


------ Article Extract End ------

Note: We do know that in the past Tabacco companies sponsored so called independent scientists to do various studies on environmental or indoor pollutants usually related to the illness linked to smoking so as to muddy the waters around the effects of direct and passive smoking. This is not to say that other allergens do not cause problems or that in this particular instance the science is falsified, but it would be worth knowing the links or relationships if any of the scientists and institutes involved in this study. For example: See the article by George Monbiot on this sort of nefarious activity, titled: "Smoke Rings" at http://www.zmag.org/content/print_article.cfm?itemID=96...nID=1

To see the full article quoted above: Pool Chlorine Implicated In Childhood Asthma
go to the URL below

by David Fri May 05, 2006 16:44

I just heard that there's another week's delay with the court thing before we find out if these guys are going to appeal or not. As the judgement was so definitive, if they appeal they are just doing it out of badness as they haven't a hope of overturning a judgement like that.

by Member Wed May 17, 2006 13:44

Reading the above nonsense, i have come to the conclusion that these comments are being put up by a couple of embittered ex members of staff. There is no wholesale sacking of staff, never has been. The pool atmosphere is fine. Other problems are massively exaggerated.
Get a life!

by celine Wed May 17, 2006 14:28

As a regular user of the pool as my club trains there (and not an ex staff member) I can confirm that the place is still filthy with green algae growing all alongside the sides of the pool. Also the chlorine levels recently have been all over the place (either shockingly high levels or none at all) and there seems to be little or no water testing going on re chlorine levels. I heard the maintenance guy that does the tests isn't even qualified to do them. I also heard about the two women who came out of the jacuzzi with green hair. Management don't seem to be in the least concerned about the health of the users of the centre..
This centre is an absolute disgrace and the people managing it should be ashamed of themselves standing over an example of such mediocrity when this should be a flagship for the country.
I am glad to hear from the previous threads that so many staff have now joined the union as they will need it to get through the next year with management such as this.

The out of order signs, of which there are many, now say "Finnie says Out of Order" with this stupid picture of a frog. Why not just fix the bl*ody facilities rather than crafting silly signs with a cartoon on them to tell people that one more thing is not working in the centre.

I'm sure many people reading this will agree with me.

by Jim Thu May 18, 2006 13:26

My god some of the nonsense that people come up with. Green algae, green hair, no chlorine. Actually if there was no chlorine the water would be cloudy, the NAC water is perfect. Overdosing chlorine would lead to a bleaching effect. Stinging eyes is caused by Nitrogen Trichloride usually associated with a lack of chlorine and high usage and insufficient water replenishment - None of which apply at the NAC. I was in yesterday and there was one other person in the pool, water was crystal clear and perfect temp.
I suggest you go and see for yourself and not believe the rubbish that is put on this web site.

by celine Thu May 18, 2006 14:19

I'll do better than that, I'll get some photos of the algae around the side of the pool and post it on this site in casethere are any doubts. It's hard to miss if you actually use the pool. Maybe I'll also gather up some photos of the rest of the filth while I am at it. Watch this space.
One of the managers actually suffered injury from splashing chlorine onto the floor to clean some of the scum. But then, you probably already know this......

by Bren Fri May 19, 2006 14:36

Did anybody notice how management took away all the water fountains so now there is no place where swimmers can refill their water bottles, unless they want to "purchase" small bottles of water from the vending machines at €1.30 a pop.

There was a 2012 olympic squad training camp there last weekend and they had to purchase water for their bottles as there were no fountains. Is this what our Olympic hopefuls have to put up with while the centre is privately operated?

The only other option is to fill them in the hand basins where people wash their hands, which we have been advised against.

Also, I was there yesterday and one of the exit turnstiles is out of order, there is still a chunk of plywood on the balcony where the pane of glass used to be and a broken panel on the outside windows that has been there for months.

by Business Post Mon May 22, 2006 10:43

Mulcair still occupies ‘disastrous’ Aquatic Centre

21 May 2006 By Kathleen Barrington
Multimillionaire Limerick businessman Pat Mulcair remains in possession of the €62 million state-funded National Aquatic Centre, the Supreme Court heard last week.

The centre was secretly transferred to him in mysterious circumstances three years ago, in a move that appears to have given him tax breaks worth €34million.

by Saline Mon May 22, 2006 22:22

I see that the case is up for mention on friday 26th in the Supreme Court and that it is then down for hearing on the 15th June.If they have sense they will give up on friday and save themselves a lot of bother and expense,they must be getting bad advice to have continued this far but someone seems to be pushing this for their own benefit , even though this so called expert has not won any part of the case and has not put their name to anything,maybe the kerrymen will wise up to this person before it is too late.

by Morgan Mon May 22, 2006 23:07

I see management are attacking an individual again over comments on this site how sad and pathetic and as it turns out misplaced,the individual I think they are attacking is out of the country for the last couple of weeks on holiday and probably does not even know this site is up and running. Now who is the fool ,also who are the ones that are paying most to solicitors ?
On the question of people with green hair this has happened and it was caused by adding too much acid into the jacuzzi on the instruction of the management,I am sure they will be hearing from solicitors on this in the near future.

by Unknown Tue May 23, 2006 11:32

I'm amazed some people claim to know soi much on this site. They seem able to know which posts are by Mgt. Who is who when using pseudonym's. I came to the conclusion that there are probably only about half a dozen people using this site.

by morgan - nac Tue May 23, 2006 12:43

for Saline,

is that you out there Dr Duffy??

by concerned Tue May 23, 2006 15:45

We read in the news that the management are going and that all sorts of tricks have been pulled.in the running of the centre. Green hair, no wages and personal attacks on this web site in an attempt to close it. For what should have been a great place it turns out to have been a shambles. The big question is why? Who is in charge of maintenance, not the poor sod trying to keep the place going but the manager in charge. Who is in charge of the centre? Must we mess this place up as Eircom Park was. The fun seems to be gone from the place and its staff. The conditions are to put it mildly poor and yet the people responsible are still there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Shame on you for the poor job you have done and not taken the honest route and quit before the place goes to hell

by Morgan Tue May 23, 2006 16:31

Hark at the ex-staff with grudges, who no longer can take advantage of the good nature of the management and employees, and who cannot now deride their former employers and colleagues from within, yet cannot let go and find alternative employment, and are reduced to recording their sad mutters here, messers Duffer and the burger king.

well for your information, the place and atmosphere is much better without you and we the staff are all smilling again. The negativity has gone with you. Let go and move on, you will not be back...

the maintenance is going fine, new staff are in, the majority of gripers and passengers are gone, live is good... hopefully will never see you again ....

by Saline Tue May 23, 2006 17:14

What a joke you are morgan the staff are intimidated and are far from happy the only thing keeping them going is the fact you are about to be thrown out .If you can say that staff are happy when one of them has been sacked for having an accident with a piece of equipment which he was instructed to use by management and was not even trained on you definitely have lost the plot.We the real staff are the people who are writing on this site how else do you think all the problems are getting out .By the way are you being paid in sterling or euros and are you paying your tax to the queen or to bertie ?

by Saline Tue May 23, 2006 17:19

Just one other thing morgan you say the maintenance is perfect ,do you think your records will stand up to scrutiny ,I would think about your answer if I were you because they might just have to.

by Morgan Tue May 23, 2006 17:22

yes Duffer - it is YOU, ha ha, enjoy the show, so glad your not here. We are covered here.... running like clockwork, your satire is clearly not missed.. we are all a team now ..

by Concerned Tue May 23, 2006 17:36

'Duffer' needs to learn how to write the Queens english, grammar dreadful, punctuation non-existent, and clearly unemployed.

What did you do at the NACDuffer?

by Saline Tue May 23, 2006 18:18

So, one general maintenance man and two part time pool plant operators ,who also double as lifeguards, is a maintenance team in a building of that size , yes I am sure everything is running down very well.
How are the interviews going for Team Leaders , for those of you who do not know they are reducing the number of Team Leaders from 4 to 3 and the people who have being doing this job are now being interviewed again to try and keep their job,one of them will be demoted,I can see how this keeps the staff happy and working as a team,yeah right.

by Duffy - ex NAC technical manager Tue May 23, 2006 18:30

This is the real ex NAC maintenance manager here. just had my attention drawn to this site.
May I make it perfectly clear that this is the first and last comment I shall make here as I feel this kind of behaviour is less than dignified.

I dont think this is the real person alleged writing . The grammar differs improvedly from what I am used to from him.
I was sure my dealings with this company were settled but I am dismayed to find my reputation being stained here.

Gentleman "alleged" to be making comments need only inform me in writing by email that he has no hand or part in this and I will disregard the pathetic scenario I see here.

Directors note that we have an agreement in place, or so I thought? I would curtail criticisism of my previous performance to loosely, from within your organisation unless we intend to debate the validity of the engineering performance through the legal system.

This is indeed a sorry state of affairs.

My email is well known to all concerned. please use it as often as you wish.

by Morgan Tue May 23, 2006 18:31

The Duffer will not die! Well informed for an ex-employee (who did nothing) ha ha. What he does not know, he makes it up, just to scare monger.

The staff are still here Duffer... working away, oblivious to your paranoid ramblings, your the one without a job!

... Team leaders are smiley and happy ... maintenance good as your not here.

Have a good day ...

by concerned member Tue May 23, 2006 19:12

Having just been made aware of this site I am disgusted by what I have read,if only half of what I have read is true then the sooner the people in charge of this magnificent facility are shown the door the better.
The only point I wish to comment on is the situation regarding Team Leaders,how can anyone say they are smiley and happy when one of them is about to be demoted and I would imagine get a pay cut.The person who wrote this is living on another planet.

by concerened Tue May 23, 2006 19:54

I wrote the piece on what the hell is going in what was a top class facility, that was attacked by Morgan. I am not an ex employee. Yes I have been in the NAC on many occasions and enjoyed it. I have not enjoyed it in a long time and wont be there again because of the condition it was in the last time I was there. I made what I thought was a valid point followed by a request. I then see personal attacks made about ex staff and they dident write the piece I did, an excustomer The only person who has named himself was one of the people being attacked. it looks like the earlier posts about poor management and leadership must be true if the management can spend time on this site having a go at people who have no way to defend themselves.Again shame on you. I will personally watch this site and will take note of what I see as abuse of staff and show them to the necessary local and national members of the various political parties I know from my business. I know a lot of them right across the board and will ask some questions of them when I next meet them. Take this as you want it but I believe in the right of free speech but to hide and accuse people of things that they havent done and to hide behind a fake by line shows a weakness of character which is sad to see.
Mr Duffy fair play to you for being straight and honest, I admire that in any man. Maybe you are better off as an ex staff member as if what I have read is from current management. "You were a man amongest swine" to quote the good book. I look forward to being called somebody else when this is read but belive me I dident work there and thank God for that as if thats the way staff are treated I would have murdered one of them.

by I wonder Tue May 23, 2006 21:52

I once heard of the lough ness monster.
I also heard of big foot.
I've heard of Santa Claus.
I've heard of the tooth fairy.

Point: Don't believe everything you hear. It's not all true. So many points, so many inaccuracies.

by Bren Wed May 24, 2006 11:29

Unfortunately in this case, most of the above is true. There are no records of the results of pool water tests, except done. This is what you expect in a toilet facility not a swimming pool with dangerous chemicals. The safety checks in the leisure pool last year were all doctored in one day when a few guys were brought into a room by management to do up all the safety checks for a year in one go in advance of the maintenance inspection,.
People are being treated so badly that now the majority of staff are now in SIPTU which is good to hear.
The place is falling apart due to lack of maintenance. Even the exit turnstile is out of order for the past 2 weeks. what kind of message is this sending out about our national facility that we waited years for.
So, they are back in court on friday and on the 16th to set a date for the so called appeal and there are many people waiting in the long grass for this.

by Member Fri May 26, 2006 14:26

If what you say is true, by the lack of response from the management I would have to believe it is true, the sooner the case is heard the better.

by Curious Fri May 26, 2006 14:37

If things are so bad then why havent the Health & Safety Authority been called in? If things were that bad they would close the joint straight away. Why havent SIPTU issued a statement if the place is unsafe? Surely SIPTU would take action if things were bad, they would at least publically demand that HSA take action.

by Member Fri May 26, 2006 14:47

Things are bad ,SIPTU have informed the management of the centre of their concerns but these have been ignored bY the management.
As regards reporting the centre to the HSA , you must give your name and as the staff know if the management find out the persons name they will be sacked.So the reason it has not been reported is TERROR.

by dan Fri May 26, 2006 14:53

Staff have already gone to the HSA but unless they are willing to give their names to the complaint the HSA can't act. And we all know what would happen staff if they did something like that....

So these guys are being protected by the bureaucracy that exists here in relation to leisure centres.

As SIPTU isn't "officially recognised" by management either, (one of the directors even slammed down the phone on their representative mid sentence "allegedly") they can't act on the staff's behalf, at least not officially.

A little bird also told me that the only reasons these guys are dragging out an appeal is so that they don't lose a case in advance of the launch of their other "pool projects" abroad where if the case was over they would be blacklisted by other investors. But if they can drag it out and get these started beforehand........ I'll let readers make their minds up.

by Curious Fri May 26, 2006 14:59

"Staff have already gone to the HSA but unless they are willing to give their names to the complaint the HSA can't act."

Not true. The HSA will follow up anonymous complaints (maybe not speedily). But if you do give your name the HSA will not divulge it to the employer. Remember the HSA Inspectors are trade unionists as well, they are members of IMPACT. If you really feel compromised then contact IMPACT, they will ensure that the details are handled securely.

by Dan Fri May 26, 2006 15:07

As if...
Enough of the staff have approached the HSA and have all been told the same thing. They haven't made it up. And if they are going to investigate a complaint against the NAC, natural justoce would necessitate that they are informaed as to who made the complaint.
The HSA would have to be blind and deaf not to have instigated an inspection of the place by now.
I was there last night and the amount of parents that were walking along the pool in their outdoor shoes, complete with doggy do do possibly, was nothing short of shocking. ONe parent was up at the tp pool and even chatting to the lifeguard and she didn't say anything. That's the level of management and hygiene that exists there.
Even one of the directors' representatives was showing some "professionals" the parts of the building that are falling to bits, and all 3 of them were in their outdoor shoes, parading the full length of the facility. what does this say.....??

by Member Fri May 26, 2006 15:39

I think you are all missing the point,the people who are in charge of this facility do not care about anyone or anything ,they think they are above the law .Just read the piece from Bren where he states they doctored the maintenance records for the court case and seem to have gotten away with it ,although as Bren says there are people waiting in the long grass with evidence against them,this might come out in the Supreme Court and if not it can be revisited in the High Court.They still have only one maintenance person and less than half the amount of cleaners they had when the place opened,by the way do not look for a job as a cleaner unless you are Polish,I am sure this has nothing got to do with the fact the Duty Officer responsible for the cleaners is himself Polish.

by Curious Fri May 26, 2006 15:40

"Enough of the staff have approached the HSA and have all been told the same thing. They haven't made it up. "

I'm sorry but I doubt you. Get a TD or Councillor to make the complaint for you then. I am sure that SF, SP , LP or independents would do it. They would not be fobbed off by an illegal response from the HSA. (Which I dont believe occurred.)

SIPTU can make the complaint. The company may not recognise them but it cannot ignore the HSA Act. Employees at a workplace are legally entitled to elect a H&S Representative, the company does not have a choice about recognising him or her. Even Ryanair had to accept H&S Reps. A H&S Rep cannot be dismissed for carrying out their duties. A H&S Rep has more legal protection than any union rep has.

"And if they are going to investigate a complaint against the NAC, natural justoce would necessitate that they are informaed as to who made the complaint."

No, natural justice has got nothing to do with those making a complaint being unmasked. They are guaranteed anonymity under the HSA Act. I really cannot take you seriously.

by Curious Fri May 26, 2006 15:43

It is obvious from your comments that you are opposed to polish people being employed by the company. Maybe thats the reall agenda thats being pursued here.

Now put up or shut up. Go to the HSA or get SIPTU or a TD or Councillor to go to them for you.

by Member Fri May 26, 2006 16:03

I am for all nationalities to be employed there , but that means advertising the jobs for everyone to apply be they lithuanian,latvian, greek or Pole but it should be openly advertised so that all nationalities are given the chance and so that the law is adhered to.

by Bren Fri May 26, 2006 16:11

As many of the staff are from outside the EU they remind them that they have their permits. There is a lot of intimidation with phrases such as "just do your f*cking job" often emanating from said manager to staff.
They hire these staff as they can pay them less and they are less aware of their rights.
If staff are sick for one day they take this money from their wages.
They breach rules and regulations at almost every turn. You can see even when they lost the high court case they're still there. This almost reeks of the George bush elections all over again. He lost but he is still there.
If i have to I'll picket outside this building to raise the profile of this scandal if this isn't sorted out soon.

by Curious Fri May 26, 2006 16:12

Your paranoia is laughable. If I was a member of management then I woul hardly suggest that you get SIPTU, IMPACT, SF, SP, LP to raise your concerns with the HSA. If you really were an employee of NAC then you would take my advice.

by Bren Fri May 26, 2006 16:20

Well a condition of the appeal is that they have to ensure that their staff are paid. Also they have to ensure that they pay all their suppliers, as shock horror, they seem to have been screwing them also and in the process making warranties on equipment (such as timing equipment) void as they haven't maintained servicing contracts.
So, if they slip up, and someone tells the judge these guys are out.

by Curiouis Fri May 26, 2006 16:31

I am surprised that SIPTU have not made a public issue of the mistreatment of immigrant workers. If for some strange reason SIPTU is reluctant to publicise this then you would certainly get support from the SP, SF, LP and WSM.

by Disgrace Fri May 26, 2006 16:33

Haven't you forgotten, you guys don't engage with Unions!!!!

by Staff Member Fri May 26, 2006 17:44

I have taken your advice and contacted SIPTU and asked them to contact IMPACT ,you never know we might get this sorted before the next court date.

by Bulgaria Man Fri May 26, 2006 20:51

I was wondering what the people in Bulgaria and Spain would make of the fact that they were dealing with people that have doctored maintenance files for the High Court,would they continue to do business with these people and what would the employers of these people in Tralee make of this.Maybe it is time for the people in the long grass to come out and make their stand,it could be fun.

by User Mon May 29, 2006 10:46

There seems to have been a burst pipe at the weekend in the leisure pool and when they turned off the pressure the water level dropped. This is just another episode in a litany of incompetence of these people. With no proper maintenance team employed, waht do you expect.
I'm sure the maintenance checks on this piece of equipment could be interesting....

by Curious Mon May 29, 2006 11:20

This petty bickering about the quality of maintenance at the NAC is of no interest to Indy readers. If you have real H&S or Industrial Relations problems then I have already shown you where you can get help. This silliness is not helping your cause.

by ridiculous Mon May 29, 2006 11:29

On the contrary, the shoddy (or lack of) manitenance of the centre along with many other areas is a key reason why these people must go before they run our €60 million centre into the ground.
I think it's very much in the public interest and not just for us poor souls who have to use the place with our clubs. And that isn't even mentioning the dirt of the place...

by SM Mon May 29, 2006 12:11

The people running centre have no interest in maintaining it ,if they had, they would not have only one general maintenance person employed in the centre.This person has been operating on their own for the last 8 months,for a building of this size and national importance this is a disgrace.Today a new manager has been appointed to help the 3 Duty Officers with their job and the poor maintenance person has to carry on alone.The fact that the new manager is a good friend of the G.M. of the centre and had not got a job, has nothing got to do with the decision to appoint them ,instead of at least one extra maintenance person, I am sure.

by SM Mon May 29, 2006 12:48

By the way the staff,of which I am one,are not happy with this appointment , we are fed up with all the complaints regarding the maintenance of the building,not the fault of the poor maintenance man I hasten to add,and we would have been happier to have seen at least one extra maintenance person employed instead.It has gotten that bad that the majority of us staff do not even let people we meet outside of the centre know where we work.

by fed up Mon May 29, 2006 13:29

I heard about that "new appointment". She went to Australia last year I think and was instrumental in many of the cock ups and double bookings before she left. And now she's back looking for a job. Her experience amounts to lifeguarding, not management. What are these people playing at?
The staff have my total sympathy as from what I hear this place is just the worst scenario I have ever seen with some dysfunctional "management style" in place, much of which revolves around intimidation and threats. when the centre finally goes back to government hands I know of one person who will be out on her ear.

by Employed Mon May 29, 2006 16:05

To SM (Whoever you are) I also am a worker in the NAC. I proudly were my work blouse out at lunch etc. One day I was asked by a local butcher "is that big fat ignorant f---er still working on reception"to which I replied "no thank god". Stop speaking on behalf of all the staff. We are happy we are STILL employed, we do our job and get on with it, maybe you should do the same.

by Creche Mon May 29, 2006 17:06

Now now children is this how management react to the truth being told about the centre.If this is the type of childish name calling used by management on this site I can only imagine that what I have read about the management style on this site has got to be true.Everytime anyone comments on the mismanagement of the Aquatic Centre schoolgirl name calling is used against the person making the comment, not very mature ,but then again it lets us the general public know what type of person is in charge of the centre ,god help the staff is all I can say.

by Just Mon May 29, 2006 17:45

From what I can see management seem to be trying to change the subject away from the Doctored Maintenance Files and who can blame them,misleading the High Court is very serious.

by whistleblower Mon May 29, 2006 17:50

and the problem is that all of the staff that know of thse deceits/forged safety sheets etc. are afraid of losing their job. However, once staff members leave there's nothing stopping them going to CSID and telling them what they know and if they are willing to put it in an affidavit then something can be done.
These people are getting off scot free as they have a noose around the neck of their staff with threats/

by concerned Mon May 29, 2006 17:56

Oh God another money eating inquiry in what went wrong and where did the money go, is on the cards. Thats all we need. Then again if it is what is needed to get the NAC back up to speck then so be. 63 million and the roof blows off so whats another million here or there. There are questions that have been raised in this thread that require further examination. As i said before I will be watching and so will a lot of interested people to see what happens.

by Dan Mon May 29, 2006 18:26

From what I know of the situation and know quite a few staff over the last 2 years, it's all true.
when you hear the same story 3 or 4 times from different sources you know there's a problem. I just wish Prime Time investigates actually took up this story. But then the court case and now the appeal is preventing the media really getting their teeth into this.
I wonder if the unions can do anything about the recruitment process etc. and no advertisements for jobs that arise as well as the awful conditions the staff have to work under. Just reading the threads here that are obviously management, you can sense the type of intimidation that they use on a daily basis.
As they always say, look at the people at the top and you can see what kind of culture lies beneath and in the case of the nac it's rotten to the core.

by BB King Mon May 29, 2006 18:38

'when you hear the same story 3 or 4 times from different sources you know there's a problem.'

Its clear that we are hearing the same story 3 or 4 times from the same person using 3 or 4 different names.

by Dan Mon May 29, 2006 18:44

unlike management, I have nothing to hide and if I say something is true, it is. Simple as that. There is so much crap going on in that place you couldn't even make it up.
That's my two cents worth

by B.B. King Wed May 31, 2006 11:49

When are you going to quit posting these silly comments? If you have problems then process them through your union or the HSA. You have been given advice on that. Why not go on strike? I suspect that you are just a couplee of cranks.

by mimi Wed May 31, 2006 15:07

Waterworld don't recognise the union remember??!! But then again if you ask one of your directors he will confirm that he slammed the phone down on the Union representative (mid sentence I may add!)when he was enquiring as to whether the staff were going to be paid last month.

Just lovely carry on. The next thing they will nearly be looking for an award for one of the best 50 companies to work in such are their abject delusions about how to deal with staff (and customers!)

by BB King Wed May 31, 2006 15:33

If you have serious problems and the management refuse to recognise the union then you should try strike action. You have been advised on how to raise matters with the HSA.

by More threats against staff Wed May 31, 2006 17:21

The latest today is that management are sending threatening notices to staff and trying to gag them and tell them legal action will be taken is they go on to any websites such as this or speak externally about this. Time to get the newspapers involved me thinks!

by union man Wed May 31, 2006 18:05

It is about time the people came out in support of the staff in the NAC. This style of management is out of another era. It should be stopped. We fought hard to get protection for all workers. It was not in vain as the NAC have found out to their cost in the past. If any staff member reads this and has been threatened by management. report it to your union rep, report it to union headquarters and write down what was said. Anytime anybody in management has something to say to you as regards work make sure you have a witness present. sounds crazy but it works. They will not try anything if they can be pulled up on it at a later date. This is a war now, its management V staff and I have been in enough of them to know they will smile to your face and stab you in the back. The bottom line is DON'T TRUST THEM.

by oneofthepeople Wed May 31, 2006 18:40

"It is about time the people came out in support of the staff in the NAC."

Despite all the trolling that has been done here few of the comments have actually given any verifiable information. You have just repeated claims that you would not be prepared to make openly. If you had a case you would place a picket on the place and issue a detailed list of grievances. Then you would definitely get the support.
The constant sniping above is like a bad case of diarrohea - all shite and no substance. You have not proven your case to me, and so I will not be giving you any support.

by Disgrace Thu Jun 01, 2006 10:00

Why does the last comment sound exactly like the general manager in its tone and aggressiveness??!!
Better still, management have sent around some emails with these threats so it's only a matter of time before these mails end up on the desks of the unions. Maybe we could even scan them in and publish them on this site so people can make up their own minds about the way the staff are being treated.
Also the 2 creche workers that are being fired as they are not pulling in enough money is another example of the greed of these people. Maybe they're runnign out of money at last and are trying to make even more savings in there. Next, they'll be looking for volunteers to run the place!

by BB King Thu Jun 01, 2006 10:44

Well I'm not management. I am tired of reading the same allegations time after time. You are a waste of bandwidth. You have made us aware of your problems; you have been given advice on how to resolve them: now go and do something about it.

by change the record........ Thu Jun 01, 2006 11:09

Maybe the staff are not taking it to the union as they know they have no case. Sounds like all talk and no action. We would be delighted to see scans of the "threatening" memo's and letters.

by Truth hurts Thu Jun 01, 2006 11:26

Actually Staff were merely advised by the Management not to get involved in mud slinging on web sites such as this.

by crazy Thu Jun 01, 2006 11:27

....and if they did, legal action would be taken against them by management.

by Union Man Fri Jun 02, 2006 17:58

I am sick and tired of some jumped up little madam ruining, what I and very many other people in all sports around the country worked for, which is Campus Ireland. There is plenty of proof of your incompetence. Court records are neither sealed nor labour court records for that matter. Picket the place why bother. You lost in the high court what chance the Supreme Court. Oh and don’t forget Campus Ireland is the man from Drumcondra's little baby. Very few cross him and survive long. Where will you end up? Maybe there is another fine venue that needs running into the ground as you and your team have done to the NAC. I have never seen a venue run as badly as this and I have visited the best and worst sporting arenas in the world both as a competitor and manager. You think you know me but you dont.

by Loafer Mon Jun 05, 2006 12:29

why would we, the workers picket? We are getting paid, we work in a nice environment and are fine. The place is GREAT without you two.............