Engineers acting for the builder of the €62 million National Aquatic Centre have reported that there are no leaks from the swimming pools in the building at Abbotstown, west Dublin.
The findings by URS Ireland conflict with those of engineering firm Malachy Walsh & Partners, which said in a report for the pool operator that the entire building could subside due to leaks from the pool.
The URS report was issued by the building group Rohcon, which has consistently denied claims of widespread leaking from the pools.
Rohcon was initially denied access to the centre by its operator, Dublin Waterworld, and went to the High Court to secure access to the building for the final part of its examination.
Malachy Walsh & Partners was engaged by Dublin Waterworld, which is fighting efforts by the State company Campus & Stadium Ireland Development (CSID) to have it removed as operator of the centre.
CSID claims Dublin Waterworld has not maintained the centre properly, a claim it denies.
The URS report was seized on by Minister for Sport John O'Donoghue, who called on the Labour and Fine Gael leaders to reveal where they sourced the information they used to claim in the Dáil that leaks had occurred.
The Minister said: "This flies in the face of the wild allegations that have been made in the Dáil, in the media and elsewhere. We were told of serious structural problems, leaking swimming pools and a facility that was out of control." He said Pat Rabbitte and Enda Kenny should also explain why they did not check the information they gave the Dáil, "and why they sought to undermine a vital national asset for political advantage".
His remarks were dismissed by Mr Rabbitte and by Fine Gael. "All of the matters I referred to were in the public domain. We all saw the roof blown off.
"We all saw with our own eyes video evidence of amounts of water gushing through leaks at the centre," Mr Rabbitte said.
Fine Gael's spokesman said: "We have two substantial reports already in the public domain in relation to the facility. A letter extending to just over one page is not a good enough rebuttal for the taxpayer.
"Rather than try to attack the people seeking answers to serious questions about the construction and operation of the National Aquatic Centre, he would be better advised bringing in an independent set of engineers to do a complete audit of the facility."
Citing the examination by URS, Rohcon said there was "no evidence of any structural defects or of any water leaking through the concrete structure into the plant room as alleged".
While some leakage through pipe joints and valves was detected, Rohcon said this was a matter for Dublin Waterworld.
"The technical examination consisted of an inspection of the entire centre, with a particular reference to the structural integrity of the concrete works."
Rohcon also said URS had confirmed that the concrete works were designed and constructed to meet the requirements of the British concrete standard BS 8007. "They have also confirmed that any cracks which exist are not leaking, are not of a structural nature and are entirely normal for a structure of this type."
The report, in the form of a letter to Rohcon, said that "no significant leaks through reinforced concrete walls and slabs were noted" in the competition and diving pools. Two areas of ponding water were noted in the basement plant room, both directly caused by leaks to plantroom pipework . . . We noted a number of cracks to both plantroom walls and slabs, however, these had either been repaired, self-sealed or had never leaked."
URS went on: "We also confirm that static hydraulic tests were conducted on the diving pool, 50-metre competition pool, leisure pool, associated balance tanks and pipe work. No evidence of leakage was detected."
Dublin Waterworld director Kieran Ruttledge declined to make any detailed comment on the URS report and Rohcon's statement. "On that basis, they'll have no objection to a joint independent inspection," he said.
