National Aquatic Centre - Standards and Awards

The National Aquatic Centre (NAC) aspires to maintaining the highest standards of facilities, safety and services for all our customers. In order to achieve this strategic objective, the Centre regularly submits itself to external bench-marking and validation. As a consequence, the Centre has not only achieved the required standards but has become a national leader on many fronts – as testified by the various awards it has won in recent years. Most noteworthy in this respect are the following;

(i) The Excellence Ireland Quality Association (EIQA) provides a framework for ensuring that organisations are consistently complying with the highest international standards, codes and legal requirements in respect of quality service and practices. The NAC won the Level 3 Hygiene and Quality Award in 2008 and 2009 respectively. In 2011, it became the outright National Winner of the Q Mark for Leisure Centres.

(ii) The Institute of Leisure and Amenity Management (ILAM) is the professional body for leisure facility management in Ireland. The White Flag is the basic quality standard, and has been consistently achieved by the NAC every year since 2007. In addition, the Centre was awarded the outright National Winner Award in respect of both Disability Access and Training Ethos respectively.

(iii) 02 Ability Awards
Created by the Aisling Foundation, this award scheme focuses on the best practices in respect of the employment, inclusion and access for people with disabilities. In 2010, the National Aquatic Centre achieved the status of an Ability Company in respect of each of the following categories;

- Leadership
- Environmental Accessibility
- Customer Service
- Recruitment and Selection
- Leading Development and Progression
- Retention and Well Being

(iv) Other Awards have included;

Primary Times – Best Family Visitor Attraction (2011) - Star Winner
D15 Chamber of Commerce – Best Sales and Marketing Team (2009)
Swim Ireland – Recognition Award (2007)
Parents Choice – Best Family Day Out award (2006)
UCD – Recognition Award (2004)
Special Olympics – Appreciation Award (2003)