If you will use the leisure centre 2 times per week on average, then you will definitely save money by choosing a membership.  Don't forget you also have free access all the other days of the week as well.

We give extra discounts to families by providing a price of €50 per year, €30 for 6 months to add a child to your membership.

Almost all 12 month Family Memberships paid upfront make savings without even using the centre once per week on average.

We offer you the choice of paying upfront or by Direct Debit (minimum commitment of 3 months).  Portarlington Credit Union have a very low interest rate available to allow you to borrow your annual subs and pay it back by the week.

You can choose from:

• Pay As You Go access
• Occasional special offer memberships.

- 3 Month Membership - Direct Debit only

- 6 Month Membership - Upfront or by Direct Debit

- 12 Month Membership - Upfront or by Direct Debit

Direct Debits are billed monthly from your bank account and have a minimum contract duration of 3 months, but will automatically continue each month unless you advise us that you wish to cancel.

All children under the age of eight years must always be accompanied in the water for unprogrammed swimming sessions. A maximum of two under 8s per adult are permitted.

We recommend that under 4’s or those with specific additional medical or other needs should be accompanied by a parent or a responsible adult on a 1:1 basis.

Children aged 8, 9 or 10 must be accompanied by a responsible parent/adult (over 18 Years) who must remain in view of the child in the water.

Children of 11 years and older do not need to be accompanied unless specific medical conditions deem it necessary.

A copy of our full admissions policy can be obtained at reception.

It is the responsibility of the adult to:

• Provide safe supervision of their children at all times.
• Remain in the water with the children at all times while maintaining a constant watch and be within arm’s length of the children who are weak or non-swimmers.
• Ensure that all non/weak swimmers that they accompany wear appropriate floatation aids if required and stay within a comfortable standing depth.

The following Customer Charter for people with disabilities has been adopted by Laois Leisure Portlaoise

Statement of Intent

• To consult regularly with disabled groups and individuals on the service provided.

• To ensure that all front-line staff are trained in disability awareness and are sensitive to individual customer needs.

• To take positive action for people with disabilities and carers (e.g dedicated swimming sessions free of charge).

• Carers are permitted free access when accompanying a person in need of assistance to enjoy the facilities.

• To aid people with disabilities from the car park to the centre (by prior arrangement)

• To provide a safe and welcoming environment.

• To provide comprehensive information on available activities.

• To ensure all future developments and refurbishments comply fully with good practice and relevant guidelines.

• Ensure the rights to equal treatment established by equality legislation are adhered to and that people are dealt with in a like manner.

• To provide and maintain equipment to make the centre accessible to disabled people, including:

• Wheelchair parking spots
• Signage on wheelchair Parking spots for assistance
• Ramped access to Astro turf pitch
• Wheelchair access to Astro turf pitch
• Semi automatic doors at entrance with push buttons wheelchair level
• Counter top in reception and gym area that is wheelchair accessible
• Hearing Loop at reception , gym and studio
• Lift to gym
• Courtesy wheelchair
• Free entry for carers assisting a disabled user
• Hair Dryers in vanity area at wheelchair level
• Disability Pull Chords in Toilets/ Disabled changing rooms
• Grab bars at toilets and showers
• Wider benches in our disabled changing/shower room
• Shower chairs
• Designated Lockers available for wheelchair users
• Baby changing units at wheelchair height
• Disability toilets located at reception, gym and changing village
• Wheelchair Viewing spots
• Contrast between floor and walls
• Contrast on pool floor tiles to show edge of pool deck
• Pool hoist
• Bravos in Gym
• Machines are all inclusive fitness initiative ( Bright coloured levers on gym machines)
• Gym Programme cards on disk
• Personalised fitness programmes
• One to one gym instruction
• Evac chair on 1st floor
• Disability Emergency Point with Phone at top of Gym Stairway
• Flashing emergency alarms
• PA system
• Level access throughout building
• We use local special need groups for delivery of our leaflets
• We offer work experience for disability groups
• Disability training for all staff
• Our Complaints box is accessible to our wheelchair users
• Disability Liaison Officer

We welcome people with disabilities to use Portarlington Laois Leisure Portlaoise by considering their needs and make every effort to provide a positive experience. If you have any further queries please don’t hesitate to contact us:

Amy Flanagan

Disability Officer

Amy@laoisleisure.ie

(057)8645800

Pam Quirke

Group Operations Manager

pam@laoisleisure.ie

(057)8645800

Customer Charter

Customer Service Policy 

Laois Leisure places a high priority on customer care and is committed to providing the highest quality service every time you make contact with us and visit our facilities. Our Customer Charter outlines the quality of service that you can expect from us: 

Our Staff Will

 • Greet you in a friendly manner and with a smile

 • Treat you with courtesy, respect and dignity.

• Be open, honest and polite.

• Be ready to help

• Respect your confidentiality

• Treat everyone fairly, equally and with respect, ensuring that reasonable adjustments are made for customers who may have special needs and disabilities.

• Have sufficient staffing levels to meet your needs.

• Listen and take customers views seriously to improve the service we provide to you.

• Wear uniform and name badge when working and be suitably trained.

• Keep appointments or let you know in advance if they need to be rearranged

• Not accept offensive or threatening behavior or use it themselves.

• Aim to provide you with a safe, secure, clean and comfortable facility; and work within the stipulations of Laois Leisure’s NOP.

Our Premises Will Be

• Provided with details of fees and charges and other relevant financial information

• Furnished with signage and orientation information appropriate to the Centre.

• Checked daily to ensure they are clean, safe and well maintained. Ancillary areas including changing rooms, showers and toilets will be checked frequently throughout the day to ensure they are clean, hygienic, safe and well maintained

• Illuminated, heated and ventilated to ensure - comfort, good conditions, and safety

• Furnished with equipment which is in good working order, checked and maintained regularly.

• Maintained as we will aim to ensure all faults are reported immediately, fixed in a timely fashion and displayed to the customer

• Supervised by the recommended number of qualified and suitably trained staff to ensure your visit is safe and enjoyable

• Swimming pool water will be balanced chemically and tested every 2 hours to ensure comfort and safety

• Outside pitches area will be free from any form of hazards and safe to use. 

Our Service to You 

• The time and availability of services will be as published in our customer information leaflets. • Foreseen changes will be duly notified to our customers by the display of an appropriate notice within the premises and for bookings and courses we will endeavor to contact customers by telephone/text

• Unforeseen emergency/interruption to services which have been booked will result in refunds and/or an offer of alternative services where possible

• We will publish up-to-date and accurate customer information for all activities. • We will maintain a booking system that is fair and convenient to our customers. • We will make prices competitive and fair to ensure value for money.

• We will aim to answer incoming calls within 5 rings and identify ourselves by name and facility when answering the telephone.

• We will take accurate messages – ensuring that adequate detailed information is noted.

• We will take ownership of the call ensuring that all reasonable care is taken to ensure the customer is dealt with wherever practicable at the first point of call.

• We aim to respond to letters and emails within 10 working days, and respond to email via email, unless you request otherwise.

• We will respect your right to privacy and discuss any confidential or sensitive issues with you in a private room. 

How You Can Help Us

• Enjoy yourself

• Respect the environment and the enjoyment of other visitors by taking note of our Customer Etiquette notices

• Be courteous and respectful towards us

• Keep us informed of any changes in your personal circumstances that may affect the services we provide for you.

• Please behave in a considerate and polite way so that we can give you and other customers the standard of service you would expect

• Let us know what you think about the service you receive and the standard of our facilities so we can keep improving in the future

• Please treat the facilities provided with respect and report any faults to staff immediately

• Please inform staff if any facilities are not up to a satisfactory standard and we will endeavor to attend to areas that are reported as unsatisfactory within 15 minutes.

Your Feedback

 We work hard to continuously improve our services and are committed to providing excellent customer care, good quality services and a great experience. We’d like to know when you’re pleased with our service and welcome your feedback. We would also welcome your suggestions and realise that sometimes things can go wrong. If they do please tell us before you leave so that we can put them right and make improvements. In the first instance, please contact the facility Manager or relevant member of staff at the time of your visit.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Service Standards

The following service standards will help Portarlington Leisure Centre measure and monitor customer service.

Staff

1. All staff shall be in an identifiable uniform and wear a name badge.

2. Staff shall listen to customers’ specific requirements and ask appropriate questions.

3. All staff, where possible, will deal with a customer problem or query and try to resolve the situation to the satisfaction of the customer in the first instance. If a member of staff cannot assist the customer adequately, they shall seek the assistance of their line manager.

Reception

1. Customers will receive a polite, warm and welcoming reception service. Staff will deal with customer queries as quickly as possible. All enquiries should be dealt with courteously, promptly and effectively. This requires centre staff to communicate, listen, thank, assess, inform, take action and take messages.

2. Reception areas will be clean and comfortable, with facilities well sign posted and provision made to display leaflets and other information. A customer information point is in place at reception with up to date information regarding the facilities and services available.

Telephone

1. On answering the telephone, a clear greeting should be given including: - Good morning/afternoon / evening, - Portarlington Leisure Centre, - The name of the person answering the call

2. If a customer call has to be transferred, staff will inform the customer.

3. Should the employee be unable to transfer a call, he/she will take details and arrange action.

Written Comments or Complaints

1. Customers can communicate their impression of service delivery via the customer comment cards or comment book. This can then be handed in at reception or posted in the customer comments box located at reception.

2. All written comments or complaints will be responded to in writing within 10 working days by the Leisure Centre Manager or his deputy.

3. The centre will analyse comments and complaints every quarter to identify trends and ensure that remedial action is implemented.

Cleanliness

Cleanliness in the centre will be a high priority. A documented cleaning schedule will be in operation and its implementation and monitoring will be the specific responsibility of an employee. A weekly analysis of the cleaning

schedule will be carried out and reported at the weekly management meeting. Targets for ensuring cleanliness of the entire centre will be set for each year.

Maintenance

A rolling programme of maintenance will be operative to ensure defects are repaired within agreed timescales and that preventative maintenance systems function effectively. Maintenance defects and associated issues will be discussed at the weekly management meeting. Targets for ensuring a turnaround in defects will set for each year.

Please review the PDF for the Child Safeguarding Statement.