A timeline for fixing damaged tiles at the National Sports Centre swimming pool has still not been established, more than two years and eight months after the issue was first identified.

Education, Sport and Culture Minister Daphne Caine told Tynwald that she was unable to provide a timescale for when repairs would be completed, despite saying she remained hopeful a resolution would be reached ‘in the near future’.

The issue was raised again during Tuesday's final sitting of the current Tynwald administration after Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK Jason Moorhouse asked what progress had been made in the last three months.

Mrs Caine said the Department of Education, Sport and Culture was continuing to follow the contractual process in an effort to resolve the matter.

She told members: ‘I fully understand the frustration felt by honourable members and members of the public that the issue remains unresolved.

‘However, the discussions taking place under the terms of the contract are confidential, and I am therefore unable to comment further until that process has concluded.

‘I remain hopeful that a resolution will be reached in the near future.’

Mr Moorhouse asked whether a final date was now in place for action to be taken, or whether the department believed a solution could be reached within ‘hours rather than weeks and days’.

Mrs Caine replied: ‘I am really sorry. It is not possible to provide any timescale at present, but we will update members and the public as soon as we are able to.

‘Everything that can be done, we are doing.’

The fault was first identified in November 2023, when a five-metre stretch covering two lanes at one end of the pool was closed off.

At the time, the minister said a series of tests and analysis had been carried out to establish the root cause of the problem before repair work could begin.

She previously warned that fixing the tiles without understanding why the issue had occurred could result in the problem happening again.

During Tuesday's sitting, Douglas East MHK Clare Barber asked about a report carried out in June 2025 at a cost of £13,500, which she said provided the department with the answers it was seeking.

She questioned what had happened since then and why the main contractor had not been called back to resolve the issue.

Mrs Caine said the department had spent just over £50,000 in total on engineers and surveys as part of the process.

‘Following the due process, I am not in a position to provide any further information,’ she said.

Mr Moorhouse also asked whether legal fees had been incurred and whether the underlying problem was solely related to the tiles.

The minister said she could not provide further detail at this stage.

Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK Tim Glover questioned the apparent contradiction between the minister saying no timeline could be provided while also saying a resolution was hoped for in the near future.

Mrs Caine clarified that she meant she was hopeful a resolution would be reached soon, but details would only be released when appropriate.

Onchan MHK Rob Callister also raised concerns about reports that the swimming pool could need to close for eight months once repair work begins, with groups preparing for the 2027 Island Games seeking clarity.

Mrs Caine said six lanes of the pool remained fully operational, while two lanes with five metres at one end remained cordoned off.

She added she did not have any information regarding the reported eight-month closure but would provide an update once more information became available.

The swimming complex has faced a number of issues since a £4.4m refurbishment began in 2018, which resulted in delays to the reopening of the leisure pool and water slides.