Trinity College has opened its new 30m euro (£24m) sports centre in Dublin.

The centre features a 25m, six-lane swimming pool with a moveable fl oor, two sports halls and a 19m climbing wall.

Open to students, staff and the local community, the facility also boasts a health and fitness area, an aerobic and dance studio, a sauna, steamroom and treatment rooms for physiotherapy.

Funding for the centre came from Trinity College as well as from American billionaire Chuck Feeney, who contributed €9m (£7m). An additional €4m (£3m) was raised through an annual levy on students.

The centre was officially opened by Irish sports minister Seamus Brennan who said the facility would have a huge impact on university sports. “Sport and recreation play a hugely important role in university life and never more so than in today’s hectic environment,” he said.

“The value of sport to the nation simply cannot be over-emphasised – in raising our health levels, in helping to give us a sense of ourselves and in boosting morale.”