THERE will be a High Court, petition next Monday to put Colmant, owner of the Iveagh Baths Leisure Centre, into examinership. Colmant went into receivership last week.

International Leisure Group (ILG), a supplier to the leisure industry and a creditor of Colmant, will make the petition.

Mr Robert Dolan, ILG's owner, and another investor, are understood to be prepared to fund Colmant, so that it can be brought out of examinership, following an arrangement with the creditors. These are understood to include some members who paid subscriptions.

Mr Dolan, a large creditor, designed the internal layout of the centre and also supplied equipment. The intention of the petitioner is to open the leisure centre as planned.

However, industry sources' have indicated that a third party, has already agreed to buy the centre from the receiver, Mr Barry Forest, of accountants O'Connor, Leddy & Holmes. Mr Forest was not available for comment.

Anglo Irish Bank, which is owed more than £500,000, put in the receiver.

As it has a fixed charge, it is unlikely to lose out. It is not known if Anglo will support or reject the petition, as a spokesman refused to comment "on any individual cases".

Colmant, controlled by Mr Paddy Boyce and Mr Frank Glennon, who operate a Dublin construction company, received backing from Dublin Corporation's planning and development committee for the leisure development in June 1994.

The plan was to redevelop the baths located on the edge of the Liberties. The premises were leased from Dublin Corporation for a period of 250 years for an initial payment of £175,000.

Delays held up completion of the £1.2 million club which was to have opened last October. It is almost completed.

The leisure and fitness centre will be one of the largest in the inner city with more than 19,000 sq ft of space.

The facilities will include a swimming pool, saunas, gymnasiums, aerobics, studios, solarium, beauty salon, an indoor running track and a members' lounge.