'Areas in Cork without playgrounds need investment'

A LABOUR Party candidate running for a seat on Cork City Council next year has called on the Government to establish a new central fund for the provision of playgrounds.

Peter Horgan, a candidate in the city’s South East ward, said current grants available are insufficient to provide enough play spaces in the city.

“What we need to see is a statement of play and recreation ambition from Government.

“Local authorities cannot fund the establishment and expansion of playgrounds, so we need to see central Government funding — real funding — to establish new play spaces.

“No one is taking away from the marquee sites — like the Marina and Fitzgerald’s Park — but when you look at areas such as Blackrock, Maryborough Hill, Ballintemple, Garryduff, and Rochestown, all without playgrounds and play spaces, we have to ask why,” he said.

“We must future proof these communities, and play spaces are one aspect that must be funded — by this or the near future Government.”

His comments come as figures provided to the party by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration, and Youth in April this year showed that — between 2017 and 2022 — Cork City Council received a total of €59,711 under the Department’s Capital Grants Scheme for Play and Recreation.

Cork County Council received €75,673 from the department over the same period.

The party also submitted a parliamentary question at the time, asking Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman “the reason the capital grant scheme for play and recreation is limited to one application per local authority, given local authorities cover very different population sizes across the country”.

Mr O’Gorman said: 

“The policy aim underpinning this scheme is to manage the allocated funding, which amounts to €450k, with a view to maximising the impact of the funding; so that as many communities as possible are able to benefit from the projects supported by this scheme.

Mr O’Gorman said he acknowledged that there are “population density discrepancies associated with the Local Authority subdivision”, but said the current apportionment model is “the most transparent and equitable option” available.