15th January 2002

PRESS RELEASE

GREEN PARTY SAYS PRIORITISE PLAYGROUNDS IN DÚN LAOGHAIRE

The Green Party has made a call for more playgrounds to be provided by Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Council . It has criticised the Council for only providing six playgrounds within the County.

  "We are concerned that the Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Development Plans devotes only one sentence to Children's Play Facilities", stated the Green Party's Planning Spokesperson Ciarán Cuffe today, "Yet space for play is a fundamental right under the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child.

"The UK National Playing Fields Association recommends at least four acres for sport and two acres for play for every 1,000 people, yet we are nowhere near their standards. We are concerned that there are more golf courses than playgrounds within Ireland.

"The Green Party is now calling for Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Council to incorporate a detailed playgrounds policy and budget line into their Development Plan.

"Busier roads with more traffic and smaller gardens have reduced the space available for children's play. It is now time for Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Council to spend more on children."

ENDS

For further information contact:

Ciarán Cuffe              087 265 2075 or 618 3082