Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State will be aware that Willie Pearse Park, Crumlin, St. John Bosco Football Club, Brickfield Park, Drimnagh and Bushy Park in Terenure belong to Dublin City Council. The fact that these are public facilities makes them of high value to the local community. A variety of clubs and sporting organisations in the area use the facilities on a weekly basis for boxing, soccer and Gaelic games. The local community works tirelessly with Dublin City Council and sporting clubs in the area in an effort to secure funding for the various projects. Furthermore, despite that this area of Dublin is one of low socioeconomic status and is densely populated it has only one youth centre and three community centres. Sporting organisations, clubs and young people in the area are highly dependent on over-used and badly in need of repair sporting facilities.

Is the Minister of State aware that Brickfield Park is the only public park of its size in the entire Inchicore-Drimnagh area?

Is the Minister of State aware the local community groups and sporting clubs wanted to submit two separate funding applications under the sports capital programme, one for an all-weather pitch and another for draining at Brickfield Park, but in an attempt to maximise success Dublin City Council decided to submit the drainage application only? As this was refused, it meant the local community ended up with nothing. It is disappointing the Minister of State will not meet a delegation from the local community group. Is he prepared to commit to meeting me in the near future to further discuss the matter?

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