Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I know the Minister accepts the fundamental importance of play and activity in a child’s development. It is also important for families to have a dedicated public play and recreation area that can be utilised when needed.

From the most recent information on this, in response to a parliamentary question, I note that from 2016 to 2018, only three playgrounds were developed or refurbished in County Tipperary. While the communities who had these playgrounds all benefited, I am sure the Minister will accept that it is a fairly insignificant number of refurbished playgrounds.

I salute all of the communities that put playgrounds in place. The Minister referred to one at Duneske in Cahir. I salute Ms Nellie Williams and the community development association in Cahir for having the brainchild there. The same goes for Carronreddy in Tipperary town. These areas have a lot of deprivation and a demographic profile conducted by the Tipperary Education and Training Board shows that south Tipperary continues to show an above-average proportion of young people, which is great. The ETB also found that the youth population in south Tipperary is likely to grow to approximately 19,000 by 2026. It is in this context that a greater expansion of public play amenities will be necessary. The community groups cannot do it all. It is fine to put in the infrastructure and the community groups were the enabling bodies that drew down the funding and put the facilities there, but we need to have the spaces maintained and upgraded. We cannot have them closed. I salute the community development association and others who at this time are trying to reopen their playground in Cahir.

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