Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit as a bheith anseo. Is ceist an-tábhachtach í seo do lár na cathrach. B'fhéidir go bhfuil sé ag fiafraí "Cén fáth mise?" agus "Cén fáth an cheist seo?" The Liberties of Dublin on the south side of the Liffey has been the focus of many building developments over the years, some welcome, some not. Not all address the needs of the community, in particular the housing needs of that community. The reason I raise this matter is that the community has a crying need for Government action and investment along with Dublin City Council to ensure there are spaces for sports and the community, especially a community that is growing as this is at the moment. There is no grass or all-weather pitch in this deprived and disadvantaged area. It is a need that has been identified especially considering the closure of the two grass pitches which were in St. Teresa’s Gardens but were closed 15 years ago with a promise that they would be reinstated. That is now stuck in a court in the European Union. That might happen at some stage in the future. Also two of the community halls in the area have been closed. One has been in long-term use as a homeless centre and the other had a fire last year. There was a promise that the earliest possible that the city council would reopen that would be in 2024. That exacerbated a problem already in existence for the 6,500 children under the age of 12 who live locally in this area and the sports clubs that are in the area but must travel outside to take part in competitive sports. This affects a number of soccer teams, Gaelic teams, rugby teams and other sports. The area has the lowest percentage of green space in the city at 6.5%. This is the lowest green space per child and much of what counts for that green space is in fact unusable. It includes grass verges of the Luas track. There was a promise, as I said, that one of the two pitches, or at least a pitch would replace the Boys' Brigade pitches that were in St. Teresa's Gardens. There is no sight of that.

There is a site and thankfully the city councillors have ensured despite the city management that this site is still available. It is in public hands and can be utilised. It is next to an existing sports centre owned by the council. It is zoned so that it could become the hub for those sports. It could become the centre for those multipurpose all-weather pitches where children and adults can play outdoors on this pitch nearly morning, noon and night. The site is on Marrowbone Lane. The Minister of State is probably aware of the centre there. It is a site that has been looked at by the 30 sports groups that have come together under the auspices of Sporting Liberties.

The Minister of State knows that well. He was in Cherry Orchard today announcing funding from the Dormant Accounts Fund. Sports can divert people away from crime and drugs and help them to keep fit and healthy and to make friends. In this area of the Liberties, we cannot keep losing generation after generation to drugs and the chaos that is around them.

I am appealing to the Minister of State to intercede with Dublin City Council to ensure that funding and the direction are given to ensure this project can happen quickly.

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