Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I agree with both speakers but what Senator Higgins has raised is important. To be fair, this happens anyway with proper planning and sustainable development.Our planners are exceptional across the entire planning sector in all of our 31 local authorities. They are keenly aware of these issues, as are the elected members. Do not underestimate our local authority members. They are on the ball, on the money and on the case. They live in these communities and they are the greatest advocates of them, as are other community groups.

It should not be about public, private, social or semi-private facilities. These facilities are standard issue for anyone in terms of sustainable communities and where we live. One need only go to Copenhagen to see it. Every corner of every street has some little swing, or interactive play or educational facility for children, teenagers and adults. One thing I have learned from Covid is how imaginative our local authorities are and I thank the Minister for the funding that has come from his Department in this regard. We have seen the public realm activated, animated and opened up. It is right beside us and we have never really thought about the possibilities for it. Now we see planters, parklets and seating areas. There are problems with some of it but on the whole it is good and it is the way to go forward.

It is important and it is always timely to raise this issue so I thank Senator Higgins for doing so. I also agree with Senator Cummins that these things are standard issue and practice. It is no harm to keep them on the checklist every time. Schools are a bigger issue because there are bigger funding issues there. Public transport is a particularly big issue because there are huge costs involved and we also have a national development plan that will cover a lot of these areas. I thank Senator Higgins for raising the issue but it is adequately covered in our county development, regional and local plans and it is Government policy.