Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Question 378: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when the last allocation of funding for children's playgrounds was announced in conjunction with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government; when the next round of allocations will be made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27429/08]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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In March 2004, Ready, Steady, Play, the National Play Policy was launched by my Office. The purpose of the policy is about improving the lives of children through creating more and better public play facilities for them. To date, over €28million has been expended on improving play infrastructure around the country. This has resulted in an increase from less than 200 to over 500 playgrounds throughout the country.

Under the 2004, 2005 and 2006 playground schemes, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government grant aided local authorities in respect of 161 playgrounds. Local authorities were last notified of funding under a playground grant scheme in July 2006. Progress with the completion of these projects is a matter for the individual local authorities and time scales have varied considerably due to a range of planning and procurement issues locally. Consideration of a scheme in 2007 was deferred to allow local authorities to make progress with over 80 outstanding projects. Decisions regarding any new scheme or funding allocations are a matter for my colleague the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.