Written answers
Tuesday, 16 May 2023
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
Office of Public Works
Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein)
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287. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will arrange for resources to be issued to the OPW to allow them to extend the opening hours of (details supplied) to be in line with other nearby parks in the vicinity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22602/23]
Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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The Office of Public Works is responsible for the conservation and management of Iveagh Gardens along with a number of other parks and gardens including St Stephens Green Park, less than half a kilometre away.
The majority of OPW parks and gardens open at 8:00 and close at various times throughout the year. Closing time is determined by a number of factors including seasonality, number of people using the particular park/garden, topography and layout, artefacts and features, antisocial behaviour, security concerns and staffing resources.
In order to operate both Iveagh Gardens and St Stephens Green efficiently during the summer months, the Iveagh Gardens opens at 8:00 and closes at 19:30. The Constable team are then available to close St. Stephen's Green Park at 21:00, which is a much larger park with 12 access/egress gates. Currently, a six-person constable team are employed to monitor both parks during opening hours and to undertake the opening & locking up process, safely seven days a week, year round.
Taking into consideration the various factors listed above, there are no plans to extend the opening hours of Iveagh Gardens.
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