Council under fire over delayed playground plan

LIMERICK County Council was yesterday accused of trying to create division in the heritage village of Adare over a proposed children’s playground.

A public meeting called by local parents urged the council to hand over a small part of the village park to be used as a play area.

A project team made up of local parents is pressing the demand for a playground and claim that the council has come up with all kinds of excuses to frustrate the plan.

Mother of three Bridie Collins said that, initially, the council maintained it could not hand over the area as it would contravene the lease it has on the park from the Dunraven Estate.

Mrs Collins said: “But the Dunraven Estate have stated that this section of the park does not come under the lease and is eminently suitable for a playground. Then the council engaged a landscaping consultants and when the consultants told the council the site was suitable for a children’s playground, the council tried to keep this from us and we had to go through the Freedom of Information Act to get this report.”

Local county councillor Niall Collins accused the council of behaving in a “crazy” manner.

He said: “There is no logic to the stand taken by the council on this matter. All the parents of Adare are looking for is the use of a small piece of publicly owned property.

“They will provide the costs of putting up the playground. The council then engages consultants and tries to suppress their report because the council did not like what it contained. Local parents had to access the Freedom of Information Act to get it.”

A spokesperson for Limerick County Council said it was currently working on a playground policy and it is envisaged this will be finalised this year.