The number of playgrounds countrywide has more than doubled in just two years but some local authorities continue to lag seriously behind in the development of play policies and playgrounds, according to a new survey.
The national audit by the National Play Resource Centre shows a 123 per cent increase in the number of playgrounds built since the launch of the national play policy in 2004. While Co Monaghan, Co Galway and Co Leitrim have emerged as the best-performing local authorities, the survey indicates that Limerick County Council and Limerick City Council have failed to build any playgrounds since 2002.
At the time of the survey in January of this year, the two councils had a combined total of just three playgrounds. Compared to Monaghan County Council now providing one playground to every 2,932 children, Limerick County Council has just one playground serving 121,471 children. However, the survey indicates the council is to build five new playgrounds soon.
Of the 26 councils surveyed, only 11 had published a play policy at the time of the audit.
At the launch of the National Play Resource Centre yesterday, Minister for Children Brian Lenihan acknowledged both the substantial increase in playgrounds nationwide and the underperformance of some councils. "Whilst there have been some dramatic improvements, this increase in the number of playgrounds has not been uniform across the country.
"Some quite large local authorities still have a relatively low number of playgrounds and, in consequence, a poor ratio of playgrounds to population," he said.
The National Play Resource Centre operated by the Irish Preschool Playgroups Association (IPPA) yesterday launched its website (www.playinireland.ie) which provides information to children and parents on the location of playgrounds nationwide. A comment card enabling children to comment on their local play facilities has been introduced.