COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE (2)

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

MOTION NO.5

MOTION: Councillor E. Walsh

To request the Council in light of its 'Link 2B  active' to adopt :

1. A flexibility regarding the provision of football facilities to both Gaelic and 'Soccer' football in the Kingswood / Newlands Cemetery park and in particular the changing of closure times for the park, in consultation with other interested parties including the cemetery managment.

2. In the alternative, the provision of keys to a small number of interested parties to the main gate so as to permit parking up to 9pm on weekdays to facilitate training. 

REPORT:

1. The County Council has been flexible in it's approach to the provision of both Gaelic and Soccer facilities at Ballymount Park and has recently held meetings on site with the clubs involved in relation to the optimum usage of the changing rooms in the Park. The main vehicle gate access to Ballymount Park and Newlands Cemetery is operated jointlly by both South Dublin County Council and the Dublin Cemetries Committee. During the Winter period from November to March the vehicle gate is opened and closed by the Cemetery staff at approx. 7.30 a.m. in the morning and is closed at 4.00 p.m. in the evenings. The Park is not officially open to the public during the hours of darkness. Signs referring to the opening and closing times of the park have been erected in the public car-park and are visible throughout the year. The use of the Park and public car-park after dark would have serious security implications for both the Park and the Cemetery and would, therefore, not be desirable.

2. The use of pitches in public parks for training purposes after the hours of darkness, is generally not permitted as it gives rise to concentrated wear on the grass surface and a deterioration in the condition of playing pitches and the surrounding areas. Such usage would also have insurance and other public safety implications for both the clubs concerned as well as the County Council.  The allocation of keys to the main gate to interested parties would also be difficult to control and raises the risk of significant breaches of security taking place.  In view of the above, it is not proposed to change the current public access arrangements to Ballymount Park and Newlands Cemetery.