COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF LUCAN AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

QUESTION NO. 21

QUESTION: Councillor P. Gogarty

"To ask the Chief Executive if the Council is responsible for taking down goalposts on green space areas (such as Hillcrest, Beech Park and Oak Court), whether they can be reinstated, and whether such requests come from clubs or residents and what is being done to counterbalance desires by young people in particular for casual kickabouts arranged with friends during term times and in the brighter evenings?"

REPLY:

The Public Realm Section manages a total of 162 pitches throughout the county. At all times it endeavours to maintain the pitches in a playable condition within the resources available. The various sports clubs pay a fee during the allocation process and in return they expect a pitch which they can play on regularly. It is therefore important that the focus of meeting the clubs reasonable expectations are met.

With the advent of portable goal posts some clubs have approached the Council and requested that the fixed goal posts are removed to ensure that the goalmouths are not damaged by casual use. Unfortunately damage caused by casual use is to the detriment of the club who are allocated the pitches in question. The goal posts were removed from Beech Park following a request from the club but were subsequently reinstated a year later following a further request from the club. The goal posts on the open space at Oak Court were removed over 5 years ago as the location was considered to be unsuitable at the time for a football pitch. The goal posts were removed from Hillcrest following a request from the club. The area was being used for younger players who made use of smaller sized portable goal posts. The larger posts were no longer required and were in the way.

While posts may be absent from a small number of pitches in the area, the pitches are still available for informal kick about by all park users.