COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, January 15, 2018

QUESTION NO.4

QUESTION: Councillor P. Foley

To ask the chief executive to give details of plans for teenage specific facilities for the County and if he could give a statement on the matter

REPLY:

A consultation process with teenagers commenced in 2017. The Community Department is involved in this study with Environment Water and Climate Change.

The project is defined a study of the facilities for teenagers in South Dublin County and examines both active and passive recreational requirements. Background research is on-going over the period to assess current level of provision for this group. Consultation is also on-going with regard to the facilities for teenagers with particular focus on:

Contact was made with clubs and recreational providers to assess current level of provision. A focus group with teenagers from the Ballycragh, Firhouse area was carried out early in 2017.  The Community Development Team also engaged with Comhairle na Nog in the consultation process.

The SDCC Communication Unit commenced a social media consultation process on Teen Spaces. Content was targeted at the relevant demographic and this multi-media campaign will close on January 19th 2018. 457 submissions have been received to date and a detailed report will issue following analysis of same.

Paid advertisements are targeted within the SDCC region and aimed at 13-19 year olds. It is also intended to utilise the public participatory budgetary process and the proposed implementation of the ball wall in the Lucan area in 2017 to engage with teenagers on this new type of facility provision in our parks. Once the surveys are completed they will be examined (with the addition of focus group discussion if required) and reported on.

The capital budget 2018-2020 has included an allocation for teenage facilities to commence in 2019. The consultation process as outlined above is intended to feed into decisions about the type of facilities that will be provided and also give information where current need is greatest.