COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE

Monday, February 24, 2020

QUESTION NO. 10

QUESTION: Councillor C. O'Connor

"To ask the Chief Executive to update members of his plans for a MUGA at Avonbeg; will he confirm contacts he has had with local youths and other Groups and will he make a statement?"

REPLY:

A tender for the design and installation of a MUGA has been released by South Dublin County Council and tenders are due in on 6th March.  The brief is for a robust 30M x 15 M MUGA consisting of ballstop fencing, football goals, basketball hoops and with an artificial grass carpet.  It will be installed close to the western boundary of St Dominic’s Community Centre, on the opposite side to the playspace.

The first proposal for a MUGA at this location came from a group of young people in the area 6 years ago. The group, supported by Barnardos, called Amplifying Voices decided that they and their friends should have a right to have somewhere safe to play. They ran a campaign asking South Dublin County Council to build a MUGA right in the middle of their community. Their campaign involved everyone in the community; they got parents, neighbours, teachers, local T.D.’s, local Councillors including the then Mayor Cathal King to help their campaign. A video outlining their efforts can be seen at https://vimeo.com/83851297.  Funding was not available for a MUGA at that time although a very successful playspace was installed with considerable input from this group.

In rcent times and following a further consultation, by questionnaire, with locals living close to the open space; a decision was made to proceed with a MUGA.  Public Realm contacted St Dominic’s Community Centre to make contact with young people using their services and to invite their input into the design of the MUGA.

On 20th January a meeting was held in the Community Centre and attended by 20-30 teenagers and younger children.  The consensus was that they were all in favour of the MUGA with goals and basketball hoops. There was a discussion about the best surfacing for football versus basketball and it was agreed that an artificial grass surface would be preferable to tarmac.  At the meeting SDCC committed to proceeding to tender and to keep young people in the area briefed on progress of this much anticipated facility.