COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE

Wednesday, March 10, 2021

QUESTION NO.1

QUESTION: Councillor Eoin Ó Broin

"To ask the Chief Executive if there is any policy or approach to lighting in public parks? For example there are no street lights on the footpaths of Knockmitten Park, and some residents of the area state that because of this they will not go for a walk there after 5pm on a winter evening?

REPLY:

Lighting in parks and open spaces has only been provided where there are short links between residential areas.  It is not considered safe to provide lighting in large parks since persons could find themselves in a secluded area of a park and vulnerable to anti-social elements who would be attracted by the public lighting.  Parks should therefore not be used during darkness when alternative lit routes are available along public roads which are passively supervised by passing traffic.

The SDCC Climate Change Action Plan sets targets to improve energy efficiency and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The installation of public lighting in parks would be counterproductive to achieving these targets. Public Lighting accounted for 48% of the Councils energy consumption in 2017 (Source: Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland’s Monitoring and Reporting database). This is being addressed by the Public Lighting LED programme however it is important that this is not hampered by the addition of inappropriate lighting schemes.