COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE

Monday, February 27, 2023

QUESTION NO.

QUESTION: Councillor C. O'Connor

"To ask the CEO if he has anything further to add in respect of his efforts and actions to ensure the safety of all those who use Sean Walsh Park and in reporting will he outline new developments proposed for the Park and will he make a statement?"

REPLY:

As reported previously to this area committee supervisory staff from the Council's Public Realm Section have regular contact and meetings with An Garda Siochana in relation to many issues and areas and this includes Sean Walsh Park. In general the Gardai are of the view that the park is a safe environment for members of the public to enjoy.  They have expressed the view that more lighting and more cctv would assist them in their work however they accept that providing these in a park location is not always possible. 

At a meeting in Sean Walsh Park in April 2022 which was attended by Public Realm staff and community gardai from Tallaght station a number of specific locations were examined and discussed and the views of the Gardai were sought on the matter.  The location of the serious assault which took place on March 18th in the park was examined and discussed at the on-site meeting in April. The Gardai are of the view that improved visibility and lighting in this particular area, at the top of the hill close to the 'blue bridge', might help to avert an attack at this location in the future.   The footpath from the blue bridge down to the roundabout and entrance to Old Bawn Community School is the only route through the park that is currently lit.  Following those discussions with the gardai and with local residents a proposal to provide public lighting along the footpath which runs parallel to the N81 from the 'blue bridge' down to the emergency vehicular entrance to the park from the N81 was examined.  The views of the Council's heritage officer were sought on the matter and a consultant ecologist was engaged to examine the lighting proposal and the location proposed.  On completion of this work it was decided that the lighting scheme could proceed and it has now been included in the public realm improvement works programme for the current year. The installation work will be carried out later this year.

Park hedges have recently been cut back to ensure visibility and users feel safe in the park. As part of the park management plan there have also been several improvements to the park to ensure the park meets the needs of the community and visitors. These improvements include the following -

• The playground in Sean Walsh Park has been recently refurbished.
• Sensory planting has been planted at various locations throughout the park to make the park a more welcoming space.
• 3 New 'Rest Bench's' installed along the N81 path. 
• Installation of kids 'fairy garden' with hand carved fairy house structures. 
• Installation of wooden carved sculptures in various locations. 
• Painting of red Bridges - suckers and overgrown planting removed along bridge. 
• Painting of railings along Old Bawn entrance (Green to Black).
• Introduction of short meadows to improve biodiversity and pollinators. 
• Installation of Bike Parking stands.
• Planting of pollinator bulbs.

These improvements encourage more people to visit the park and this helps to provide further passive surveillance.

There is a number of proposed developments for the park these consist of:

• The installation of a teen spaces in Sean Walsh Park subject to consultation with local teenagers.
• Proposed Astro turf pitch subject to Part 8 approval.
• Further planting of perennials in focal locations of the park.
• Replacing benches and bins in the park where required.