COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF LUCAN / PALMERSTOWN / NORTH CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, March 24, 2026

QUESTION NO.4

QUESTION: Councillor C. Brady

To ask the Chief Executive to provide pitch drainage and carrying-capacity data for SDCC-managed playing pitches within the Lucan Area Committee boundary.

REPLY:

All pitches within the ACM area have an aspect of drainage work carried out on them.  This can be from the basic aeration tasks of slitting and shockwaving to the more extensive works that include the installation of a piped drainage system.  Pitches that have piped drainage system include pitch 24 in Glenaulin Park, pitches 5 and 13 in Griffeen Valley Park and pitch 20 in Hermitage Park extension.

A programme of shockwaving will be rolled out to pitches during the year as part of annual pitch maintenance works.  Shockwaving is a technique that enhances the soils ability to drain by creating slits in the soil and reducing compaction.

The carrying capacity of pitches is determined by the soil components and porosity of the structure and substrate layers.  The Public Realm Section does not have a requirement for this level of detail for pitches and does not have this information available.  Providing this level of information would incur a significant cost which could not be justified given that the information would be of little use to the Public Realm Section.