MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Monday, November 09, 2015
QUESTION NO.30
QUESTION: Councillor F. Timmons
To ask for a full report of sport facilities by area and population and ask how clubs like boxing clubs can be facilitated by SDCC going forward, also to ask how facilities like swimming pools and astro turfs can be provided going forward.
REPLY:
The availability of publicly owned Community space in certain parts of the administrative area of this County is limited but this position is not unique from a countywide perspective. There is a need to balance the demands of the clubs with other competing demands for finance.
Over the recent past, a number of studies have been conducted which identified the available spaces and the potential availability of these spaces. This information is readily available but a comprehensive collation and coordination of the information has not been carried out. A dedicated resource would be required to do the necessary research with a view to establishing current demands, assessing future needs and requirements and producing a coordinated plan. An option worth noting within this work plan which might yield considerable benefits is the large number of school and parish spaces which have limited, restricted or confined availability, even when these facilities are not required for their core use.
While current National financial schemes and budgetary provisions have been limited of late, there are nonetheless significant grants schemes available, such as grants under Sports Capital, other Lotto Funding, Dormant Accounts funding as examples, in addition to the funds that the Council might source from its day to day activities such as planning contributions, land disposals and by increasing revenue streams. How this is achievable is indicated in the rolling capital programme. A targeted approach to accessing these nationally available funds would potentially increase local access. It should also be noted that the Council has provided substantial funds which have been ringfenced as seed capital to prime the delivery pipeline for the major infrastructural needs including the community needs of the County.
