Vision needed for community spaces like St Anne’s Park
- Calls for autism friendly parks
- Urgent need to invest in public toilets
Labour Dublin Bay North TD Aodhán Ó Ríordáin and local area representatives Ali Field and Shane Folan have called on Government to have a vision for community spaces like St Anne’s Park.
Deputy Ó Ríordáin said:
“It’s really exciting that the St Anne’s Park summer series of concerts will kick off next week. We need to see more events happening like this throughout the city and beyond. Community spaces like St Anne’s Park bring so much joy to so many.
“Labour is calling on Government too have a real vision for diverse public spaces. For too long, Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Green Party have utterly ignored the value of public parks to the community. The practical demands like access to public toilets and litter bins are totally lacking.
“The issue of a lack of public toilets in Dublin has been well aired but the same goes for towns and villages throughout the country. Government should be making provision for opening well-resourced public toilets in areas that people are meeting and at the times that they tend to congregate. There are plenty of toilet facilities in private ownership which are going unused and these should also be looked at.
“Public toilets are essential and long overdue in communities throughout the country. Moreover, the provision of toilet and seating facilities is an equality issue; for older persons, those with young children, those without money to spend in private enterprise, and those with a disability, access to a toilet can be the difference between cities being accessible or not.
“Similarly, we need to ensure that public spaces are suitable for all families. We are calling for sensory play areas to be installed in playgrounds across the country for equal access to play and learning for all children. It would make a huge difference to families to ensure everyone is involved and catered for.
“There has been a missed opportunity by the Government to have a vision for our public spaces – this has been highlighted by the pandemic. Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have had years to look at how we use our community spaces, but no vision is forthcoming. With the bank holiday approaching us, local spaces need to be better equipped to host the outdoor summer to which we have all been looking forward.”