23/02/2006
Archived item. This item is published here for historical reasons. The information below may be out of date.
South Dublin County Council promotes sports in the Community
The Council promotes a variety of sports in the community through it’s playing pitch letting scheme and through its Community Grants Scheme. In excess of 150 playing pitches are provided. The majority of the playing pitches are used for both Soccer and Gaelic games . It is estimated that approximately 12,000 avail of these facilities on a weekly basis.
Indoor Sport is also catered for in many of the Council’s Community Centres.
All – weather pitches have been provided by the Council at Clondalkin Sports and Leisure Centre, at Jobstown and at Quarryvale, Clondalkin. A public Golf Course has been provided by the Council at Grange Castle and a new Swimming Pool and Sports Hall are currently under construction at Jobstown, Tallaght. The development of another new swimming pool at Clondalkin has also commenced.
In addition to the above the Council has accessed funding for numerous sporting projects under the RAPID, IAP Infrastructure Fund, Sports Capital Programmes and under the Young Persons Facilities and Services Fund. These monies have assisted in the provision of capital projects for sporting facilities in the County.
Many other sporting facilities have and are being provided throughout the County on a joint venture basis with the private / community and club sector
From enquiries made with Fingal County Council and with Dublin City Council it is understood that a number of Local Sports Officers have been employed to promote soccer in disadvantaged areas. These positions are funded partly through the FAI and the Council in the case of Fingal and by the FAI, Young Persons Facilities and Services Fund and the Council in the City.
In South Dublin County the Council employs a Sports Officer and two local Youth Sports Officers are also employed by the County Dublin Vocational Education Committee (VEC) who are assigned to the Tallaght and Clondalkin Drugs Task Force areas respectively. The Council’s Sports Officer liaises closely with the VEC and the two local Youth Sports Officers .
In recent years the Sports Officer in conjunction with the FAI has run an after schools scheme in local schools in West Tallaght to encourage local children to participate in sport. This scheme will be continued.
South Dublin County Council are examining the possibility of seeking funding for the employment of additional local Sports Officers.