Playgrounds provide no fun for Cllrs

‘CHILDREN are stopping me on the street and asking me if I am in charge of Cork County Council?’ Cllr Gillian Coughlan told her colleagues at a meeting of the western division.

The Fianna Fáil councillor said: ‘They can see that the playground in Bandon is almost complete and want to know when they can get in there and play.’ The councillor was told that the facility is being developed by a community group and the opening date will have to be decided by them.

Meanwhile, Cllr Declan Hurley (Ind) complained about the delay in resolving the land registration issue that is holding up grant funding for the playground in Rosscarbery. He said the land on which the seaside playground is situated has not been claimed by anyone and he asked if the local authority could register it in their name.

MacDara O h-Icí, a senior executive officer with the Council, described the difficulties in relation to the land in Rosscarbery as being ‘a perfect storm.’ The fact that it is located on the foreshore has complicated matters, he said.

Normally a first application to the land registry would be appropriate, he said, but because it was developed by a community group – and not the Council – that is not considered appropriate.

‘Without the paper title,’ he said, ‘it makes it difficult to get funding so I have been corresponding with the department about it. The fact that it is reclaimed foreshore is another complication because all foreshores are owned by the State,’ said Mr O h-Icí.

One possible solution would be to get a licence/ lease, but that too is complicated by the fact that it is not the Council occupying the site. 

‘Cllr Paul Hayes (Ind) pointed out that the local community who created the playground want the Council’s assistance to regularise the land situation. ‘The committee has exhausted all avenues,’ he said.

Cllr Hurley urged the Council to try and press ahead with a foreshore lease. ‘It’s the only glimmer of light we have today and I would ask you to pursue this as quickly as possible.’