asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware of the urgent need for special grants to be made available for the construction of children's playgrounds in urban areas due to the great hazards arising from the present amount and speed of traffic; and if he will ensure that the provision and extension of new and existing recreation facilities for young persons will be given the greatest possible encouragement.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Children's Playgrounds.
167.
I am fully aware of the need to provide community and recreation facilities, especially facilities for young people and playgrounds for children. In making allocations amounting to just over £¼ million to local authorities in May, 1972, for the assistance of works during the current year under the new amenity grants scheme, I urged them to give priority to projects which promote leisure activities and develop community interest mentioning, inter alia, equipped playgrounds, pitch and putt courses, tennis courts, basket ball courts, outdoor water sports facilities and community centres, as examples of the works which I considered should be given priority.
The swimming pool programme is being pushed forward as quickly as possible within the financial constraints that have to be observed and, indeed, it is intended that the programme should be gradually improved as additional resources become available.
The general standards applicable to local authority housing schemes provide that in cases where playgrounds and open spaces are not already available in reasonable proximity to such a scheme, provision for these facilities must be made in planning the scheme. I have in mind certain measures to ensure that the provision for these facilities will be on a more generous scale in future housing schemes than has hitherto been the case.