This article is from page 18 of the 2008-04-01 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 18 JPG
DOUBTS have been raised over the way in which Clare County Council allocated funding following the deci- sion to grant the Lisdoonvarna Play- ground Project more money than it had actually asked for.
Following a heated discussion at the local area council meeting held in Ennistymon yesterday, the decision was made to award the playground €35,000 from the Community Play- eround Grant Fund, even though it had only asked for €30,000.
The fund, which this year totals €83,000, is competed for by differ- ent groups all around north Clare.
“IT would favour the Lisdoonvarna development, but I think we would be setting a dangerous precedent in giving people more than they asked for,” said Cllr Flan Garvey (FG), be- fore leaving the meeting.
The overpay situation arose follow- ing concerns raised by a number of councillors over a validity of a pro- posed playground to be located in the Michael Cusack Centre in Carron.
“IT don’t think that the Carron scheme
fits in with the playground scheme at all. There has to be unlimited public access to the playgrounds,” said Cllr Joe Arkins (FG).
“Tam also disappointed that there aren’t more applications in from oth- STUCCO) napa SL UODAL eK
Council engineer Hubert Newell confirmed that the Carron playground did not meet the normal criteria in terms of access for the children.
‘The people in Lisdoonvarna have spent nearly a million and a half on this project and are putting together a real integrated scheme for the whole
community.
“They got the short straw last year so I think it is only right that they should get the funding they are look- ing for this time around,’ said Cllr Martin Lafferty UND).
Of the €83,000 on offer, €12,000 was allocated for the construction of fencing for the Corofin playground.
Of the remaining budget, €35,000 was allocated to the Lisdoonvarna facility and €35,000 was allocated to the Carron playground, provided it was made easily accessible for local Oi elon