Fingal’s new Wildflower Meadow and Growing Places Policy has gone down like a lead balloon in communities across the north county as a result of cutbacks in the grass cutting program.
The policy was supposed to involve moving away from simply cutting all of the large grassed areas, to introducing more of a meadow environment with planting of different varieties of flowers and trees to aid biodiversity and develop an interesting and colourful landscape! Nothing wrong with that for parkland areas and roundabouts, but on greens in estates which are the main play areas of young children, it is an entirely different matter.
While greens in the estates were in the main not intended for the Wildflower Meadow pilot scheme, the appalling lack of information from the Council meant that everyone thought that they were when they witnessed their greens growing high, with only the rims, and a kick-about area being cut as a result of cutbacks in grass cutting.
A public outcry has forced a partial U-turn with the frequency of grass cutting being upped from monthly to once in 18 days. This will have to be monitored and the pressure kept on.
The reality is that this scheme is partly motivated by a crucifying burden on the Parks Department as a result of the government embargo on public sector recruitment.
Many staff retired in the section in the past year, and could not be replaced – meanwhile, over 1000 extra acres of open space were taken in charge.
They simply cannot cover all the work that is necessary. This is a direct consequence of government cutbacks and yet a government TD had the neck to issue a leaflet telling residents that he would liaise with the Council on residents’ behalf!!
This is not good enough. I demand, together with my Socialist Party colleagues, proper public services. The recruitment embargo must be lifted and the urgently needed jobs provided to improve standards in our communities.
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hi clare
i am also writing about this wild grass. i live in dun emer in lusk which is just beside chapel farm and this is where all the kids including my own play. they built a new playground ground last year for the kids on the edge of a huge big green space in chapel farm. the kids use the green space to laze about on or play football on but now because the grass not being cut, they cant use the green anymore except for the edges of it! and if they do go near it or walk through it, they get covered in little midget bites and come home with big puffy eyes and stuffed up noses! i have been talking with a few of the parents around here about this and their children who play there who have never had a problem with hay fever before, now suffer from it!
is there ANYTHING we can do to get the council to cut the grass fully as this is absolutely ridiculous carry on and is also turning out to be a health hazard for the kids too! i have written to the council but have heard nothing back. its going to be a VERY LONG summer if the kids have no where to play!
i look forward to hearing from you
kind regards
claire