Fire at Dublin playground among a sperate of anti-social incidents
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What happened at Darndale Park playground and when did the fire occur?
Next, a playground in Darndale Park in North Dublin was destroyed by fire over the weekend. Barry Heenhan is an independent T D for Dublin Bay North. He joins me on the line. Barry, good morning to you. Major Mo, uh David, thanks very much for having me on. Yeah, can you tell us when this far happened, Barry?
Oh yeah. So David, it happened on Saturday.
How widespread are the recent anti‑social arson incidents across North Dublin?
I was uh I had a few phone calls and videos sent to me. Um sadly during the afternoon there was a fire lit in the playground. Um David, it's it's really upsetting and worrying as there was children nearby, you can hear them in the video. And I think what happened is just so upsetting because as you can imagine, David, local families have lost the playground. The people fought hard, local reps fought hard to secure funding for. And I think we n we need to to ask what practical measures can stop this happening again. David, this is the di there's been there's been other ones across North Dublin in all over the area I represent, in St Anne's Park, out in Houte, in Baldoyle, in Kilmore West, with community facilities, toilets, astro pitches, playgrounds that are helping our youth being burnt down.
What practical security measures does Barry Heenan propose to prevent future playground fires?
Yeah, it it seems extraordinary that this will happen in broad daylight, Barry.
It does, it really does. And I think what we need what we really need to do is focus on solutions, David. That's what I've always about. Now I I've already called for um C C T V and proper lighting, better f uh security at facilities that have high risk damage. Um speaking to local guide D as well, I think we obviously David goes back to intervening earlier. We don't obviously know who a hundred percent is responsible. So with anyone with information, first of all
How severe was the damage to the Darndale playground and can any of it be salvaged?
please reach out to Kulak Garder Station. But the youth services in the area, everyone works really hard across North Dublin and that's one of the most uh an enjoyable thing for me at the T D is working with all the volunteer groups, the youth services that are really working really hard on the ground and this is a real kick in the shin for all those people who work
Had to improve North Dublin. How how bad was the damage barrier? Is any of it salv salvageable?
Yeah, I was up there yesterday um morning. David, it's it's very it's very, very bad. There's a video you can you've probably seen of the fire when it was alight.
What steps are being taken to hold offenders accountable and protect community facilities?
I'd also like to thank the uh Dublin Fire Brigade for reacting to it. But it it's really bad, Dave. It and like dive there was another playground burnt recently with nearly a hundred and fifty, two hundred thousand euro with the damage. Like these these playgrounds are hard, they're they're built to resist. Now we don't want it to come to a stage where all we have is concrete playgrounds, but also there has to come a time where we look at accountability and where offenders who are identified face serious consequences. You know.
Okay, Barry Heenan, independent T D for Dublin Bay North, thank you indeed for that.
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
What happened at Darndale Park playground and when did the fire occur?
0:00–0:19
2
How widespread are the recent anti‑social arson incidents across North Dublin?
0:19–1:03
3
What practical security measures does Barry Heenan propose to prevent future playground fires?
1:03–1:32
4
How severe was the damage to the Darndale playground and can any of it be salvaged?
1:32–2:03
5
What steps are being taken to hold offenders accountable and protect community facilities?
2:03–2:33
Speakers
1 identifiedMore from Today with David McCullagh
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