Newly appointed Minister for Children, James Reilly has announced that all children’s playgrounds and recreational areas will have to be smoke free zones in future if they are to receive government funding.

The Minister recently sanctioned capital grants of approximately €15,000 from a fund of €250,000 set aside for upgrading and building new children’s playgrounds and recreational projects.
Among the projects benefiting from recent funding include development of six urban, suburban and public housing play areas in Dublin city, as well as playgrounds and recreational spaces in north west Dublin, Kildare and Limerick.

The decision to fund only ‘no smoking’ playgrounds comes as the minister stresses the importance of de-normalizing smoking in the eyes of children, saying "I have made a particular point of stressing the need to stop children from ever starting to smoke in the first place. The importance of de-normalising smoking in the eyes of children can't be over-emphasised.”

Mr Reilly hopes that through the development of no smoking playgrounds, children will be less likely to begin smoking as they get older, as well as being much more protected against the exposure to secondhand smoke.

Comments