Council publishes Sports and Recreation Facilities audit

This audit will help facilitate Fingal County Council’s current and future efforts to support the adequate provision of recreation, leisure and sports facilities.

323 facilities were identified in the study area as part of this audit. The data on these facilities will inform the Councils work in this area as it strives to develop and achieve policy objectives in relation to health, wellbeing, amenity and recreation.

The audit of facilities was undertaken by KPMG Future Analytics on behalf of Fingal County Council in alignment with the National Sports Policy 2018-2027. It provides baseline data of facilities currently available in the three LEAs alongside a gap analysis examining future provision and maintenance of facilities up to 2026.

The audit report categorised the sports and recreation facilities as they cater to a wide array of different activity types and users. These categories were Pitch Sports, Indoor Activities, Family Activities, Water Activities, and Other Activities.

The Mayor of Fingal, Cllr. David Healy said: “Recreation, leisure and sports activities play an important role in our lives and in strengthening local communities. Their many benefits include improving health and wellbeing, promoting social inclusivity and contributing to the economic fabric of our communities. This audit will help us to find where improvements can be made to our facilities in the county.”

AnnMarie Farrelly, Chief Executive of Fingal County Council, said: “It is a key objective of Fingal County Council to build, maintain and provide access to quality sports and recreation facilities in Fingal. The aim of this audit is to develop a comprehensive overview of the existing provision of recreation, leisure and sports facilities in the areas studied.”

Aishling Hyland, Digital Strategy Manager, said: “Fingal County Council is committed to promoting innovation and transparency through the publication of data related to Fingal in open, free and reusable formats. This audit will support the councils' open data efforts, providing access to sports and recreation facilities data, as open data, through the Fingal Open Data Platform."

Margaret Geraghty, Director of Housing and Community for Fingal County Council said: “Sports and recreation facilities are vital facilities across Fingal and provide a valuable resource for our citizens to enjoy.  A comprehensive audit of the study areas has been undertaken and this information can provide detailed information and data to inform future planning for the County.”

The full audit and executive summary can be found at https://www.fingal.ie/sports-and-recreation-facilities-audit