Wheelchair-friendly swing appeal heard at Kildare County Council meeting

A wheelchair friendly swing is being sought for a playground located in Rathangan.

The request was made by Fianna Fáil councillor Anne Connolly at the latest Kildare-Newbridge Municipal District meeting, which was held on Wednesday, April 17 last.

She motioned for Kildare County Council (KCC) to 'investigate the possibility of extending and upgrading the playground in Rathangan to include a wheelchair swing.'

Cllr Connolly’s motion was seconded by her party colleague, Cllr Rob Power.

In response, KCC told Cllr Connolly: "There is an existing basket swing in the playground which is considered fully accessible for all users and is inclusive.

"The provision of a wheelchair swing is exclusive.

"Best practice for accessible play equipment advocates for the use of inclusive equipment that can be used by all rather than exclusive equipment."

Fianna Fáil Cllr Anne Connolly.

KCC continued: "If a wheelchair swing had to be incorporated into the playground, it would require the removal of existing equipment.

"An expansion of the playground would require the removal of a significant number of trees to facilitate a swing."

"We would not be in favour of doing this and if another location was to be identified it would require the permission of the community group that own the park," KCC concluded.

Cllr Connolly told KCC officials that she was not satisfied by the report.

She further said that she was of the view that the playground ‘needs some TLC, and concluded by calling on KCC to 'revisit the issue.'

Simon Wallace, the Acting Senior Parks and Landscape Officer of KCC’s Parks section, told Cllr Connolly that while he was willing to revisit the issue, he added: "I think that the point is being missed; the equipment (in the playground) needs to be inclusive, not exclusive."