Repair work to a city centre playground is to cost Dublin City Council up to €300,000 after parts were set on fire by vandals last weekend.
The Diamond Park playground in Dublin’s north inner city, opened to fanfare in 2023, was “extensively damaged” on Halloween.
The council confirmed that parts of the playground were damaged by fire while the perimeter fencing was also damaged. The parks services declared it “unsafe” and closed the area pending “a full safety investigation”.
Temporary fencing, erected to restrict access following the incident, was also vandalised and removed over the weekend.
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The refurbished playground and park were opened in 2023 by then-Dublin lord mayor Daithí de Róiste and Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe, in whose Dublin Central constituency it is located.
In a report to local representatives, the council noted “extensive vandalism, including malicious damage” to the playground equipment and severe fire damage to the play tower.
“Regrettably, the playground will remain closed in its entirety until repair works can be scheduled and completed,” said Deirdre Prince, a senior executive at the parks office.
“This is the third time vandalism has caused significant damage to the playground and the park, which has resulted in closure of this much-needed amenity space in the area since its opening just over two years ago.”
Her report also noted “several incidents” of antisocial behaviour against security personnel, who were obstructed from performing their duties at the facility. As a consequence, security staff are now unavailable to secure the parks at night.
The council said it would engage a playground specialist to ensure there were no structural issues. It has estimated overall repair costs of €250,000 to €300,000.
The redevelopment of the park area was part of a wider effort by Dublin City Council to improve amenities close to social housing complexes and student accommodation.
