By Sean O’Riordan

Cork County Council intends to ban children over 12 using playground equipment unless they are physically or intellectually disabled.

The move comes as part of a review of playground bylaws established in 2013 for playgrounds, skate parks, and outdoor gyms operated by the local authority.

Under the proposed new bylaws, skate parks can not be used by children younger than eight, and outdoor gyms will be restricted to people who are over 14.

The new bylaws would amend and clarify the 2013 ones which banned all adults from entering a playground unless they were accompanying a child.

This was specifically designed to enable gardaí to remove suspected paedophiles from such facilities and therefore protect potentially vulnerable children.

However, the new bylaws propose that any member of a Tidy Towns organisation would be allowed into the play areas, outdoor gyms, and skate parks to clean them up, providing they do so with the consent of council staff.

The report is being circulated to councillors in each of the eight municipal districts in the county for their approval.

It was noted that children aged under eight regularly use the skate park in Bandon as it is considered a safe area for them to learn to cycle.

However, council officials say this practice should not be allowed to continue.

They say skate parks are designed and constructed to facilitate a particular kind of activity and introducing other activities “could give rise to risks and possible claims against the council and should be avoided”.

Some councillors had requested that the age limit on playground equipment use be increased to 14.

However, council officials said that the type of equipment provided in their playgrounds was designed to respond to the requirements of children up to 12.

They said that children older than 12 had effectively “outgrown” the kind of facilities on offer and had “advanced to more personally challenging and socially interactive activities”.

They said research had shown that the needs of 12- to 14-year-olds and older children are met through the provision of skateparks and multi-use play areas.

They added that the county council’s insurers will not cover them if anybody under 14 is injured while using outdoor gym equipment.

In addition, it is proposed that once finalised the new bylaws will be put on display outside all local-authority run playgrounds in the county.

The signs will be made bigger as well, as it was pointed out to officials that notices saying dogs, apart from guide dogs, were not allowed in playground were too small and were not been seen by dog-walkers.

Once the municipal district councils have given approval for the new bylaws they will go out to public consultation.