Leisure and Recreation

Local authorities provide financial support and help to community, voluntary and cycling groups to organise cycling related events such as bike checks and repairs, and cycle safety promotions during national Bike Week.

Local authorities provide and maintain leisure centres and services including public swimming pools, gyms, fitness and personal training classes, and swimming lessons.

Local authorities provide and maintain multi use games areas which can accommodate a variety of sports and games such as hurling, tennis, volleyball, basketball, netball and soccer.

Local authorities provide and maintain outdoor gyms which offer a range of outdoor fitness equipment such as walkers, cross trainers, rowers and steppers.

Local authorities monitor the condition of playing pitches to ensure they are suitable for use. They may ban use if weather conditions have damaged the pitches or if maintenance works such as drainage, topdressing, re-seeding or re-turfing are needed.

Sports clubs, community, and voluntary organisations who wish to use local authority owned playing pitches may have to apply to the local authority for a licence.

Local authorities provide and maintain grass and all weather playing pitches for sports clubs, community organisations, and individuals to use for a range of sporting activities such as hurling, Gaelic football, rugby and soccer.

Local authorities provide or facilitate events in public parks such as outdoor cinemas, markets, health and wellbeing activities, and children's events to encourage the public to use the parks.

Local authorities provide information and advice to the public about public playground locations, facilities, opening times and upcoming events.

Local authorities provide and maintain playgrounds with playhouses, swings, seesaws and multi play units.

Local authorities provide and maintain skateparks.

Local authorities, together with their Local Sports Partnerships, run programmes to promote sport and physical activity such as cross country events, family mountain walks, school swim programmes, sports inclusion camps, and physical activity events for children, families and older people.

Local authorities provide financial support to community and voluntary sporting organisations to develop and improve sports and recreation premises, pitches and equipment.

You must apply to the local authority if you want to hold an event in a public park or green area. The events might include family fun days, sports days, charity events, sporting events, art exhibitions and fitness classes.

Local authorities provide and maintain public parks which offer facilities such as pathways, cycleways, playground, skateboarding areas, playing pitches, outdoor gyms, tea rooms, and performance and exhibition areas.

Local authorities provide information and advice about public parks including locations, available facilities, opening times and upcoming events.

Local authorities prepare strategies for the development of children's playgrounds and play facilities. You can have an input into the strategies through consultation.