There are more golf clubs than playgrounds in the State, the Dáil was told yesterday during questions about the implications of last year's census.
The Government chief whip, Ms Mary Hanafin, said that the lack of a sufficient number of play- grounds was the issue that came up most during consultations when the national strategy on children was launched.
Ms Hanafin, who is also Minister of State in the Taoiseach's Department, said that the Minister of State for Children was working on the national play policy and the Government would be working with the local authorities to make more playgrounds available for children. She pointed out: "it is a well known fact that there are more golf clubs than playgrounds".
The census figures revealed that the average number of children per family fell from 2.2 in 1986 to 1.6 in 2002 and Labour's health spokeswoman, Ms Liz McManus, asked was there any assessment of the plummeting fertility rate.
"Is it the lack of child care or the difficulties young parents have in meeting the needs of their children, such as the pressure on them to meet exorbitant mortgage payments?" She pointed out that in Italy grants are now being given to those who have a second baby and asked would Ireland get to that stage.
