Madam, - Niall O'Donoghue, (February 19th) commends parents in Finland for their involvement with teenagers in the providing of skateboard rinks.
I am sure Irish parents would be equally enthusiastic to involve themselves, were it not for the prohibitive cost of insurance. In this regard, I have championed the cause of skateboarders since my election in 1999 to Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.
I have issued motions, questions, leaflets and statements regularly seeking support for the provision of skateboarding facilities within this county over the past five years. I have gained the support of fellow councillors. I even know there is support among officials within the Council for the notion of skateboading.
Yet in a recent reply from the council to my efforts to secure funding from the levy scheme for skateboarding, I have been informed "that the running costs/insurance costs associated with provision of skateboarding can be very high" - and there, five years on, the matter lies. It is clear that the problem lies with the current public insurance arrangements.
I would suggest that parents who would like to promote skateboard rinks, should turn their attention to the office of Ms Mary Harney, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, where the insurance remit for public bodies lies.
Can the Tánaiste call on the Irish Public Bodies Mutual Insurances Ltd, insurers to the local authorities, to bring forward reasonable insurance proposals that would allow willing local authorities to provide skateboarding facilities. - Yours, etc.,
Cllr NIAMH BREATHNACH,
Anglesea Avenue,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin.