After decades of being seen as a passing fad, skateboarding is to get some official recognition, with Government plans for a new funding programme to develop skate parks and other skating facilities around the country.
The Department of the Environment is to provide funding for the parks on a pilot basis this year, as part of a €1.5 million programme for leisure facilities aimed mainly at teenagers.
The fund is aimed at addressing the lack of skating facilities around the State.
Despite its continuing popularity and lobbying of politicians by skateboarders, there are only a handful of public skate parks in the State, at Waterford, Sligo and Galway. With the exception of one commercial indoor park, there are no local authority facilities in the Dublin region, although some are at advanced planning stage. A number of private skate parks have also closed down in recent years because of insurance problems.
The lack of facilities has left skateboarders with no choice but to use public areas, leading to complaints from the public and ongoing confrontations between skaters and security personnel.
Yesterday the Minister for the Environment, Mr Roche, said he was providing an additional €1.5 million to local authorities for leisure facilities as part of a playground fund.
However, this year he wanted the fund to be focused on facilities for older age groups such as BMX trails and skateboarding.
"Up to now, financial assistance has concentrated on playgrounds for younger children, with little being provided for the 12-18 age group," he said.
"Leaving aside the nuisance factor and dangers involved, teenagers want properly designed facilities to develop their skills."
Mr Roche said he was asking the National Children's Office to develop a pilot project for a number of facilities this year, to finance half of the building costs, with the remainder being met by the local authorities in question.
The move was welcomed by skateboarders as a significant improvement, but they warned that new facilities would have to be designed in consultation with skaters to meet their needs.
Anil Godhino, a skateboarder activist from Waterford, said the public skate parks were outdoors, meaning they could not be used if wet, and had poor surfaces.