The escalation of vandalism at city playgrounds is being described as an extremely serious problem that needs to be urgently tackled.
The City Council is being urged to investigate introducing a range of measures to address the situation, including CCTV, night-time lighting and noise deterrents.
It comes as several playgrounds across the city are currently out of action due to damaged and unsafe equipment, caused by deliberate acts of destruction.
Earlier this week, it was revealed that the playground facilities at Westside Park are largely unusable due to vandalism – just one year after opening to the public.
Over the past two years, deliberate fires, malicious traps, loosened screws, used syringes and destroyed equipment have all been reported at city playgrounds.
Councillor Donal Lyons says the vandalism means that popular playgrounds are often closed for extensive periods, as replacement equipment often has to come from abroad at considerable cost.
He says communities are being deprived of valuable resources.
Councillor Niall McNelis says some of the discoveries at city playgrounds are the cause of serious concern.
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