Dublin City Councillors have called on the local authority to begin looking at ways to develop an ice rink in the county.
Dublin is the only capital city in Europe that does not have a permanent, year-long ice rink.
Independent councillor Vincent Jackson tabled a motion at a recent South Central Area Committee meeting requesting that the council explore ways it can provide a rink.
“I’m not saying that we can build it ourselves, but if we can try and promote it and get a private developer involved, all the better,” he said.
“There is a team in Finglas that has to travel up to the Dundonald Ice Bowl outside of Belfast which is really not sustainable in the long term.
“All I’m asking is that we at least ask the city council management to look at the possibility at providing one.”
There are currently more than 60 ice rinks within the United Kingdom, including the Dundonald Ice Bowl in Down.
Jackson also criticised the decision to not deliver a temporary rink in the city over the Christmas period.
“Around Christmas last year, we were only local authority in Dublin to not have an ice skating rink,” he said.
“We spend around €900,000 for the city lights programme around the Christmas months and recently we had a presentation that questioned if we get enough bang for our buck.
“The council should explore this,” he said.
Councillors were largely in support of the motion with Green Party councillor saying that “we are missing out on a lot of opportunities for not just skating and fun, but the sports that go with it and having competition in winter sports.
“It doesn’t have to be in Dublin city, but it should be nationally accessible.
“It seems like a strange oversight.”
Independent councillor Sophie Nicoullaud said ice skating is “great for all ages, it’s a great family activity in a safe environment.”
“It shows the failure of the country to provide public facilities.”
Derek Kelly, executive manager at Dublin City Council said the “development of such a facility by DCC would require huge capital investment.”
Kelly said that such amenities have “to be combined with other elements to make it affordable.”
He said the council is exploring it is feasible to include an ice ink within the proposed lido project at George’s Dock.
“That’s what we’re trying to do with the lido project – during the winter months when you’re not using some of it as a pool, you could use it as an ice rink.
“It’s always a challenge,” he said.
“It has been something that has been on the agenda, but unfortunately hasn’t been practical.”
Kelly said the council examined the idea of providing a temporary ice rink over Christmas at the same location but the costs were prohibitive.
“It was going to cost €1.4m to do just a temporary one over the winter period,” he said.
“It is on the agenda, we get where people are coming from.
“They are well utilised when they are put in.”