- Funding to be distributed to Local Authorities in advance of National Play Day
- All 31 Local Authorities were successful in their application and will each receive funding of €3k
Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman, is delighted to announce that €93,000 has been approved to support National Play Day 2022.
This year National Play Day can take place on any day or a combination of days between 02 July and 09 July (inclusive).
The aim of National Play Day is to promote play opportunities for children and young people all across the country, with this year’s theme being ‘All Play Together’.
The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth received applications from 31 Local Authorities for this funding. All applicants qualified for the maximum amount of funding available – €3,000 per Local Authority.
The funding will enable Local Authorities to deliver play opportunities for a diverse range of children and young people in the community.
Among the items funded are active play packs that target a number of harder to reach children, including Traveller children, children with additional needs, children in women’s refuge centres, children in direct provision centres and newly arrived Ukrainian children in temporary accommodation.
Funding will also be used by Local Authorities to provide a diverse range of outdoor activities for children and young people in their communities.
Welcoming the announcement, Minister O’ Gorman said:
“Play is vital to supporting children’s development, learning and wellbeing. It encourages a sense of adventure and discovery, helping young minds to better understand the world around them through fun and creative ways. This National Play Day is an opportunity for Local Authorities to invite children, and their families, to come together in their communities and take part in a range of fun and exciting activities that everyone can enjoy.”
Notes to the Editor:
The aim of National Play Day is to promote play opportunities for children all across the country. The DCEDIY has approved applications from 31 Local Authorities for the implementation of a programme of a range of activities to support National Play Day. Each Local Authority that applied for funding under this grant scheme therefore will receive funding for €3,000.
The National Play Day grant provides funds to Local Authorities in order to allow them create and host play and recreational opportunities for children and young people in their communities.
National Play Day funding can also be utilised by Local Authorities to purchase and distribute play packs to children and young people. These play packs are targeted at children in the wider community in addition to children who may have fewer play opportunities; those in Direct Provision centres for example. Play Packs can include items such as skipping ropes, soft balls, crafts or drawing materials, toys for communication, toys for socialisation, toys for sensory, toys for manipulation, toys for movement: most of all TOYS FOR FUN!
This year 31 local authorities successfully applied for funding under this scheme; details of these applications can be found in the National Play Day 2022 – Final List of Grantees.
