Ballyfermot needs Full Size Astro Facilities

The Ballyfermot community with population of over 55k people currently lacks full-size public Astro pitches, leaving us at a disadvantage compared to other communities that can utilise these facilities to play football throughout the winter months. It is disheartening for clubs and their members in Ballyfermot to see this disparity. The pitches at the Ballyfermot leisure centre are limited to five-a-side, which primarily serve younger children during their training sessions. Unfortunately, this has led to injuries among older youth teams, as the small size of the pitches hampers proper training and gives an advantage to teams with better facilities.

Football has the power to unite our community, providing both children and adults with the chance to represent Ballyfermot with pride. However, the lack of available pitches from October through February or March limits our ability to compete during the winter season. We must do better in offering our youth the opportunity to play football and engage in positive activities, helping to prevent boredom and the potential for mischief that arises from a lack of facilities.

I urge everyone to sign this petition so that Ballyfermot is not treated as a second-class community, unlike others that enjoy these essential facilities.