Growing demand for garden plots

A surge in demand in recent years for allotments has led Fingal County Council to reopen its waiting list for the garden plots.

The council currently has 250 allotments in Donabate and Finglas and a further 277 people are on a waiting list.

Allotments are small areas of land let out at a nominal yearly rent by local authorities to allow people to grow their own fruit and vegetables. Fingal currently charges rent of around €30 a year for each plot. The waiting list has risen from zero in 1999 to 277 in 2006.

The growth in interest is being attributed to an increased desire to eat fresh, healthy food and a reduction in the size of gardens in new housing developments.

Fingal had closed the waiting list for allotments but agreed to reopen it following a motion at a recent council meeting.

The council also agreed to identify more green space suitable for allotment use. It is to look at the use of conacre, areas of land let to farmers, for temporary allotments, and parkland for the provision of permanent allotments.

There are currently no allotments available in the Dublin City Council area. However, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has allotment space at Goatstown, and South Dublin County Council has four permanent sites.

Green Party councillor David Healy said green-belt land should incorporate allotments on a permanent basis.