Signage oversight at Limerick city playground to be rectified 'as soon as possible'

ONE DAY after opening Limerick's first "fully-inclusive" playground in People's Park, Limerick City and County Council have acknowledged a signage oversight.

The issue came to light after Councillor Elisa O'Donovan tweeted about the presence of a British Sign Language (BSL) board instead of Irish Sign Language (ISL) in the new inclusive play area.

The tweet stated appreciation for the playground, but added: "This is why you should always get a speech and language therapist to proof communication boards in play areas." 

Responding to the concern in a statement, Limerick City and County Council clarified that the signage board was provided by a contractor based in Northern Ireland, who won the contract through a fair, open, and transparent tendering process.

The statement continued: "Representatives from Limerick City and County Council have this morning met with staff at the Midwest School for the Deaf in Limerick and discussed a number of suggestions to improve the Irish Sign Language offering in our parks."

Furthermore, the statement added that the council have reached out to leading playground suppliers and contractors to explore the availability of ISL equivalent signage boards, but found that no such ISL signage boards are currently available.

In light of this, the council have stated their intention to work with the deaf community in Limerick to design and commission an ISL signing board, and thanked the public for bringing the matter to their attention.