Gardaí are investigating after a section of a children's playground was badly damaged in an apparant arson attack in south Dublin.
A slide structure in the Sean Moore Park playground in Sandymount went on fire at around 9.40pm last night.
Gardaí and Dublin Fire Brigade attended the scene, with fire crews extinguishing the blaze and making the area safe.
No injuries were reported.
Fine Gael TD for Dublin Bay South James Geoghegan said it was the "worse arson attack yet" by "mindless vandals who have given two fingers to their community".
He said the estimated cost of repairs will be "in excess of €100,000".
"It's completely destroyed. You're talking about a 20-foot structure that was on fire, engulfed in flames, a fibreglass slide that has completely disintegrated. You're definitely talking in six figure sums in terms of the property that has been damaged," he said.
Mr Geoghegan called for "a rapid response" to get the playground reopened again.
"What we need to see is a policing response at a community level, and then we also need to see a rapid response in terms of getting the playground open again and getting the play item reconstructed, to show these people that they can't show two fingers to our community.
"The community are a lot stronger than the vandalism which they perpetrated," he added.
Gardaí said they are treating the incident as criminal damage by fire.
The damage in Sandymount comes after playgrounds in Lucan and Finglas were also damaged by fire in the past fortnight.
Speaking following the apparent arson attack on a playground in Castlegate Park, Lucan, last Wednesday, Sinn Féin representative Derren Ó Bradáigh said: "This incident has shaken residents and upset children, with this being the only playground in the vicinity. What's worse still is that the playground only received significant upgrades and resurfacing last year after a lengthy wait.
"Local community gardaí are doing their best and whilst I appreciate that there have been some moderate increases in numbers in certain districts, we need more gardaí overall, with greater visibility on the ground and providing reassurances to people going about their lives. Furthermore, we need deterrent measures put in place, leading to greater accountability from parents of teenagers," added Mr Ó Bradáigh.
Meanwhile a playground in Meakstown, Lanesborough Park, Dublin 11, was damaged on 30 August.
According to Fingal County Council, a piece of playground equipment that was fire damaged was cordoned off and an inspection report was carried out by the council's playground maintenance contractor to assess the damage caused and to assess the estimated time for repairs.
