€15,000 has been allocated to refurbish Killygoan play park in Monaghan.

The facility was closed in 2013 after being condemned as unsafe.

The development will also include a 'Smart' playground as well new equipment for children with limited mobility.

Fine Gael Cavan/Monaghan TD, Sean Conlon, welcomed the funding and said that safe and fun play areas are a major draw to any town.

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Mr Conlon said: "It is also extremely important that these areas are healthy environments for our children and with this in mind, Minister Reilly has stated that in future, applications for funding will face an additional criterion related to Tobacco Free Ireland.

"In order to prevent children from ever starting to smoke it is essential that we denormalise smoking and therefore funding for projects such as children's playgrounds will be contingent on the relevant local authority implementing a policy of ensuring the projects are no smoking areas. 

"Nationally €250,000 has been allocated to a variety of worthy projects; this money is being used to bring old play areas back into use, to rejuvenate housing estates and to introduce new and innovative facilities."

(CD/JP)