Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has hailed An Coimisiún Pleanála's decision to preserve the community pitch on Portland Row as a major win for local residents, calling on Dublin City Council to set out a plan to enhance the facility for future generations.

Mary Lou McDonald, Sinn Féin Leader and Dublin Central TD, welcomed the move, stressing that housing and amenities must progress together. She said: "Saving the pitch on Portland Row is a huge victory for the local community and for common sense. Communities should never be forced to choose between housing and spaces like this for our young people to play. Now that that the pitch is saved we need to see a plan from Dublin City Council to develop it to its full potential for generations of children from this community." Reiterating her call for homes and community facilities to be delivered side by side, Ms McDonald said: "Today's decision from An Coimisiún Pleanála on the Portland Row pitch is a huge victory for the local community and for common sense. We need housing and community facilities side by side. Communities should never be forced to choose between housing and spaces like this in Portland Row for our young people to play.

"This pitch is very important for the young people of the local area. It is a place where they can play safely, enjoy games, develop their sports skills and make friends. It's a place where young people from the area grow up together, and that is everything.

"Now that that the pitch is saved we need to see a plan from Dublin City Council to develop it to its full potential for generations of children from this community.

"This has been a huge community effort to save the pitch and I want to thank everyone involved particularly local boxing hero Kellie Harrington. All of this shows the power of people coming together standing up for their communities."