Small urban parks could the answer to an increase in apartment living.
Green Party MEP for Dublin, Ciarán Cuffe, has called on Dublin City Council to develop more pocket parks in response to the number of apartments in the capital.
Pocket parks are usually small parks found in built-up urban spaces where other outdoor space may be limited.
Mr Cuffe told Newstalk Breakfast these types of parks are needed as more people live in apartments.
"I think traditionally in Dublin we've been brilliant at creating large parks that have a football pitch or a huge amount of green space," he said.
"In the last few years we've seen quite a rise in apartment living, where people have very little outside space; maybe a small balcony if they're lucky.
"I think we need to think again about the kind of green spaces that should be made available.
"These small pocket parks, the kind of handkerchief parks, I think are a very practical way of responding to this new need."
'Reclaim some lost space'
Mr Cuffe said such parks should be close to people's homes.
"Sometimes the developer could make available the land, or sometimes it could be the local authority," he said.
"I think actually there's an opportunity to reclaim some of the space that we've lost to car parking over the last many years.
"A huge amount of space that could be used for recreation or amenity has been taken over by surface car parking.
"In some cities, like Copenhagen or Amsterdam, we've seen the local authority take back some space and make it available to families and children."
'Attitudes are changing'
Mr Cuffe said he believes people are realising the value of green spaces.
"I think attitudes are changing, we're realising the importance of the small amounts of green space and the public realm that we have," he said.
"Even the words 'public realm' certainly weren't used that often a decade ago, so I think attitudes are changing.
"I think with a rise in immigration, of people coming from central Europe and elsewhere, many of those who've come to Ireland have - dare I say it - I think a more enlightened approach to how we manage space in our towns and cities," he added.
