Headed Items
CONFIRMATION AND RE-AFFIRMATION OF MINUTES
a) Minutes of Meeting of South Dublin County Council, 9th February 2015
b) Minutes of South Dublin County Council Development Plan Meeting, 12th Feb. 2015
c) Minutes of South Dublin County Council Adjourned Development Plan Meeting, 16th Feb. 2015
(all circulated herewith)
REPORTS OF AREA COMMITTEES
a) Rathfarnham/Templeogue-Terenure Area Committee - 10th February 2015
- Dealing with Public Realm, Environment, Water & Drainage, Community, Housing, Transportation, Planning, Libraries & Arts, Economic Development, Corporate Support, Performance & Change Management
(no report)
b) Clondalkin Area Committee - 18th February 2015
- Dealing with Public Realm, Environment, Water & Drainage, Community, Housing, Transportation, Planning, Libraries & Arts, Economic Development, Corporate Support, Performance & Change Management
(no report)
c) Tallaght Area Committee - 23rd February 2015
- Dealing with Public Realm, Environment, Water & Drainage, Community, Housing, Transportation, Planning, Libraries & Arts (1 report - Arts Grants), Economic Development, Corporate Support, Performance & Change Management
(circulated herewith)
d) Lucan Area Committee - 24th February 2015
- Dealing with Public Realm, Environment, Water & Drainage, Community, Housing, Transportation, Planning, Libraries & Arts, (1 report - Arts Grants), Economic Development, Corporate Support, Performance & Change Management
(circulated herewith)
STANDING COMMITTEES - ORGANISATION, PROCEDURE & FINANCE COMMITTEE
(H3 no reports)
STRATEGIC POLICY COMMITTEES
a) Environment, Public Realm & Climate Change SPC
(i) Report of meeting, 3rd February 2015
(ii) Minutes of meeting, 3rd February 2014
b) Arts, Culture, Gaeilge, Heritage & Libraries SPC
(i) Report of meeting, 4th February 2015
(ii) Report of Arts SPC Working Group meeting, 4th March 2015
c) Economic Development, Enterprise & Tourism SPC
(i) Report of meeting, 11th February 2015
(ii) Minutes of meeting, 13th January 2015
(iii) Report of Econonomic Enterprise & Tourism Development SPC WG meeting, 26th Feb. 2015
d) Social & Community SPC
(i) Report of meeting, 4th February 2015
e) Land Use, Transportation & Planning SPC
(i) Report of meeting, 19th February 2015
(ii) Minutes of meeting, 13th Feb. 2014
f) Housing SPC
(i) Report of meeting, 19th February 2015
(ii) Minutes of meeting, 26th November 2014
(all circulated herewith)
REPORT OF JOINT POLICING COMMITTEE MEETING, 30th JANUARY 2015
(circulated herewith)
REPORTS REQUESTED BY AREA COMMITTEES
(H6 no reports)
Questions
To ask the Chief Executive, how many tenants have been transferred or are waiting to be transferred for reasons related to Anti-Social Behavior across the County, with a possible breakdown of each area?
To ask the Chief Executive what plans if any, have the Council to promote cleaner communities campaigns, encouraging community groups and residents to participate in such initiatives in housing estates. Additionally, what support will be given to those who chose to participate?
To ask the Chief Executive, what was the total cost to the Council last year for the removal of litter and illegal dumping?
There are a number of houses throughout the county which have been left vacant - for one reason or another. These houses are often left in disrepair and can have a negative effect on the surrounding community. To ask the Chief Executive what steps are open to the council to address this issue?
The flashing signs - indicating the speed of the oncoming traffic - throughout the county are, in my opinion, having a positive effect on reducing speed. To ask the Chief Executive what is the cost of each unit and what opportunities are there to roll more of these out this year?
To ask the Chief Executive when will the council publish it's findings and conclusions from the recent request for submissions regarding residential speed limits?
To ask the Chief Executive in the management's opinion was the "Bulbs not Bonfires" scheme a success? Will it be continued next year? What was the cost of the scheme in total?
To ask the Chief Executive to liaise with Irish Water and ask for a report into the effect the meter readings will have on radon gas levels?
To ask the Chief Executive how many social homes does he anticipate will be constructed in the county in 2015?
To ask the Chief Executive what is the position with regard to the roundabout county signage strategy that was first initiated ten years ago and has never seen the light of day nor any sign on in the roundabout in the county?
To ask the Chief Executive what is the position with regard to the Cash for Cars signage in the county and will the Chief Executive present a report to members on any progress made?
To ask the Chief Executive can he outline what progress is being made with the remaining utility companies in respect of entering into MOU with the Council concerning Graffiti - and will the Chief Executive list these utility companies?
To ask the Chief Executive to confirm the latest position regarding the position of Pyrite in houses within the county and to make a statement on the matter?
To ask the Chief Executive to outline who is responsible for the debris caused by wheelie bins falling on public roads, in particular during periods of windy weather, and for subsequent clean-ups; and to make a statement on how he plans to engage with waste disposal companies and other parties to resolve the inadvertent littering resultant from this avoidable issue?
To ask the Chief Executive what is his intention in terms of rolling out the proposed new 30kph speed limit in housing estates, and to make a statement on the matter?
To ask the Chief Executive to provide an update on the implementation of the County's Age-Friendly Strategy, to report on proposed works and initiatives planned for 2015 in the area of inclusion for older persons, and to make a statement on the matter?
To ask the Chief Executive for a report on the awarding of housing adaptation grants in private and social housing in the County for 2014 and 2015, how this compares to historical awards, and to make a statement on the matter?
To ask the Chief Executive if he will give consideration to allowing submissions and observations on planning applications to be made online, to provide a report on the possibilities of implementing such a system to include payment as per regulations, and to make a statement on the matter?
To ask the Chief Executive to outline in detail the full process involved in Tree Pruning and Removal from when a Councillor or member of the public send in a request for service right through to what is done with the lumber once a tree is removed or pruned?
To ask the Chief Executive, based on the recommended number of tenants per unit for social housing, can he please provide a breakdown of the number of units, by number of bedrooms, that could be currently deemed as above capacity or overcrowded?
Where the occupancy level is above the recommended level, can the CE also provide a breakdown, along similar lines, as to how many of these units currently house additional children and how many currently house additional adults?
To ask the Chief Executive what plans there are for Shared Ownership Scheme or affordable housing schemes within the County within the next 12 months?
To ask the Chief Executive how much SDCC spends on the emptying of bins in our villages each year and how much SDCC spends on the upkeep/watering of flower baskets/hanging baskets in our villages each year?
To ask the Chief Executive why SDCC does not operate a ‘Self Refer’ policy for homeless clients and are there any plans to introduce it in the near future?
To ask the Chief Executive how many clients throughout the County are currently homeless but are not actually categorised homeless because they haven’t been able to access emergency homeless accommodation?
To ask the Chief Executive what percentage of trees listed in the current Tree Pruning Programme have actually been dealt with. What will happen to the trees not reached before the end of the programme?
To ask the Chief Executive how many people living in a House/accommodation is considered overcrowding and is there an EU Directive on this? if so to outline this.
To ask the Chief Executive for an update report on The Housing Strategy and how the public can make recommendation re same. Also to outline and report what is envisaged within the document and when this will be a final working document?
Given the announcement by Alan Kelly Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government that the Target to end homelessness by 2016 I want to ask the Chief Executive for a report how SDCC will ensure this happens and what plans are in place to deal with this growing issue? also how much has the ministers department given to tackle the issue to SDCC and how much has central government provided SDCC to build Housing?
To ask the Chief Executive to identify possible bridges and locations that could be named after people from the South Dublin County area? To ask for a report on possible roundabouts that could be named after people from South Dublin County Council area and to look at this as being a way to engage Public Consultation?
To ask the Chief Executive what is the Council's post tree removal policy. Is any later action taken to address unsightly and unsafe tree stumps following a tree removal?
Headed Items
DECLARATION OF ROADS TO BE PUBLIC ROADS
(H7 no reports)
PROPOSED DISPOSAL OF PROPERTIES / SITES
b) Acquisition by Purchase of Fee Simple - 12 Stoney Park, Rathcoole, Co. Dublin
a) Proposed Disposal of Affordable Dwellings
(no report)
MONTHLY MANAGEMENT REPORT
(circulated herewith)
AUDIT COMMITTEE ANNUAL REPORT 2014
(circulated herewith)
a) ROADWORKS PROGRAMME 2015
(circulated herewith)
b) TRAFFIC SECTION WORKS PROGRAMME
(circulated herewith)
NEW-BUILD COUNCIL HOUSING PROGRAMME
(circulated herewith)
PRESENTATION ON THE PUBLIC LIGHTING STRATEGY
(circulated herewith)
PUBLIC REALM WORKS PROGRAMME 2015
(circulated herewith)
Correspondence
Letter, dated 11/02/15, from Wicklow Co. Council in relation to their motion passed regarding Firearms Licensing.
Letter, dated 13/02/15, from Limerick City & County Council in relation to their motion passed regarding Classification of Off the Road Vehicles
Letter, dated 13/02/15, from Limerick City & County Council in relation to their motion passed regarding Movement of Sex Offenders from Northern Ireland
Email, dated 20/02/15, from Fingal County Council in relation to their motion passed regarding Local Property Tax Revaluation.
Letter, dated 23/02/15, from Minister of State at the Dept. of Justice & Equality in relation to SDCC's motion passed regarding Transgender Rights (M1/0215)
Letter, dated 24/02/15, from Offaly Co. Council in relation to their motion passed Condemning Targeting President of Ireland for any Protests or Demonstrations
a) Letter, dated 25/02/15, from Donegal Co. Council in relation to their motion passed regarding a Rural Affairs Committee;
b) Letter, dated 25/02/15, from Donegal Co. Council in relation to their motion passed regarding Crisis in A&E Departments.
Motions
Mayor's Business
This Council calls on the Tanaiste & Minister for Social Protection to abandon the plan to phase out Lone parents payments once children reach seven years of age. Some 11,000 lone parent families have already been affected by these gradual reductions. Further reductions will impact on 30,200 Lone parent families in July this year, pushing families further into poverty.
That this council calls on the Minister for Justice to assign additional resources, personnel and vehicles to all Garda Stations in the South Dublin County Council Area to allow for ongoing effective action to be taken in respect of serious crime which has been reported throughout the area in recent times.
That the South Dublin County Council should initiate a civic pride week event that could be turned into a festive occasion and be held annually in spring. This event would include sports, community gardening, street clean-ups and musical activities.
That this council calls on the Minster for Finance to postpone the scheduled review of residential property valuations under the LPT in 2016.
To freeze all current valuations till 2020. Allowing house prices to stabilize particularly in the Dublin area.
To increase the power of local councils to raise or lower the LPT by allowing for a 30% adjustment instead of the current 15%, in the lifetime of a council.
That this council calls on the government to endorse and Launch the safer internet campaign iRights in Ireland.
Irights proposes 5 core protective online principals which have been drawn up based on translating the United Nations Convention on the rights of the child.
Principal 1 is the “right to remove” – By adopting iRights in Ireland, when a young person reaches the age of 18, they will have access to easily delete any content that they themselves have created when they were perhaps too immature to know better (80% of all employers check online sites for details on job candidates)
Principal 2 is the “right to know” – By adopting this principal, it means that information about how our data may be used is designed into the technology we use daily and explained to children clearly rather than hidden in endless pages of obscure terms & conditions (eg. We should be informed when Celebrities are being paid to endorse a product online)
Principal 3 is the right to “make informed and conscious choices” – Our children should understand that what happens online isn’t just down to their free will but is being manipulated through clever game design intent on making playing it addictive
Principal 4 is the “right to Safety & Support online” - That Our education policy values and supports access to internet safety for both Children and Parents
Principal 5 is the “right to digital literacy” – If our young people are to flourish in the future, they need to be able not just to use the internet and technology but also to understand how it all works. That means learning to code, application development and cloud computing. By endorsing iRights, our future technology learning strategy for our children will be developed.
Irights was developed in the UK and launched in December under the #weprotect Conference hosted by PM David Cameron in response to the need to address the rights of Children in the Online world.
By embracing irights in Ireland, all citizens could sign up to demand the rights of Irish children in our online world.
That this Council proposes to the Minister for Environment, Communities & Local Government that a review be carried-out of the legislation governing commercial rates, to afford local authorities more flexibility in devising locally-appropriate rate regimes, including to:
- Firstly, adopt a more progressive system of commercial rates with a both a general low level of ARV and a higher level applying to that part of a property valuation in excess of a certain amount; thereby allowing local authorities to target rates reductions for small and medium businesses;
- Secondly, identify a limited number of priority ‘Main Street’ commercial areas where a special, time-limited lower level of commercial rates could be applied to incentivise retailing and commerce and regenerate such areas in tandem with an approved plan.
In the light of the ever-worsening graffiti problem in our county and nationwide, this council calls on the government to enact legislation which would restrict the sale of aerosol spray-paint cans to people over twenty one years of age.
That this Council calls on the Energy Regulator to review the taxes and levies set by them with a view to reducing the crippling energy costs for consumers in this County. Irish consumers have the fourth most expensive electricity in the EU and this is utterly unacceptable.
That this Council calls on the Minister to introduce the promised National Bin Charges Waiver Scheme as identified in the programme for Government without delay with a view to providing some relief to those Citizens the proposed scheme was purported to assist.
Considering that Ireland has one of the highest childcare costs in the OECD, this council calls on the Tánaiste Joan Burton to fulfill her commitment to deliver an affordable & accessible Scandinavian Model of Childcare, which will encourage and enable women to participate in education or return to the labour market.
This Council, concerned at the manner in which new charges, levies and taxes have been introduced in recent years, many of them by stealth and in addition to and on top of, already unfair charges, levies and taxes which have the cumulative effect of significantly undermining the quality of life of the average family, calls on An Taoiseach, the Minister for Finance and the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, if they are sincere in their declared policy of broadening the Tax Base, to reverse the current policy of punitive tax expansion under the guise of broadening the Tax Base, and initiate a root and branch overhaul of the Irish Taxation System that eliminates double taxation in all its forms and introduce instead an integrated system of Local and National Taxation that will be fair, equitable and sustainable and that is capable of providing realistic funding for Local Government based on the services and facilities best delivered at local level, that promotes solidarity at National level, that is linked, as all taxes should be, on ability to pay, that is progressive and transparent. That the Chief Executive Officer write to An Taoiseach and Ministers concerned informing them of the decision of this Council and that the other County Council be forwarded a copy.
That this elected body calls on all corporate entities in this county to adhere to their responsibility in upholding human rights and international law in their corporate governance. Furthermore if this motion is passed by the elected members where international law is seemed to be non adhered to we the elected body shall ask for clarification regarding ethical guidelines and corporate responsibility.
That this council condemns the use of Gateway, Job Bridge, and other similar government "job activation" schemes as they endanger council jobs.
That the County Development Plan reflects the requirement of primary and post-primary education provision catering for a pluralist county
For people living with Multiple Sclerosis, in regard to the medication Fampyra early in 2013, notification was given by the HSE that the drug would not be reimbursed. While this life changing Medication is fully available, any patients wishing to receive treatment will be required to either make alternative funding arrangements or to self-fund their treatment. This Council supports the introduction of availability of this Medication to all in need regardless of ability to pay, and calls on the Minister for Health, the Government and the HSE to reverse this decision.
Following my motion Reference 41531 (That this Council liaise with Dublin Bus to report on measures / plans are being made in relation to the provision of a bus route along the Outer Ring Road which would connect Lucan (village) to Tallaght (village) via Clondalkin (village) and vice versa, making full use of this infrastructure.) That this council requests an update from the CEO and also asks that Dublin Bus are invited to discuss this proposal with the council.
That this Council calls for a reduction in the VAT rate on NEW residential construction from 13.5% to 9% to reduce house prices and stimulate residential construction.
That this Council writes to the Minister for Health seeking clarification as to why the H.S.E. is downgrading the ratio mix for the care of vulnerable patients from a 50:50 to a 40:60 basis. That we reiterate the questions posed by the INMO in this matter. On what evidence is a skill mix of 40:60 based on?
- What autonomy / authority does the person in charge (Director of Nursing) have in relation to staffing levels and skill mix?
- Why are the HSE proceeding with this overtly cost cutting exercise in one of the most vulnerable patient groups in the health service?
- What risk assessment was carried out in all areas prior to this instruction to cut staff in such numbers?
That the County Development Plan mandates the Council to strike a retail balance in our villages and retail centres
Emergency/Suspensory Motion
Suspensory Motion Proposed byCouncillors W. Lavelle, F. Warfield, M. Devine, C. O’Connor, R. McMahon, D. Richardson, C. King, D. O’Brien, L. O’Toole, M. Genockey, E. Ó Broin, A-M. Dermody, K. Egan, P. Donovan, J. Lahart, D. Looney, L. Dunne, T. Gilligan, P. Foley, P. Gogarty, F. Timmons, B. Leech, B. Bonner, S. Holland, B. Ferron, C. Brophy, G. O’Connell, M. Duff, K. Mahon, D. O’Donovan, E. Higgins:
That South Dublin County Council calls on the HSE and the Chief Executives of the four Dublin local authorities:
To immediately suspend plans and lift the threat to transfer responsibility for the receipt of calls and dispatch of the Dublin Fire Brigade (DFB) ambulance service to the National Ambulance Service (NAS) Emergency Operations Centre;
To await the completion of both the HSE/DCC review of the DFB emergency ambulance service and the separate HSE NAS Capacity Review; and to enter an open and inclusive dialogue with DFB staff before considering any future changes to the current systems of control and operation of ambulance services in Dublin.