Headed Items
CONFIRMATION AND RE-AFFIRMATION OF MINUTES
Minutes of October 17th County Council Meeting.
REPORTS OF AREA COMMITTEES
a) Rathfarnham/Templeogue-Terenure Area Committee - 13th September 2016
Dealing with Environment, Public Realm, Water & Drainage, Housing, Community, Planning, Transportation, Economic Development, Libraries & Arts, Corporate Support, Performance & Change Management
b) Clondalkin Area Committee - 19th September 2016
Dealing with Environment, Public Realm, Water & Drainage, Housing, Community, Planning, Transportation, Economic Development, Libraries & Arts, Corporate Support, Performance & Change Management
(c) Tallaght Area Committee - 24th September 2016
Dealing with Environment, Public Realm, Water & Drainage, Housing, Community, Planning, Transportation, Economic Development, Libraries & Arts (1 - report Arts Grant ), Corporate Support Performance & Change Management
d) Lucan Area Committee - 25th September 2016
Dealing with Environment, Public Realm, Water & Drainage, Housing, Community, Planning, Transportation, Economic Development, Libraries(1 report - grants) & Arts , Corporate Support, Performance& Change Management
STANDING COMMITTEES - ORGANISATION, PROCEDURE & FINANCE
(No Reports)
STRATEGIC POLICY COMMITTEES
(No Reports)
REPORTS REQUESTED BY AREA COMMITTEES
(No Reports)
Questions
To ask the Chief Executive the length, on average, of lease obtained by tenants who successfully engaged with HAP.
Would the Chief Executive please make a report to this Council regarding the recruitment of participants to the Community Employment Scheme, sponsored by South Dublin Council, and indicate how vacancies are advertised, when and how interviews are carried out and give details of the current numbers of vacancies for the current Scheme.
How many people are currently on our windows and doors replacement programme, please break down by electoral area and length of time on list.
Can the Chief Executive please let me know how many people are currently waiting on caravan bays in the county, and how many we have available?
To ask the Chief Executive to outline the number of dwellings acquired by the council through the Part 5 process each year from 2011-2016?
To ask the Chief Executive if he will support efforts to expand the number of Youth Cafes for teenagers across our County?
To ask the Chief Executive if he will engage with Waterways Ireland to examine the feasibility of extending the Grand Canal Green Route?
To ask the Chief Executive for an update on the request to reduce or abolish the current Headstone fee of €490?
To ask the Chief Executive for updated detailed timelines for the design, tendering and construction of new playground projects planned for 2016?
To ask the Chief Executive if he will seek funding from the NTA for the purposes of establishing a pilot supervised school bus service, noting in particular the finding of the NTA Greater Dublin Transport Strategy 2016 – 2035 that “the school run has become an increasingly important element in traffic congestion across the region, particularly in the morning peak”?
Can the Council explain how allocations to housing are decided and under what priority are they given. A case in point is the new build in Suncroft. Is it time on the waiting list, overcrowding or medical priority. On what basis where they awarded.
To ask the Chief Executive to confirm actions taken to deal with the challenge of the recent bonfire season and will he state if he believes that those efforts were successful.
To ask the Chief Executive if he would confirm the cost to the Council of removing graffiti throughout the County in this calendar year and will he present a report outlining his proposed strategy to deal with this difficult issue into the future.
To ask the Chief Executive if he has any plans to further promote the use of Cycle Lanes throughout the County and to confirm actions being taken in respect of this matter.
To ask the Chief Executive to confirm his proposals to continue to support the Safety Fora/Estate Management Programmes in the 4 areas currently covered in our County and will he outline his plans to seek additional funding from Government in respect of this Programme which successfully tackles issues regarding crime, drugs, anti-social behavior and housing matters.
To ask the Chief Executive to report further on his efforts in this calendar year to deal with what is regarded as the Homeless/Housing crisis and will he confirm his plans to allocate additional funding to this function in 2017.
That a report is issued on How many people have become Homeless each month from Jan to October this year
To ask for a report into what changes would be needed (Legislation and Council) to allow people house there family/relatives in a mobile Home/Caravan in their back garden? and to outline what needs to be done to achieve these changes
To ask for a report into what SDCC can and are doing to promote Fairtrade within South Dublin County Council
To ask for a report into the Smoking policy within SDCC and ask that the policy is reviewed and to look at all smoking including electronic Cigarettes be not permitted on site or near Council buildings
To ask for a report on what the potential value of a European Affairs SPC in SDCC business would or could be ?
Headed Items
DECLARATION ROADS TO BE MADE PUBLIC ROADS
(No Reports)
PROPOSED DISPOSAL OF PROPERTY/SITES
H7a)- Proposed exchange of lands to rear Scoil Chronáin, Rathcoole, Co. Dublin with Minister for Education & Skills
MONTHLY MANAGEMENT REPORT
PART 8 - TYMON LIBRARY
APPLICATIONS FOR GRANTS
ENTERPRISE STRATEGY
PROVISION OF VETERINARY SERVICE ON BEHALF OF KILDARE COUNTY COUNCIL BY SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL.
(PROPOSED AGREEMENT UNDER SECTION 85 OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 2001)
UPDATE ON PLAYSPACE PROGRAMME
PART 8 N81 LANDSCAPE IMPROVEMENT SCHEME
ENERGY UPDATE
SECTION 6 APPROVAL FOR CAPITAL ASSISTANCE SCHEME BY APPROVED HOUSING BODIES
Correspondence
Letter dated 24th October from Insurance Ireland, regarding insurance for flooding.
Motions
Mayors Business
The elected members of South Dublin County Council call on the GAA to reverse their policy of selling the exclusive broadcasting rights of Gaelic Games to subscription viewing channels and to return to the long held position of the GAA that ensured all Televised Championship Gaelic Games are shown on terrestrial Free to Air channels for all to see.
The viewership difference between comparable fixtures on Sky and when TV3 had the exclusive rights are close to 400,00O. These 400,000 viewers really want to watch their national sports and are excluded as they cannot afford to subscribe to Sky. The average GAA fixture on TV3 attracted 289,000 viewers while Sky viewership was 10 times less, in the mid twenty thousands.
This exclusion from watching their national sports is especially hard for all those in hospitals, care homes, the elderly, those with mobility issues, those in poor health, those on shift work and all those families who through limited financial means or other circumstances are unable to attend GAA fixtures but would love to watch their county teams.
The people that built and sustain the GAA through selfless volunteerism are being excluded.
If the GAA do not reverse this policy we call on the Minister for Communications to begin the process under the Broadcasting Act 2009 to designate all Gaelic Games as being Free to Air given their special resonance and distinct cultural significance and importance for the people of Ireland. Currently, only the Hurling and Football All-Ireland Final are designated as Free to Air.
That the Chief Executive inform the Secretary General of the GAA in writing of the contents of this motion and that it be copied to the Minister for Communications.
This Council agrees that any rapid build emergency accommodation provided by South Dublin County Council should be equally divided between all five local electoral areas and should not be exclusively concentrated in areas that already have a high density of social housing.
That the Council agrees to roll out a participatory budgeting pilot scheme in one electoral area for the 2017 Council Budget.
That this Council calls on the Chief Executive to explore using European Funding provided through the ESF & RDF to provide for the roll out of smart ventilation systems in Council homes to tackle the growing problem of mould growth in homes which seems to have developed with the upgrading of heating and insulation systems over recent years. This growth of mould spores is having a negative impact on tenant's health and disproportionately on children's health in these homes.
That this Council agrees to repossess any derelict or overgrown allotments in SDCC after a specific time frame and 1 warning sent out to plot holders.
That this Council calls on the Chief Executive to review the policy and practice in relation to both the removal of weeds (including along roads, at the edges of open spaces and along watercourses) and the trimming of briars (particularly where they may protrude onto pedestrian and cycle routes) with a view to ensuring more the effective and timely programming of works during Spring and Summer months.
That this Council calls on the Chief Executive to confirm his commitment to the local Policing Forum programme and will he also confirm that the programme will be properly managed and resourced and in reporting will he give details of the meetings held by each of the Forums operating in our County since June 2014 and will he make a full statement in the matter.
This Council calls on the Chief Executive to make amendments to the bye law regarding jurisdiction of motor bikes/scramblers in South Dublin County parks to give the Gardaí stronger powers in dealing with the ongoing problems we are experiencing County wide.
That this Council calls on the Minister for the Environment to reimburse the monies paid to Irish Water by family households to date.
That this Council calls for the banning of any use of glyphosate in or close to public parks, public playgrounds and public gardens. (Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum systemic herbicide and crop desiccant used to kill weeds, especially annual broadleaf weeds and grasses)
Note: In April of this year MEPs asked the European ?Commission to reassess its approval of glyphosate in the light of its pending classification by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) due to links to causing cancer and the disruptive impact on a person's endocrine system.
That this Council reaffirms the need for full compliance with condition No. 11 of the report on the disposal of the site at Killinniny Road, Firhouse to the Minister for Education and Skill as approved by the elected members by way of resolution at the December 2014 meeting of this Council, in accordance with Section 211 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 and subject to the provisions of Section 183 of the Local Government Act, 2001. (Note condition 11 states: “That no construction shall take place on site until such time as the existing football pitch within the lands to be disposed of has been re-located to the adjacent green area. The re-location of this pitch to be a matter for the Council. Consultation with, and agreement on, the timetable for relocation to be agreed between South Dublin County Council and Firhouse Carmel Football Club no later than 30th June 2015.”)
This council requests that the Dublin Flag should be flown from the Civic offices in Tallaght and Clondalkin during the Championship season and that the council would make an effort to ensure that it is clear to all that we, as a council, are proud of the Dublin football and hurling teams and their achievements; that flag standards like those on parts of the Tallaght by pass and N81 would be installed on main approach roads to the county, particularly at county boundaries so that it might be easier to fly the Dublin colours at appropriate times with appropriately worded signage so that it would be clear that the Dubs are cherished every bit as much in our county as the Tipperary team is in the Home Of Hurling.
This council requests the Chief Executive to determine suitable locations for the construction of “Independent residential complexes” to address the needs of a maturing population and to free up housing stock more suitable to families through the subsequent downsizing.
The independent complex can be a mixture of both social housing and privately leased houses through “fair deal schemes”.
The concentration of mature people in an Independent living complex allows for more efficient provision of services and also helps to create a vibrant community reducing the effects of loneliness and isolation.
This Council writes to the Minister for Justice to ask her to conduct a review into the sentencing for repeat impaired drivers convicted of causing loss of life and/or serious injuries while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. The review should include consultation with families bereaved and the injured victims from such crimes and consider all measures which may reduce this category of crime including sentence length
That this Council asks the manager to commission a feasibility study into providing a cable car from Tallaght to the Hell fire club as part of the Dublin mountain flagship project & tourism strategy this would be a great asset to the county and it would encourage visitors who don't drive to visit the area and it will also help with traffic to the Dublin mountains.
To ask the manager to report back to council with the feasibility study when completed.
That this Council write to the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government and ask that he immediately proceed with a review of the powers of local Government with a view to reinstating the functions that were eroded over years and taking steps to make local Government a functioning democracy.
That this Council supports legislation for the use of medical marijuana for medicinal purposes.
This Council contends that the school warden service should not be withdrawn from any crossing point in our County unless it can be clearly demonstrated that there is no health and safety risk to children in doing so. Could a report be presented on the crossing points where service has been withdrawn and outline the rationale for same.
That this County Council calls on the Minister for Justice & Equality and the Minister for Public Expenditure to immediately allocate funding outlined in Budget 2017 to An Garda Síochana and any emergency funding as may be required to ensure that delays in processing vetting applications for Special Needs Assistants are cleared to provide schools across this county which this much needed resource.
That SDCC supports Recognition of ''Irish Sign Language'' through the Deaf Community Bill 2016 and ask that this be passed and enacted without delay
In the light of recent prosecutions for illegal flyering and bill posting advertising cash in exchange for various products, it is our contention that the County Council is now in a position to tackle this behaviour which amounts to vandalism for profit. Accordingly, we propose that this Council now requests that the Environment Dept of SDCC make a concerted effort to remove the existing illegal bill postings of this nature in the 2016 calendar year.
That this Council proceeds to host a Councillor Information meeting on the Dodder Greenway project and would seek to extend the invitation to Councillors from neighbouring Local Authority Areas
That the Manager present to this Council a report as to how this Council intends to deal with the escalating problem of Japanese knotweed, a perennial invasive species which threatens native plants, hard surfaces, damages flood defences and reduces river capacity.
When Japanese knotweed dies back in winter it can cause river erosion and the deposits compromise and damage fish spawning. Please provide an action plan on how the Council intends dealing with this problem, along with what measures it intends adopting to prevent the further spread of this weed. One simple request is that a survey be commissioned, through an ad and on-line campaign seek the support of the public to identify places especially along rivers or in our parks/public spaces where this weed is in existence.
Another such priority area ought to be locations where this invasive species is encroaching onto private property causing damage from land under the control of this Council, thereby exposing this Council to legal action for damages.
This Council agrees that for children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder that an early diagnosis is key to the child’s development, in allowing children access to the services that they require and to write to the Minister for Health Simon Harris asking him to put all the resources necessary into eliminating the waiting list for children for an assessment of needs.
As it is now over 30 years since the disappearance of Philip Cairns, this Council empathises with Philip's family and urges those with any information, no matter how seemingly trivial, to contact the Gardaí.
This Council also asks the Gardaí to follow up on all leads, many of which are being openly discussed on social media.