Headed Items
CONFIRMATION AND REAFFIRMATION OF MINUTES
(a) - October Council Meeting Minutes - October 14th 2019
REPORTS OF AREA COMMITTEES
a) Rathfarnham/Templeogue/Firhouse/Bohernabreena Area Committee - 8th October 2019
Dealing with Public Realm, Water & Drainage, Housing, Community, Planning, Economic Development, Libraries & Arts, Corporate Support, Performance & Change Management
1 Report
b) Clondalkin Area Committee – 16th October 2019
Dealing with Public Realm, Water & Drainage, Housing, Community, Planning, Economic Development, Libraries & Arts, Corporate Support, Performance & Change Management
(No Reports)
c) Tallaght Area Committee – 21st October 2019
Dealing with Public Realm, Water & Drainage, Housing, Community, Planning, Economic Development, Libraries & Arts, Corporate Support, Performance & Change Management
(No Reports)
d) Lucan/Palmerstown/Fonthill Area Committee – 22nd October 2019
Dealing with Public Realm, Water & Drainage, Housing, Community, Planning, Economic Development, Libraries & Arts, Corporate Support, Performance & Change Management
1 Report
STANDING COMMITTEES ORGANISATION, PROCEDURE & FINANCE
(No Reports)
STRATEGIC POLICY COMMITTEES
(a) Nominations to the Board of the South Dublin Arts Company - Arts, Culture, Gaeilge, Heritage and Libraries SPC meeting on 6th November
REPORTS REQUESTED BY AREA COMMITTEES
(No Reports)
Questions
To ask the Chief Executive if the Council has plans to engage with recycling companies with a view to implementing a crisp packet recycling scheme? Crisp packets constitute a significant element nationally of litter pollution. They are currently non-recyclable however, there are some alternative recycling companies offering methods for the recycling of crisp packets as well as recycling for other non-recyclable plastics.
To ask the Chief Executive to list, in tabular form, by area, the incidents of water pollution over the last 12 months, the causes of such pollution and to list the steps being taken by the Council to prevent pollution and improve water quality overall.
To ask the Chief Executive for the following information:
The number of hoax or malicious calls to the Fire Brigade in the years 2017, 2018 and 2019 to date.
How many of these hoax calls were reported to gardaí?
How many resulted in a prosecution?
To ask the Chief Executive for the number of parking fines issued by traffic wardens to drivers parking in disabled parking bays in the years 2017, 2018 and 2019 to date.
To ask the Chief Executive what actions have SDCC undertaken based on the findings and principles of the Dublin Tree Canopy Study specifically to increase canopy and retain the woodlands on SDCC owned lands? If the Chief Executive would report on SDCC's policy regarding Native Woodland establishment and the reason that natural native woodlands seem to be omitted from the tree management document?
To ask the Chief Executive what actions SDCC are undertaking to measure and record the presence, population, distribution and location of protected species and protected habitats within its jurisdiction to ensure no further habitats and species are accidentally destroyed, with particular reference to woodlands in the county and areas earmarked for future development.
The 2016 Census identified 3,495 vacant units in the South Dublin County Council area. Many may now be occupied such as in the Tallaght Town Centre. Can the Chief Executive report on where we currently stand regarding vacant units, how they are classified and what potential exists to bring them into public usage?
To ask the Chief Executive to provide a report on the level of rent arrears from social housing for the period 2014-2019 within South Dublin County Council, if these are available for each local electoral area, how such arrears are managed and if he will make a statement on the matter.
To ask the Chief Executive to provide a report on the enforcement action taken by South Dublin County Council under the Control of Dogs legislation over the past 12 months, namely with regard to dog licences, stray dogs and other penalties issued and if he will make a statement on the matter.
To ask the Chief Executive to give assurances in respect of the water quality in the County noting the concerns of many regarding the recent incident at the Leixlip Water Plant which created difficulties for some residents and will he make a statement.
To ask the Chief Executive to update the Council on his ongoing strategy to attract tourists to our County; will he give details of his actions in that regard and will he make a statement.
To ask the Chief Executive to confirm the Council's plans in place to deal with any serious weather events through the coming winter months; will he appreciate the concern of our communities throughout the County in respect of the matter and will he make a statement.
To ask the Chief Executive to give assurances that special attention is being given to the widespread concern of many in our County regarding the challenge of Climate Change; will he update members on recent decisions he has taken in respect of the Council's policy and will he make a statement.
To ask the Chief Executive to confirm that he will make provision in the forthcoming Budget to enhance the Tree Programme which is of interest to many; will he give details in that regard and will he make a statement.
To ask the Chief Executive to do a report into how SDCC can get boarded up houses not owned by the council into Council stock? To also outlay how a compulsory purchase order can be done and how many properties has SDCC put a CPO on?
Is the Council aware of how many boarded up houses there are in SDCC area that are not Council owned?
To ask the Chief Executive for a report into the RAS scheme? How many are on RAS in SDCC ? When will the RAS scheme end and what will replace it for people on RAS?
To ask the Chief Executive what Council rents are owed to SDCC? What efforts are being made to recoup these funds? How much if any outstanding debts has being written of each of the last 5 years and what was the reason?
To ask the Chief Executive for a report into how SDCC can and is stopping the use of one use plastics within Council owned buildings? Also to estimate the amount of less waste since the introduction of keep cups ?
To ask how many Council houses have been purchased under the current tenant purchase scheme since its introduction and if possible if it could be indicated how many houses have been purchased under this scheme by local electoral area
To ask the Chief Executive what happens in relation to properties in the County where the fee simple is owned by the Council and a long lease is in favour of the householder, how many properties are involved, and are there any where the amount of time left on the lease is a matter of years?
To ask the Manager to provide the following information in tabular form; the number of Rebuilding Ireland Home Loans approved and drawn down in 2017, 2018 and 2019 broken down by the following amounts; €288k, €277k-€287k; €267k-€276k; €257k-€266k; €247k-€256k; €237k-€246k; €227k-€236k; €217k-€226; €207k-€216k; less than €207k.
To ask the Chief Executive to provide a report on what bursaries the Council provide or have provided for people entering 3rd level education and to make a statement on the matter?
To ask the Chief Executive to provide a report on the financial cost to the Council to remove illegal dumping for each year since the privatisation of waste management services and to make a statement on the matter?
Headed Items
DECLARATION OF ROADS TO BE MADE PUBLIC ROADS
(No Reports)
PROPOSED DISPOSAL OF PROPERTIES/SITES
H-I 7 (a) Proposed freehold disposal of Rowlagh Credit Union, Clondalkin, D. 22
H-I 7 (b) Proposed disposal of 10 Crag Crescent, Clondalkin Industrial Estate, Dublin 22
H-I 7 (a) Proposed freehold disposal of Rowlagh Credit Union, Clondalkin, D. 22
H-I 7 (b) Proposed disposal of 10 Crag Crescent, Clondalkin Industrial Estate, Dublin 22
MANAGERS REPORT
AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORTS
a) Audit Committee Report to Council on its consideration of the audited financial statement 2018
b) Audit Committee Charter & Work Programme 2019-2020
c) Audit Committee - Standing Orders
300K HAVE YOUR SAY SHORTLISTED PROJECTS TO BE APPROVED
GRIFFEEN PARK PAVILION PART 8
COMMUNITY GRANTS APPLICATIONS
Correspondence
Letter dated 11th October 2019 from Donegal County Council in relation to a motion passed at their recent regarding the Mercosur Trade Deal
Letter dated 16th October 2019 from Monaghan County Council in relation to a motion passed at their recent Council meeting regarding the banning of non-recyclable item by the end of 2021
Letter dated October 25th from Fingal County Council in relation to a motion passed at their recent Council meeting regarding a presentation by the Community Development Office
Motions
That this Council will commit to move towards a County-wide voluntary ban on election posters and, as a first step, will agree here and now to limit voluntarily the number of posters to one hundred per candidate per Local Electoral Area and to refrain from erecting posters in areas zoned rural, and that the Environmental SPC be asked to identify suitable designated postering areas with a view to limiting all future election postering to one such area per LEA.
This Council commits to maintain the current Rent Differential Rate for Local Authority tenants at 10% and the continuation of the €10 per household discount for Local Authority tenants aged over 65, for the term of this Council.
This Council agrees that carbon tax is not the answer to tackle climate change. Carbon tax is a regressive tax. It targets the wrong people and does not challenge the real cause of carbon emissions. This Council calls for a stoppage of any implementation of a new carbon tax and calls for immediate action on investment in renewable energy, public transport and a stop to licences issued to extract fossil fuels.
In view of the number of Post Primary schools in our County and the number of additional schools planned, and taking into account the amount of Section 29 Appeals for refusal to enrol that are going through the DDLEB and the DES, owing to the amount of parents or guardians that are missing application dates or acceptance dates, for Post Primary Schools, due to varying forms of notices of when this process starts and finishes, that this Council calls on the Minister of Education and Skills, to introduce a national registration period, applicable to every Post Primary School, in an effort to ensure that each potential pupil is given a fair and equal chance to enrol at the appropriate time, in the school of their choice.
That we write to the Minister for defence also An Taoiseach asking that the long over due medals for gallantry and distinguished service specifically for the Irish soldiers of “A” Company who served at Jadotville in 1961 be awarded. These medals were promised by former Taoiseach Enda Kenny in his final days in Office and still they have not been received.
That the Chief Executive put in place effective measures, to ensure that housing estates, in relation to which the conditions of the relevant planning permissions have been complied with, are taken in charge without delay, given the financial repercussions for the residents.
Following the attached Sinn Féin motion that was passed in March of this year, This Council reaffirms it’s call to the Chief Executive to review the current waste collection services in conjunction with the other Dublin local Authorities and the Unions with a view to the remunicipalisation of the domestic waste service whereby the Council would take charge once again of the Service but this time in a more efficient and cost competitive manner than was previously the case
This Council, given the recently launched Climate Action Plan and County Climate Emergency, and the recognised role of Trees in tackling Carbon emissions, calls on the Chief Executive to plant at least one acre of native trees over the 2019/20 planting season and that this be in addition to the planned tree planting schedule for 2019/20.
That this Council provides medical priority / disability list applicants with a process in which they can express interest in properties similar to Choice Based Lettings.
That this Council calls for the introduction of a South Dublin Bikes scheme, modelled on the Dublin bikes scheme, as a practical step to increase cycling in our county.
The composition of the Land use Transportation & Planning SPC is:
Elected Members x 6
Development Construction x 1
Business Commercial x 1
PPN x 1(environmental pillar)
This council agrees that following this meeting a delegate from the Dublin Cycling Campaign (https://www.dublincycling.com/), is invited to be included as an additional ex officio non elected member of the SPC. This change in the composition of the Land use Transportation & Planning SPC is to reflect the imperative that Dublin's leading advocates of improved cycling infrastructure are members of the county's leading planning forum. Although the other current members of the committee, both elected and non-elected, could advocate for cycling infrastructure, none would have the hands on experience of Dublin Cycling Campaign that could both highlight the significant risks posed to cyclists today while also providing valuable contributions to discussions on future transport corridors. Dublin Cycling Campaign's input would also help formulate the policy changes needed to achieve the significant modal shift towards cycling implicit in the county's climate, health, road safety, air quality and congestion reducing goals and help reduce cycling related casualties
That this council calls on the Chief Executive to review and reform current training, existing practices as well as methods of cross and inter-department communications in order to ensure that the needless destruction of natural environments, whether protected or not within the South Dublin County jurisdiction (a recent example being the Wetlands in Sean Walsh Memorial Park) can never happen again.
Further that all areas currently protected or in discussion as being protected would be brought to the public's attention by way of a page on the council's website or similar and regular updates given to councillors and all departments within the council. Such a review and reform ought to include ways to ensure that all departments are kept up to date about issues of this nature.
Proficient biodiversity training for all staff members, whether directly employed by the council or by private operators appointed to carry out work on behalf of the council should also be provided if this is not already being done.
Training should be provided to every staff member whether involved in the initial decision making or in the subsequent work of cutting, planting, digging, moving, replacing, spraying or any other work that comes into contact with the natural environment.
Signing up to the All Ireland Pollinator Plan and other similar initiatives should also be considered if not already done so.
That this Council investigates the feasibility of assigning Age Friendly Parking spaces at County Buildings.
That this council calls on the Department of Education to set up book rental schemes as mandatory in all primary and secondary schools to replace the current practice of students purchasing their own books.
That this council commends the work and value of community centres within our county and throughout the communities they serve.
We commit to writing to the Minister to request that Pobal Funding is looked and the rates paid are brought in line with the Living wage so that the wages reflect the invaluable community work staff do in delivering groups and other responsibilities , in particular working with vulnerable people and to ensure that community centres can compete in the Job market when retaining and recruiting staff.
We also ask SDCC to look how community centres are funded and staffed in our County Council and to investigate models used in other Councils and report back to council on this. We also request that SDCC continue to look at all ways to support this invaluable work and look at expanding community centres as hubs of our community and to keep this council updated.
That this Council calls on the Chief Executive to ensure that adequate resources are made available to deal with damage to our Open Spaces following the recent Bonfire season and in reporting will he give his initial reaction to how the Council responded to that recent challenge and will he make a statement.
This committee asks the Chief Executive to look at how we can introduce a depot/garage in South Dublin county council for Dublin Bus. There are seven depots in total in Dublin none of them in the county. We have such a demand on introducing additional busses in to many areas and we still have two new towns to build/complete in our county namely Adamstown and Clonburris. To ask that a discussion takes place and that the Chief Executive makes a comment on the matter.
That any housing developments on Council owned lands that involve the potential loss of more than 1,000 native trees not be proceeded with for the time being in the interests of sustainability, biodiversity and meeting the Council's climate change strategy targets and that the future use of such lands be instead considered during the next development plan process following submissions from any local communities concerned.
That this Council agrees a pilot junk collection scheme . The scheme would allow residents to bring large items of household junk to designated pick up points across the County. This free service would also help to remove from circulation material which ends up on bonfires at Halloween thus helping to prevent thousands of euros in damage to playing surfaces in our parks.