Headed Items
CONFIRMATION AND REAFFIRMATION OF MINUTES - FOR APPROVAL
(a) September Council Minutes – 13th September 2021
REPORTS OF AREA COMMITTEES - FOR NOTING
a) Rathfarnham/Templeogue/Firhouse/Bohernabreena Area Committee
Dealing with Public Realm, Water & Drainage, Housing, Community, Planning, Economic Development, Libraries & Arts, Corporate Support, Performance & Change Management
(No Reports)
b) Clondalkin Area Committee
Dealing with Public Realm, Water & Drainage, Housing, Community, Planning, Economic Development, Libraries & Arts, Corporate Support, Performance & Change Management
(No Reports)
c) Tallaght Area Committee
Dealing with Public Realm, Water & Drainage, Housing, Community, Planning, Economic Development, Libraries & Arts, Corporate Support, Performance & Change Management
(No Reports)
d) Lucan/Palmerstown/North Clondalkin Area Committee
Dealing with Public Realm, Water & Drainage, Housing, Community, Planning, Economic Development, Libraries & Arts, Corporate Support, Performance & Change Management
(No Reports)
STANDING COMMITTEES ORGANISATION, PROCEDURE & FINANCE - FOR APPROVAL
a) Draft Calendar of Meeting Dates
b) Report on Conferences/Seminars
c) Filling of Vacancy on the Audit Committee following the resignation of Councillor E. O'Brien
STRATEGIC POLICY COMMITTEES - FOR NOTING
a) Arts, Culture, Gaeilge, Heritage & Libraries SPC
(i) - Report of Meeting
(ii) - Minutes of Meeting
b) Environment, Water, Climate Change & Biodiversity SPC
(i) - Report of Meeting
(ii) - Minutes of Meeting
c) Economic, Enterprise & Tourism SPC
(i) - Report of Meeting
(ii) - Minutes of Meeting
d) Housing SPC
(i) - Report of Meeting
(ii) - Minutes of Meeting
e) Social, Community & Equality SPC
(i) - Report of Meeting
(ii) - Minutes of Meeting
f) Land Use, Planning & Transportation SPC
(i) - Report of Meeting
(ii) - Minutes of Meeting
REPORTS REQUESTED BY AREA COMMITTEES - FOR NOTING
(No Reports)
REPORT FROM JOINT POLICING COMMITTEE - FOR NOTING
Questions
To ask the Chief Executive whether the cycling infrastructure audit as part of Cycle South Dublin has yet been undertaken (as per response to a question at the October 2020 Council Meeting), whether this report will be published soon and will it be publicised in such a way as to make it easily accessible to anyone thinking about going for a cycle, on the SDCC website.
To ask the Chief Executive to advise both the public and public representatives on the plans the cross departmental approach from SDCC over the coming weeks to try to ensure that communities can enjoy a safe and happy Halloween and would he care to make a statement on the matter?
To ask the Chief Executive how many households are on the medical priority housing list, and medical priority housing transfer list and what is the average waiting time?
How many houses have been acquired to meet the needs of medical priority housing households and what other measures and funding streams are available to assist this Local Authority in meeting the housing needs of such a vulnerable cohort.
To ask the Chief Executive to outline the number of one bedroom and 4+ bedroom homes made available to those on the social housing list, CBL, the HAP transfer list and housing transfer list in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021 and to ask the Chief Executive to make a statement on the matter.
To ask the Chief Executive how many housing maintenance requests were made in 2019, 2020 and in 2021 to date and to ask how many requests were waiting less than one month, less than 6 months, less than 18 months and more than 18 months.
To ask the Chief Executive to provide an update on the implications and cost analysis for motion passed at May council meeting ( item 70100 , motion 5) regarding costs to casual traders.
To ask the Chief Executive how many applicants currently on the housing list have never expressed interest in a property on CBL
To ask the Chief Executive how many people on the housing list are availing of HAP / Homeless Hap/ RAS
To ask the Chief Executive how many housing transfers were complete in the past 12 months and how many of those were mutual transfers
To ask the Chief Executive for the amount spent by South Dublin County Council on cleaning up materials and waste associated with bonfires and halloween in 2020 and 2019 and if a statement could be made on Council plans for this year with halloween.
To ask the Chief Executive for a statement on actions taken on abandoned cars in 2020, if a breakdown is available per local electoral area and any prosecutions taken through the courts.
To ask the Chief Executive in view of the November 2021 deadline for the registration of Rights of Way with the Property Registration Authority - Has this Council taken steps to register Rights of Way of interest to the Council throughout the County, especially given the importance of outdoor recreation and walking in the context of wellbeing and climate change? And can the Chief Executive outline in his response the legal implications if Rights of Way are not registered with the Property Registration Authority.
To ask the Chief Executive to detail the backlog of dealing with planning enforcement complaints and timelines involved at present in carrying out inspections.
To ask the Chief Executive in dealing with planning enforcement complaints are there any plans to review the present system for making a complaint as this seems to be very laborious and inefficent ie. It places unnecessary obstacles in ones way. If you are making a complaint, you have to download the form. You then have to hand write on it. The boxes on the form are incredibly small so you can fit very little in them. You then have to scan the form and email it back to SDCC. Is it possible to change this to a more user friendly method?
To ask the Chief Executive to outline the procedure in existence in following up claims against motorists (insured and uninsured) where council properties, garden and estate boundary walls and street furniture are demolished as a result of road traffic incidents. And in pursuing such redress, can this council comment on how actively this is pursued with private insurers, the Motor Insurance Bureau of Ireland and the Gardai, providing any relevant statistics.
To ask the Chief Executive how much of the €50,000 of funding announced by Minister Catherine Martin for every local authority in 2021 under the Community Strand of the Decade of Centenaries Programme will be available for Community Groups and what is the criteria for any application?
https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/b77b2-minister-martin-announces-funding-of-50000-for-every-local-authority-in-2021-under-the-community-strand-of-the-decade-of-centenaries-programme/
To ask the Chief Executive for a report on how it has come to pass that the booms are broken in both SDCC Swimming Pools, and what measures are in place to have them fixed as soon as possible.
To ask the Chief Executive to report on any contacts he has had with Minister Darragh O'Brien TD and his officials at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in respect of the recently announced "Housing for All Plan"; will he confirm if he is working on proposals regarding the Plan and will he make a statement?
To ask the Chief Executive if he would give assurances that the water supply to our County is safe in view of concerns being expressed following recent issues in other Counties; will he confirm contacts our Council has made in the matter and will he make a statement?
To ask the Chief Executive to confirm arrangements in place to deal with the challenges of the Halloween Season; will he give assurances that effective actions will be taken to protect open spaces and detail plans in that regard and make a statement?
To ask the Chief Executive if he plans to offer additional supports to Community Centres reopening after their long Covid related closure; will he confirm that his staff are working with the managements of the Centres to boost their efforts and will he make a statement?
To ask the Chief Executive what actions are planned to expand the Pedestrian and Cycle infrastructure across the County and will he make a statement?
To ask the Chief Executive to explain the increase in the requirement for public insurance indemnity from €2.5 to €6.5m, for use of certain Council facilities/community centres?
To ask the Chief Executive to give a detailed report on the budget provided to biodiversity since the pollinating policy was adopted/initiated. to include expenditure to date per area and per project and details of pollinating projects that are budgeted for in each area.
To ask the Chief Executive to list how many tidy towns exist in our county, to list them all and to report on how much funding has been granted to each over the last five years.
To ask the Chief Executive if the construction of an outdoor community theatre style in areas around the county has been considered, and if the Cheif Executive would be supportive of examining them as a way to introduce the arts into the open community spaces.
Over the last 18 months+ we all experienced challenges in our parks in particular the demand put on our public litter bins/litter bin service. Can then Chief Executive confirms to members as to when litter bins (their size, colour, shape etc) were last reviewed.
To ask the Chief Executive if part of our footpath repair/improvement programmes has a section that allows for wheelchair friendly footpath improvements to be considered separate to our footpath repair programme. The recent 'MakeWayDay' campaign helps highlights challenges many challenges and requests to repair paths for wheelchair users are constantly raise with the department. If the Chief Executive could confirm if we have/could have a separate footpath programme alongside the existing one.
To ask the Chief Executive for a detailed report on the shop front scheme and give detail on the uptake of the scheme by year from 2019 to 2021?
To ask the Chief Executive to confirm how much revenue is generated from commercial rate payers who operate their businesses within SDCC for the first six months of 2021 and how much is lost or outstanding due to Covid?
To ask the Chief Executive to provide a report to explain how a business can currently sponsor a roundabout and what the procedure is?
To ask the Chief Executive for an update report on Digital Notice Boards in key strategic places in our Villages and to outline what form these will be and where they will be located and when they may happen?
Headed Items
DECLARATION OF ROADS TO BE MADE PUBLIC ROADS - FOR APPROVAL
(No Reports)
PROPOSED DISPOSAL OF PROPERTIES/SITES - FOR APPROVAL
(a) Proposed disposal of lands at Castlefield, Knocklyon, Dublin 16 to Orbitiz Limited
(b) Proposed disposal of plot of land and grant of ROW to ESB for substation site - St Mark's Meadow, Clondalkin, D. 22
H-I 8 (b) Proposed disposal of plot of land and grant of ROW to ESB for substation site - St Mark's Meadow, Clondalkin, D. 22
H-I 8 (a) Proposed disposal of lands at Castlefield, Knocklyon, Dublin 16 to Orbitiz Limited
MANAGERS REPORT - FOR NOTING
AGE FRIENDLY HOUSING SCHEME PEARSE BROS PART 8 – FOR APPROVAL
OVERDRAFT ACCOMMODATION REQUIREMENT 2022 – FOR APPROVAL
TALLAGHT MOBILITY HUB AND PUBLIC SQUARE PART 8 – FOR APPROVAL
CAPITAL PROJECTS PROGRESS REPORT – FOR NOTING
ARTS STRATEGY - FOR NOTING
COMMUNITY GRANTS - FOR NOTING
Correspondence
CORRESPONDENCE
(a) Correspondence from the State Examination Commission in response to Motion 21 (Campaign of Epilepsy Ireland) from the July 2021 Council meeting
(b) Correspondence from the Chairman of the Joint Committee on Disability Matters, Mr Michael Moynihan, T.D. in response to Motion 21 (Campaign of Epilepsy Ireland) from the July 2021 Council meeting
(c) Correspondence from Leitrim County Council re. Various passed motions
(d) Correspondence from Meath County Council re. Japanese Knotweed
Motions
This County Council agrees to write to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment, Minister for Environment, Climate & Communications; & Transport, and Minister of State for the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage, with responsibility for Local Government & Planning to express our concern at the pressure the ongoing development of data centres places on energy supply in Ireland and calls on them to bring forward legislation effecting a moratorium on the construction of data centres.
That the Council initiate an annual electrical collection service/amnesty to allow people to dispose of electrial goods no longer required.
This Council calls upon the Chief Executive to engage with the Tallaght and Clondalkin Drugs and Alcohol Task Forces, the HSE Addiction Services and the Community Drug Treatment Projects to explore the setting up of a Medically Supervised Safe Injection Facility, within our County, to provide a safe and secure environment for intravenous drug users, in an effort to reduce and ultimately eliminate deaths through accidental overdose.
That this council writes to An Taoiseach and the relevant bodies to highlight the importance of businesses using signage that adopts an inclusive approach with regards to face coverings / face masks with signage containing people with disabilities or exemptions or people unable to wear a face covering / face mask are welcome.
That this Council recognise the value and importance of the huge voluntary commitment of the Voluntary boards that run community centres throughout SDCC and the Huge importance of community buy in and input from the community into the running of community centres and commit that all community centres will be community run with supports from SDCC and that a community led policy will be embedded in our county development plan with necessary supports from SDCC.
That South Dublin County Council, reiterates it's ambition of being a leader in the provision of accessible services. That, as a signal of this ambition, - An audit is carried out on the quality of accessible parking spaces and upgrades carried out where necessary. - The number of these spaces is increased by 50%, an increase of 39 spaces. These spaces should be prioritised in areas with a lower proportion of accessible spaces and modified in line with the IWA Best Practice Access Guidelines.
South Dublin County Council calls on the Office of Public Works to carry out the necessary excavation works to recover the remains of Joe Brady, Daniel Curley, Michael Fagan, Thomas Caffrey and Tim Kelly, in what is commonly known as the Invincibles Yard at Kilmainham Gaol.The bodies of these five members of the Irish National Invincibles lie beneath the paving slabs of the yard where they were executed in 1883 for their part in the Phoenix Park assassinations. The families of the five men are represented by the National Graves Association and the wish of the families is for their relatives to be exhumed from Kilmainham Gaol and reinterred in consecrated ground at Glasnevin Cemetery.
That the Manager, wherever possible, acquires properties for social housing through Part V under all current and upcoming SHD developments, rather than agreeing to lease properties, and presents a report on the implication of Build to Rent planning permissions in relation to the delivery of social housing under Part V.
That the elected members of this council call for the reform of Safety awareness training and in particular the Safepass course delivery and pricing. This reform should include a consultation process with the pass holders, standardized pricing in line with the cost of processing, online facilities for renewal and flexibility and an end to current price gouging. We also call for the current extension on expired cards to continue until the conclusion of said reform. If this motion is passed a letter will be issued to Solas, the Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris and the Minister of State for Skills and Further Education Niall Collins.
To ask the Chief Executive to give consideration to developing suitable strategies for this County, Towns and Villages that would ensure that South Dublin County Council is supportive of the objectives of Age Friendly Ireland, including the development of parking initiatives and benches etc. within the County.
This committee requests that the Chief Executive makes a change to the councils annual 'bulbs not bonfire' system, when possible (noting the timing of this motion) by replacing the daffodils bulbs (which are not pollinating friendly) with pollinating friendly bulbs, which will add to the progress already started on our pollinating policy.
That this Council writes to the Minister for Justice, the Minister for Children and the Law Society asking for a re-examination of the current restrictive in camera rule for family law cases as there is currently a lack of transparency in relation to how decisions are made and why, how time is allocated, what witnesses are called, how experts such as Section 47 assessors are appointed and how a lack of adequate support for those requiring legal aid can affect the outcome of a case - something especially concerning in relation to many genuine parental alienation claims that require detailed evidence to be provided and - equally importantly, those rarer situations where false parental alienation claims can also be made within the system, supported by recommendations from experts using Gardner's contested Parental Alienation Syndrome theory to "immerse" vulnerable children for weeks or months at a time with the party wrongly claiming alienation - and to look at other ways to achieve better transparency and scrutiny of the system while always protecting children's identities and respecting the independence of the courts.
That the Chief Executive adds an additional category to the FixYourStreet platform for access-related issues for people with disabilities.
That the Chief Executive extend the accessible parking bay mobile phone number alert scheme, successfully piloted in Lucan, to the whole county in support of Operation Enable to further prevent misuse of accessible parking bays
The period of the pandemic had seen unprecedented hardships for most, with workers in the public and private sector leading the fight against Covid which illustrated clearly what workers are the most valuable in society. Corporations such as Pfizer, Amazon, Microsoft, and many retail giants have made unprecedented profits while PUP payments have been eliminated, rents, house prices and the cost of living have continued to rise and workplace precarity has increased. This Council supports the introduction of a Covid wealth tax to fund directly into public services and the provision of public sector wage increases and agrees to write to all other councils, the Taoiseach and the Minister of Finance stating our position. We point particularly to the significant role played by unpaid student nurses.
A key part of the Council’s Budgetary strategy for 2022 should be to ensure local communities benefit significantly from the presence of multinational corporations based in the South Dublin County Council area. Corporations such as Amazon, Pfizer and Microsoft have seen already massive profits increase during the pandemic, and profit significantly from the exploitation of tax policy, the environment and local labour. The crisis facing the council on the housing, environmental and community services front are increasing. The council should include the following two measures in its Budget Strategy for 2022:
1) A significant increase in Rates
2) A waiver, rebate or small business support scheme that protects all rates payers below the €100,001- €500,000 Annual Rates Billing Band from any increase.
Based on recent official SDCC figures 156 companies (2.3% of all rate payers) would be affected by such an increase in rates.