CONFIRMATION AND RE-AFFIRMATION OF MINUTES.

Minutes of Lucan/Clondalkin Area Committee Meeting (1) 16th April, 2008

• H-I 1

To ask the Manager to write to the Minister for Education and Science as a matter of great urgency, requesting the Minister to accelerate the development of the required 2 story, 16 classroom permanent building required by Gaelscoil Eiscir Riada, Lucan?  Since being established 3 years ago, Gaelscoil Eiscir Riada has been in temporary accommodation, spending 1 year in Lucan Sarsfields GAA and 2 years in Coláiste Cois Life, and with an additional 60 children scheduled to start in September 2008; the total number of children in Gaelscoil Eiscir Riada will soon exceed 180.  It is not acceptable for the Department of Education and Science to continually ignore the needs of this Gaelscoil without now giving a firm commitment as to when it can depend on a suitably built and adequately financed permanent structure for the educational benefit of all the children and staff attending Gaelscoil Eiscir Riada.

• Q. 1

To ask the Manager, in view of the sharp rise in burglaries in the Lucan area in the first three months of this year, that he agrees, in response to the request today from this Area Committee, to write to the Garda Superintendent in Lucan Garda Station and request details of what specific security measures are being put in place, including any additional required resources and new strategies, to assist in resolving this alarming crime pattern, which is increasingly of great concern to the residents of Lucan?

• Q. 2

To ask the Manager to write to the Department of Education & Science requesting statistics on truancy levels in our schools in Clondalkin and Lucan over the past term and what measures has the relevant department taken to investigate and resolve such matters of young people not attending school for an education?

• Q. 3

To ask the Manager if any progress has been made in relation to my motion of November 2007 and March 2008 for bus shelters on Kennelsfort Road?

• Q. 4

Correspondence

(a) Bus Shelters on Kennelsfort Road - Reply from Dublin Bus

(b) Number of Submissions on the LUAS Line F - Reply from RPA

(c) Consequences for Fire Authorities due to increased traffic congestion - Reply from Dublin Fire Brigade

• Corr (a)
• Corr (b)
• Corr (c)

New Works

No Business

Cathaoirleach's Business             

That the Council carry out a survey of the new residential areas in Lucan Clondalkin to determine the level of services/facilities e.g. postal services, schools, crèches, community centers, bus services and bus stops, etc available/required and that a full discussion take place on the responsibility of the local authority to promote better services for residents who have already been levied for the upgrading of essential services.

That this Committee requests the Manager to write to the Minister for the Environment and Local Government requesting the Minister to make a Ministerial Order, under Section 202 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, to make further Special Amenity Area Order(s) to preserve the Liffey Valley Lands in South Dublin, including at St. Edmundsbury and Woodville, particularly in view of the unanimous decision of South Dublin County Council expressed in the Motion passed in South Dublin County Council on 10^th March 2008, including “it is wholly undesirable that any future housing developments take place in the Liffey Valley, including at St. Edmundsbury and Woodville, that would undoubtedly further damage the Liffey Valley Park as did, for example, the earlier housing developments at Laraghcon”, in the interest of the preservation of these lands, and that this committee also requests the Manager to specifically emphasise in this letter to the Minister the urgency of this request and specify in the request that this Ministerial Order for further Special Amenity Area Order(s) to preserve the Liffey Valley Lands, including at St. Edmundsbury and Woodville, is made prior to the commencement of the Review of the next County Development Plan, scheduled to commence in November 2008.

That this Committee agrees to write to the Minister for the Environment asking him to undertake the following:-

(a)  To introduce charges on the fast food containers and to encourage the use of re-usable fast food containers.

(b)  To introduce a ban on the sale of drinks, in glass containers (except wine) from off licences.

That the Lucan-Clondalkin Area Committee is seriously concerned about the increasing numbers on the Live Register in the Clondalkin SW Office, and the high levels of unemployment in local authority estates in Clondalkin, and requests the Manager to invite officials the local FAS office and the Clondalkin Partnership to a meeting with Councillors to discuss the actions being taken to address the issue.

That this Committee request the Manager to contact the Gardaí as a matter of great urgency and set out in detail the serious concerns expressed by this Committee on behalf of the Residents of Lucan, Palmerstown, Clondalkin and Newcastle, owing to the continued and widespread use of hand-held mobile telephones by drivers while driving. This is now an alarming problem, and is taking place on a daily basis in the vicinity of our schools, on our main roads and in our estates. As a result many representative organisations, school parents committees etc. are expressing serious concerns at the perceived lack of enforcement of the regulation preventing the use of hand-held mobile telephones by drivers while driving.

To ask the Manager for an update on the report to transfer the land to the South of the Mount Talbot Apartments, Monastery Road, to the residents of the apartments?

• Q. 5

To ask the Manager to present an up to date report (including projected dates) on the proposed new road through Greenogue Industrial Estate, across the Aylmer Road and meeting up with the Peamount Road?

• Q. 6

To ask the Manager to report in detail following my earlier representation on the same issue, what plans are there for the lands reserved for the link road from Castle View at Gaelscoil Naomh Padraig, to Esker Park, Lucan, particularly given that the slip road from Esker Park to the N4 is scheduled to be closed as part of the N4 Road Widening Works?

• Q 7

To ask the Manager to set out the time-scale and details of works to be carried out at the slip road from Esker Park onto the N4 as part of the N4 Road Widening Works?  In addition would the Manager confirm the times of works - i.e. a.m. starting times and p.m. finishing times each day for the work force, and what contingency plans are there for the storage of equipment, machinery etc. during these road works? Following earlier representations would the Manager also re-confirm that residents will still be able to access the bus stop on the N4 from Esker Park, and what is intended for the use of any additional vacant lands once these works are concluded?

• Q. 8

To ask the Manager to set out in detail the boundary treatment to be provided on the N4 on the northern side, from the N4/M50 roundabout to the Deadman's Inn?  Following my earlier representations, including to this meeting of 16th January 2008, where the Manager's Reply included that "A noise barrier 1.8 metres in height will be erected along the northern grass verge of the eastbound N4 Lucan Bypass carriageway from the Deadman's Inn to the Kings Hospital", when subsequently a long shuttered concrete wall has been erected opposite this location on the southern side of the N4 where there are no residents living.  That this Committee requests the Manager to ensure that a wall be installed at this location on the northern side of the N4 from the M50/N4 roundabout to the Deadman's Inn.

• Q. 9

To ask the Manager for a report on the traffic count at Palmerstown Village promised as a result of my motion for a pedestrian crossing at the February Area Committee Meeting and if he can give a firm date for the installation of these important lights that are required to ensure the safe crossing of the main street by senior citizens accessing the day care centre and Parish Centre and parents with young children accessing the créche and playschool?

• Q. 10

To ask the Manager when S.I.A.C. will plant a grass verge at Monastery Gate?

• Q. 11

To ask the Manager has the footpath outside 110 Monastery Road been repaired as requested by this Councillor?

• Q. 12

To ask the Manager for an updated report on repair works to footpaths at Meadow View Grove, Hillcrest, Lucan?

• Q. 13

To ask the Manager if he will report on works to repair footpaths on Main Street/ The Mall, Lucan Village?

• Q. 14

To ask the Manager for an updated report on the traffic management and road safety arrangements put in place by the contractor for the N4 Upgrade project in Lucan?

• Q. 15

Correspondence

No Business

New Works

No Business

Proposed Declaration of Roads to be Public Roads

No Business

Barrier at Green Isle Road/Naas Road

• HI (5)

Cathaoirleach's Business

That the Manager responsible brings forward an upgrade plan for Cloverhill Road and in particular address the retention and care of the hedgerow, the proposed cycleway, the condition of the "grass" verge between the footpath and the roadway, the surface of the road and traffic controls at the various junctions including the new one for the apartments currently under construction.  As, this road, now extensively used, is a gateway to the County and has been in a very neglected state now for a number of years.

That the double yellow lines outside the Social Welfare Office at Clondalkin be repainted as soon as possible as members of the public completely ignore parking rules, and that a large No Parking sign be painted across the road at this entrance to South Dublin County Council offices (car park).

That the Manager would present a detailed and up-to-date report on progress agreed in the interest of consistency, and following my prolonged representations on behalf of the Residents Association and the Residents of Moy Glas Estate, Lucan, that additional fencing be installed at those short stretches of boundary on the Outer Ring Road at Moy Glas Estate where no boundary fencing was installed as part of the Outer Ring Road Widening Works, and that this Committee now requests the Manager to provide this fencing.

That this Committee requests that South Dublin County Council closes the gap between Wheatfield Close and Collinstown Road, North Clondalkin. (The extinguishment of the right-of-way has already been passed).

That this Committee as a matter of public safety calls on the Council to traffic calm both Harelawn Drive and Neilstown Drive, noting the fact that these two estates have traffic calming measures, however, both these two roads where somehow excluded.

That this Council ensures by compulsory inspection that building contractors secure bollards and any other similar lighting standards to avoid further tragic loss of life as has happened at Chesterbridge Manor Estate, Newcastle.

That the Council address the run down state of the roadway and footpaths bordering (and within) Roselawn Estate, Ballydowd

That, in view of the very bad design of the Crescent, Palmerstown Manor resulting in an extremely dangerous situation which got through the planning process, this Council will install "slow down" signs and painted rumble strips on the ground on the approach to this corner as a matter of urgency and in lieu of examining the estate for traffic control measures.  This low cost approach may very well address the problem and thus save more expensive action later.

To ask the Manager to report on the current situation regarding the lands at Lucan Demesne taken into public ownership and the subject of the earlier proposed Park and Ride Facility?

• Q 16

Correspondence

No Business

New Works

No Business

Cathaoirleach's Business

That the Manager would report on progress in following up on my motion in relation to the derelict site on the Old Lucan Road Palmerstown (currently used as a terminus for the 18 bus) when will it be tidied up, will it be properly and securely fenced when the bus moves back to its permanent location and if the Council will take steps to incorporate the adjacent piece of waste ground and secure it from the kind of activity that recently resulted in a dangerous fire during the hours of darkness that could have had disastrous consequences for nearby residents.

That the Manager presents an up to date report on the Round Tower site in Clondalkin including any recent works undertaken on the site.

To ask the Manager to provide an up-to-date and detailed report on any recent planning and enforcement issues at Weston Aerodrome, Lucan?

• Q. 17

To ask the Manager to report on up-to-date progress made with the Campaign for a new Local Second Level School in Lucan South since my latest Motion to this Committee on 16th April 2008?  Specifically since the meeting that took place with Officials from the Department of Education and Science School Planning Unit.  What progress resulted from the contact made by the Department’s technical staff to the Planning Department in an attempt to arrange a joint site visit to inspect the Local Area Plan lands?  In addition can it be confirmed that this new Second Level School will accommodate 1,000 pupils, and what time-scale has been committed for the delivery of the school?  The local objective remains for the opening of this school in September 2009, particularly since the population of the age group 13-18 year olds in the Esker District Electoral Division in 2009 is 348, and this figure increases by a further 206 to 554 by 2010.  In such circumstances there is a critical need for this Second Level School by September 2009.  Would the Manager therefore convey this information to the Department of Education and Science and bring back a report, including reference to the fact in such similar circumstances elsewhere there is already precedence to introduce temporary Second Level School Accommodation whilst the permanent structure is being prepared, particularly for the case of Lucan South where this Second Level School is already long overdue, will help avoid dispersement of population, will contribute to improving the quality of life of the Local Community in Lucan South, and will assist in the reduction of traffic volumes and congestion in the Lucan South area?  Finally, and since the early indications are that this will be V.E.C. Second Level School, will the Manager raise with the Department of Education and Science the important issue of the desire for the early establishment of an Interim Board of Management, which ideally would include representation from the Lucan South Secondary School Action Group in the interest of genuine local and meaningful consultation prior to the opening of this new Second Level School in Lucan South?

• Q. 18

To ask the Enforcement Section to check that the wall at 208 Alpine Heights has now been reduced in height as outlined by the Enforcement Officer?

• Q 19

To ask the Manager if there have been any pre-planning meetings with the owners regarding the former Vincent Byrne site in Palmerstown?

• Q 20

To ask the Manager if, following adoption of the Liffey Valley LAP, there have been any discussions with the landowners about further developments on the lands?

• Q 21

Correspondence

No Business

New Works

No Business

Planning Files

A. Large applications under consideration

B. Files requested by members

• H-I 8. (A)
• H-I 8. (B)

Report on Taking in Charge of Estates

• H-I 9

Cathaoirleach’s Business    

That the Manager give a detailed report on the working of the Enforcement Section of the Council and to specify (a) How many staff are employed in the Section; (b) How many complaints were received in 2007; (c) How many of these complaints were genuine infringements (d) How many of these complaints/infringements resulted in prosecution in 2007; (e) What the cost of the service including legal proceedings was in 2007; (f) What the resultant income from enforcement prosecutions was in 2007, (g) What procedures and processes are in place to handle infringements of planning and that the matter be fully discussed.

That the Manager presents an updated report on completion issues in Newcastle Manor Estate at this stage including the following:-

(a) What issues remain outstanding and when will they be tackled?

(b) Any implications which may arise from the Coroner's report in relation to the tragic electrocution of a young boy last September.

That a diagram be supplied to this Councillor outlining the proposed pedestrian access to Fonthill Rail Station from Alpine Heights and Ashwood, Clondalkin

That this Committee requests the Manager so seek the co-operation of the other relevant Local Authorities, including Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council, and Kildare County Council, with a view to the four Local Authorities jointly pursuing a Liffey Valley Park, including requesting the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to make a Ministerial Order, under Section 202 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, to make further Special Amenity Area Orders to preserve the Liffey Valley Lands which would be of great benefit to achieving a Liffey Valley Park.

That the Manager would facilitate a discussion on recent developments by making a report on the Adamstown SDZ development, including information on numbers of housing units completed, numbers occupied, numbers under construction, numbers of Affordable Homes disposed, number of Social Housing units allocated, and progress on civic and community facilities and Health Centre?