Confirmation and Re-affirmation of Minutes

Minutes of the Lucan/Clondalkin Area Committee Meeting 24th March, 2009

• H-I 1

To ask the Manager to review the (apparently) new policy of not lifting bins at a later date if the collection day happens to fall on a public holiday. It is a considerable hardship on many families who find themselves with a full bin and no collection for another week and no means of getting to the Civic facility. This situation if it is allowed to continue will undermine the Councils Waste Management Strategy. In addition, people need to be informed well in advance when such changes are coming into effect not least because they may leave out their bins in the hope of a delivery and find that they have been burned. Any such change should be notified well in advance so that people can make suitable preparations and alternative arrangements.

• Q.1

To ask the Manager for an update report on efforts to locate a trading bay at Palmerstown Cemetery in line with my previous motions and questions and the Council's responsibility both to the trader and the general public to regulate such facilities.

• Q 2

To ask the Manager if he will have an inspection carried out of reported illegal dumping, and consequent rat infestation, in Griffeen Valley Park, behind the houses in Arthur Griffith Park, and if will make a report on the matter? 

• Q 3

To ask the Manager if he will make a report on the services provided by the Green Re-cycling Centre at the Esker Depot, Lucan and if he will make a statement on the continuing operation of the Centre in the next 3 to 5 years?

• Q.4

New Works

No Business

Correspondence

No Business

Cathaoirleach's Business

That the Manager would report in detail as to why the Saturday refuse collection service was discontinued for weekends where the Monday is a Bank Holiday as did occur in the case of the recent Easter Monday Bank Holiday? Also how was this communicated to the public and at what notice? This Committee requests the Manager to re-introduce the Saturday collection service for the May Bank Holiday weekend. This service was invaluable to many families, especially families that may have a number of children.

• M.1

That the Manager presents a further report on the litter problem on the footpath between Shancastle Park and Drive, Quarryvale, opposite The Arc Public House and on what can be done to stop litter being disposed of behind the steel doors in that location.

• M.2

That this Council rolls out the brown bin service throughout the entirety of Clondalkin / Newcastle / Rathcoole / Saggart / Brittas areas.  When was this promised by the Council?

• M.3

That the Manager set in place a policy of notifying residents in advance of water supply disruption when the disruption will take place for more than an hour and when the Council are aware in advance that the water supply disruption will take place.  A cut in water supply for periods of up to six hours without notification is unacceptable when water supply is vital for the hygienic care of young infants and elderly ill residents.

That this Committee express solidarity with the plight that householders find themselves in coping with a sewage overflow due to the fact that a common manhole is located within their property. To compliment council staff who have been reported as being very helpful within their remit on such occasions, and to ask the Manager:

1     How many such incidents have been reported in the Lucan Palmerstown Area in the first 3 months of this year

2     If there are any estates/developments that have a higher than average number of incidents

3    To explain the role of the Council in relation to such incidents and if the Council has the staff and equipment to carry out its functions in this regard

4     Why it is that the service price charged by the Council for clearing such blockages is higher than private firms

5     If the Council has any waiver system in place for persons on a fixed income who find it extremely difficult to pay to have the situation rectified

Ø     In the case of repair or remedial work having to be carried out between the manhole in private property and the public system why does the householders have to pay considering that they have already paid a hefty levy covering services.

• M. 5

That the Manager would report in detail on what cut-backs in staff overtime, if any, are being introduced. Such cut-backs will have a negative effect on the cleansing of the Lucan area, including Lucan village. In addition overtime cut-backs, especially at weekends would have such a negative impact on the appearance of the Lucan community, and could cause unnecessary pressures on all local civic minded individuals and groups, including the particularly successful Lucan Tidy Towns Committee.

• M.6

That the Manager addresses the land opposite the school adjacent to St. Finian's Hall and arranges a clean out.  If the land is in private ownership, can the Manager instruct the owner to clean up the area and cut the grass as a matter of urgency.

• M.7

To ask the Manager to agree to support the newly formed Residents Group of Rossberry Estate, Lucan by providing a single Rossberry Estate name stone? This would be of great benefit to the residents of Rossberry and would be a very helpful start for this newly organised local residents group.

• Q 5

To ask the Manager if he will make a report on the recently completed works carried out in Ballyowen Castle Community Centre, including information on the accommodation and facilities now available to the organisations which have been allocated permanent accommodation in the Centre, and if he will convey the appreciation of this Committee to the staff of the Community Department who have demonstrated such commitment to the Centre and its users?

• Q 6

New Works

No Business

Application for Grants

• H-I 4

Correspondence

No Business

Cathaoirleach's Business

That the Manager would present a detailed report for discussion on what new facilities have been sourced by this Council that would provide the residents of this county with outdoor play, recreational and sporting opportunities that are also made from more robust materials and less conducive to vandalism and anti-social behaviour? There are newer and more innovative such fittings for parks that could be explored and provided as a pilot project in the Lucan area, including in the new park between Ballyowen Lane and Mount Andrew Estate where there are approx. 2,000 homes in the immediate area and that would potentially enhance the quality of life of several thousand local residents. Such a pilot project could prove to be successful and beneficial to all our people.

• M 8

That this Committee commends the Community Department for its promotion of the Arts and asks that consideration be given to a county wide campaign to encourage community and voluntary groups to coordinate their activities with the Council and to stimulate situations where such groups can avail of the facilities of Rua Red.

• M 9

That this Committee confirms its support for the provision of a Community Centre in the Palmerstown Shopping Centre, recognises the frustration of community organisations and residents of Palmerstown at the long delay in bringing the Community Centre project to a conclusion, requests the Manager to make the completion of the Centre a priority project for funding from limited financial resources in 2009 and asks if he will make a statement on the matter. 

• M 10

That this Committee requests the Manager to agree to a Lucan Community Festival as a Pilot Project following local community consultation, the details of which will be presented to this area committee. As per previous representations, such a Lucan Community Festival could be held with local input that would not require a large financial investment by this Council, and that in the prevailing economic circumstances could have the potential of attracting greater interest by the local community.

• M 11

That in view of the very substantial increase in the number of Lucan residents on the Live Register, this Committee welcomes the Manager's Intellectual Enterprise Zones initiative, and recommends to the Manager that he investigates the possibility of locating one of the "spaces" envisaged in the initiative in Lucan, and suggests that he consider approaching the VEC about the possibility of securing accommodation, on a temporary basis, for the initiative in Adamstown Community College, and suggests also that Ballyowen Castle Community Centre might be a suitable location.

• M 12

To ask the Manager if he will explore with Barkhill Ltd. and the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government the possibility of including a Regional Library in the first phase of development of Liffey Valley Town Centre?

• Q 7

New Works

No Business

Library News & Events

• H-I 6

Correspondence

(a) Reply from Dept of Finance regarding the pension levy imposed on the public sector

(b) Reply from Supt J. Quirke, Clondalkin Garda Station regarding traffic congestion and parking problems at the Social Welfare Office, Clondalkin

(c) Reply from An Post regarding the relocation of the Lucan Delivery Office from Tandy's Lane to the Fonthill Road

(d) Reply from Dublin Bus regarding a bus shelter at the junction of the New Nangor and 9th Lock inbound Roads

(e) Reply from Dublin Bus regarding the provision of bus services from Lucan to Tallaght

(f) Reply from the NRA regarding the upgrade of Newlands Cross, Clondalkin

• Corr (a)
• Corr (b)
• Corr (c)
• Corr (d)
• Corr (e)
• Corr (f)

Cathaoirleach's Business

That this Committee asks the Manager to write to Dublin Bus and request a variation in the 25A bus route service so that the city bound route includes Ballyowen Road and St. Loman's Road onto the Fonthill Road and to rejoin the present route at the slip road near the Deadman’s Inn. This would have the benefit of avoiding the overlap with other city bound routes from the Outer Ring Road to the Deadman's Inn slip road, and would also provide a more convenient public bus service for local residents in Larkfield, Liffey Valley Park, Mount Andrew, St. Edmunds, Ballyowen Lane and Estates, as well as providing additional public bus service options for residents in Ballyowen Park and Hermitage Park Estates.

• M 13

That South Dublin County Council informs the residents in Clondalkin / Newcastle / Rathcoole and Saggart of the full implications of Lisbon 2.

• M 14

That this committee again calls on Dublin Bus to provide the bus shelters on Kennelsfort Road which were discussed at the recent meeting between this Committee and representatives of Dublin Bus.

• M 15

That this Committee requests the Manager to write to the Minister for Education and Science to convey the view of the Committee that it is now a matter of the greatest urgency that his Department identify and purchase a suitable site for Esker Educate Together National School, which has been temporarily accommodated in Adamstown Castle Educate Together for two school years, and drawing the attention of the Minister to the problems which will arise for both Adamstown Castle and Esker Educate Together National Schools if this matter is not resolved soon.

• M 16