COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, July 13, 2009

QUESTION NO. 16

QUESTION: Councillor E. Walsh 2009

To ask the Manager to report to the Council on his ongoing efforts to attract tourists to South Dublin County?

REPLY:

South Dublin County Council set up a Tourism Task Force in April 2004, which resulted in the establishment of an interim South Dublin County Tourism Board.  The task of the interim Tourism Board was to formally establish South Dublin County Tourism Ltd. This Company was inaugurated on 11^th January 2005.

The Company consists of 18 Directors representing the Elected Members of South Dublin County Council, the hoteliers, golf clubs, tourism organisations, shopping centres, cultural organisations and Chamber of Commerce in South Dublin County.

 The following are the officers of the Board:

 Chairperson                                                    David Kennedy

Secretary                                                        Peter Byrne, South Dublin Chamber

Treasurer                                                       Loman O’Byrne, South Dublin County Enterprise Board

 A full time Tourism Executive was appointed on 16^th May 2005 to facilitate the promotion, marketing and administration of the Company.

 A Tourism Audit of the County was carried out in 2004 which identifies the strengths and weaknesses of Tourism in South Dublin County. This audit greatly assisted the tourism company in the preparation of its Action Plans to date.

 South Dublin County Council in partnership with South Dublin County Tourism promotes and supports tourism in the County in the following manner:

 Works with other tourism organisations to identify our tourism strengths and targets core markets on these strengths.

• Assists with the branding, promotion and marketing of identifiable tourism products.
• Provides business and leisure facilities and ensures existing facilities are to a high standard so that they can be enjoyed both by the local community and visitors.
• Provides infrastructure to enable ease of access to, from and within South Dublin County.
• Works in partnership with accommodation providers, restaurants, golfing facilities
• Member of the Dublin Mountain Partnership to improve the recreational experience for users of the Dublin Mountains. (www.dublinmountains.ie)

 In addition to the above South Dublin County Council also plays an active direct role in the promotion of business and leisure tourism in the County.  Major business and leisure visitor attractions in South Dublin County provided by the Council include:

 The Camac Valley Caravan and Camping Park – (sdcc.ie Parks Dept)

• Three major Parks, Tymon Park, Tallaght; Corkagh Park, Clondalkin and Griffeen Valley Park, Lucan together with 50 neighbourhood Parks including recently opened playground at Sean Walsh Park, Tallaght and Waterstown Park, Palmerstown, providing playgrounds, sports facilities, rose garden, arboretum, fishery, pedestrian and cycle routes within our Parks
• A Green Pedestrian and Cycle Route along the southern towpath of the Grand Canal including CCTV, public lighting, litter bins, canal furniture, fishing points stretching from the 12^th Lock, Clondalkin to the County boundary and on to the Grand Canal Basin, Dublin City – currently being constructed due for completion in March 2010.
• Tallaght Stadium
• Grange Castle Golf Course – Dublin Golf Pass (www.southdublincountytourism.ie)
• Connect Project – (www.connect.southdublin.ie)
• Rua Red, County Arts Centre located at County Hall
• The Civic Theatre located at County Hall – (www.civictheatre.ie)
• 7 Branch Libraries providing computers and internet, exhibitions, cultural and educational events and children’s’ services – (www.southdublinlibraries.ie)
• The Big Picture, Multi-media Information Centre– (www.connect.southdublin.ie/thebigpicture/)
• Intellectual Enterprise Zone
• Weekly Farmers Market in Tallaght Town Centre
• Tallaght and Clondalkin Sports and Leisure Centres include swimming pools.
• Heritage Plan is currently being prepared.

 The Council together with the Tourism Hotel sub-committee were recently successful in a bid to bring the National and World Irish Dancing Championship to the County in 2011 and 2012 and are continuing to bid on an ongoing basis for other major conferences and events.

www.southdublincountytourism.ie