COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF LUCAN AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

QUESTION NO. 5

QUESTION: Councillor E. Tuffy

To ask the Manager if he will note the facilities, including the woodland walk, provided by Fingal County Council in the part of Lucan Demesne under its jurisdiction, and if he will request the Park's Department to examine the potential for measures to improve the variety of the public amenity in that part of the Demesne under the jurisdiction of South Dublin Country Council, with a view to bringing forward an enhancement plan and providing funding for the implementation of such plan in the 2012 Council Budget?

REPLY:

The section of Lucan Demesne (St Catherine’s Park) to the north of the River Liffey is significantly larger than the area to the south of the River Liffey.  As would be expected in a larger area the number of different habitats enables a variety of activities to take place.  They range from active recreation on pitches to passive recreation along the woodland paths.  The area to the south of the River Liffey consists primarily of river side walks and grassland.  By its nature it caters for passive recreation activities.  In recent years a significant extension to the riverside walk has provided greater universal access for all visitors.  The Parks Section is currently in discussions with the Irish Canoe Union who are endeavouring to make improvements to the river in the vicinity of the weir in an effort to provide a high performance canoe training centre.

In the context of the 2012 budget, the implementation of a mowing regime and the removal of invasive species are currently being explored to ensure the right conditions are being provided for biodiversity until such time as a study can be carried out and a more detailed conservation plan put in place.