COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF LUCAN AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

QUESTION NO. 19

QUESTION: Councillor E. Tuffy

To ask the Manager if he will confirm that the Council has cordoned off an area of meadowland in Lucan Demesne to provide for cattle grazing, if he will make a statement on the matter, and if he will advise if the use of any part of the Demesne lands for such a purpose might interfere with wildlife//biodiversity at the location?

REPLY:

Lucan Demesne/St. Catherine's Park is managed by three local authorities.  South Dublin County Council manages the section of the Park to the south of the River Liffey.  This area is referred to as Lucan Demesne.  Fingal County Council and Kildare County Council manage the section of the Park to the north of the River Liffey.  This area is referred to as St. Catherine’s Park. 

Fingal County Council Parks Department have advised that they have recently erected fencing on the meadow area in St. Catherine's Park immediately adjacent to the northern bank of the river. The area has been fenced to enable the introduction of Dexter cattle, Ireland's smallest breed of cattle, into the park as part of a longer term project to develop a city farm similar to the facility in Newbridge Demesne, Donabate.

The introduction of grazing cattle is a form of grassland management and will, like any other form of management, exert an influence on the ecosystem of the park.