COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

south dublin county council crest

MEETING OF LUCAN AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

MOTION NO. 24

MOTION: Councillor G. O'Connell

Cathaoirleach's Business

"Given that  “Palmerstown Village” is an identifiable and specific place within this County and seeing as it is the only area that can be uniquely described as “Palmerstown” and that all signposts point to the Village Area (which is also the heart of the local community), given that other residential and business areas have names fixed and agreed in modern times, e.g. Palmerstown Drive, Palmerstown Avenue, Palmerstown Court, Palmerstown Shopping Centre etc, this Committee requests the Manager responsible to bring before the June meeting of this Area Committee proposals for a plebiscite of Palmerstown Village that will give the residents and businesses therein an opportunity to determine the official name of this historic Village which given the relatively small number of voters to be consulted will not involve significant funding with volunteers prepared to help out on the ground and, once costed, provision can be made for it in the 2013 budget."

REPORT:

The modern OSI map (Map I attached) covers the two townlands ( Palmerston Upper and  Palmerston  Lower ) which carry the Palmerston name.  Palmerston Village is a village situated in the Townland of Palmerston Upper and Palmerston Lower. This has been confirmed on several occasions with OSI, most recently in March 2012. A copy of that correspondence was circulated to the Lucan Area Members. (see attached).   

As indicated on previous occasions the statutory procedure to change the official name of a street, place or locality is set out in the Local Government Act, 1946, the Local Government (Changing of Placenames) Regulations 1956, as amended by Sec. 67 LG Act 1994. It can only be done by way of  conducting a plebiscite of the qualified electors in the area and the consent of the majority of qualified electors is required for any change to be made by resolution of the Council.

The stages in the process are as follows:

  1. A request is received to have a name changed by plebiscite
  2. The request goes to Council for approval for a plebiscite of qualified electors
  3. A draft list of qualified electors (Electoral Roll) is prepared by the Returning Officer. The names on the roll shall be numbered consecutively
  4. An advertisement is placed in local papers stating details of proposed name change, and stating where the draft list of qualified electors can be viewed
  5. Any objections to the list of qualified electors must be lodged within a 3 week period.
  6. The final list of qualified electors  (Electoral Roll) is formally adopted by Council
  7. Once adopted the plebiscite is initiated.
  8. Ballot papers are sent by ordinary post to every person whose name is on the electoral roll along with a prepaid postage envelope addressed to the returning officer for return of ballot paper.
  9. Ballot papers  must be signed in the presence of the witness who must also sign the form
  10. Counting of papers takes place and result of Ballot determined – the majority of qualified electors must be in favour of the change
  11. Decision is informed to Council. In accordance with Section 79 of the Local Government Act 1946 (as amended) the Council may change the name of the locality. This is a reserved function of the Council.

A plebiscite was held in May 2009 to ascertain the consent of the qualified electors to change the official name of Palmerston to Palmerstown. As the majority of the qualified electors did not vote in favour of the proposed change, there was no change to the official name of Palmerston.

If the motion is passed it will be a matter for the Council to determine whether the issue of conducting a further plebiscite will be considered.