COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF LUCAN AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

QUESTION NO. 11

QUESTION: Councillor L. O'Toole

"To ask the Chief Executive to review the walkways and banks along the Liffey within the Lucan Demesne and consider if there is a requirement to provide life buoys along the river bank. With the recent construction of the canoe slalom and access to St. Catherine’s Park, this stretch of river from Lucan to Leixlip has now become very busy and popular?"

REPLY:

The presence of water in the form of rivers, streams, lakes and ponds in the public parks in the county contributes greatly to the amenity and biodiversity of those parks. The sight and sound of moving water is very attractive and visitors to our parks derive great enjoyment from these amenities. While it is acknowledged that water presents a degree of risk to park users, the risk is minimised through management practices and the provision of ring buoys where appropriate.

Management practices include the creation of shallow edges to artificially constructed ponds and lakes, the provision of bridges with appropriate guard rails and the management of vegetation along the sides / edges to deter the public from immediate access to the waters edge.

There are no designated bathing areas in the county and 'no swimming' signs have been provided at a number of locations around the county.

A survey of the water bodies in the county was undertaken during the summer months by the Council's Health and Safety Advisor.  As a result of that survey, a need was identified for the provision of an initial 66 ring buoys at 36 locations around the county. The cost of providing a ring buoy and associated fixtures and fittings is approximately €250 per unit and provision has been made in the revised Estimates to enable this work to proceed. 

The sections of the Liffey Valley in the Council's ownership, including Lucan Demesne, require some additional assessment in association with Irish Water Safety to determine the most appropriate locations for ring buoys along the riverside walk.  The Council's Health and Safety Officer is arranging this assessment with Irish Water Safety and any recommendations arising from that inspection will be implemented at the earliest opportunity.