COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF LUCAN AREA COMMITTEE

Thursday, June 23, 2016

MOTION NO. 7

MOTION: Councillor P. Gogarty

"That this Area Committee resolves, through the auspices of the Chair, to arrange and advertise within four weeks of this date an information sharing and question and answer forum on the all-weather pitch proposal in Airlie Heights, preferably on a weekend morning, with a neutral mediator invited to chair and summarise. Such a meeting should invite representatives of Lucan United to make a formal presentation about the development, invite the Residents Action Group to make a follow up presentation and subsequently allow individual residents and club members to ask questions and make points in a respectful way within strict time limits.

Council officials should be invited as observers and in keeping with the community spirit of the meeting, elected representatives should not be allowed to address the floor directly and take up valuable listening time, unless there is a specific request for such an input, and then only at the end of the meeting. Key points should be recorded and entered on displays so that any areas of contention/agreement following the first part of the forum can be examined to see if there is room for a workable solution that would result in a win-win situation for all concerned.

At the very least such a forum will provide clarity on some of the issues and help inform local elected representatives as to what future course of action they should take in terms of the limited powers available to them. Should either Lucan United or the Residents Action Group not agree to attend such a forum, the event will not proceed and Councillors will reserve the right to make future representations on the issue based on such actions as well as information provided by all stakeholders to date."

REPORT:

"At the request of the Chair of the LAC, a recent meeting with the Lucan Area Councillors and the Director of Environment Water and Climate Change and the Director of Housing, Social and Community Development was convened to discuss the issues involved in the project plans for the new all-weather pitch at Airlie Heights. It was agreed that in order to progress this project that in the best interests of all concerned that representatives from Lucan United FC and the Local Residents Groups should meet. It is understood that such an offer exists from the Club. The Council outlined fully its understanding and position in relation to the Capital Sports Grant award following the An Bord Pleanála decision on the planning application and appeal and how the Council intends to proceed to advance the project."