COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF LUCAN AREA COMMITTEE
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
QUESTION NO. 16
QUESTION: Councillor D. O'Brien
"To ask the Chief Executive for an update on the ongoing negotiation between Arthur Griffith FC, Weston hockey club & Lucan Harriers to formalise Arthur Griffith FC use of the club house on the Newcastle Road?"
REPLY:
The Property Section met with the three clubs during the summer of 2017. Further to those individual meetings that occurred in June / July of this year, on an individual basis, between South Dublin County Council and (i) Lucan Harriers, (ii) Weston Hockey Club and (iii) Arthur Griffith Park FC, the general consensus was that:
- each club was in a position to work with each of the other clubs in the common goal of properly using the Club house facility at Griffeen Valley Park
- each club understood that a certain level of budget would have to be allocated to the clubhouse on a yearly basis for operating and maintaining the facility and that this was achievable by each club
- each club understood that there was a level of expenditure required to bring the facility back up to a decent standard
Next Steps
- South Dublin County Council would like to meet a representative from the three clubs together at a date and time to be agreed in late October. This meeting will establish whether each club is committed to the ongoing operating and maintenance of the facility, going forward, and whether each club has the capacity to contribute to the cost of that work. As a baseline figure, each club should be in a position to contribute c.€6,000 per annum on an ongoing basis for the operation and maintenance of the building.
- A new lease between the three clubs will be required by SDCC – This procedure will require that the original lease would be formally terminated and a new lease agreement would be drawn up which would require the approval of the elected members under a new revised S.183 and which would be on the basis of agreement between Lucan Harriers; Weston Hockey; Arthur Griffith Park FC. The clubs may need to seek legal advice in this regard.
- The Council wishes to advise that the Building is (was) the property of Lucan Sports Association Ltd, subject to the terms and conditions of the lease. If the lease is terminated without recourse to a new lease arrangement the building will revert to South Dublin County Council as an asset and the Council will retain the right to allow others, at its discretion, to utilise the facilities by way of agreement / licence.
- The Council understands that there are some works required to the building. Figures in the region of €25,000 have been suggested. The clubs are advised that there are mechanisms in place to seek grant moneys from various sporting and community bodies and that such opportunities should be examined.
Date for a meeting with the three clubs together has been confirmed as Wednesday 25th October 2017 at SDCC Offices at 4pm. South Dublin County Council is committed to working with the three clubs to resolve the issues in relation to using the clubhouse.