RACOMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE

Wednesday, December 16, 2020

MOTION NO. 11

MOTION: Councillor F. Timmons

This Council agrees that the CE invites in the NPWS to assess the findings of ‘Priority Annex I habitat to 91E0 Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior’ and any other Annex Habitats found by others or the Council in Rathcoole Woodlands before any further housing plan or proposal is brought before the Clondalkin Area Committee or before a Council Meeting.

This Council agrees that the Clondalkin Area Committee needs a copy of the ecological results and their implications, along with a presentation on same at a separate Area Meeting in advance of the Area Meeting or Council meeting at which the housing proposal will be presented.  

This Council agrees that the CE invites in NPWS as soon as the Council is aware that an Annex Habitat has been found on any Council owned land in the interest of implementing Climate Action Plan and Biodiversity Plan and preventing further deterioration and loss of biodiversity in the County.

REPORT:

It is the responsibility of all agencies of the state, including planning authorities, to act diligently to ensure that their decisions in the exercise of their functions, as well as their actions, comply fully with the obligations of the Habitats Directive.

In this context SDCC, as a competent authority, has engaged the requisite ecological expertise and experience to produce in a scientifically complete, professional, and objective manner, a suite of ecological survey reports for the master planned lands at Rathcoole. Once the survey report is completed SDCC will be able to consider the findings and conclusions of the surveys to further inform the master planned lands. 

SDCC in progressing any development of these lands will publish the accompanying environmental assessment as part of the planning process. At that point these would be publicly available and the NPWS would, as required, be a statutory consultee in this process.

The NPWS have formal processes and procedures to inform them of the identification of sites that may be proposed for Special Conservation Area designation which SDCC must adhere to which includes submitting documentary evidence.  Once informed of a potential designation of a site the NPWS follow the statutory procedure as prescribed in the Habitats Directive.