COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF DEVELOPMENT PLAN MEETING

Thursday, June 17, 2021

MOTION NO. 247

MOTION: Councillor E. Ó Broin, Councillor Carly Bailey

To insert a new objective GI 2 Objective 8, which aims to enhance biodiversity and the health of pollinator species by banning the use of glyphosphate in or close to public parks, public playgrounds, community gardens/allotments and within residential estates, whether by directly employed Local Authority staff or private contractors. 

REPORT:

 Action 4.2 of the Biodiversity Action Plan states ‘To continue to research methods to further minimise the use of chemical biocides that are harmful to wider biodiversity.

 The County Development Plan is a strategic policy document. The issue raised is more appropriately a matter for the County Biodiversity Action Plan and one for operations. Policy within the Draft Plan supports the Biodiversity Action Plan and the Pollinator Plan which is also relevant to this motion:

 Policy 2 Biodiversity: Strengthen the existing GI network and ensure all new developments contribute towards GI, in order to protect and enhance biodiversity across the County as part of South Dublin County Council’s commitment to the National Biodiversity Action Plan 2021- 2025 and the South Dublin County Council Biodiversity Action Plan, 2020-2026, the National Planning Framework (NPF)and the East Region Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES).

And

 GI 2 Objective 6: To continue to support and expand the County Pollinator Plan through the management and monitoring of the County’s pollinator protection sites as part of the Council’s commitment to the provisions of the National Polinator Plan 2021-2025

It is considered that the existing objectives and policies are sufficient to address this motion and that anything further would be an operational matter not appropriate for the Development Plan.

Recommendation: It is recommended that this motion is adopted as amended to reflect that the existing policy 2 Biodiversity and GI 2 Objective 6 sufficiently reflect the intent of the motion