COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE
Monday, January 24, 2022
QUESTION NO. 6
QUESTION: Councillor M. Duff
Would the Manager inform this Area Committee as to progress, if any in discussions with the Board of Management of Scoil Aonghusa Senior, Castle Park, and or the St Laurence O'Toole Trust, regarding Scoil Aonghusa Senior leasing from South Dublin County Council on a temporary basis, a portion of land at Bancroft Park immediately adjacent to the school rear boundary, without interfering with any future plans for Bancroft Park. This lease is to facilitate the use of a natural playground for the school, retaining the trees already in place and and erecting a new temporary boundary fence, while school numbers are at a maximum and additional classrooms are now required, at the cost of using some of the internal yard space, which functions as the children's playground.
REPLY:
An application for disposal was received from Scoil Aonghusa on 31st May 2021 . It was subsequently refused following consultation with Council Departments, whom did not support this application for the following reasons.
- Infrastructure Policies under the objectives of the County Development Plan 2016-22.
- At a meeting on site in Bancroft Park on July 5th this year, attended by Council officials, local residents and elected members, a request was made by Tymon North residents for the Council to erect a railing or fence to close off the bank of the Poddle River which is adjacent to Scoil Aonghusa and just downstream from the footbridge. This proposal will be included in the draft Public Realm improvement works programme for 2022 and will proceed if agreed by the elected members.
- The subject area contributes to an existing Green Infrastructure Corridor L9 as set out in Appendix 4 of the Draft County Development Plan 2022-2028.
- The subject area is also part of an identified Green Infrastructure link which is likely to be strengthened in the future and it has potential for greater sustainable transport links. This would involve a redesign of the footbridges and would reduce or eliminate most of the anti-social activity in this area.