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SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF LUCAN / PALMERSTOWN / NORTH CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, April 26, 2022

QUESTION NO. 1

QUESTION: Councillor L. O'Toole

This council agreed to funding of apiary introduction/support as part councils recent budget. The committee asks that the Chief Executive considers ways in how existing apiaries in Lucan area can be financially supported as part of this budget.

REPLY:

The nearest apiary to Lucan on public lands is in Mill Lane, Palmerstown. The apiary was initially established on a small area of the allotment site in March 2017, however due to the proximity of the adjacent allotment plots it was considered unsuitable. The apiary was relocated to its existing site in April 2018.

The Public Realm Section would welcome the development of a further apiary in the Lucan area on public lands and provision has been made in the 2022 Annual Budget for a community apiary pilot programme. However, apart from the financial cost to develop an apiary there are two essential requirements which need to be in place before the matter can be progressed. The first requirement is a willing beekeeper. This individual needs to be able to travel and access the apiary wherever it is located. Visits during the winter period can be infrequent but this increases during the summer months when the colony is active.  

The second requirement is the site itself. The main concern here is safety. This includes the safety of members of the public and the security of the hives from vandalism. The first site chosen in Mill Lane was safe from a vandalism perspective however the allotment users were exposed to occasional bee stings. As a result, the hives were relocated.

The development of an apiary will be examined further if an application is received from a beekeeper or beekeeping group.