COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE

Monday, May 23, 2022

QUESTION NO.

QUESTION: Councillor M. Duff

"Would the Manager make a report to this Area Committee regarding the much viewed video on Social Media, showing a person in a wheelchair which had a bike attachment, having great difficulty in getting through a Kissing Gate at Dodder Valley Park, and indicate to this Committee how the accessible entry points are made known to the public and to also advise how modifications can be made to these gates to make greater accessibility?"

REPLY:

The kissing gate controls at entry points to Dodder Valley Park were put in place in 2020 in response to regular entry to the park by scrambler motorbikes at the time.  These controls were requested by elected members of the Tallaght area committee at the time, the work was included on the public realm improvement works programme for 2019 which was agreed with the ACM and subsequently with all council members.

In response to the question asked regarding making accessible entry points known to the public, this is not done as it would likely bring the attention of those unwanted visitors to that information.  The video referred to has been viewed by Council staff and it is very much regrettable that the action taken to exclude scramblers has also resulted in the exclusion of some legitimate users of the park.   It was always intended that this would be a temporary measure which could be reversed if the issue of illegal use of scramblers could be tackled effectively by the Gardai using the powers available to them.  It is expected that the new legislation in relation to the use of scramblers will be introduced in June of this year, and it is hoped that a headed item report will be brought to all area committe meetings on this matter in June also.