COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF RATHFARNHAM / TEMPLEOGUE / FIRHOUSE / BOHERNABREENA AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, June 14, 2022

QUESTION NO. 3

QUESTION: Councillor David McManus

To ask the Chief Executive if private or residents bee hives may be supported within council parks or other such public spaces to support our Council's Pollinator Plan and to bring greater public awareness, and if a statement is available?

REPLY:

The Council has provided one site for an apiary which is in Mill Lane in Palmerstown.  The site had to be changed and relocated away from the Mill Lane allotments as allotment holders were being stung regularly by the bees.  The site in question at Mill Lane is quite remote and this reduces the health and safety concerns regarding members of the public being stung.  Other suitable sites in the county's parks would not seem to be readily available for this use.  

The main actions being taken by the Council in support of pollinators is the reduced grass mowing regime which is being implemented in public parks with 151 hectares of grassland being managed in this way.  There is some discussion taking place at the present time regarding the provision of beehives as it is felt by many experts that while this supports and helps the honeybee to thrive that this is sometimes to the detriment of other bee types.