COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE

Monday, June 26, 2023

QUESTION NO.

QUESTION: Councillor M. Duff

"To ask the Manager if there any are any plans to find alternative service entrances to the Basketball Arena, which can be used when there is a need to close the Arena Road, other than the locked barrier at Tymon Farm. Local residents are adamant that they were guaranteed that when the Arena was being built that the barrier at Tymon Farm would only be used for Emergency Services and not as a secondary access point for the Arena?"

REPLY:

There are no plans for an alternative service entrance to the National Basketball Arena. SDCC are unaware of any guarantees provided to local residents. Public Realm have spoken with the National Basketball Arena, and they have provided a commitment that the emergency gate will only be used during times of emergencies. SDCC consider this gate to be used during emergencies and in exceptional circumstances only.

SDCC have two reports of the gate being used within the past five years.

• On the 3^rd of May 2023 there was an accident involving two cars and it caused delays in people leaving the venue with 800 people in attendance. A decision was made by the National Basketball Arena to allow people to exit the site via the emergency exit.
• On the 14^th & 15^th of June 2023 the Roads Department was constructing a new concrete footpath across the main entrance, and this couldn't be trafficked. To minimise disruptions and impacts to all stakeholders the Roads team identified days where there were no events in the parks and limited traffic used the emergency exit.