COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF RATHFARNHAM / TEMPLEOGUE / FIRHOUSE / BOHERNABREENA AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, October 08, 2024

QUESTION NO.1

QUESTION: Councillor C Ahern

Can the manager please provide an update on the security of the Augustinians site following the fire last month. It appears that some repairs / maintenance works may have been carried out on the buildings recently and can the manager also please report on this

REPLY:

The powers of local authorities in relation to dangerous structures are set out in Section 3 of the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Act, 1964 (the Act)

Section 3(2)(a) of the Act is as follows:

“If, in the opinion of a sanitary authority, it is necessary to do so in the interests of the safety of any person, the authority may, by their servants or agents carry out on a dangerous structure situate in their sanitary district such works (including the demolition of the structure or any part of it and the clearing and levelling of the site thereof) as will, in the opinion of the authority, prevent the structure from being a dangerous structure and for that purpose, the authority may, by their servants or agents, enter on any land.”

South Dublin County Council inspected the fire damaged buildings at Ballyboden, Rathfarnham on July 22nd and contacted the owner setting out remedial works to be carried out. On July 23rd the council re-inspected the site and engaged a contractor to secure the property and the gates to same. The Council’s contractor checked the site on 16th August and reported no intrusions had occurred.  Dublin Fire Brigade attended the site when a fire broke out on the evening of August 20th.

Since the fire on the 20th of August, South Dublin County Council have secured the property on two further occasions.

Subsequently a report that a large copper spire on the top of the building had been severely damaged by the fire. It was leaning and was in danger of falling. The council arranged for the removal of the spire in the interests of safety on the 22nd September.

South Dublin County Council continues to check the building is secure, carrying out checks 3 times a week at present. We continue to pursue the owners of the site in accordance with the provisions of the Act.