COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF RATHFARNHAM / TEMPLEOGUE / FIRHOUSE / BOHERNABREENA AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

QUESTION NO.2

QUESTION: Councillor J. Sinnott

To ask the manager to advise on the process for agreeing the naming of new streets and roads in new housing estates in the Rathfarnham / Templeogue / Firhouse and Bohernabreena area.

 REPLY:

 While the responsibility for proposing naming and numbering schemes for new developments rests with the developer, the Council advises developers of requirements and approves the eventual scheme. 

It is Council policy that the name chosen for a development must reflect the local and/or historical context of the area in which it is located. This should be done in a manner that is not overly obscure or difficult to relate to. This can be achieved by reference to local history; the townland, parish or other long-established name, past industry or employment in the area, local topography, or a well-known association of a significant historical individual, event or custom from the local area. 

The name proposed to the Naming and Numbering section of the Planning Department must also not duplicate or be easily confused with an existing name in the county. This is in the interests of owners, occupiers, visitors, service and utility providers and for rapid emergency service provision. 

In line with the objectives of the County Development Plan, the scheme proposed to the Council should promote the use of the Irish language and more recently, all submissions are vetted for accuracy and interpretation via our Oifigeach Gaeilge | Irish Language Officer by the The Placenames Branch (An Brainse Logainmneacha). 

All houses, offices, and other premises are numbered and duplication of numbers on the same road avoided. Genreally, premises are so numbered that when travelling away from the entrance (or other focal point) the odd numbers are on the left hand side and the even numbers on the right. Whatever system of allocating numbers is adopted, it is important that there should be consistency within the general area.

In the case of blocks of apartments each floor and each apartment is numbered, and more recently unit numbers reflects the floor on which it is located. For example, 1st Floor units are numbered 1xx, 2nd floor units are numbered sxx etc. 

When a naming and numbering scheme is approved by the Council a uniform signage system is expected.  In accordance with the provisions of The Official Languages Act 2003 both English and Irish language names must be displayed with equal prominence,(unless the approved name is in the Irish Language when only the Irish name needs to be displayed). The name-plates/signs should be clearly visible to road users, by night as well as by day if possible and should be placed so as to give road users information as to the road-name, when entering the road and, in the case of a long road, at intervals along it.