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SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, January 13, 2025

QUESTION NO. 9

QUESTION: Councillor F. Timmons

To ask the Chief Executive if he has considered to use the concourse areas  of South Dublin County Council offices as a temporary exhibition space for local artists' works?

REPLY:

The redesign of the Concourse in County Hall means it is now a multi-purpose civic space with a variety of possible uses for both large and small events including exhibitions, and indeed the number of different events hosted in the space has grown considerably since completion of the renovations last summer.

However the Concourse is also a place of access for visitors who are attending meetings with officials and Councillors, including Council Meetings, as well as people making payments to the Cash Office, people who work in the building and for the children and parents using the creche. Clondalkin Civic Offices similarly has a variety of uses, with the additional feature of offices that are rented to external organisations.

Any individual enquiry for use of either space will take these activities and needs into account when considering the request, as they cannot be negatively impacted by any event. The nature of an exhibition that extends over a longer period i.e. longer than a day, unless it can be hosted in a small self-contained area, may mean that either concourse is not a suitable venue. 

The concourse in County Hall was previously used as temporary exhibition space, including for local artists' work. This practise was discontinued for practical reasons in or around 2008, which coincided with the opening of Rua Red and the refurbished County Library. Both venues now host exhibitions on an ongoing basis. The Council's network of libraries across the county facilitate exhibitions for local artists, and the Arts Office provides bursaries to support the development of local artists.