COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SPECIAL MEETING OF COUNTY COUNCIL

Friday, June 19, 2026

MOTION NO.

MOTION: Councillor W. Carey

Amendment 4 - Tubber Lane North This Council agrees to amend point 4c in CS7 SLO5 to insert:

'and to have a plan to meet these needs and in particular the need for increased childcare, health and dental care provision' at the end of the existing point 4c

Reason: To ensure adequate provision of services including childcare, GPs and dental practices

Proposed by Cllr's Carey, Dunne, Whelan and Mannion

CE Response 

This motion seeks to amend point 4c of the SLO of Amendment 4 Tubber Lane North of the proposed Variation to read: 

A Social Infrastructure Audit and provision within development  proposals to address any needs identified, 

To add: 

‘... and to have a plan to meet these needs and in particular the need for increased childcare, health and dental care provision.’ 

The motion references point 4c, which is considered to be 4 c of the original written statement, referencing a social infrastructure audit. The response below is in response to this understanding.  

Social Infrastructure Audit 

The proposed amendment set out in the motion is seeking to provision for childcare, health and dental care into the part of the SLO which refers to the Social Infrastructure Audit (4 c of the written statement, as referenced above). The reasons stated are to ensure adequate services are available in the area.  

Existing Services 

The subject lands will be serviced in Adamstown, with the soon to be completed and opened primary centre, located next to the district centre plaza/The Crossings. This is in an highly accessible location and will provide a variety of primary care and health functions to the wider Adamstown area and will be in close proximity to this site. 

Further to this a change of use was granted for Airlie House, a protected structure, also within Adamstown SDZ, under application reference SDZ26A/0002W,  for a ‘medical clinic facility’ to ‘include consultation rooms, treatment rooms, storage, and nursing station; Proposed new two-storey side extension to the existing Airlie house that consists of the main reception, administration rooms, staff room, store rooms, consultation rooms, and other ancillary rooms’. 

Both the primary health care centre and the proposed change of use facility would be appropriate to cater for the uses outlined in the motion and SDCC will continue to work with the HSE on the delivery of additional facilities. 

Childcare services are delivered through the Adamstown SDZ planning scheme and the relevant phasing requirements, in tandem with housing. Furthermore, childcare facilities are generally delivered via the planning application process and the application of the relevant Childcare guidance. The existing policy framework of the County Development Plan applies to any future development. 

There are some dental practices located around Adamstown, and in close proximity of the site, such as on Doddsborough Road and the Newcastle Road. SDCC will continue to provide the land use and ppolicy framework through the CDP for healthcare, ensuring opportunities for all types of health uses in the county as per Policy COS6: Healthcare Facilities Support the Health Service Executive (HSE) in their aim to provide access to a range of quality health services, in line with Sláintecare and relative to the scale of each settlement and community, and facilitate other statutory and voluntary agencies, and the private sector in the provision of healthcare facilities and services, including the system of hospital care and the provision of community based primary care facilities appropriate to the size and scale of each settlement. 

SLO 

Therefore, with the above in mind, the Social Infrastructure Audit is also required, pending the approval of the variation for the lands at Tubber Lane North. This will ensure items like health services, childcare and other key health services and facilities are accounted for and addressed based on future growth from this site and other surrounding sites in the area, such as Finnstown Castle and Adamstown SDZ West, as well as Stonewall. It is considered that these services and any potential shortfall will be accounted for during the undertaking of a social infrastructure audit and the remit of the audit shall be broad to cover the services mentioned in the motion, as well as other key healthcare services.   

Conclusion  

The current variation process is to identify strategic residential lands areas in the County. It is considered that Tubber Lane is well located with respect to existing and planned health services and childcare services, predominantly to the south in the SDZ. An amendment to the wording is recommended.

CE Recommendation 

To amend the motion to insert 'and to provide the planning framework to address social infrastructure and proactively engage with the relevant states agencies'