Central Area Committee - Tuesday 13 May 2025, 10:00am - Dublin City Council Webcasting

Central Area Committee
Tuesday, 13th May 2025 at 10:00am 

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  1. Webcast Finished

Councillor Faeldgen -José
Councillor Ray McAdam
Councillor Seamus McWarten
Councillor Cather Driscoll
Councillor Colm O 'Rourke
Councillor Kieran Perry
Councillor Gail Ralf
Councillor Niall Ring
Councillor Malachy Steensson
and Councillor John Stevens
Thank you
I guess I just want to, I know we acknowledged it last night but I do want to acknowledge our colleague Anthony Conahan again this morning and just send him our very best from this committee as well and just that he's been in all of our thoughts I think over the last week.
So I just really wanted to mention that again because it's just been a really obviously very shocking incident for him.

2 With reference to the questions to the Area Managers.

Okay, first item on the agenda then, sorry, and I just wanted to mention as well we have an item under the item number eight is in relation to the part eight for Findlayter Place and Cottleborough Street.
This item was not brought before, like to me as a chair for attention in advance of the meeting.
So I was minded not to take it this morning at all because I don't think that, like obviously items should be coming to chairs before they're included on the agenda.
And I don't think that it is not helpful towards meeting our deadlines.
So we're meeting our, doing our business as a committee here if we are not bringing items before chairs.
So I'm minded not to take the items this morning, but I know that the management are very keen that we do meet it
because of deadlines related to the part 8. So I think we probably will be going ahead with it, but I just just in general I am
indicating I am incredibly
unhappy with items coming onto an agenda that have not been brought before the chair for approval or have not been brought to the attention of
committee in general that they are there on track.
So I just wanted to mention that.
Yeah, go ahead, Kristy.
Thanks for giving us that brief in relation to the item on the agenda.
Has the manager anything to say, if it wasn't brought to the attention of the chair, which
it should be, was there a reason why there wasn't or has the manager any comment to make
on that?
The managers might start working.
Michelle, would you mind just sitting maybe around the corner there just for a sec then to respond?
Can we get, is there IT, can we just look into why the manager's mics aren't working as well because we'll need them for the meeting.
Thank you.
Thanks for the opportunity to speak to this.
We do meet with the chair before the agenda is agreed and we go through the items on the
Council to or the area office to work with the chair on the agenda and we take that role very seriously
It was just an oversight
unfortunately that this item which had come into the area office wasn't brought to the chair and
It was put on the agenda the agenda was published and it is it was an error
And I am I am sorry for that and I am sorry for the inconvenience to the chair and to this chamber. I
colleagues and city architects and bringing this Part 8 forward which is why I have asked
the chair if it could remain on the agenda today and I would appreciate if it could but
as I said it is it was an error on our part and I apologise that it didn't it wasn't brought
to our attention.
Thanks Michelle.
Councillor Driscoll do you want to?
Yeah just as Vice Chair since Christmas I've been attending those proprietary meetings
as well and we also agreed an additional item will be on the agenda which isn't appearing
there which is to do with the common issue being raised here about the naming of developments
and I can see that the Heritage Officer is here to talk to us and we said that that would
be an item so that all members would know that the Heritage Officer is coming here to
talk to us about the issues we've been looking to talk about and that's not on my version
of the agenda.
So I just, last night we had a notification that the Department of Housing isn't referring
to the Lord Mayor by their title, there just seems to be this trend of disrespect for councillors
especially those in chairing positions and it's extremely disappointing and I don't think it's acceptable.
Councillor McAdam.
Chair, I think it's important to say that I'm not around here as long as Christie is, but the chair of the committee sets the agenda.
It is not a case of you're told this is what's on the agenda.
It is, it should be a process where the chair requests, as I did when I chaired with you
and you were in the position Brendan, along with Gráinne, Ursula Donnell and David Ford,
it is, it should be in partnership.
And it seems from what the interference I'm taking from what Catha said, that that's not
the case.
There needs to be a very clear from area committee to SPC to full council that we are the elected members.
You have been elected by us to chair the meetings in order to help compile the agenda.
There should not be any blindsiding and I hope that what has happened today going forward for your last meeting next month and then from CAT takes over in July that everyone is now on the same page.
Thanks very much. Look, and just to say it is my intention as chair that my role is to run this committee as smoothly as possible on behalf of all the members who are here.
I have tried to do that. I recognise that it hasn't run perfectly all the time but I really do when it comes to issues like this.
I really want to make sure by the time I'm concluding my term as chair, which will be next, my last meeting will be next meeting,
that we have a much more coherent and functional committee structures that are in place to make sure that we are not repeating these kind of things
because it is incredibly frustrating for all of us when items are appearing on agendas on the day that are not flagged in advance for example
or when things need to be removed last minute because they didn't go through proper processes.
So for the smooth running of all of our committee I do think it is really important that we do get on top of that.
I apologize that I didn't flag this in advance with all of the rest of you, but that was
the nature of how this transpired today.
And just to say, as was flagged by Councillor O 'Driscoll, the Heritage Officer, Charles
Duggan, is in attendance today in order to address that issue that we did request at
the previous meeting, which was about the discussion of naming and numbering and the
consistent issues that have come up here.
So I'm going to take that item in advance of item number five, which is the first of
the naming and numbering in advance so we will have a general open discussion at that
point just to flag that as well.
Okay, so we'll move on with the agenda then if that's okay.
So the first item on the agenda is a reference to the minutes held on the 8th of April.
Are they approved?
Agreed.
The next item is with reference to the questions to the area manager.
Are they noted?
Okay.
The next item is the motions.
I think the first motion is in my name.

3 With reference to motions to the Area Managers.

I actually don't have them in front of me, excuse me for one moment.
And so my motion, am I correct, my motion is the first one up before I get them out in front of me.
My motion is just in relation to the Hines site on Clonliffe Road and I wanted to flag that I think that
significant local amenity has been taken away in terms of the walk along the talcah there.
It has been committed to in the plans by Hines to return that to the community.
It has been taken away for a very significant length of time now at this stage given that
that original planning permission didn't go for approval.
So I would like to, I have contacted them directly as an individual representative for
the area.
I have not got much by way of response from them so I would like us to collectively use
our voice as a committee to say that we want to see that amenity returned to the community
as soon as possible.
So I'm hoping we can have an agreement on that.
Councillor Burke.
Just briefly chair, I fully agree with your motion and like I said I've had an individual onto me during the week
and I had another constituent onto me early this morning in relation to the motion asking that we all support it
so yeah I fully agree with what you put together in the motion, thank you.
Thanks very much. The next item, the next motion is in the name of Councillor Ring.
Councillor Ring are you happy with your response there?
No chair I'd like us to maybe consider this sage advocacy advocating behalf of survivors of industrial schools and anyone who has worked in the inner city.
And I know so many survivors of that as with Christy and I know that our former Councillor O 'Farrell is heavily involved in this and asked me to put this motion.
I think we can give 15 minutes of our time to people who, to listen to what they are advocating on behalf of those people.
I had relations of my own who were in our team so I think we should, I know he was in front of the Housing Strategic Policy Committee
but I think we as councillors in the north inner city should get here first hand what they are planning and I just urge members to consider that.
I happen to be at the House of Strategic Committee meeting that we had
Seijin and Damien was there. The presentation is literally 15 minutes
long and I just want to say that it is a very worthwhile thing to hear from them
to see the numbers that are dealing where I never knew there was that many
people you know who had gone through that and it was interesting to hear and
It was very heartfelt coming from Damien because he takes great pride in representing people
who have gone through that abuse.
However I will just say this as a warning because it was mentioned at the strategic
policy group.
If we open it up to one group we are opening it up to many other groups to ask the same
opinion.
and the chair Deirdre Heaney actually said that she wouldn't be offering that position
to any other groups to come in front of us because she'd done it for Damien because he
was a former colleague.
That's the kind of thing that she did.
So I'm only playing devil's advocate here by saying that the housing policy committee
have said that they won't be inviting anyone on so we could be open to having it again
But again, I do say it is a very worthwhile charity and it was very humbling for me at
least to hear from Damien and his colleague on the day in relation to the issues that
they face, the victims of abuse.
Thank you.
Thank you, Chair.
I'm actually on the housing SPC but I was out of the country and didn't see the presentation
and I'm a little bit surprised that it hasn't been circulated.
I believe it was excellent.
I'm a little bit surprised that hasn't been circulated. It may be done as part of the minutes next one.
I understand exactly what Janet is saying that we can open up a list of people requesting access to the area committee.
The only thing I would say is as Mannix Flynn has constantly pointed out,
does the council have some responsibility for what happened to those abused people?
I think we should be trying to facilitate any and every opportunity for them to have their voice heard.
Given that there is so few and they are at such an age that many won't have an opportunity to have their story told before.
So I support the councillor rings motion.
C'mon Gert.
Councillor Burke.
Thanks chair. I just want to associate myself with the comments made.
I missed the SPC because it clashed with a HSE meeting and I take the point that Janice made.
I could see this happening as a result of that but look,
Damien O 'Farrell, Councillor Manics -Linn in this chamber has raised that numerous times
and everybody, all parties and none were fully supportive, sympathetic in relation to the survivors
and to hear what they had to say. Again, like Councillor Ring, I have family members who did go through the R10 system.
And to hear the stories like it's heartbreaking. And I think as public representatives, for those of us who maybe didn't hear the stories for 15 minutes,
I think it should be reviewed and I fully support the motion of Councillor Ring.
Yeah, this isn't about this group in particular, but if an SPC is doing an engagement activity
and is now saying they're not going to have all groups in, I'm a bit concerned that we're
then taking a burden that an SPC should be dealing with.
And I'm just worried about that precedent that, because we don't actually in this committee
have the ability to make those changes to the housing scheme.
So it makes sense that it's the SPC and the fact they're doing an engagement process,
you know, it's a bit alarming that those comments have been made.
The other thing I want to say is as councillors we can host groups, we have the original car
room, we can bring people in and I think for a group like this that might be a better way
of dealing with them because we wouldn't be under any time constraints, we can have a
long discussion about different things rather than just giving them, I understand people
are saying that they're able to give a short presentation but that's not to say we might
more questions and things. I'm just not sure about, like I'm not against groups coming in here,
I just, this issue with it being kind of deferred from an SPC is something that I'm not sure
sits comfortably with us with our busy agendas. Thanks chair. Normally I would have said that
This is a matter for the SPC but that meeting as a member of the SPC I couldn't make it because we had our own active travel briefing.
And there was two other meetings on at the same time which I think it was a mess up, put it politely.
And for that reason coupled with the fact that the chair has indicated now that no other groups are going to be brought in.
One, I think fundamentally that's a wrong issue if you invite one, you now have to invite all.
And secondly, where I do see the merit for us is that the approval and consideration of the scheme of lettings
is a fundamental responsibility of all elected members and as much information as possible
for us to take in and consider, then I would be open for SAGE to come in and I'm happy
to either go along with Kath's suggestion of doing it separate to the formulary committee structure or bring them in.
I am flexible on that but I think given the way in which it was handled and the fact that the importance of the issue around the approval of the scheme of lettings
I think it is important for us to get as much information as possible.
Thank you chair. I wonder if we should look at this motion in conjunction with the next motion, motion 3.
And if we could perhaps have a separate session maybe once a quarter to bring in community groups as in Councillor Ralph's motion.
And groups like SAGE and other groups that might want to meet us.
Because I don't think in this committee we have the time, you know, to deal with individual groups over the day.
set aside every quarter or thereabouts to bring in groups that might solve the issue.
Thank you.
Thanks very much.
I would agree with a lot of the comments that are made there in relation to the importance of listening to this.
The policy that I have had as chair over the last year is that when we are organising meetings with groups
we do it kind of outside of the chamber because of the issues of time pressure, because of the focus on the agenda here.
and that has generally been how I've done it.
So, Councillor Ring, I am very happy to work with you
to invite the group in for a separate briefing,
maybe after the June meeting, for example,
and that we would do it outside of the official business of the meeting.
I appreciate that a lot of groups do want the opportunity to present in the Chamber,
but recognising that that group has already presented to a formal committee,
I think it might be more productive and more relevant
if we had the opportunity for actually conversation and engagement with any group that does want
to meet us. I do appreciate the suggestion from Councillor Steens and again I think there
is some, that could actually be quite a useful format for working things where we would have
a set item and this speaks to the motion from Councillor Ennis and Councillor Ralf as well
that we might do a set item on the annual calendar for the committee where we do invite
external groups in to meet and discuss about different issues. So that might be something
that we would take on and look at. I think in general it is really important
though that we do try to keep to the business of the committee when we are
when we have these committee meetings because you know we've all sat here
maybe in the previous term and for it with the best will in the world local
groups have kind of taken significant amount of time from the agenda and we've
been left with some items on the committee and agenda kind of getting
banks from month to month and we don't want to see that repeated so that's been
my policy as chair again you'll likely have a new chair within the two
months so you can you can re -broach this issue if you want at that stage but that
would be my suggestion of how we would manage and that speaks to the next item
as well. Councillor Ring do you want to respond? Thanks chair and thanks for
everyone's contribution and this is 15 minutes of an information session it's
not for us to change policy. I genuinely believe we owe it to Councillor Farrell
Councillor Flynn who have done so much work over the last 15 years on this to give them 15 minutes of our time.
I never ask for groups to come in and you can check the record. I'm 15 years on the council.
I don't think I've ever asked for any group to come in.
I really believe we need to get an understanding from Councillor Fionn for our own information.
Because if there is a policy change the more information we have and I really think it should be in here.
and I really believe for us to give 15 minutes of our time to survivors of institutional abuse
isn't asking too much and I'd again I'd like to put it to a vote unfortunately chair from OGOT.
You're here. Sorry Councillor Rolfe were you coming in?
Oh here yeah just to say I fully agree with Councillor Ring. Thank you and I'd like the group to come in.
okay look I'm happy to bring it to a vote for the committee then like I what
I'm suggesting is if we if we vote against it that I am going to work with
Councillor ring and Damian Farrell as well to try and host the group outside
of the chamber but and putting it to a vote to say if you want to be included
in the agenda the next meeting Councillor Ennis. Sorry just might as well use my piece that I was
gonna say on the next motion and bleeder in if we're going to have a vote so like
I know myself and Councillor Alfer is a joint motion about groups coming in I
remember at the back of when Ray, Councillor McAdame was the chair he
invited us in East Wall of Bessbrough and it was a great experience for us as a club
it got us to push a project that we are working on. I think us as councillors
like we should be complimenting we should be showcasing and celebrating the
work that our community groups are doing and inviting them to City Hall as Noel
mentioned whether that be for a women's gardening group or SAGE an advocacy
group they're amazing work with abuse survivors like 15 minutes like I think
all of us as counselors will accept that will be like you know we work for the
community you know that's what we work for and I know the council they have an
amazing stuff the community section Sharon Lorde the open -door policy down
in the area office community sort of things have been amazing 15 minutes to
showcase their work you know to build that connection not every community
group has access and easy access to us as counselors they might have a
to me, Councillor McAdam, Councillor Bourke, but let them come in here and present.
We've got good, bad or indifferent. Thanks Chair.
Thanks and I just again I do want to emphasise the idea that sometimes meeting outside of
the Chamber actually facilitates that engagement much better than a formal presentation when
we're very restricted in the amount of discussion we can actually have. So that's why I'm sort
of pushing back on that but it's not out of any disrespect to the idea of engaging with
the community groups either. Councillor McAdam.
Could I just suggest then that we would agree to Councillor Ring and that in terms of the motion then from Councillor Ralf and Councillor Ennis, given that we have a new chair in July, not to disrespect the current chair,
But that we would then, because when every new chair comes in to take over, they review how it's done so that maybe we suggest that in preparation then for July that the two of you then agree how we can do that for the next 12 months.
A structure, and to be fair I think Councillor Steens' suggestion actually makes a lot of, has a lot of merit to try and rather than go push it all to a vote, can we just agree it and move on 25 past 10.
Councillor Ring are you ok with that?
Unfortunately I really and as you know chair you can check the record I genuinely think only once or twice in 15 years have I asked for 15 minutes for something that's close to my heart,
Councillor Bourke's heart and our former colleague Councillor Farrell and I don't know why there's resistance to somebody coming in and giving a presentation and so be it but
I want a vote on this and let's let people make up their own mind, Cormaght.
Okay, we'll move to a vote and I just want to make sure, absolutely crystal clear on this, before we move to a vote
it is not for disrespect of the group involved, if anybody is voting no, it is with the idea that there is better opportunities for engagement
outside of a formal council meeting and with that in mind I just want to make sure that's crystal clear before we cast any votes.
So, Gráinne could you proceed with a roll call vote?
Sure.
Councillor Boylan.
I agree.
Councillor Bourke.
Horner.
Councillor Ennis.
Horner.
Councillor Horner.
Councillor Jose.
Upstate.
Councillor McAdam.
More.
Councillor McWadden.
More.
Councillor O 'Driscoll.
Same.
Councillor McPherson.
Councillor Rourke?
Councillor Perry?
Councillor Ralf?
Councillor Ring?
Councillor Steens?
And Councillor Stevens?
That's agreed.
I will extend the invitation for the June meeting as a result.
OK, Councillor Ralf and Councillor Ennis I feel we have covered the discussion here so can we agree your motion and is that OK?
Sorry chair, was part of that vote that was for our motion as well?
No.
For groups to come in?
No that was just for us.
Just for Noans?
Yeah, just by no means.
We'll agree that we will work on whether it be, I don't know whether it's a central area committee setting or we're in city hall to avoid groups in.
Why is the chair's mic not on?
Sorry, I think maybe just a card was out of line.
Yeah look I mean I think it's certainly, I think we can assume that from the vote in the chamber here that there is a general indication that we are open to having groups in I would say
and that I think that that's certainly something to work on. I do think that maybe Councillor Steensons' suggestion there that it would be sort of a slightly separate meeting could be worth, worth us all considering
and potentially as Councillor McAdams suggested, it's something that myself and the next chair would work on to try and establish a sort of way
that allows us to host groups but doesn't actually, within the chamber in an official way, but doesn't necessarily derail the work of the committee
which is what the concern has always been if we do give too much time to external groups.
Councillor Mcgrath first and then Councillor Boylan.
Thanks chair and I fully agree with sentiment in the motion but I think this is distinctive and I'm happy to let the chairs discuss this.
We all want to engage with community groups but when they come in here they need to have a specific ask of the committee.
I don't think disappointment is coming in just to present what they're doing because as councillors we should know that anyway.
But if they have an ask and a request of the air committee they definitely should come in here and this is something we can do for them.
otherwise like shoehorn people into 10 -15 minutes slots just where we could
go out and engage them properly I think is a better way to do it but definitely when they have a request of us
I think we should definitely have them in.
Yeah it was similar to what James was saying I mean like I know just different councillors that work with different groups
but we're all aware of them or we should be aware of them and if they do want their help they really should try and
reach out to us as well separately which is which is is mostly done but like if
The whole idea of coming to councillors is because they want us to do something for them and they want us to listen to them and they want us to know what they're about and they want us to know what their asks are.
So I meet with groups outside of the chamber but if there is groups that are asking to come into the chamber they want the experience of coming in, like what Daniel said earlier on when we had Vesper in.
They want that experience, they want that respect and I think they actually really deserve it.
Like we are public representatives, we work for the people.
I know sometimes I give out about that as well but we do.
And I think that if there is an ask, as Seimas says, that they definitely should get the respect to be actually invited into this chamber.
Because it's a big deal. It's a big deal for groups to come in here, have a presentation on the screen, have a chat with the councillors and then have questions asked and stuff like that.
So I just think we just need to iron out a few things. We're all on the same page, but just iron out a few things so that we know that the groups are being represented.
Okay, thanks Councillor McAdam.
Just two things I'd say in this. When I did facilitate East Wild Bess, I think there was two other groups and if I remember you serviced me,
There was a bit of criticism that we had so many groups in at the one time.
And we were stuck and the meetings may have dragged on for three, three and a half hours.
That is a consequence of bringing in groups that we're trying to cram in all the items on our agenda to two hours.
We're at the third item, third motion that's already half ten.
So that's the only point of concern I would raise.
One of the things we could look at doing is we have our area committee meetings and you host the groups in here after the statutory meeting.
You do it in the chamber. Everyone gets the opportunity to speak in the chamber, everyone gets to ask the questions, everyone goes home.
And that's the way it facilitates everyone. But again as I said earlier can we leave it to the incoming chair and the outgoing chair to come up with a protocol and just get on with the business.
We can all remember this conversation when we are stuck in here until half past one when meetings are dragging on and on.
So we will all be reminding you of that.
Okay, we will agree that one.
Okay, next item is Councillor Ralph and again Councillor Ralph just to be mindful of time now.
Thank you chair Marchesch.
I think I am going to Councillor Ralf.
Apologies.
Sorry, very bad coverage here.
Councillor McAdams speak to that.
Thank you.
Thanks chair. My colleagues are in Brussels this morning.
So Councillor Ralf tabled the motion requesting the City Council urgently adopt a proactive and precautionary approach regarding the approval of commercial drone delivery operations.
It has specifically called for a refusal of all such planning applications until three conditions are met.
Completion of the publication of the Working Group Report and Commercial Delivery Drones
released the draft drone and urban air mobility strategy for Dublin City Council 24 -29 for public consultation

4 With reference to a naming and numbering proposal for a development at Meridian Court, Apartments 170-198 Royal Canal Bank, Ashtown, Dublin 15.

and the submission of a detailed noise impact assessment by any operator seeking to establish drone based services
particularly in Glasnevin and other residential areas like Trimcandra.
Despite the urgency and public interest, the matter of the motion is not received to full or satisfactory response.
No substantive updates be provided regarding the status of Working Groups Report.
Timeline on the public consultation draft strategy of the enforcement of the noise impact assessment requirements.
The public remains largely unaware of the scope and implications of drone delivery operations in their neighbourhoods.
There is no clear process for community input or feedback.
Councillor Ralph and others are pro -business but want to bring the public along with us.
approving and considering drone related planning applications, the absence of a clear policy framework and a noise regulation sets a dangerous precedent
and therefore without a thorough and independent noise impact assessment the potential disruption to residential areas, especially during night time operations, cannot be adequately understood or mitigated.
Councillor Ralph has reiterated to me that she is deeply disappointed by the lack of follow through in this motion
and urged the council to provide a full written response outlining the current status, expected publication date
when the draft strategy will be open for consultation, the interim measures to be put in place to protect communities
and until these steps are completed she reiterates as we do in the Fine Gael benches
her call for a temporary moratorium in all drone delivery planning applications within Dublin city.
So formally moved.
Beautiful, it's better with speed reading there.
Councillor Jose.
Thanks chair and thanks Councillor Raff for the opportunity to get out of my soapbox.
I think it's baffling that drone bases would not need a planning commission, don't they?
So I agree with the motion and I ask that the area committee writes to the minister for transport and the minister for housing and planning
asking for urgent regulations in this at a national level.
Because at the moment we are heading into
a completely unregulated area
with potentially hundreds of deliveries happening
in the north side area around Glasnevin,
Fipsburg, Canberra in a couple of weeks.
Thanks, Councillor Jose.
You weren't very clear on the line there,
but what I took from that is your concern about the lack of planning permission needed for the drone depot
and the request to write to the Minister for Transport urging urgent regulation.
Is that correct in what you're asking for?
And housing please. And housing and planning.
To write to Housing and Planning? Sorry?
The Minister for Housing and Planning as well.
Sorry, okay. Thanks very much.
Councillor Macgradine?
Thanks chair and thanks to Councillor Ralph for putting this motion down.
There seems to be a lot of uncertainty around how we proceed with this because it's not clear to me and even by the answer I'm a bit confused.
Can we just get confirmation from what I think I'm reading in the answer is that DCC has not received a planning application for a drone delivery service.
Does that mean a drone delivery service cannot operate?
Because we need to get clarity on this because...
My understanding of their understanding now is that they don't need planning permission.
Because it doesn't relate to planning permission.
So just for what it's worth, I chair the Transport SPC and I have in the absence of clarity and that decided that it falls within the remit of the Transport SPC to look at drones.
and I am planning to put this item on the agenda of the next SPC at the end of this month
for discussion between the planning and the drone strategy team within Dublin City Council
so that we can get a little bit more tease out some of that clarity.
I think it probably does sit better within an SPC, but as it is at the moment,
my understanding is that what they've said is that the planning permission,
planning team only relates to what happens on the ground
and because drones involve airspace, everything involving airspace is outside of planning,
let regulation as it sits at the moment.
But that is obviously in because we've never really had, it's unprecedented to have a level where
it's the airspace that has been impacted in and around and above people's homes.
Maybe I'm confusing things, I don't want to open up a whole discussion on it.
I accept and I thank you for your efforts in this but that even it's
unsatisfactory to residents that this is the case at the moment so I think as a
planning authority we need to get we need to get strong on this we need to
like I accept they're in the air but they have to come to ground sometime so
there has to be some kind of planning regulation so if we can even get an
interim strategy until this is sorted out because there's a lot of concern
locally around this kind of stuff this is gonna this is obviously gonna get
more and more as we go forward so I think we need to have a clear strategy and accept
this is new and trying to do it but we need to get something ASAP.
Thank you, when I was temporarily chairing the planning SPC we tried to get a few answers
on this from the planning side of things and all we were told was it's a grey area, there's
nothing there and last night when Councillor Jose raised it under the noise report the indication I got from the response that he got was we need legislation on this.
So it's as if we are operating in, we are operating this in a known regulated state and my main concern is it's going to take too long to get regulations in place for safe drone operations
and there's going to be accidents in our constituency because it's not there.
The operation that the same company has been doing out, I think it's in Taller, it's out
Dublin, they report that it's very safe because there was only three incidents.
That is three too many of them falling out of the sky.
One of them did fall near a person who received a bit of an injury and they don't even have
a responsibility to report everything that happens.
So I understand people's concerns about noise and I fully support that but safety for me is absolutely paramount and nothing should be leaving the ground unless it is completely safe.
And also in talking to people about this recently it seems that the conversations about regulation are happening at a European level which is another place where decisions are made at a glacial pace.
And so there needs to be some ignition put under it or else this commercial operation needs to be completely stopped until appropriate regulations are in place. Thank you.
I appreciate there will be a lot of opinions in this but I would suggest we refer this item to the SPC and that we would ask for a report back to this committee then given that this committee is likely to be the first in DCC to be hosting drone operators if you want to say it that way.
Is that appropriate?
Is that agreed?
It could be a CPG because it's a matter for plain planning and transport notices.
So I think the CPG, because this was the issue with the childcare, that was landed when I
chaired planning.
So I think the first matter of this should be something going to the CPG for a decision
in terms of like is this a joint SPC or is it yours or is it the planning?
So I think the CPG is the first protocol actually.
My only concern with that is CPG won't meet till after the next SPC meeting where I would
I hope to be hosting this item as chair of that committee.
With that in mind I would suggest we move ahead with referring it to the Transport SPC for the moment
but also bring it to CPG subsequently if that's alright.
Is that agreed?
Thanks very much.
Okay, sorry now we're the final, or is this final one or not?
The next one is from Councillor O 'Driscoll.
Thanks Lord Mayor, or thanks Chair.
I'll keep this brief as I can. Like I do note the response, I know we have a communication strategy.
This is in response to things that we're seeing out and about on a regular basis.
There are Instagram posts that have blue text on blue background that's not accessible.
It's really important that whatever communication we're putting out as a council is as accessible as possible.
And so there's great resources there from NALA on plain English.
We are already working as I am about the accessibility of City Hall.
and so I'm just looking as an area office the communications that we put out
I do understand that there is planning and legislative narrative needed in
certain communications but we should also be able to provide those updates
whether it's a public consultation on an area plan or something that there has to
be as needs to be accessible as possible we've got people who don't have English
as the first language you have learning challenges and we just need to make sure
that our communications are as open as possible thanks
Is that agreed? Great and then there was a final emergency motion from Councillor Perry I believe.
First of all just apologies for putting in an emergency motion on an issue like this.
The reason I did is because I believe the situation locally on the lack of emptying the bins has become an emergency.
I flagged this over the last couple of weeks, stroke, months and it appears to be getting worse
and I just had some answer would be possible to get a report on the fleet and how many vehicles and
bikes are actually usable out of the fleet. Could we get a report on numbers of staff and
replacement for authorities I believe that's probably the factor behind the unacceptable level of
emptying of the bins I know there's some
crossover between parks and
Waste management but currently what we're seeing locally is absolutely unacceptable
And that's the only reason I put in this in as an emergency motion to highlight the importance of this locally
I just say this is the only reason I accept it as an emergency motion even though it is because I do think it's of such
pertinent to the communities in the local area who are just very frustrated
with overflowing bins. So, Councillor Macgrath?
Yeah, thanks Sharon. I want to second this motion and fully agree with it.
This is one of the most frustrating things as a Councillor.
To me it seems to be happening worse than Bank Holiday Begins but I'm not sure of that
because we now have a run of Bank Holiday Begins where it's just constantly,
the bins are constantly overflowing. I don't know if it's a staffing issue, if it's a resource issue or what it is
I've been in contact with waste managers as I know what our councillors have.
We're coming into another Bank Hall of the Week end.
We're coming into a very busy active month in June where there's bloom festivals,
there's events in the park, there's concerts in the park.
That's going to bring football to the air which is fantastic.
But we can't bear the brunt of that with bins not being emptied.
So I think myself it's a resourcing issue that we need to put more resources into Bank Hall of the Week ends.
And that is the case. We just need to do that because we can't...
Cairn has listed the Mount Bernard Park, they're still not emptied as of this morning.
I'm getting texts this morning from people.
Those bins have not been emptied since last Pankolty weekend.
That's not acceptable.
Whether that's Parks or Waste Management, who it is, we need to sort it out.
The Cabo Road, Fossa Avenue, Ashtown, Converra, it's the same ones over and over again.
So it's not something that, you know, we're blindsided by.
We know this is going to happen again next June unless there's an intervention made at a management level.
So it happens and in advance of that we are not back again next month discussing this again.
Thanks, again I am conscious of time to just ask everyone to keep their contributions brief.
Councillor Boylan.
That's a great idea.
Endorsed, great.
Councillor McAdam.
I would endorse this and I would also echo the fact that we see it at the Mount Temple Road at Billy Edwards Park.
We see it on Oxman Town Road.
We see it in Manor Street as well.
I understand that waste management have been undertaking interviews for general operatives
and I understand that we could be getting as many as 10 coming into the staffing for public domain
and waste management in the central area.
Can you confirm when that is likely to happen and that we ensure then going forward for bank holiday
weekends in particular that bins in heavily footfall areas that they are prioritised for
emptying. Thank you.
Thank you, support the motion. But if it be extended to cover the whole of the central
area rather than just the two areas mentioned. And secondly if we could also get a list of
the amount of litter bins that are out there that have been removed over say the past five
years, how many bins we have now and how many bins we had before.
It seems to me that particularly on North Strand Road for instance, there's a total
absence almost of litter bins.
And when we're trying to clean up the city, you know, if we keep removing bins on the
basis that somebody leaves a bag of rubbish there, and there are black spots as we all
know all over the place.
So the report could be extended to include those issues.
Thank you, Chair.
Do the managers want to come in?
Sorry, Councillor Stevens.
Very quickly, I will back up all the sentiments given by my fellow Councillors.
I was speaking to Derek Kelly last night.
The last week in particular was very bad.
None of the bins were collected. We were asking communities to go out and clean up the areas and we are not emptying our bins.
The optics are completely wrong.
I do believe there was a problem.
In fairness, the issue was very bad over the last 10 days.
I think there may be a HR issue. I think Councillor Perry did mention that I think out of 26 vehicles there was only six operational.
So that will just give you the degree of the problem that we had.
But if we're asking people to clean up their communities we at least have to empty our bins.
And I'm not talking about household waste. This was the general litter.
And I've been constantly coming into this theatre and asking for extra work to be done over the weekends.
Because what's happened at the moment and it's been constantly happening.
On Friday everything is perfect and Monday morning we come into a disaster.
We do need people out over the weekend. People are out and about. The weather is good.
They're walking, they're doing all the things they should be doing.
And as a council we should be backing that up.
We do need extra work over the weekends.
And in particular, it's a light I would not like to cross again.
The minimum we should be doing as a council is keeping our streets tidy.
Bins being collected. And there is more important issues.
We can't get that right I think is a failure of Dublin City Council.
Thank you.
My mic is coming and going.
Councillor Anner's...
Yeah just a quick one.
The Diamond Park, the bin there, it'll be always overflowing.
Like you know it's a black spot.
The inner workings of Stony Bath are all the streets.
Serious lack of bins.
Me, John and Louise from Stony Bath employed the place.
Had a ramble around and there was very few bins.
It's a big dog walking spot.
And just to Councillor Steinson, I think we've got eight new bins on the North Strand from
Fairview all the way down to Eammon Street.
So yeah the North Strand is fairly covered on the bins.
Thanks very much chair.
Councillor Burke.
Chair could I just ask, I raised at the last meeting in relation to rubbish overflowing outside premises, Summerhill.
The very day that we were discussing this here chair, the shops along Summerhill, I went down that way after this meeting and it was disgusting.
It was a mini dump and I understand action was going to be taken but what type of action?
Because the individuals who are responsible for this just don't seem to care.
They just dump and dump and dump.
And until there's penalties, more so than the cost to get a service provider, they're going to continue to do so.
OK, is that item agreed, Councillor Perry?
Just briefly, thanks for taking the motion, most importantly.
but also just to acknowledge the local staff in public domain and the excellent work they do
and my motion isn't a criticism of any staff anywhere, it's actually resources.
Go raibh maith agatib.
Yeah, and just to commend I guess on the back of that, to commend the staff who do put in a lot of work on that in relation to that.
And yeah.
Michel do you want to?
Or you don't have to now but.
Just to formally respond Ciaran, we will ask Barry for an update on the resources that they have and we will circulate that to all councillors.
And I do admit last weekend was particularly bad.
I mean in Cabroglast -Nevin it's probably one of our biggest issues.
There have been reports coming in from members of the public.
So it is something we are well aware of and we are trying to get on top of.
but on the other hand we haven't had any word back from Waste Management that there are any issues,
that there are a reduction in people out and about, but we'll certainly ask and get a report in circulators.
Okay, thanks. We'll move on to the next item on the agenda.
So this is, we have the Heritage Officer, Charles Duggan, in attendance for discussion,
and I guess, again, I'm conscious of time, so I might just, as chair, just abbreviate some of the issues
we have discussed here in the chamber in the past.
So regarding the, we have consistently,
when we have come to looking at naming
and numbering projects, the issue has come up
with about particularly former slave owning
or British empire related figures whose names
are widespread throughout the streets
of the city at the moment.
but in general, while that may be the case
for historical reasons, the general idea
that we consistently come up with as this committee
is that we shouldn't be continuing to give their names
to places and to developments and to streets
within our city, so that if we are looking at new names,
new developments, we would like to see them honoring
the history and heritage of this city that is not,
but not including the former British Empire landlords
or whatever the different roles might have been
or former slave owners.
And we want to see the people and the places
and the ideas of the city commemorated in the names
that represent the modern republic that we live in now
and whether we can get.
So we seem to have been, had an ongoing issue
of not approving the names or not, well they come to us mainly for comment but certainly
our comments have been consistently that we don't think that the names are suitable.
So I want to bring in the Heritage Officer now but also just to, and then we'll open
it up for discussion, but I wanted to give the Heritage Officer an opportunity to offer
some comment as well.
Good morning everybody and thanks for the opportunity.
So I suppose it's a very open brief in terms of how to go with this but what I thought
might be useful is to just explain first of all the process that we go through because
that might not be fully kind of appreciated.
So as you all know the naming of residential developments is regulated through the planning
process and the reasons for that are in the interest of basically orderly street
naming and numbering to enhance urban legibility which is a key one for me in
considering existing place names and to retain reinforce local place name
associations so that's generally the kind of the three sort of parameters and
how it's done is that with as with all planning applications planning
conditions are attached to the planning permission for residential developments
either by Dublin City Council or onboard Planola.
And naming proposals are devised by developers and agents
and submitted to the planning compliance process.
In most cases, the naming proposal is submitted
in order for the developer to obtain an error code
for their development, which enables the developer
to apply for connections.
Usually, ESB take up to a year,
so they're under massive amount of pressure
by the time the compliance process commences.
Once Dublin City Council receives the compliance documentation, the clock starts ticking and we have eight weeks to address the condition either approving or rejecting the compliance.
Once received, the naming proposal is sent by the planning compliance section to the area office and to the heritage office for consideration.
Within that eight weeks, these are the stages that we have to go through and the timeframes, as you can imagine, are limited.
We receive the documentation, it's reviewed by myself, and then approval of the Irish name is done by the DCC Irish Language Development Officer,
who in turn seeks the advice where necessary from the placenames branch, which again takes time as well.
Then there is the listing of the application on the Area Committee meeting agenda, which brings the eight weeks even tighter than that.
It's more like six weeks if less.
And then it's presented to the Area Committee meeting and then it's approved by the Area Office Manager and then a letter is issued to the applicant.
And that all has to happen in the eight weeks.
So, and if DCC does not agree to the name within the eight weeks, basically, or if it's
not fully addressed, according to the planning guidelines, basically, it is accepted by default.
So that's one where we always try to avoid that situation.
That's never happened.
But DCC can seek an extension of time by requesting an extension of time from the developer to
extend the extent of time for us to consider the deadline or to consider the application.
But when a naming application is rejected formally through the planning compliance process,
the process will begin again and with an eight week time frame for a decision when a revised
naming proposal is submitted to DCC.
So when I receive submissions, I suppose I have to look at it and make a decision in
accordance with the development plan.
The development plan has basically two provisions.
In the built heritage and archaeology chapter, the policy is to preserve historic place and street and development names
and to ensure that new street and development names reflect appropriate local, archaeological, historical and cultural associations.
And there's a new provision since the current development plan came into effect in December 2022
which is that all new residential developments shall be named in Irish.
Which brings other complexities into the naming proposal.
And this has increased our interactions with the place names branch to ensure that an appropriate and valid translation can occur.
And I can go into the details of how that's actually become quite difficult in some cases.
particularly with using Christian names in development names,
actually makes it more challenging to translate
because the place names branch won't be able to recommend
an Irish language translation of a surname
unless they know obviously the gender of the individual,
where they were born,
because that could impact on the type of spelling
that was used in say Donegal or Kerry or Dublin.
So it actually gets, so our interactions with them have increased dramatically over the last number of months,
which is interesting. We've had a long meeting with them as well,
and I suppose their role is to advise the council not to obviously make decisions on our behalf.
And so when I do look at naming applications,
I suppose I have a number of standards that I consider,
and I'm happy to talk through some of those
if you're willing to give me the time.
As quick as possible.
Okay, so first and foremost,
with the new provision in the development plan
to name developments in Irish,
what we are trying to strive for now
is that the names are devised in Irish to begin with,
not simply devised in English and then translated.
that that's not enhancing the full breadth and qualities of the Irish language
and it's not really doing justice to the development standards to require the residential developments to be named in Irish.
So we're striving to do that and myself and the Irish officer are working on a few kind of projects to try and figure out how best to do that
and we're happy to talk to you perhaps another time about that.
And so basically in identifying, as I said in general, identifying Irish language names,
we're encouraging people to harness the richness of the Irish language.
The proposed name and part thereof must not be used in Dublin or the surrounding counties,
which again limits the options available to us.
That new roads and building names should be derived from historical associations,
architectural, industrial, natural heritage features, social practices and customs.
These are generally preferable to associations merely to do with property owners,
which brings in your point, Councillor, about the kind of British Empire.
And these are generally preferable, as I said, and that property owners' names,
unless the property owners' names were already in customer use,
which might speak to one of the ones that you have had difficulty with.
But names based on historical associations should be based on how closely they relate to the place in question.
And things that I would strongly reject are kind of portmanteau names.
Those are sort of like, sort of ahistorical mashups that don't really make any sense.
Like we came across one Harrels Bridge for development in Harrels Cross that happened to be close to Harrels Cross Bridge
and we felt that that is meaningless, doesn't have any historical value,
and it sort of suggests that the bridge was called Harrels Bridge.
So, I suppose a key thing to consider is that by the time a naming proposal comes to you,
more often than not, we've had quite a lot of back and forth with the developer
to get them to change or to review, or in some cases we've rejected them outright ourselves to begin with,
and then it's gone back for consideration,
and then what we generally ask is that for the developer to contact us and then we have
a discussion, set out the parameters and then they go off and do their homework and come
back in with hopefully more suitable names.
Generally speaking the standard is, the standard of naming proposals by Dublin City Council
are absolutely brilliant and I hopefully you will agree with the number of them that have
put forward today, but for larger developments it is very patchy and it is like putting lipstick
on a pig in many ways.
You're trying your best to ensure that you're not discommoding the developer because you're
understanding that there's pressures, economic and development pressures that they're under,
but at the same time trying to meet the spirit and the provisions of the development plan
And then also trying to kind of consider what will the area committee consider appropriate or not.
So all of these things are factored in and you know, so I'm not saying that everything that's brought to the committee is the perfect name.
But sometimes there's other logic that comes into play and I'm happy to take some questions.
Okay, I'd like to just open it up for some comments from the floor if that's okay. So, Councillor Perry.
Charles thanks for coming in and giving us a background explanation as to where how the name is decided.
Charles I'd be highly critical of some of the names that have come forward.
Apart from the legacy issues I actually have a bigger problem with the more mundane ones like church view or church way and all that type of stuff.
I understand the pressures from the developer but to be honest like we're
naming a building in our city that will be have that name for the rest of its
existence I think the developers views don't really register on on this on the
scale for me and I assume known developers it's a last -minute thing and
you're pulling the pressure to try and resolve that like the procedure is
really clear in what it looks for in relation to cultural history.
So it's quite clear what we need and what I would be hoping from this
conversation that going forward that there's a little bit more extra work
done by the developers that if they understand the expectations from
yourself and the council that we want something significant historically
significant or culturally significant that they will bother to come to look
little bit in depth and suggest things. Like in the Addamsons here today we have
a really excellent suggestion from Stanley Street and then we compare that
to the one for Emmett Street which is in my opinion really poor. I'd like to get
to a standard where we acknowledge whatever the local cultural and
historical aspects of each and every development. Another thing I had an issue
was the commercial naming of developments. We had one a couple of
I know there's a precedent sort to set. It's just again like to use an extreme example something like Coca -Cola House
I don't want a building in my city called Coca -Cola House like in Lansdowne Road
There's an insurance company that paid a huge amount of money to get the advertising
benefits of calling Lansdowne Road by a different name
In them instances I think they should be sent back and we insist that it's back to the local history cultural
significance
Go raibh maith agat
Thanks Councillor McGradden. Thanks Chair for coming in and I do acknowledge the times strange or so.
I would like if there was more local input in the process.
I accept you can't go to public consultation in the time frame.
But if Councillors could have an input earlier in the process because often it comes here to an area committee.
If we disagree with it we have to reset the whole process again which is putting more work on yourselves.
But if we could engage in that process some time earlier than that, if there was something we didn't like or something we weren't going to pass,
if we could flag it earlier in the process to stop the whole thing happening again,
as you say most of them are fine to come in but there is one that always sticks in my gras because it was rejected here but because of the times I went through,
it's Broome Lodge, it's a senior citizen complex in Cabra and I just remember the debate we had here, we completely rejected it,
We were told there was no time and had to go ahead. So that's counter -crisis. That name is there forever now and it will never change.
I just felt at the time we had no input into that process. I acknowledge it is better now but I think to save everyone's work and to make the process better, if we could have some input earlier in the process I think it could work better.
I acknowledge there is a huge work being done and thank you for that Gormailgad.
I'm not going to echo or repeat what Councillor Perry and Councillor McGrath have said.
I think earlier in the process we have to have it.
One question I would ask, we reject and I've gone back over, we reject nearly 50 % of the
the proposals for names over the last say three years
and even this one on, it was called the stables
and I don't know if the message gets back
we don't want a generic the stables
there were stables everywhere in the north inner city
and now it comes back to church mews
there were churches everywhere in the north inner city
it just, I don't know if it's getting true to the heritage office
that we really wanted to reflect the culture, the heritage
and the history of the area
That church muse, Emmett Street, the ideal one for that is Devlin, Anne Devlin, his housekeeper who was tortured, whose brother was killed in the prison.
She was imprisoned for three years because of the 1803 rebellion.
We've Emmett Street, we want more names after women.
There's Anne Devlin, nothing anywhere in the city recognising her role in the 1803 rebellion.
So it's just, I don't know if the message gets true to you Charles, that we're not going to accept just standard, bog standard, generic, it has to reflect our history, Girmal Ghat.
Thanks chair and again due to time I won't go over what the councillors have said, I just agree with them.
Thanks for coming in, Chars, and thanks for the presentation.
Just in relation to, by the way I have a proposal on item 6, chair,
so will I wait until you come to that in order for that proposal rather than say it now?
I can speak for now.
But again, I was just discussing with Councillor Perry last night,
we have names, Irish names of men and women who fought in the rising,
like Damas O 'Dwyer, Rory O 'Connor, Kathleen Clark, Countess Markovich.
The names are there, the name plates are there, but there's no history of a plaque as to who they were
and what they did for the country and I think that that's something that should be in the future
moved in relation to doing, I mean the Kathleen Clark complex on Ballybok, a beautiful complex
and yes it's just Catherleen Clark.
Now a lot of people ask me, is that called after a particular family in the area?
And it's not.
And Dermot Woods were similar. Rory O 'Connor came to Smarkovitch.
So I would like, Charles, some type of structure could be put in place.
In relation to items 6, chair and croak fillers, if you bear with me for just a couple of minutes,
and there is a proposal there from the manager and I don't mean to dismiss that in any shape or form,
I think it's time at this stage that we call that development of Crokeville after the Ring family who had been living in that area from the 1800s.
You had five of the Ring brothers who were active volunteers in the GPO garrison.
They were interned. They played their part. They have a great name in relation to the history of this country.
Then on Bloody Sunday in Crow Park when a number of people were shot dead by British armed forces and a lot of people injured
you had the bravery of some of the Ring brothers who went in and took out the wounded and carried one of the wounded into the Joe trainer
into the Ring family home, lay him on a table where he was bleeding to death, died that night in Jervis Street Hospital
and again I think three of the Ring family were interned in Ballykindler camp after that episode.
And I think at this stage we should be looking at that's culture, that's local people, that's historical.
And at the end of the day, Leamring, one of the brothers, who translated the soldier's song to a raw Navian,
I think at this stage, and ending on that, I think it deserves naming after the Ring brothers who fought and willing to die for this country in relation to a British presence.
Thanks, Chip.
Just erm, I was going to wait for the motion to come up. I agree with Councillor Bourke's suggestion there in relation to the rings.
I mean the Norgroves came from North Strand, from Strandville Avenue quite close to where Councillor Ennis lives.
I think one of them lived in the laneway that he has a house number 4 I think and number 15 then in Strandville Avenue.
And a number of weeks ago, or a number of months ago, we discussed the naming of the building on the junction of Seville Place.
And perhaps that would be a better one to be called after in Northgroves.
Because it would be on North Strand. But in all of these things, like they've come back in relation to Charles Street with Church Mews.
You know, there's no thought or originality in that as Councillor Ring said.
And that should be called after Anne Devlin. Clearly there's a connection between Robert Emmett and Emmett Street.
I presume that's who it's called after and I haven't checked that.
But that should be called after Anne Devlin. I mean it doesn't, it's not rocket science.
These developers will wander off after this development is finished and won't be heard of again until they're doing the next development.
We need to recognise the history of the central area and leave that live for the next generation.
There should be some kind of plaque or tablet on the wall of these buildings to explain who they are called after.
Because people will read them going past and will learn the history of their own country.
Thank you chair.
Thanks chair. Just listening to the contributions made so far and just giving the time.
Could I suggest that items 5 and 6 be reviewed by the heritage department based on some of the suggestions that have been made here today?
And then come back to us at a later date for further consideration.
I'm just conscious that we have two presentations on the floor and we've only got 15 minutes before the meeting is supposed to end.
Yeah, Councillor Boylan.
Yeah, can we have the question that Councillor McGrath asked answered as well in relation
to is there a period in time that can be quicker that comes to us before it has to go back?
I think, firstly just say thank you very much for coming in.
I do think it's useful to have this engagement because we've had this repeated conversation
I think a lot over the last number of years about I think consistent themes that come
across all representatives in the chamber about concerns about how some of the names have come about
so I think it is very useful for us to have a discussion with yourself directly on it
I think there's some useful suggestions that have come forward here and it is evident
I think maybe more so when I'm conscious that maybe our area committee is a little bit unique with the kind of
the level of passion that various people and the level of historical expertise particularly
and I know Councillor Ring is of particular interest in this and just acknowledge that as well and Councillor Perry as well
and everybody, but in sort of the looking at the history of the naming of the area.
And I think, so I think for us it may be that a slightly different process of
earlier engagement would be very helpful in order to make sure that the names
that are coming forward here are ones that are likely to sort of hit the mark
in terms of recognising the local history and heritage. I know for
particularly myself and I think Councillor Ralf and Councillor O 'Driscoll are very
about seeing more women commemorated within the city as well and that we can
we can kind of increase the visibility of that which is one of the concerns I
have about a couple of the namings here about only using surnames but I know you
touched on why the reason is for that but it doesn't actually highlight the
fact that we're recognizing women's contributions when we are only using the
surname and so I think that is it that's attention as well but I wonder if you
might respond to some of the issues raised and just like touching that
whether there is an opportunity to look at a slightly different process that we could do to bring in contributions and ideas from the Chamber at the earliest possible point.
Okay.
I don't know if I can answer that, but I'll, can I talk first about the recognising and having more developments named after women, so there are two,
So the Norgrove and the Flint are two cases in point and I completely agree that, and it is my working policy that the full name of a person, man or woman, should be reflected in the development name.
What I routinely see that comes into me is that it's women's first names that are often used, which is deeply insulting, and men's surnames.
And so I'm trying to kind of work on that with applicants that come in so that it is, that they're treated equally and yes, and then to prioritise developments to be named after women where it's appropriate, like where there's historical associations that are relevant.
Just on the Church View one, I mean it is the kind of working policy to reflect local historical features that would have existed.
So stable, whatever it was called, I can't remember, stable court we'll call it.
It was a stable yard, like a library stable yard, so like in my view that made eminent sense.
I understand that it might be a bit bland, but the same with Churchview and I'm trying to put myself in the mind of the person living there and going,
okay, where's Churchview? There is the only prominent building apart from Monterey Square is the Free Church, the former Free Church now, Pavi, on Great Charles Street.
And so that's why I thought it was, you know, it would make sense, and it's kind of, it's logical and it's referring to an existing structure that's there.
and in relation to the middle one, one was called Fitzgibbon Court, it's off Fitzgibbon Street.
So just from that urban legibility, that ability to just kind of, there's only one place in the city,
and I know he has negative historical associations, but it is a street name,
and there are a cluster of building names that reflect that, the street name.
So I'm looking at the street name in this case, not the baggage that comes with that particular individual.
And so if you're trying to find Fitzgibbon Court,
and you know that there's a cluster of Fitzgibbons
to the north east of Mount Joy Square,
then you kinda know where to go.
So that was, like it's, you know,
as I keep saying to people, it's an art form,
it's not a science.
And so there's a kind of, you know,
everyone is slightly different.
And just in relation to the student housing
on Prussia Street, again, there's a number,
Yugo, the provider and developer of student housing,
seemed to name their buildings all over the world,
well Europe, Yugo and wherever it is.
And so you have it in Cork, you have it in,
obviously in Dublin.
There's another one on Dorset Street,
and it's Apollo I think, and they're the provider,
and they use their name on Dorset Street.
So in my head, you know, there was no precedence for that,
and it seemed acceptable that they were using
Puschia Street and their kind of commercial name almost like a hotel might like
Juries Christ Church and I know this is housing it's not strictly hotel although
it is transient student housing and and holiday rentals in the summertime I
think the idea of putting some sort of plaque or some sort of explanation of
the name is a really good one I'm not sure how to do that when it comes to the
private applications but I'm definitely open to looking into it.
And in relation to fitting in within the eight weeks and doing pre -engagement with the Area Committee,
we'll just have to think about how we do that and come back at some point to see how that can be done within the eight weeks,
considering there are other Area Committees to consider as well.
So, but yeah, we'll kind of look at that.
I can't see it working within the eight week timeframe.
It may be a matter of the committee here shortlisting ideas
that you can then take into consideration,
you know, in advance, like so a shortlist
could be compiled to be brought to it.
Maybe the naming commemorations committee
might look at something along those lines.
Well, yeah, we'll come back with a response
that kind of will hopefully meet everybody's requirements.
Okay we might move through the list then just of the current naming and numbering then that is in front of us.
So the first one up is the naming and numbering of Fitzgibbon and Emmett Street and Charles Street Grade.
Is that agreed?
Move forward.
Sorry my apologies.
The naming and development of Meridian Court.
Is that agreed?
Agreed.
okay next is the Fitzgibbon Street Emma Street is that agreed sorry sorry I just
leave the second council I got a suggestion to come back to that yeah I
am conscious that we've looked at that a lot of time so is this do we have time
to postpone this again. Okay the comments and just to is it the official
how this officially works in the agenda is this is for comment so it's not

5 With reference to a naming and numbering proposal for a development site to the rear of Nos. 20-22 Fitzgibbon Street, Nos. 6-10 Emmet Street and No. 46 Charles Street Great, Dublin 1.

actually for us to approve or reject them we have the opportunity to give our
comments in relation to it so just to make sure that there's clarity in
relation to comments on that one it is the sort of banality of the names that I
and there is an opportunity to commemorate Anne Devlin and the connection to Robert Emmett in relation to the streets there that we feel would be appropriate
so is that noted as a comment in relation to it that's coming from this committee now?
So we are sending our comments.
This is for comment only.
So we are submitting those comments.
Sending your comments, it says the naming are considered suitable and recommended for adoption.
What we are saying is church view is not acceptable.
We are not accepting that recommendation.
We are rejecting it.
And we want Anne Devlin considered.
We can't be railroaded because of time constraints and say let's, you know, it's sent again and then we're under pressure.
I think though if I'm right in what I'm saying is it's actually not a reserve function for us to approve or reject the names.
So when they come to us as a committee procedurally they have to come before us as a committee but it is not a reserve function to approve or reject them.
It is, they come to us for comment as I understand.
There is nothing to say that the councilors can reject the report that is there irrespective of whether you decide to go ahead with it.
We are rejecting it.
We reject the recommendation.
So the report has been rejected but the comments that are...I do want to have clarity on what the comments are so that can be taken into consideration.
The next item is in relation to Croke Villas.

6 With reference to naming and numbering proposal of PPP Bundle 4 Development at Croke Villas, Dublin 3.

Thanks Chair, just briefly again I'd like to propose the change from the Northgroves to the Ring family.
There is another development going to take place on North Strand on the fire brigade site which might be appropriate also for the Northgroves.
and as Councillor, one of the Councillors had said that, Maliki Seenson had said that maybe the one on the corner of 7th Place would have been more appropriate.
But I'm just asking for support on my proposal to the Regan family. Good market.
Councillor Boylan.
Look, we're at the being sitting in this chamber saying that we want more females named in different locations around the city and we have a female named there for this one.
I've no objection to the rings family being represented and put somewhere
and their name put somewhere in the area because it should be done absolutely
but I'm reluctant to say yes unless we get a commitment that this Norgrove
family can be named on another building that's coming up in the next
while I know you have suggested the fire station but I'd like that to be
confirmed in this chamber here today so that we can change it because
there's no use in saying we want women women women and then when we have a
woman in front of us who are looking to change it we do have the reassurance
that the women's name is going to be put somewhere as well so I just want that on
record. I'd be inclined to agree with Councillor Boylan on that and I guess while I appreciate and that was very very
helpful and educational to me to understand more about the contribution
of the Ring brothers that you've mentioned there I would like to see a
report brought like a kind of the report brought from the Heritage Office about
about their then before we approve it just as a written a written record of
some sort
so the proposal could we take it as a proposal to defer with an invest like
with the comment that we would like to look at this but I do want to take on
board the comment of cancer um yeah I may be sorry I'm just trying to figure
Do we need to do you want to put it to a vote now to approve the this particular name or as the the norgrove name at the moment or do you want to open it up again.
I do want to take on board Councillor Boylan's report I'm very reluctant to reject a name for naming complex after women when we have that opportunity.
I'll take Councillor Perry and then Mr Steens.
Thanks chair, just to be absolutely clear this is no reflection on the Norgroves family.
It's actually where Maliki suggests and where Chrissie suggests it is actually where they're from, north Surand.
It would be much more reasonable to name that but just to be absolutely clear this is no reflection on the Norgroves.
and just to congratulate Charles, this is exactly what we're looking for, something that has a very local historical significance
so this in Stanley seat is exactly what we're looking for
but just in this instance I fully support Kristy's suggestion that we name her after a former councillor here, Niall Ringer
Thank you
We've two motions effective in front of us today for renaming
One is hopefully going to be called after Anne Devlin, a woman.
The Norgroves are a family of men and women and young girls as well.
So I don't suspect that they're going to put all of those names.
So if it was to be Norgrove, it would simply, I imagine, be Norgrove.
How many are just Norgrove?
So that doesn't identify women particularly.
The Ring brothers happened to be brothers.
You know, they shouldn't be penalised for that. They lived there.
The Norgroves as I've said, lived on North Strand which is on North Strand and Councillor Ennis I'm sure and Councillor Ringel agree with me are two totally different places.
Ballybok and North Strand. A street apart but miles apart.
Just to correct the comments there it actually does make the suggestion that it's Emily and Annie Norgrove.
It does say women, so it does say the local family but it just says including sisters Emily and Annie Norgrove.
So that's where I was coming from in relation to the female part of it.
I've no issue with it being called Norgrove family as all but it does say that in it and that's where I was coming from.
Councillor Burke.
Briefly, Coorheelly, certainly I would not intend to have any reflection in relation to the Norgrove family and the woman being mentioned and named.
But Councillor Steensland is right, they're very parochial as you know, North Strand and Ballybock.
We will have a site on North Strand and I think at this stage the Ream family certainly deserve to be acknowledged and recognised in the area
given their input and commitment to the rising of 1916.
That's all I accept the points that Councillor Byland is making but certainly there's no reflection from my end
in relation to it being called after a woman.
But I just, on this particular issue, I would like to put it to a vote if I have to
in order to try and get this through.
Or I'm willing to wait until a review and come back.
Could we reject the report then for the time being with the comments regarding the Ring family then as well
but with that condition as well that we do want to see the North Robes commemorated in relation to the future complexes of the area?
Okay agreed and the next item then is in relation to Tandley Street and the
proposed name is Flinter Place and Flinter Mews agreed agreed okay Charles
thank you very much for coming in I hope that gives you some insight into the
deliberations that we have here on a regular basis and we we would be very
open as a committee I think you can see that the level of interest it is within
the members here so I think we will be very open as a committee to ongoing
engagement on how we can get those namings right from the outset as best as possible
because it certainly is difficult I think for the staff administering the meetings and
for chairing the meetings when we do have a consistent, we're not able to approve them
all as would be ideal from the outset.
Yeah well, yes and hopefully my comments helped to illuminate the process a bit more.
Yeah, no they did and we're very grateful for your time.
Great, thank you.
Next item is item number 8 which is the development part 8 on Calabroa Street and Findlayter Place.

8 With reference to Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (as amended) - Part VIII. Proposed public realm improvement works at Cathal Brugha Street and Findlater Place, Dublin 1.

I might just ask at this point, we are very time limited, I propose we extend the meeting by half an hour.
So we can have time to go through it, I am conscious we need to get down to the Docklands Centre as well.
but we might just if Claire Farrand is here in relation to Colborough Street and Finlayter Place
I would just ask that we keep the presentation as brief as possible.
Good morning, thank you for allowing me to present.
My name is Claire Farrand, I work in the City Architects Division

9 With reference to update from Irish Rail on Area Infrastructure Projects.

and I'm here just to briefly present an update on the Part A planning process
for the Colborough Street and Finlayter Place Public Realm Improvement Scheme.

8 With reference to Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (as amended) - Part VIII. Proposed public realm improvement works at Cathal Brugha Street and Findlater Place, Dublin 1.

The project was, there was a briefing held on the 1st of October with the councillors, yourselves, to update you on the project.
And that we, following that, went to the October 8th Area Committee meeting to inform you that we were going to take it to the Part 8 process.
And which we commenced on the 4th of March.
Now, we have now completed the public consultation and observations have all been received.
And the planners report has been produced.
So we are here again today to notify you that we would like to take it to the June City Council meeting for party approval.
Just to say that the planner has recommended approval and that all the submissions that we received, we only received four submissions, they were all positive.
Just to give a brief recap on the project.
This is the area, here just off O 'Connell Street on Caulfborough Street, so the area outlined in red.
And the proposal is a public realm upgrade, surfaces, planting and etc. objects.
So the existing issues, if you're aware of Caulfborough Street is that the surface of the ground there is very uneven.
It's not very accessible, there is a lot of illegal parking, a lot of street clutter.
There's lovely trees which we were planning to keep.
The kind of public space itself is hindered by the location of the Dublin Bike Scheme
and the cycle parking which we will rationalise in the proposals.
So again the objective of the project is to enhance the O 'Connell Street experience into
Calrose Street and to link across to the Llewis on Marlborough Street and to encourage economic
activity along the street and enhance the space.
So here is the proposal.
As I said, the design intent is to deliver a vibrant, active and accessible public space
using high quality materials like granite with particular focus on universal design,
greening, conservation and sustainability.
There will be public seating, a water drinking fountain.
The Dublin Bike Scheme has been relocated to the Curb Edge.
There will be new low level planting below the existing mature trees.
The surfaces themselves will be enhanced and the space for the public to walk for pedestrians has been widened with build outs so that the bus stops along the street there is additional space for waiting as well.
So we held consultation with the businesses.
We had a meeting in October with, facilitated by Dublin Town and we had 14 representatives who attended that.
We also met with the disabled persons' organisations, the DPOs.
We did a site walk with them about the proposals in February 23
and we had an online accessibility workshop in September 24.
We also invited all the PPN to an online accessibility workshop as well.
Part 8 was then lodged in March 2025.
Oh sorry, I forgot to mention we also did meet with the local Gardaí about the proposals.
We had of course our pre -part 8 inter -departmental circulation and we took on board any comments
that we had and we also consulted with the NTA and TII as it is quite adjacent to the
Lewis.
We also when we lodged the part 8 uploaded accessible drawings and easy read versions
of the documents and we also when we were requested facilitated by printing large scale
drawings when required.
So we received four submissions on the part 8 and they were all positive.
Dublin Town itself submitted an observation, a representative from Headway, the DPO, submitted another observation also supporting the project.
And we had a couple of observations submitted from members of the public who were looking forward to the enhancement and the approval of the space.
So just again to recap what we're here for today is to update you, it's the red dot there on the central area committee that we would like to take this part 8 now to the June meeting on the 9th of June.
The planners report has recommended the approval of the scheme as we continue our consultation with the DPOs and the PPN, take on board all the interdepartmental commons and of course continue consulting with TII and the NTA.
So that's really why we're here. This is a brief estimated programme for the project.
So if we get approved at the June meeting the detailed design will be commenced in house by road design and construction.
And then once that's complete it will go out to tender in April 2026.
As you know road design did the proposals for all the Grafton Street area projects,
all the tender drawings and lead those projects which are very successful.
So that's really it.
Open to comment, questions from the floor.
Councillor Ring, Councillor Mcgath and the next.
Thanks very much for that and fully supportive.
Just want to check a couple of things.
I decided one or two disabled parking bays at the O 'Connell Street end.
Is it or are they going to be retained?
And there seems to be an informal taxi rank or is it a formal taxi rank?
I'm not quite sure.
Again, is that going to be retained or removed?
Go on, Margaret.
Mr McAdam.
Thanks and thanks for the presentation.
I just won't repeat the questions from Councillor Ring, but ask you to clarify that.
And just on the timelines then,
We will get through the party of approval of the city council in June.
It will take until April to complete the detailed design and then we have procurement.
There is no way we could cut down the detailed design and do procurement process somewhat in parallel.
In order to get work started.
Certainly before September of next year. That would be appreciated. Thanks chair.
Thanks very much. Just some comments from myself as well.
just regarding the Findlayter place resurfacing is that I thought that we
were kind of shortening my memory of the plans previously was we were shortening

9 With reference to update from Irish Rail on Area Infrastructure Projects.

that carriageway so that it wouldn't be but it seems to be indicating that we've
got and so that the carriageway would only take us as far as Strong's Court
and but it does seem to continue just as a resurface carriageway under the map
here so what's happening in relation to that and just are what additional
greening and the maintenance of it because obviously the there is
significant issue with some of the maintenance of the greening spaces around Parnell Street particularly maybe which don't look totally dissimilar to some of the images on the plans here.
I know that's probably beyond what the part 8 is at the moment but it is a concern that if we are approving plans that we have a kind of clarity on how they're going to be maintained.
and just obviously the Church of St. George's and Thomas's is the like absolute key pivotal stakeholder in that
so I was surprised not to see them as part of the people who were consulted or engaged with as part of the plans
and I know there's multiple congregations that would worship there that outside of the Church of Ireland as well
there's an Indian Orthodox community I think that worship there as well
so I was surprised not to see that they were whether proactively engaged with or that they took the opportunity to make a submission
such as what level of engagement there has been there as well. Thanks.
To respond to the last point, they actually attended, we had two meetings with the businesses
and they attended those with Dublin Town and sent a number of representatives and we also
did a site meeting with them to discuss how they could enhance, this is the church sorry,
how they could enhance their own space within their railings to complement the scheme outside
and to open up the church more. So we are aware that they are one of the key holders
in this space and we really are looking to enhance the church and also work with them
as we hope they would also enhance the space within the railings which is outside our boundary
because it's privately owned but we would also benefit the scheme if that was upgraded
as well. The accessible parking bays are being retained and their arrangement has been altered
slightly and the taxi rank is across the road and it is maintained with an overspill area
in the loading bay after hours if it's required. The maintenance of the green spaces of course
is always something that has to be well maintained. We've been working with the Parks Department
so the Parks Department will be taking the space in charge and also the area office always
works with private contractors as well to look at maintenance when required in green
spaces.
In relation to the length of time to produce the documents, it does take, we have to produce
very detailed documents and maybe the period that they've been put in is quite conservative
but again resourcing and allocation to the project is always an issue but then again
our colleagues and our client department, Environment and Transportation, were unable
to come today maybe we can refer the question to them and ask them to respond
to it as they will be doing the tender production.
Okay is that noted? Okay thank you very much for coming in. So next up we have
Irish Rail and so we had asked Irish Rail to come in and we've had numerous
issues with regarding I know members across the chamber have raised issues
whether directly with Irish Rail or at various meetings here about both long -term
infrastructure plans for Irish Rail within our constituency obviously the
Spencer Dock station, Broombridge works, there's numerous different key flagship
Irish Rail works that are happening in the area there's also and I'm sure
particularly inner -city Councillors will be getting plenty of issues around noise
the noise impact on residents of Irish Rail Works and biodiversity management of their lands
and then the
long -term plans around the Docklands station
I know is something that we are consistently asked questions of. We've had engagement regarding a community garden in Eastwell
which I know we were hoping to make progress on and
the the dark west works and
accessibility of stations, I think particularly the new one at Pelletstown and Spencer Dock
there's questions been raised about just the accessibility issues there so and
and just boundary management too so I just wanted to give the opportunity for Irish Rail to come in
here to give us a clearer idea as members of what their plans are regarding infrastructure but also
all those ongoing issues about community engagement and working with us as an area committee to make
sure that we have maximized the opportunities for for our the people the residents we represent here
I think they have a presentation to give and then I'm going to open the floor as well.
Thank you chair and thanks everyone for having us in.
So yeah just first of all to introduce myself I'm Gary Dunhoo, I'm the deputy infrastructure
manager for Dublin Division. So we cover the Leinster area but obviously most importantly
the city centre for yourselves and our role is the maintenance and upgrade of the existing
infrastructure and principally you know track structures bridges fencing
everything that makes the civil infrastructure run and so I just
basically do a quick whistle stop tour and then come back to some of the
queries maybe that you have so just outline maybe some of the public
ground marks that we've been trying to do might be more visible in some of the
things that we do in Dublin Vision for yourselves so we've really tried to
on cleaning up around bridges and structures probably has been a bit of a
blind spot for us previously but it's in the last hopefully maybe eight to ten
years you've seen improvement on that and you know things like rubbish at
bridges and underpasses graffiti vegetation and all those sorts of issues
and it's just a list there of some areas we were marking and last year so just to
wall depot just behind the tree arena there's just some tidy up and clean up
works along the walls example I suppose of some boundary vegetation and that was
removed just again hopefully presenting the area in an improved fashion and
common graffiti tags and things like that is an ongoing issue and we're not
going to get them all but I suppose we're constantly and trying to tackle it
as best we can going around the city.
Down at Osteri Road again would have been visible
from some of the adjacent footways and premises.
So tidy up in that area as well.
And further information Osteri Road I suppose was an issue we
would have had issue ongoing issues with I suppose fly
tipping and things like that as well.
So we're trying to tackle that as well.
So just to give you an idea of some of the works
that we're doing on that front.
As well we were involved with the Talbot Street working group.
So in particular we did some upgrade works around Talbot Street bridge.
And obviously worked closely with DCC on the lighting.
And hopefully that's I think it's very impressive.
So I hope you're all happy with it as well.
I suppose our part of it was smaller in fairness.
It was more around giving the general area clean up.
painting of some of the bridge structures, veg cleanup and there was a lot of water ingress there
that we've also tried to tackle. There was a lot of water coming onto the footpath so
there was work done on that as well so to the public realm. Then into I suppose the bigger
side of the works and the one that probably causes issues as regards residential noise and things and
complaints that you might receive. I suppose I just picked one project it's probably our recent kind
flagship infrastructure project was renewal at the loop line track so that's from Pierce to Conley
and it was run from St Stephen's day last year into the 6th of January this year so we had a full
closure and we worked over the 12 days to renew the track on Bow Road so that's kind of principally
the kind of work we're involved in. The track was 20 years old and had been previously removed
in 2004 and obviously we've some new materials gone in there with plastic sleepers and things that wouldn't have been available at the time.
So we're all the time I suppose looking to increase the amount of time we need to return so the new track would have a lifespan in the region of 50 years.
Now that obviously there is ongoing maintenance in the interim but wouldn't be of the same degree.
Part of the way we try to limit noise and disturbance in residents is try to hit big
amounts of works in shutdown periods.
This one was taken at a time of year when you are trying to least affect the travelling
public as well.
Just an example.
To give you an idea of some of the disruptive possession, again this is around trying to
focus intense periods of work to not have I think a lot of the residential issues that
we would discuss them with the residents would be night after night ongoing weeks up we try
and condense them into intense periods of shutdowns.
It does obviously focus a lot around bank holidays.
I know that does create its own issues.
It would also, the travelling numbers would say to us that's the time to do it.
As well it is worked around the events calendar as best as possible.
Obviously events come in after possessions are set which we will be setting possessions now for next year.
So between now and September they will be set for next year so we can't always accommodate everything.
Just to give you an idea of somebody and I picked just the areas in the Dublin City area.
So we've Junebank holiday, Tara streets, Duneary, July, Duneary, Tabray, August we've a partial closure in Connolly.
and September we have Dun Laoghaire gravestones, October Dun Laoghaire gravestones and October Bank Holiday Clontarf to Malahide.
The DART in particular is intensely affected I suppose at the minute due to the age of the southern DART infrastructure is dating from the early 80s
and that's really why we're in there so much now.
Renewing the asset and I suppose keeping it reliable first of all and ultimately safe.
Then I suppose resident notifications, just Carol Sutton is beside me as our community liaison officer.
So the principal thing we find with I suppose noise is we want to get the information out there.
So we distribute in Dublin, so the entire length of about 5000 letters every week, about 2 ,500 of those will be in the Dublin, in the Dart area.
so just it's a bit wider maybe than your area but just to give you an idea of the
scale and they're literally tracked to the door so we've GPS and with the
publicity post company so we can verify the word delivered and we yeah say we
issue out we also have our notifications on our website just as additional
information for people and we'd always try if we can and roll up a notification
So if it's going to be a number of weeks we get as much information into the one notification and not be coming back with repeat notifications week after week.
We've a manned phone line during office hours also with a voicemail inbox and we respond to every query we get and the same with email.
We really do try and if there are issues, we really do try and engage with either the residents themselves or yourselves as local representatives and site visits and things like that to try and address issues that are coming up.
I think that is it. Just to keep it short because I know you are probably keen to look at some other questions.
Thanks very much Gary and I'll open it to the floor if anyone has questions.
Is there a ring?
Just two very quick questions. One you said the phone and email are during office hours so what happens if somebody like,
my mother lives in Clonmore Terrace, we lived at a railway track in front of a railway track all our lives,
what happens if something happens in the middle of the night, what can you do, we're after hours.
So I think it's and go on the website again. I don't want to get on my old hobby horse, 90 year old mother, no idea what the internet is.
They don't go on the internet. I know we get the leaflets in but after hours I'd just like to know what's happening.
And then just on a broader infrastructural question, in our development plan we have an ambition to have a train station at Crow Park.
I just wonder is that still on Erin Road Erin's agenda, Carmoghat?
Thanks for the presentation and thanks for all the work that Irish Rail have done on the back of the residents of East Wall and North Strand.
The Lads getting up, the anti -sauce behaviour, securing the site and on the higher rail and so I know that a lot of the residents, including myself, are very glad of that.
The lighting on Talbot Street, I think that should be a template for the bridges around our area.
We look at the North Strand, Ballybok in particular, cleaning those bridges up, adding a couple of murals to the already murals that's on the Ballybok at the Dubs team.
Yeah, I think it should be great. It should be really looked at from ourselves as an area office in conjunction with maybe the NUIC as well. I think it's great. It's a great initiative.
A big one for me is the lack of play space in our area and the amount of land that Irish Rail owned and are not using.
We have a lack of green space, we have a lack of play space, lack of free space and lack of a full -size sports pitch.
And the amount of land again that Irish Rail owned and arguably a hoarding is an issue for me and I know the community.
so I'd love to maybe work on a partnership project similar to the one
that we're looking at with the Ozry Garden which I'll get to in a second
around developing parks, play spaces in partnership with the local community, the
council and Irish Rail and again maybe Crow Park and Dublin Port as well. I have a
lot to say on that. Lastly the Ozry Garden, I know Marie our
area manager has been working very hard on this but like we've run a
Consultation on this all the community groups are involved had their say we've agreed that we're gonna do something mean
We'll use on the other a garden proposed as a regarding so where are we with that?
Because I know residents are on to me weekly community groups on to be weekly and we need to use it fast because
It all be it is a mean will use
But if we don't do it now sure that that would be gone so yeah. Thanks
Thank you chair, so the central area stretches as far as Ashtown station so I'm just going to bring up something from that area
It was about a year ago that trees and shrubbery was removed and this caused quite an alarm for residents
there had been no communication and there is already flooding challenges within the area and houses around there have been flooded in the past
and so I'm just wondering about the communication for those type of works.
They're not the noisiest of works but you know there was quite a big change
and then there's also the maintenance of the kind of the verge between the train tracks
and the sort of the limit of the Irish rail boundary.
You know there can be quite a bit of littering and sort of things that occur there
that will make people even more concerned about flooding and the movement of water in the area.
For me it is mainly a communication challenge. At the time we struggled to get answers, we weren't sure who was doing it.
And it did cause quite a concern. So just on that communication, not just the line works but for the works around other things it would be important that we have better communications.
And can we actually get the communication details for the email and the phone numbers? I'm not sure I have those exact ones, thanks.
Thanks, Councillor Burke.
Thanks Jeremy, thanks for the presentation.
Just a couple of points I just wanted to support Councillor Ringen in relation to the train station at Crow Park.
I think we've been debating this here for the last 20 years but never any progress.
Also I think Councillor Ennis raised the anti -social and the loud noise on the weekends on the Eltrey Road
creates mayhem with local residents I have to say.
And in fairness to them they put up with for a long time.
So I hope that some, something can be put in place to ease that.
But the anti -social seems to be and has continued to be as you know,
at a high level and I'm just wondering do you have security there at night or during the day along with the Gardaí?
Could I also ask, in relation to the railway track at the back of the houses on Clonliffe Avenue,
is there any program at the moment due for maintenance to be carried out there with overgrowth and all of that?
And just finally, Chair, the Jim Gavin mural that's under the bridge in Ballybock,
I was standing waiting for the bus this morning and there's water dripping down from the bridge.
I don't know whose responsibility it is, British Rail or DCC and Jim Gavin does not deserve to be
drownded on any given day, given the fact in fairness to DCC, I think it was the NEIC at the time,
funded that mural and it's a credit to Jim Gavin but it goes on and on.
It may stop for a short period but comes back. Can there be a long term solution found to stop the water dropping?
on the mural. Thank you.
Thanks. Councillor McAlary.
Thanks chair and thanks to the guys from Irish Rail for coming in.
Can we just, whatever happens after the presentation, can we just get clarity either from yourselves and the area management about where we go next with the Osteri garden.
I think we just need clarity one way or another today.
Secondly I want to thank Irish Rail for not only your input but your engagement with regards to Talbot Street.
The way you guys have engaged on that is very much to be wise and I hope the City Council can continue for further engagement on that.
You might Gary as part of the presentation just detail where stands the Dark West Plus.
Obviously that has an impact, potentially has some of an impact in around Northbrook Avenue.
So you can just provide clarity on that.
And then with regards, I'd echo what my colleagues have said about a station in the vicinity of Crow Park.
I think that's all agreed at this stage.
And then finally, one of the things we had, I think it was the climate report last night.
I know it was the noise report, one of the two, there was the engineers who presented with reference to engagement with yourselves in terms of noise monitoring.
Along East Wall, North Strand, I think Interim Condor as well.
So can you just give us a bit of background or information in terms of the engagement you guys are having with the City Council officials on that.
and whilst I understand night time works are best practice, if you're living in Crosby's yard, you're crucified.
Because of the nature and the noise of the works. It's just a fact of life.
And just how can we better communicate, better engage, particularly the residents in Crosby's yard who are living directly beside.
Because where a lot of the works are taking place, or your, the shuntina or whatever, is right beside that complex.
So if you have any clarity or information on that we would very welcome.
But thank you again for coming in today it is appreciated.
Councillor Stephens.
Just very quickly my grandfather drove the last train from Broadstone to Clifton.
And all my mother's family they were all from Great Western Square.
So I was always very supportive of railways.
But we do have a problem in relation to the Maynooth line.
The locomotives that are being used are dirty diesel engines.
I think the sooner we get that area electrified the better for people living in the area.
And also I brought up on numerous occasions in relation to Pelletstone station.
It's used as an escape for people, anti -social behaviour.
The last train goes through that station about half 11, quarter 12.
Yet the station is left open.
I think working with the guards and working with the communities in the area,
it is something that we should look at to prevent crime in the area.
There is gates there, they're not locked.
As I said, it's an escape for people and anti -social behaviour in the area.
And maybe you might look at that.
But all the work you're doing is great.
keep it going but we are here to obviously make the areas better for our
constituents. Thank you.
Thanks chair. Just on Palletstown station again but a different look
obviously much needed infrastructure and very welcome and much needed permeability
between two areas but in terms of architectural style it leaves a lot to
be desired. Now I understand that you're not in charge of station development but
is there anything that we can do in terms of like murals or something to
make that place look a bit better and even the public realm outside the
station on the palestown side on Royal Canal Avenue like it is just a lump of
tarmac what should be a central a centerpiece for that area is yeah it's
not good and the canopy over the bike parking on both sides was also removed
about a couple of months after it was built and had never replaced so I wonder could you look into that as well?
Thanks and I might just make a few of my own comments with the siren helpfully illustrating
how hard it is to concentrate sometimes when there's a lot of external noise going around
but it is you know one of the things it is just consistently comes up is the the level the
frequency of the night works around North Strand and I think that I mean I
do believe that there be residents in other parts of the city would just never
accept that level of disruption and I think you're you're blessed with a
relatively cooperative group of residents right there that really do
allow a huge amount of it I mean nobody buys a house beside or lives in a house
beside a railway line but I just expecting some kind of noise it's it's
far from that but certainly when you compare like the the frequency of the
that go on there is very significant and I guess one of the questions was just put to me by the residents there is
what is the threshold that is allowed and how is it monitored to make sure that it isn't exceeding
certain you know basic norms or whatever like is it does it have to exist within certain thresholds
when there are night works going on there and can we implement some kind of monitoring system there
so that people can know that there is some consideration being given because we get these
notifications and I appreciate getting them to say that every effort has been
made to mitigate the noise but certainly I think residents would like to know
exactly what those efforts are because sometimes the perception is there's
very little effort been made to mitigate the noise there and it would be great to
understand that a bit better. If that bridge at the bottom of Gardner Street
and the screeching when trains go across the line there is very very intense and
you know we talk about trying to make cities autism friendly sensory
respectful but having those kind of extreme noisy environments standing on
Tariff Street station standing under a bridge in Gardiner Street is very
overwhelming for anybody with particular sensory issues because that noise is so
excessive and so intensive when it comes about so I understand there has
work been done to reduce the screeching on the tracks but it really is imperative
from an accessibility of the city point of view as well and I would like to just
know a little bit more about how we are progressing those and how we are making
sure that we are reducing that as much as possible. The lands around the
Docklands stations, so the current Docklands station obviously takes up a huge
amount of land, a lot of that land has really been underutilised and a really
core part of the city in my opinion where like we really could look at much
more worthwhile uses of a lot of that land. It creates a permeability barrier.
One of the things I would love to see eventually is some kind of walking
pedestrian cycling bridge from east wall across those Docklands stations that would
connect in towards the North Circular Place there but beyond that I think you
know there's a huge opportunity for using those lands better. When I last
asked Irish Rail about this when they said the new Spencer Dock station
there's no plan to reuse any of those lands at Docklands and they would
remain as they are. That to me seems very very concerning under use of lands
where we critically need land for recreational purposes for existing
communities as well as housing for growing communities as well and just ask
and I think others have touched on the community garden on Ossery Road and
we've seen we have it a kind of provisional commitment from Irish Rail to
work with us on that but where are we at and what can we do with it and just to
echo councillor Ennis's point around the bridges I would love to see them done
better and like really become points of pride of the the rail infrastructure of
city should be something to be all look at and we say isn't that fantastic
rather than isn't it flashing me on Billboard of advertising and that we
can't actually see the architecture behind it and I do think that's a pity
and then finally it's just planning for the large -scale events you know it
didn't impact our part of the city but I I would use Drumcandra was sorry just a
last summer I remember taking the train from Connolly to Drumcandra and it was
last train of the evening to go into Sligo and there wasn't and the Croke
Park match had just let out and the entire station was completely swamped
with people who were hanging out of the luggage racks because there was no other
space for them on a you know and so when we know that I appreciate scheduling is
difficult and staffing is difficult but when we know we have big events that we
can plan to actually support people coming to this part of the city by
sustainable transport means which means encouraging people to use trains which
means ideally putting on additional trains we know there are big matches and
events coming up and it would really help I think to make it possible and
accessible for people to attend and residents who are inundated with the
parking situation in the area and not been able to leave their houses because
people parked across the driveways on match days would be very grateful if we
could see a lot more people coming by train as much as possible to those
matches so thank you very much and I know you've got a lot of questions there
so I'll give you a few minutes work through them okay thanks very much
I will try to get through as many as I can.
If I miss any, don't hesitate to give me a shout.
So just go back to the top.
I suppose the after hours contact and the residential notice,
we do I suppose, with the mailbox is our ultimate solution,
that there is a phone line there to receive calls
and we follow up the first thing in the morning on it.
That is currently our method of dealing with it.
Like if there is an emergency situation,
and obviously we have emergency lines and things like that to contact but I think you're more referring maybe to if there's a serious residential noise or currently that's the way we deal with it that we return to the calls in the morning and Carl will be regularly.
That starts from 8 o 'clock in the morning with follow up basically.
The train station at Croke Park, I'll need to take that one away, I'm not sure if that's in the All Ireland Rail Review so I'll have to take that away and maybe respond back.
The lighting at Bridges is absolutely something we would be happy to be involved in.
It is probably all related to funding and probably the easier section for us is to keep the public realm side of it tidier.
So I think that is definitely an action that we can take away to make sure that they are clear of vegetation and clear of litter and things like that as a first protocol.
and we are happy to work on looking at lighting.
I think now we have a good example that we can use for future.
The Osteri Road garden that came up a couple of times.
In fairness to Marie, she has been talking to us several times
and led with yourselves on looking at the community engagement on it.
It arose from antisocial behaviour in the area that we were having issues with.
So just prompted by Marie we reverted to our capital investment colleagues who will be dealing with the Darplus West.
So there's a slight change in our timeline and we're looking at that that land now likely won't be used for Darplus West till early 2028.
So we're hoping to maybe I suppose pick it up after this with Marie and work from there and to try and move it fairly quickly from that point.
I suppose that was the only stumbling block that would be required back very shortly.
Which would make it not worthwhile in that way, say for me in wild use.
The Ashtown vegetation move, we are well aware of that one.
That probably, look, it shouldn't have happened to the degree that it did happen.
Go on, sorry, Carl.
Sorry it was a major miscommunication, telecoms department went in it was an emergency situation with cabling and as you said there was flooding in the area.
The cables were being destroyed they went in and they pulled everything out, pulled all the trees out, didn't tell any of us.
We didn't know what was happening either as well as the residents and when we found out we went back to the residents, explained everything.
To bring it up to today I believe there's new trees being planted, there's a new drainage system in place and I'm in regular contact with all the residents in Ashtown at the moment so it has been fixed.
But as you said it shouldn't happen at the first place.
Yeah so we're not going to get everything right but we definitely try to and yeah I suppose that one we've definitely tried to engage as much with the residents from that point on.
Train station at Crow Park I mentioned already.
Ossery Road, so discuss the community garden.
It would be of great benefit to us as well because we've had a lot of issues trying to secure that land as it stands at the minute.
because I suppose we don't, as you pointed out, we're not immediately using it but it will come into use for the Spencer dock station.
I suppose we did a lot of issues towards the end of last year with trespass in that area and stone throwing in tobacco houses.
So we did I suppose several things, we were involved with the guards on it, I think there was some arrest made and that seemed to have helped.
We also had some CCTV mobile towers installed in the area that were monitored
and then we were getting basically calls back to our signal control
and we could respond to them then if there was trespassers on the line.
We also did some fencing repairs in that area and upgrades that and we still have a bit more to do
I suppose to protect some of the houses but I think that has been very quiet since with the residents that have been contacted us.
The back of House of Clondiff Road is absolutely somewhere we can look at.
Clondiff Avenue, sorry.
We can absolutely look at that as part of maybe some veg and fencing upgrades in that area.
The water dripping down at the gym Gavin mural is definitely ours.
So we'll have to take that one. I am from Kildare now so I mightn't be too quick to move it.
But absolutely we can look at that.
It's obviously a challenge with the historic nature of the structures but look we'll absolutely
take a look at that and see if we can improve the situation at our plus West
where it stands currently so it has gone through I suppose there was two initial
consultations with the community there was a statutory consultation ahead of
the railway order application the railway order went in and has been
granted and as I understand it currently there is a judicial review schedule for
this summer and so there's some issues and I think there's two judicial
reviews have been raised against it so that that's where the project stands I
suppose at the moment I suppose in the background and it's at detailed design
stage as well and there would be aspiration to hit the I suppose hit the
ground or start construction work there in 2028 is the current plan and noise
monitoring of works so if we have if we have an area in particular that I suppose
we're aware that we suppose any of the busy residential areas in Dublin to be
fair we'd set up noise monitors and maybe the thresholds there aren't
necessarily in threshold set for our work and in that are and I suppose
mandate comes from the Railway Safety Act and that has I suppose been if what
gives us the power to be in at night and maybe not the construction and I
suppose planning hours don't apply to us currently and the
exact limits I can come back to you and what we do regularly use noise monitors
and we would then if we get complaints use those to try and ascertain what if
it's a piece of equipment that's making a noise is a particular activity and see
what we can do with that and I suppose they would also the detail of their use
and so in the mitigation measures would go to in a noise management plan to DCC
for for the major works and we also have
just give you two more minutes because sorry just to we just running short of
time so sorry to be hurting you no problem no you're fine and so I suppose
that's on the noise.
Pelestown station and some of the issues raised I'll take those away and talk to our RU colleagues.
The locking of the gates and things like that sounds like it should be a... sorry.
RU is the railway undertaking, the train side of the business so I will discuss that with them.
The frequency of night works in North Strand is I suppose a function of the volume of train traffic through that area.
with Connolly station and the access but it is absolutely something we can look at if there's alternative compounds.
And yeah I think that's probably touching on a lot of the points.
I don't know if there's any particular.
I think you mentioned, sorry about noise from rail traffic.
So the works I suppose we carried out at Christmas just gone should have improved the loop line.
So Piers Connolly is to do with the gauge or the distance between the two rails.
We've widened that in the city and there's very limited amounts of screeching now.
So it's something we can look at for other areas when we're carrying out renewals.
And there's also lubrication of the rails and things like that that we can look at.
So we can take those things away.
Thank you very much for your time and your engagement today.
I think we might, if members do a follow up, and I would have loved to have given a little bit more time to this.
but if there is any follow up we might be able to come back to you on a few different issues coming out of the discussion here today.
But thank you very much.
Okay, the next item on the agenda then is Liz Dillon is here who we met before from Air Grid to provide an update.

10 With reference to a presentation from EirGrid.

And again, Liz, I'm very sorry that we are time pressed to this point of the meeting, but if it's possible to keep it as concise as possible we'd be very grateful.
Yeah, no problem at all and this is my colleague Stephen Quinn as well.
So I suppose we were delighted to be able to meet most of you I think it was last September.
We really have listened to everyone's feedback and I'm going to show you some of the draft designs for the proposed substation on East Wall Road.
I'm not going to go through basically, look everybody I think is aware that the grid is under a huge amount of pressure and this is national infrastructure.
and we need security of supply hence why we need to build several substations around the country.
So I'm actually going to go straight in. So as you may know this is the site here for East Wall.
It's on the electricity, the pole field site and we would have had a multi -criteria analysis to
choose this site so there would have been initially about six sites and this
was basically chosen as the best site and available and I suppose people say
well why this site I suppose one of the reasons is the Shelley Banks circuit
basically goes behind it it's also ESB land so it's publicly owned land and
It's a greenfield site and it's owned as industrial.
So we are planning to put in an application later on this summer
and we would hope that this project will be completed by 2028.
So again this is the location and I've just mentioned earlier the reasons why for this location.
So when we would have gone out to public consultation we would have had like a draft
kind of design so this would have been our concept design in June 2024. We got a huge amount of
feedback from the local community so we have fed that feedback into our architects, into our
engineers. So what basically what we are doing is we are reorientated the larger building, the 220,
so that it will be parallel to the port tunnel in order to reduce the noise levels from the
concrete noise enclosure on the M50 boundary wall to reduce the noise level further.
The boundary wall at the East Wall Road will have options that require feedback from both
local residents and DCC on what the finish will be like and there will also be exterior
cladding options and will also require feedback from the residents and Dublin City Council.
So this is such a concept design and the shape of that as well.
I'm going to go down. Oh have you? What I do is I'm just going to keep kind of just speaking
through it if that's okay. So our architects have made a recommendation that we would be
using angular cladding on the building because it basically breaks the building up. This is
done in a lot of buildings in cities.
So that is the reasoning why they are saying that we should be using this angular cladding.
So there's a number of different cladding options available to us and again it's really important that we get feedback from yourselves, the councillors and also the local community.
Some of the options would be copper, steel cladding and ripple steel sheets.
I know recently I was over in the Tallaght area and I saw the District Heating Building and it's basically wrapped in a zinc and it's a green building.
I nearly crashed the car when I saw it because actually it was really beautiful and I'm like oh my goodness this would be great something like this for East Wall Road.
So for the substations, so again we're looking at lots of options. This hasn't been done in Ireland before so this is such, this design would be very different and will actually set a precedence for substations.
Again we are going to go out to the public on the 26th of May.
We will do a leaflet drop, we are actually doing the leaflet drop again ourselves because
when we did it previously a lot of residents said they didn't get the leaflets so we went
and we sent them out again.
So we are actually going to deliver it.
So if anyone said they haven't got it, well we can guarantee you that we did drop them.
So we have three information events, obviously the council are briefing today and then we will meet with any community group or any residents that would like to meet with us and to go through the designs in detail.
I suppose where are we now? We're now in stage five of our six step process so we would like to apply or we intend on applying for planning for this later on this summer as I said.
The timeline is here, basically they would intend to start construction in 2027.
I'm going to hand over to my colleague Stephen who has experience with community murals.
Morning everybody, afternoon at this stage.
Just take you through some ideas maybe for possible community murals or graffiti projects.
Before joining Air Grid I was a youth justice worker in the Dublin 8th and part of the Dublin 12th areas.
So I would have been working with young people who were involved with criminal and anti -social behaviour.
We would have worked closely with Angad Shekana taking referrals through the juvenile liaison officer.
And we were approached by a service in the community who was experiencing a lot of anti -social behaviour and vandalism on the boundary walls of their service.
So many young people were involved in our service.
So we decided that a mural project or graffiti project might be a very effective way to take back the space that was being vandalised.
So we got the young people in and they were involved from the very beginning, the concept stage, all the ideas were theirs.
So the team was kind of overcoming adversity. So the young people in their service, their adversity was disadvantaged.
And the young people in the other service, the service for young people with autism, their adversity was disability.
So you can see there, so Lift Yourself Up was the team that one of the young people came up with themselves
so how do we lift ourselves up over to overcome adversity and some of the ideas that are on the mural was like
family, friends, music, all that kind of stuff. The mural was installed over a weekend and throughout that time
we had loads of members of the community, their family, friends, people working in the community all coming down
kind of saying how great the project was looking how well the lads were doing and
this was really positive because the young people involved in the art project
were really well known and the families would have been really well known in the
community for all the wrong reasons so this is a great opportunity for them to
kind of get positive feedback from from members of the community we also had a
lot of the community guards down and the JLO down and again historically the
young people would have quite negative engagements with the guards and the JLO
so this is another great opportunity for positive engagement with them and Irish -Yakana.
So just some of the benefits from the project was, and from community projects in general,
is it gives a creative way to engage community groups, particularly young people.
It promotes collaboration and inter -agency work between community groups and community members,
youth services and other local services.
And it can reclaim unused urban spaces to be used for positive community engagement,
providing an alternative to antisocial behaviour and illegal graffiti and it can give communities
a voice allowing residents to visually express shared experiences, identities and hopes for the
community. So that Lift Yourself Up was quite a powerful message that was taught up by young
people living in the community. And then from that a number of services reached out to us, so St Michael's
Community Centre and NG Corps were also experiencing a lot of antisocial behaviour and vandalism.
the walls were being graffitied on and windows were being broken which resulted in the shutters being down all day
which didn't give off a very nice image for a community centre.
So again they reached out to us to ask could we do another mural to kind of brighten the building up
and try and address the issues of antisocial behaviour that they were having.
And again really positive engagement from the young people, really successful mural project.
and then that led into St. Patrick's Atlantic contacting us, they saw the success of the other mural projects
Stephen I'm very sorry I am going to have to try to wrap this up in about two minutes just to allow people to have questions
so if you can just make it as quick as possible
So again St. Patrick's let it reach out to us, they wanted to do a mural to celebrate community and to celebrate positivity
and again this is the bottom picture there, what were kind of slogans and images that were taught by the young people in the project.
I actually went out to InjiKore a couple of months ago and the projects were still there,
nearly seven years later that they hadn't been touched, there wasn't even a scribble on them, there was a little bit of damage from weather and stuff,
but I think it shows how well respected the projects were when you bring the communities in and the communities are involved,
chose the level of respect that they had. Unfortunately I think the area's been
regenerated now, I mean a couple of weeks ago the wall was knocked down, but before that they were
really well respected. But it just gives particularly young people in these cases,
but the opportunity for young people and other community members, community groups,
to kind of contribute to their communities in a really positive way. So these could be
options maybe for the boundary wall of the the substation or even for the
hoarding around the site when it's when it's under construction. Thanks.
Okay if we're taking questions I just keep them to 30 seconds if possible.
Do I have any questions? Yeah and just to indicate as well we do normally try to
circulate presentations in advance just because for the capacity for
accessibility so yeah but we can't circulate that now I hope and I'm sure
Liz I know you've made yourself available for questions so if anyone has

11 With reference to an update on Central Parks Street Tree Planting and Park refurbishments.

direct questions I can follow up I'm sure okay thank you very much folks I
appreciate your time okay next item is the Deirdre Prince just for a very quick
greening update. Deirdre, would I hand over?
Oh there we go, thanks. This will be really, really brief because it's really just an update of where we are at the moment.
Can I scoot on on this or do I have to share this?
Can you?
It's not moving on for me.
I'm too impatient.
So basically it's just an update up to the end of April,
kind of beginning of May, of where we are with our current projects.
And what we've completed so far to date.
I know there's something wrong here now maybe.
So this is just projects completed at the end of April 2025.
I just moved, it's moving now yes. Okay and so Capel Street phase two landscape works just
and actually we're just getting the road surfacing completed at the moment so the
planting work is all completed there which is great. Talbot Street greening then is another
project that we were talking about earlier that our Parks Department were involved in.
Alfie Byrne Road, the East Wall Biodiversity Garden which I have an image of here, was completed.
Buckingham Street tree work, replacement works have been completed as well.
And then the Liberty Park outdoor gym area has been completed too.
And then just some street planting schemes which have been completed in the NEIC.
Then Chance Street Place is obviously not, that's across the river.
Summer Street North, Sherrard Avenue, Portland Street, Emmett Street, Ballybok Road, Greening, East Wall Road,
Barstow Road, Summer Hill, Royal Canal, Linear Walk, Popular Row and Seán O 'Casey Gardens.
And then two roads that have been completed now in the last month or two.
It's Beny, the road and Moyer Road up in Stony Batter.
This is moving on my screen so it might just take a minute to get to your...
Yeah. So 2025 projects that are on site at the moment.
So the Royal Canal Bank playground up beside Blessington base and is currently on site.
They're due to complete in a couple of weeks time on that and it'll be very exciting to see a new playground there.
And then the Crescent playground is on site at the moment, it's progressing well.
At the time when I wrote this there was pre -start meetings at the end of April but they have started on site already.
and it should take four to five weeks to complete for that.
So 2025 updates then, just to, when this catches up.
So the story about a greening strategy as I said has been re -initiated
and we've had two streets, Beneathir and Moyra Road completed so far
and Fitzwilliam Place north on Iver Street are going to be going out to tender in the next month or so
so by the end of quarter two anyway, 2025.
Just the pilot Broadstone market that we've been running up in Broadstone seems to be working well
it's on every Wednesday for the moment and we're still trying to initiate the fruit and vegetable market on the Saturday.
Martin Savage Park, the pitch maintenance works are going to be carried out regularly so that's to allow playability on those pitches.
Mount Burner Park, the vegetation area has been cleared for the footpaths and the tenders to be issued shortly for the footpaths works.
and blessington basin we have additional floating islands proposed and we're currently carrying out screening for the ecology
and that wasn't me
blessington basin conservation management plan and we've got the detailed drawings progressing for the conservation works on the main entrance railings
and we're hoping to go to tender for that later this year it'll be amazing to have that done
and then just the blessington basin where we have the dawn chorus happening there by wordwatch ireland on thursday the 22nd of may at 4 .30 in the morning if anybody wants to attend
and then projects, sorry I haven't updated the images on this but Elizabeth Street is out to start in sight in the next month
I'm just awaiting a start date from the contractor.
Sherriff Street Park upgrade, the consultation process is underway as far as I'm aware.
Diamond Park, then we've had additional repair works to the damaged play structure.
But since that has been carried out we've had further anti -social behaviour and damage carried out so we'd have to get that repaired again.
The new gates and railings to Billy Edwards Park, there's a meeting on site in the next few weeks to discuss that.
East Wall Rec Centre, the contractor is to be appointed this month.
And Liberty Park, then there was a plan agreed with stakeholders and final information evening was held.
So works, there's a project, a list of works to be carried out on that and that will involve the closure of the park for a period of the works.
Mountjoy Square then is currently going through internal and external consultation process and developing the part 8 submissions by the end of Q2 this year.
And then further projects proposed, obviously the Cabra Greening Initiative is underway but they're currently working on the community on door to door tree planting projects with Connecting Cabra.
West Road tree planting traffic calming feasibility is to be carried out in the, I think it's quarter three actually that will be carried out.
And then Chez Malier Road biodiversity gardens to be completed as well in 2025.
That's it.

12 With reference to a nomination to the Dublin City Sports and Leisure Services CLG Board.

Okay thanks very much. We actually don't have time for questions at this point because I know there's a lot of people who would have questions on this but I'm hoping we can submit them in writing and I do apologise that we haven't kept time enough for that.
Just regarding, so I might just ask everyone to submit the questions in writing if that's okay to Deirdre.
And just with the last few items on the agenda we've one minute left so can we just take the

14 With reference to The Area Management reports.

area of management's report and the sports in the central area as noted and I'm sorry the tag
tag advisory minutes and we might postpone the nomination or do you want to we do that quickly
if we've got agreement we can do it very quickly. I'm happy to nominate Councillor Gail Ralf. Is
scale Ralph agreed to second that or is there a seconder? One person. Okay maybe we need to postpone that item then
till the next meeting I think we don't have time to bring that to a vote so is that all right?
Okay thanks very much folks and I apologize if we went over time and I think we're due down in
the Docklands Water Sports Centre and is there sandwiches provided? Sandwiches are outside in
the meeting in the members room now so please grab a sandwich quickly and we'll
be down for 1 .15 to start 1 .15 at the Docklands Water Sports Centre