MINUTES OF S0UTH CENTRAL AREA COMMITTEE MEETING
HELD ON 20Th APRIL 2011
ORDUITHE A DEINEADH AN COISTE CHEANTAR AN LARDHEISCIRT
20 AIBREÁN 2011
Matters Arising
The Chairperson and members extended their sympathies to their fellow member, Cllr Ruairi McGinley, on the recent death of his father, Fiachra McGinley, RIP.
325. Minutes of Meeting held on 16th March 2011
Order: Agreed.
326. Questions to Dublin City Manager.
Replies circulated.
327. South Central Area.
(i) Report on proposal to initiate the procedure for the
extinguishment of public right of way over small alcove to
the front of 29 Reginald Street, Dublin 8.
(ii) Allocation of space for Community Gardens at rear of Blarney
Park, Kimmage, Dublin 12.
(iii) Area Manager’s Report.
Order: (i) Agreed.
(ii) Agreed. Recommend to Council.
(iii) The Area Manager informed the Committee of the following: -
1. The new Childcare Centre at Willie Pearse Park opened on Monday, April 18th, and the number of children using the centre will increase on a phased basis over the coming months, with a view to operating at full capacity from September next. Queries can be referred to Claire McEwen, Centre Manager or to the Crumlin Area Office.
2. A collection of white goods was held in the Ballyfermot/ Chapelizod area on April 9th, 2011. It was organised by Dublin City Council’s Community Staff in conjunction with WEEE Ireland and in excess of 10,000 kilos of white goods were collected for recycling. A similar collection was held in the South West Inner City on April 13th and 14th and further collections will be held later in the year across the rest of the area.
3. Harold’s Cross Park will re-open to the public on Friday as repairs to and resurfacing of the footpath network will be completed tomorrow.
4. The ground preparation works, for the allotments in Weaver Square, are almost complete, and we hope to embark on the allocation process in the coming weeks.
5. We expect a handover from the builder of the Bluebell Community centre early next month.
328. Cultural Recreation & Amenities Matters.
(i) Report on South Central Area 2011 Community Grants Scheme.
(ii) Public Library Events for February 2011 – South Central
Area.
Order: (i) Agreed. Recommend to Council.
(ii) Noted.
329. Roads & Traffic Matters
(i) Minutes of Traffic Advisory Group held on the 24th March
2011 in relation to Traffic Matters for the South Central Area.
Order: (i) Noted.
330. Planning and Economic Development Matters
(i) Proposed disposal of a small plot of land adjacent to
29 Reginald Street, Dublin 8.
(ii) Derelict Sites Quarterly Report.
Order: (i) Agreed. Recommend to Council.
(ii) Noted.
PLANNING APPLICATIONS
SOUTH CENTRAL AREA COMMITTEE
20TH APRIL 2011
Planning Applications: -
Application Number / 2375/11Application Type / Permission
Applicant / Vieira Limited
Location / Former Mount Argus Monastery, Kimmage Road Lower, & Mount Argus Avenue, Harold's Cross, Dublin 6W
P / PROTECTED STRUCTURE
Registration Date: / 16th March 2011
5 weeks date: / 20th April 2011
Decision Date: / 10th May 2011
Order: (i) Noted.
DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL
SOUTH CENTRAL AREA COMMITTEE
20th APRIL 2011
The order of business was suspended to deal with the following emergency motion:
Emergency Motion from Cllr. Louise Minihan
That this Area Committee agrees to write to the ESB demanding the removal of the electricity box at the back of the steeples complex in Chapelizod. The local Gardai have said that this box is assisting criminals to enter and exit from the complex, as it is positioned on the main Ballyfermot Road and its removal would go a long way in hindering such activities in the future.
Order: Agreed. Agreed to write to the ESB to request the removal of same.
Motions
331. Councillor Louise Minihan
That this Area Committee call on Dublin Bus to reverse their decision to pull the 78A bus service and replace it with the new 40 bus which is a cross city route from Ballyfermot to Finglas and also call on Dublin Bus to keep the 76 bus as it is a vital service, which has shopping centres, schools and hospitals on its route.
Order: Agreed to write to Dublin Bus and invite them back to the Area Committee.
332. Councillor Ruairi McGinley
That the Area Manager explores the possibility of a skate park in Dublin 8 and that the Area Manager through the Sports Officer bring forward a proposal in this regard.
Order: Report to Councillor.
333. Councillor Brid Smith
The old Lyons Tea Site on Davitt Road was fenced off on the Davitt Road side last year by the City Council. This proved very effective in keeping the site safe. However, recently the site has been broken into by persons unknown via the unused Blindcraft factory and the rear of houses on Carrow/Galtymore Road. This has led to increased anti-social behaviour and insecurity for residents on Kilworth, Carrow and Galtymore Roads. This Area Committee calls on management to secure all the boundary walls of this site by erecting appropriate fencing on the entire perimeter. There is also a need to carry out repairs to damaged fencing on the Davitt Road side of the site and this is urgently required.
Order: Agreed.
334. Councillor Vincent Jackson
That Dublin City Council looks at actions which may be taken to stop the small group who hang about at the rear/ side of Ballyfermot Leisure Centre. It is tragic that this anti-social behaviour is allowed fester in such a public way. We need to employ all the services of the Gardaí, Parks Department and the Community to ensure this practice stops once and for all, why should a few be allowed mess the area up on an ongoing basis.
Order: Report to Councillor.
335. Councillor Pat Dunne
Will the Area Manager ask the Traffic Advisory Group or other relevant bodies to carry out an inspection at the intersection of Larkfield Grove, Larkfield Park and Clareville Road? The road vision when turning from Larkfield Grove onto Clareville Road is impaired due to parked cars adjacent to the school blocking vision. Cars are parked on the footpaths and right up to the intersection at this junction on a daily basis. Can the Area Manager also request the Traffic Advisory Group to suggest solutions to this problem?
Order: Report to Councillor.
336. Councillor Brid Smith
Dublin Bus is carrying out a “consultation” process in areas affected by the cuts to services and the re-routing of some buses. Recently this process involved meetings to cover both Drimnagh and Bulfin Estates. The meetings were held upstairs in the Good Counsel GAA club. Many elderly and disabled residents of Bulfin Estate were unable to attend because of the location. The consultation process was thereby severely flawed. Also in the Ballyfermot area a submission made by the local community to Dublin Bus concerning the effect of the cuts to Ballyfermot has virtually been ignored. This Area Committee views with concern the process of so-called “consultation” by Dublin Bus and calls on the City Council to convey such concerns to Dublin Bus and request a more thorough and suitable process is put in place before any changes are made, in particular to the 76 bus serving Ballyfermot and the 19 bus serving Bulfin Estate.
Order: Agreed to write to Dublin Bus and invite them back to the Area
Committee.
337. Councillor Pat Dunne
Will the Area Manager ask the Road Maintenance Division to carry out repairs to the road surface on Clareville Road? This road from the school to Kenilworth Road is in bad need of repair. There are potholes and uneven surfaces along the length of this road which are causing a safety hazard to cyclists and motorists.
Order: Report to Councillor.
338. Councillor Brid Smith
Following the recent tragic murder of a young man from Davitt Road flats in Drimnagh, the morale of this community has once again been badly damaged. Drimnagh undeservedly continues to receive negative press and continually suffers from being under-resourced. The profile of this community shows a gaping need for resources particularly for younger people. There is no civic centre, only one youth centre, no library, no leisure centre and also a lack of facilities for the elderly. Because of the shelving of the development plan and the Smarter Travel Project, community and residents groups in this area are justified in having a sense of neglect by the Council and the Government.
This Area Committee therefore calls on the City Council to:
(a) fund a special community project for the area in this year 2011, the nature of which could be agreed by convening a meeting of local representatives and local community and residents groups and
(b) seek a meeting with the Department of Transport to establish the status of the Smarter Travel Project with a view to pursuing funding for improvements in the Drimnagh area.
Order: Report noted. Report to all Area Councillors.
339. Councillor Pat Dunne
Will the Area Manager please report on the progress regarding the promised refurbishment to Pearse Park, Crumlin, swimming pool. The main refurbishment to include the building of a reception area, repairs to roof and improvements to the dressing rooms and well as others.
Order: Report noted. Report to Councillor.
340. Councillor Brid Smith
This Area Committee calls on the Area Manager to ensure that the rotation of Councillors’ positions on the Drimnagh Area Integrated Development Plan Committee is implemented as agreed.
Order: Agreed. The Committee elected the following Councillors to the
Drimnagh IAP Monitoring Committee on a rotational basis (annually from April): Cllr. Louise Minihan, Cllr. Brid Smith, Cllr. Pat Dunne & Cllr. Henry Upton.
Councillor Brid Smith was elected Chairperson.
,341. Councillor Pat Dunne
That this Area Committee welcomes the brilliant effort of the people of Drimnagh and Dublin City Council for the excellent work put into Lansdowne Valley Park and requests the Area Manager in conjunction with the Lansdowne Valley campaign, the Drimnagh Network and Residents Association organise an opening day in the Summer in May/June. The brilliant effort of the people and the Council in its redevelopment should be celebrated and it could be linked into the local schools to make them aware that it is open for the children as part of their eco studies.
Order: Report noted.
342. Councillor Brid Smith
This Area Committee welcomes the allocation of funding for emergency sanitary facilities in Labre Park. We wish to thank the Area Manager for her intervention in this matter. However, given that the funding was allocated for “emergency” services, we view with concern the slow pace of progress in the provision of the agreed services. We call on the Area Manager to ensure that the provision of the sanitary units in Labre Park is pursued without further delay.
Order: Report noted. Report to Councillor and report to Cllr. Críona Ní
Dhalaigh.
Councillor Clare Byrne
Chairperson
21st April 2011.
Attendance
Apologies:
Cllr. R. McGinley & Cllr. V. Jackson
Councillors:
Cllr. C. Byrne, Cllr. P. Dunne, Cllr. J. Gallagher, Cllr. S. Howes, Cllr. R. Moynihan, Cllr. L. Minihan, Cllr. C. Ní Dhálaigh, Cllr. M. O’Sullivan, Cllr. B. Smith & Cllr. H. Upton..
Officials:
Maire Twomey, Area Manager, South Central Area;
Sean Moloney, Assistant Area Manager, Ballyfermot Area Office;
Bruce Phillips, Assistant Area Manager, Kilmainham & Liberties Area Office;
Kay Noonan Cork, Area Housing Manager, Liberties area Office;
Declan Ronan, Area Housing Manager, Crumlin Area Officer;
John Behan, Area Housing Manager, Ballyfermot Area Office;
Rosemary Gibbons, Senior Executive Planner, Planning Department;
Fidelma Fahey, Executive Planner, Planning Department;
Sally Reddington, Senior Executive Engineer, Traffic Department;
John Durkan, Asst. Community Dev. Officer, Community Development;
Gerry Bowe, Senior Architect, South Central Area;
Paul Crowe, Senior Staff Officer, Derelict Sites Section;
Brian Lyons, Senior Staff Officer, Crumlin Area Office;
Catherina Benson, Administrative Officer, Liberties Area Office;
Dominic Hession, Act. Asst. Staff Officer, South Central Office;