July2012Monthly Meeting,Dunshaughlin Area Office,9.30Monday 2 July 2012
Outgoing Cathaoirleach Cllr. Niamh McGowan presided until duly elected Cllr. Noel Leonard took the chair.
Other Members Present:
Cllrs. Joe Bonner,Brian Fitzgerald, Nick Killian,Gerry O’Connor, Maria Murphy
Officials Present:
Brendan McGrath, Area Manager; Emmanuel Mwadiwa, Area Engineer;Mary Harrington, Assistant Staff Officer; Sarah Lynch, Executive Planner;Paul Monahan, Area Administrator
Paul Monahan advised the Members / Officials of the provisions of Part 15 of the L.G. Act 2001 and the code of conduct for Members, Officials and non-elected Council Committee Members regarding declarable interests of themselves and of any connected person. Each individual has a responsibility to comply and the Ethics Officer has a duty to ensure compliance with these statutory requirements.
1.0Election of Cathaoirleach
Outgoing Cathaoirleach, Cllr. Niamh McGowanthanked the members, Area Manager and staff for their help throughout theyear. She then called for nominations to the chair.
Cllr. Murphy was proposed by Cllr. O’Connor and seconded by Cllr. McGowan.
Cllr. Leonard was proposed by Cllr. Killian and seconded by Cllr.Fitzgerald.
A roll call vote resulted as follows:
Cllr. LeonardCllr. Murphy.
Cllr. McGowan
Cllr. Fitzgerald
Cllr. Killian
Cllr. Leonard
Cllr. Bonner
Cllr. Murphy
Cllr. O’Connor
43
Result:
Councillor Leonard – 4
Councillor Murphy - 3
Councillor Noel Leonard was declared elected by the Area Administrator and took the Chair.
Cllr. Leonard thanked his proposer, seconder, and the members for their vote of confidence in him. He also paid tribute to Cllr. McGowan for the fair manner in which she discharged her duties as Cathaoirleach.
Paul Monahan, on behalf of the Area Manager and staff, congratulated Cllr. Leonard on his election and also thanked Cllr. McGowanfor the objective manner she discharged her duties as Cathaoirleach.
2.0Confirmation of Minutes of the following meeting
2.1June2012 monthly meeting held Monday 18th June 2012.
On the proposal of Cllr. Murphy seconded by Cllr. Killianthe members confirmed the minutes of theJune 2012 monthly meeting held Monday 18 June 2012.
3.0Matters arising from the minutes
The members raised the following issues:
- Decision by RatoathJuniorPrimary School to bring forward its starting time to 8.50am from 9.20am. The members agreed this would exacerbate existing traffic congestion in the area and requested that the Road Safety Officer write to the School Principal and Board of Management of the Junior and SeniorPrimary Schoolsoutlining their concerns. They agreed that all future school projects should encompass adequate infrastructure especially in relation to car parking
- Immediate removal of dangerous material on path along Summerhill Rd, Dunboyne.
- Removal of all graffiti at Ashbourne playground and MilleniumPark before a planned event at the playground on Saturday 14 July 2012. The Area Engineer said the contractor would complete the works within the next 2 weeks.
4.0Expressions of Sympathy and Congratulations
Sympathy was extended to:
- Cllr. O’Connor on the death of his father in law.
- Family of John Ward former Councillor
Congratulations were extended to:
- Caroline Reid on her record breaking success on the Wicklow Way run
- Dunshaughlin Athletic Club on the successful running of the 33rd annual Michael Manning Memorial 10 km Road Race on Saturday 23 June 2012
5.0To consider matters in respect of Protocol Committee in relation to:
5.1Planning
On the proposal of Cllr.Noel Leonard seconded by Cllr.Nick Killian, the members agreed to go into committee to discuss this item.
Cllr. Leonard
DA/120552 For
DA/120502 For
DA/111097 Against
DA/120487 For
Cllr. Killian
DA/111010 Concerns
DA/120416 For
DA/111158 For
DA/120410 For
Da/111097 Against
Da/120479 Concerns
DA/120465 For
DA/120587 For
DA/120523 Against
Cllr. Murphy
DA/120552 For
DA/120487 For
DA/120528 For
DA/120523 Against
Cllr. O’Connor
DA/120444 For
DA/120416 For
DA/120528 For
Cllr. McGowan
DA/120487 Concerns
DA/120523 For
Cllr. Fitzgerald
DA/ 120315 For
DA/120463 Concerns
DA/111158 For
DA/120440 For
DA/120484 For
DA/120485 For
DA/120479 Concerns
DA/120487 For
DA/120528 For
DA/120514 For
6.0Report on Matters raised at the June 2012 meeting
The members received, noted a report on the above, and raised the following queries:
- Provision of bollards and footpath repairs outside Paddy Powers, Dunboyne.
- Request that the proposed works on Main Street, Ratoath not be carried out in November or December
- Provision of improvement works at the Tesco junction, and road lining on Main Street, Ashbourne.
- Removal of misleading signage on the Lagore Road as a matter of urgency.
- Proper installation of ill-fitting doors at Kilbreena, Dunboyne.
- Date for tour of water tower fixed for Tuesday 24th July at 2.30pm. The members requested that a plaque be erected on the site and that the matter of an official opening be referred to Corporate Services.
- The Area Manager answered a query in relation to the appointment of consultants.
7.0Matters raised with the permission of the Cathaoirleach
Cllr. Killian
- Grass cutting to improve visibility and sight lines required at junctions especially on local roads leading on to regional roads.
- Clarification of members’ role in the review of speed limits. The Area Manager advised the members that the making of speed limits was a reserved function and Department guidelines, engineers and Gardai recommendations would inform the process. Development boundary is critical in determining speed limits. The matter was down for discussion at the Full Council meeting later that afternoon.
- Threshold for rent supplement at €550 was too low for the Dunshaughlin Area and not sufficient to cover rent.
- Growing issue of dog waste in Ratoath and requested a public awareness day in the town similar to one held recently in Trim.
- Difficulty in accessing Rathbeggan cemetery as gates are permanently locked and access is by appointment only.
- Roundabouts in Ashbourne in very poor condition – broken brickwork and overgrown foliage need to be addressed
Cllr. McGowan
- Requested thatthe bond held on ColdricksPass estate be used to finish works as the developer was in liquidation
- Wooden structure at rear of house in Rath Lodge, Ashbourne a cause for concern on fire safety grounds.
- Smoke detectors and emergency lighting not working in Regents Hall, Ashbourne.
- Whether the Dog Warden has authority in private estates and could a leaflet drop be arranged for the residents in the Briars, Ashbourne advising dog owners of their obligations.
- Grass cutting at junction of Hunters Lane, Ashbourne
Cllr. Bonner
- Flooding at Deerpark, Ashbourne
- Provision of a safe crossing at CastlePark, Garden City
- Grass cutting should be carried out regularly
- Update on refurbishment works for Main Street, Ashbourne
- Removal of fire extinguishers at Killegland apartments
- Spraying of grass at roundabouts as an alternative to cutting
Cllr. Murphy
- Growing problem of dog litter and erection of additional signage highlighting issue
- Implication if any on changes in signing on procedure for rent allowances
- Removal of stop sign at Primatestown traffic lights
- Agreed that rent allowance was a long way short of the actual cost of renting accommodation in the Dunshaughlin Area
- Hedge cutting needed at Blackbush
Cllr. O’Connor
- Agreed that rent allowance was a long way short of the actual cost of renting accommodation in the Dunshaughlin Area
- Hedge cutting needed at Blackbush
- The road to RathbegganLakesoff the R147 is very narrow and access is made more difficult by residents on the road placing flower boxes, stones, signs etc on the grass verges outside their properties.
- What funds are available for Dunshaughlin Courthouse
Cllr. Fitzgerald
- Potholes onColistown Road need repair
- Timeframe for removal of banks/hedging at Blackhall, Dunboyne
- Junction at MulhusseySchool needs road markings and new junction layout should be considered
- Proper crossing needed at KilmessanSchool
- Expressed support for Pride of Place project being carried out in Kilmessan
Cllr. Leonard
- Grass Cutting needed in DunboynePark on a more regular basis
- Danger posed by wet grass on footpaths
- Potholes at Blackhall Little, Dunboyne, on Cul de Sac off Porterstown Lane
- Difficulty in accessing RathbegganCemeterydue to locked gate
- Resurfacing of Kennedy Rd(Brady’s lane)
- Road surface on Pace Interchange
- Unsightly state of Council lands beside Mennolly Homes development in Dunboyne
- Unsightly state of watercourse between CastlePark, Maynooth Road and Larchfield.
The Area Manager advised the members as follows - the Dog Warden has authority in private estates; the stop sign is at Primatestown traffic lights as the lights occasionally are out of action; a letter will issue to the people who hold the key to Rathbeggan cemetery requesting information on access; the public road is the area between ditches and it is illegal to place obstructions on the verges prohibiting the free flow of traffic, in the autumn the Council will embark on a campaign to remove all such obstacles from the public road; there is no funding for lanes in the Roadworks Programme; there is no budget for open spaces / roundabout maintenance and grass cutting; the limited amount of maintenance and grass cutting has to be funded from the overall roads budget; the NRA intends to extend its remit on road maintenance; the Council will try and expand the sponsored maintenance scheme for roundabouts but must comply with NRA guidelines on signage; the Council will spend 20% less this year than it did in 2009 and this reduction was impacting across the entire spectrum of services provided by the Council.
8.0Correspondence / Items raised
Nothing raised.
There being no further business the meeting ended at 12.10pm
MinutesJuly 2012 meeting 020712 Page 1of6
Meath County Council, Dunshaughlin Civic Offices, Drumree Road, Dunshaughlin, CountyMeath