Agenda and minutes

(Report herewith)

Order:  Agreed

The Chairperson thanked the Staff of the North Central Area for their continued efforts during the pandemic.

Cllr. Hemmings announced his resignation as a Councillor and Cllr Heney wished him well in the future.

(Report herewith)

Order: Noted

Fidelma Fahey (powerpoint)

Order: Cllr Lyons sought clarification on who requested rezoning at this location. Agreed that variation to go to City Council in the future and that NCAC to be kept informed of status and any further consultations.

Fergus O’Carroll (Report herewith)

Order:  Report noted.  NCAC agreed that this be included as an item on a future Agenda (physical meeting). 

Fergus O’Carroll to update Councillors with regard to the cycle / pedestrian structure of the Causeway with signage information to remind cyclists to slow down. (During Covid)

Derek Farrell (Report herewith)

Order: Noted. 

Elaine Mulvenny (Report herewith)

Order: Noted

(Report herewith)

Order: Agreed.  Refer to City Council.

Elaine Mulvenny (Report herewith)

Order: Agreed.

(Report herewith)

Order: Noted. 

Update report on Millwood Court to be forwarded to the Councillors

Update report on Laurence Lands to be forwarded to the Councillors 

Update report on Bunratty Road to be forwarded to the Councillors

(Report herewith)

Order: Noted

Richard Cleary/Dympna McCann (Report herewith)

Order: Noted.

(Report herewith)

Order: Noted.

(Report herewith)

Order: Noted.

§  Grass Cutting Contract

§  Mapping exercise/Presentation on all SHD’s and Planning applications from 2019 – 2020 in the Dublin 9

§  Discretionary

§  Edenmore Pitch and Putt Course

§  Jack Nolan Report

§  Aggressive Strategy to identify / Prosecute perpertrators of illegal dumping

§  Update on industrial dumping – Belcamp

That this Area Office would adopt an ecology-first approach to managing vegetation in the public space as our Area is indeed an integral and ecologically significant component of coastal habitat within the Dublin Bay Biosphere. This approach, in-line with the City Biodiversity Plan, would ensure that actions taken by all divisions of DCC, including Parks, Traffic and Public Realm, would maintain and trim vegetation providing ecosystem services, rather than undertake complete / near complete removal of vegetated areas supporting local populations of species and helping nature during a biodiversity crisis.  By way of an example, I raised a relevant issue previously concerning the removal of trees along the James Larkin Road cycle path, which had been providing important feeding habitat to birds, including finch species before its removal. That habitat is no longer available to species and will not be for a number of years because an ecology-first approach was not taken to vegetation management at the time.

That this Area Office would adopt an ecology-first approach to managing vegetation in the public space as our Area is indeed an integral and ecologically significant component of coastal habitat within the Dublin Bay Biosphere. This approach, in-line with the City Biodiversity Plan, would ensure that actions taken by all divisions of DCC, including Parks, Traffic and Public Realm, would maintain and trim vegetation providing ecosystem services, rather than undertake complete / near complete removal of vegetated areas supporting local populations of species and helping nature during a biodiversity crisis.  By way of an example, I raised a relevant issue previously concerning the removal of trees along the James Larkin Road cycle path, which had been providing important feeding habitat to birds, including finch species before its removal. That habitat is no longer available to species and will not be for a number of years because an ecology-first approach was not taken to vegetation management at the time.

Reply:

DCC Parks Service have not found any information or reference to an 'ecology first ' approach to land management (Google search 8 May 2020) nor is there such a reference in the Biodiversity Action Plan.  However, the conservation of local ecology is a guiding principle in all land management decisions undertaken by the Parks Service. 

No trees or shrubs were removed from the location as part of the works referred to above.  Rather some woody vegetation (mostly self-sown buddleia) that was interfering with the public footpath which resulted in pedestrians having to walk onto the dedicated cycle lane to avoid these bushes was cut back to its base on safety grounds outside of the bird nesting season.   The Buddleia is growing in the rock armour between the public path and the intertidal zone of Dublin Bay.  This works is carried out every 2-3 years because the Buddleia grows back so quickly.  Buddleia is an invasive, self-seeding, non-native shrub; cultivated varieties of which are widely planted in gardens as it attracts butterflies, and other species.  It is widespread in Dublin. 

Finches are among the most common garden birds in Dublin, and the cutting back of buddleia at this location is unlikely to have a measurably negative impact.

Coilín O’Reilly

Director of Services

North City

Contact:           Fergus O’Carroll, Senior Executive Parks Superintendent

Email:              parks@dublincity.ie

Order: Report to Councillor