Agenda and minutes

Attached herewith.

Order: Agreed

Attached herewith.

Order: Noted.

Attached herewith.  Will Mangan, Maire Nic Reamoinn, Catalin Rosca.

Order: Noted.

September report attached herewith.

Order: Noted.

Report attached herewith.  Gareth Rowan

Order: Noted.

Attached herewith. 

Order: Agreed.

Report attached herewith.   Lynda Drysdale.

Order: Agreed.

Order: Agreed.

Niamh Reilly/Natasha Bagnall

Order: Agreed.

Ludovic Beaumont

Order: Noted.

Verbal report.  Jeremiah Moore.

Order: Noted.

Verbal report.  Ray Yeates/Kelly Hickey

Order: Noted. 

Deputy Lord Mayor Donna Cooney nominated to committee processing Arts Grants.

Attached herewith.

Order: Noted

Derek Farrell/Mick Carroll

Order:  Noted.

Attached herewith.  Derek Farrell, Mick Carroll.

Order:  Noted.

Report attached herewith.

Order:  Noted.

The Area Committee recognises the development of several data centres in the wider Coolock area over recent years; believes the local area is an appropriate location for a new district heating scheme; therefore, we call on Dublin City Council to commit to establishing a new district heating system for the Coolock area.

The Area Committee recognises the development of several data centres in the wider Coolock area over recent years; believes the local area is an appropriate location for a new district heating scheme; therefore, we call on Dublin City Council to commit to establishing a new district heating system for the Coolock area.

Report:

Codema, on behalf of DCC, has mapped the heat demand and heat sources in Dublin City. The heat demand maps[1], and heat sources map[2] are both publicly available using the links provided in the footnotes below.

Figure 1: Coolock Area Heat Demand Density Mapping

Coolock has been identified as an area that is generally feasible for district heating based on its heat demand density as shown in Figure 1 and as indicated, several data centres have also been mapped in close proximity to this heat demand as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2: Coolock Area Heat Source Mapping

However, to establish if a district heating scheme would be viable, a full techno-economic feasibility study would be required. This study would confirm technical viability and whether the proposal would be economically competitive with other low carbon heating alternatives in the area i.e., is the cost of heat competitive with individual air source heat pumps etc.

One point to note is that it is often cost prohibitive to retrofit existing data centres with heat recovery technologies. On this basis, part of a feasibility study would need to establish if it is viable to recover heat at data centres that are already developed. For future data centres, which are in development or planning, early engagement with the developers is crucial to ensure that waste heat recovery is considered in the design.

It is also noted that under the new recast Energy Efficiency Directive (EU) 2023/1782 (EED), data centre operators will be obliged to monitor, gather and report prescribed information and key performance indicators set out in the regulations to the European database by 15 September 2024, by 15 May 2025, and each subsequent year. It is hoped that the EED will improve the performance of data centres in reducing energy and water consumption as well as the use of waste heat, on and off-site.

DCC are currently focused on delivering the Dublin District Heating Project (DDHP) in the Poolbeg and Docklands Areas but the overall vision for the city is to expand district heating to feasible areas, to provide cost effective and low carbon heat to homes and businesses. 

Contact: Karen Kennedy

Tel:                

Email: Karen.kennedy@dublincity.ie       

Order:  Agreed

That this area committee asks that the Director of Services to revisit the entrance to Haverty Road, Dublin 3 from Marino Mart/Marino Park Avenue from a design perspective. Whilst the closure of the road to rat running is welcome and has been very successful, the means of doing so is very makeshift in appearance and residents would like a design solution implemented which adds to the appearance of the area and is more permanent in nature.

That this area committee asks that the Director of Services to revisit the entrance to Haverty Road, Dublin 3 from Marino Mart/Marino Park Avenue from a design perspective. Whilst the closure of the road to rat running is welcome and has been very successful, the means of doing so is very makeshift in appearance and residents would like a design solution implemented which adds to the appearance of the area and is more permanent in nature.

Report:

The entrance to Haverty Road, Dublin 3 from Marino Mart / Marino Park Avenue is currently being assessed. As soon as a decision is made the Councillors will be informed.

Contact:         Will Mangan. 

Email:             william.mangan@dublincity.ie       

Order: Agreed

That this area committee agrees on the need for a full traffic safety assessment of the junction between St Aidan’s Park Road and Haverty Road/Carleton Road. Despite stop signs at the junction following the shops, traffic progressing through St Aidan’s Park Road through this junction does not stop coming from either direction. Physical measures are needed to ensure traffic stops and safety is prioritised.

That this area committee agrees on the need for a full traffic safety assessment of the junction between St Aidan’s Park Road and Haverty Road/Carleton Road. Despite stop signs at the junction following the shops, traffic progressing through St Aidan’s Park Road through this junction does not stop coming from either direction. Physical measures are needed to ensure traffic stops and safety is prioritised.

Report:

This request (Enquiry Ref: 7041961) will be referred to the Area Engineer for assessment and report to the Transport Advisory Group for their consideration.

The Councillor will then be informed of the final recommendations of the Transport Advisory Group.

Contact: Catalin Rosca

Email: Catalin.rosca@dublincity.ie

Order: Agreed

That this North Central Area Committee calls for the establishment of a "Santry - DCC & Fingal Working Group", that meets at a minimum twice a year, with membership comprised of public representatives and officials from the Artane-Whitehall and Ballymun-Finglas LEAs of Dublin City Council and the Swords LEAs of Fingal County Council.

That this North Central Area Committee calls for the establishment of a "Santry - DCC & Fingal Working Group", that meets at a minimum twice a year, with membership comprised of public representatives and officials from the Artane-Whitehall and Ballymun-Finglas LEAs of Dublin City Council and the Swords LEAs of Fingal County Council.

Report:

Should the motion be agreed, the City Council will write to Fingal Co Co to see if they are willing to participate in such a Group.

Contact: Richard Shakespeare

Order: Agreed

That this North Central Area Committee calls upon the Director of Services to explain the rationale for converting bus lanes around Clarehall Avenue and Hole in the Wall Road from 12 hour bus lanes to 24 hour bus lanes.

That this North Central Area Committee calls upon the Director of Services to explain the rationale for converting bus lanes around Clarehall Avenue and Hole in the Wall Road from 12 hour bus lanes to 24 hour bus lanes.

Report:

                        Dublin City Council's policy is to continue promoting the modal shift from private car use to increased use of more sustainable forms of transport, such as active mobility and public transport as referenced multiple times in Chapter 8 of the Dublin City Council development plan.

The bus priority team is reviewing bus lane operational hours throughout the city and intends to extend them where possible.

Route 15 operates 24 hours a day from Clongriffin Train Station to the City Centre and beyond and will benefit from the 24-hour bus lanes.

Some of the benefits of operating the bus lane on a 24-hour basis include:

·         Improved bus speed and reliability.  

·         Increased public transport ridership.

·         It’s safer for cyclists who sometimes share the bus lane.

·         The 24-hour operation makes it more evident to other road users when the bus lane is operating.

·         Improved ability to enforce.

For the bus lane changes around Clarehall Avenue and Hole in the Wall Road, the bus priority team proposed these changes to the Transport Advisory Group (TAG) in April 2024.

TAG approved these measures at their 28^th May 2024 meeting.

The North Central Area Committee noted the TAG report at the meeting on 15^th May 2024.

An Garda Síochána then reviewed the measures and approved them.

The manager's orders were signed off on 24^th July 2024.

The signs were then changed on 19^th August 2024, and warning signs were erected to warn motorists of these changes.

Contact:         Niall Bolger, Acting Senior Exec ITS Officer        

Tel:                 01 222 5271               

Email:             niall.bolger@dublincity.ie

Order: Agreed

That the North Central Area Committee calls on the Active Travel Programme Office, the Manager and the Chief Executive to overturn the recent changes made to the plan for the Sybil Hill Road section of the Gracefield Road to Vernon Avenue Walking and Cycling Scheme. The plan has been changed in such a way as to impede active travel. The planners have introduced unnecessary complications and obstructions for reasons that have nothing to do with encouraging people to cycle.

The original plan involved a 2.6km cycle lane on either side of the road. Now, the Sybil Hill Road section of the route - and only that section - is to be a two-lane cycleway for a few hundred metres on one side of the road. This section passes opposite St Paul's College and will now require children coming to school by bicycle from Brookwood Avenue and the Howth Road to cross over Sybil Hill Road twice in the space of 180 metres. This increases the dangers for children cycling to school. Students at St Paul's will take the obvious option of simply not using the two-way cycle path and staying on the road.

Further, a cyclist at the proposed junction with Vernon Avenue, where the two-way cycleway is to return to one-way on either side of the road, will meet a junction with at least four traffic light phases. One of these phases will be for cyclists seeking to return from the two-way cycle path back across to the one-way path. If a cyclist instead stays on the main road he or she will maintain right of way and minimise the chances of being detained for a long period waiting for a cycle traffic light to allow them to cross back over the road and continue on their way. Obviously this is the option most cyclists will choose.

The original plan proposed a "parking-protected" cycle lane at St Anne's Park. This meant the cycle lane was to run between the footpath and parked cars. It is far more likely a cyclist would use such a cycleway rather than criss-cross the road over a short distance to go from single-lane to two-lane and back again. The reasons given for the changes to the plan refer to neither research nor best practice. The North Central Area Committee calls for a return to the original plan.

Motion was withdrawn by Councillor Monahan pending a report from the Active Travel Office.

That the Area Manager organise for an urgent inspection and repair of the floodlights on the Astro pitch in Donaghmede Park so that our younger citizens can continue to train and play there during the winter months.

That this North Central Area Committee calls upon the Director of Services to organise for an urgent inspection and repair of the floodlights on the Astro pitch in Donaghmede Park so that our younger citizens can continue to train and play there during the winter months.

Report;

Parks are currently liaising with Public Lighting colleagues with a view to having the facility repaired and available for winter training in the coming weeks.

Contact:          Fergus O’Carroll, Senior Executive Parks Superintendent

            Contact No:     01 222 6625

Email:              parks@dublincity.ie

Order: Agreed

That this North Central Area Committee notes that residents of Gracefield Road and Brookwood Avenue are unhappy with the proposed number of parking bays outside residences along the route of the Gracefield Road to Vernon Avenue Walking and Cycling Scheme and calls for the inclusion of additional parking bays to be added to the scheme design that would be commensurate with current parking capacity, and that this be communicated to residents, before the project goes to the tender stage.

That this North Central Area Committee notes that residents of Gracefield Road and Brookwood Avenue are unhappy with the proposed number of parking bays outside residences along the route of the Gracefield Road to Vernon Avenue Walking and Cycling Scheme and calls for the inclusion of additional parking bays to be added to the scheme design that would be commensurate with current parking capacity, and that this be communicated to residents, before the project goes to the tender stage.

Report

It is proposed to create  sixteen areas that will facilitate parking along sections of the route. These will be at various locations along Gracefield Road and Brookwood Avenue. Providing additional locations for parking would be unreasonable, as it would require removal of trees and utility infrastructure.

Residents should also note the option of converting their front garden to a driveway under the standard Dublin City Council planning requirements and processes. Converting a front garden into a driveway should only be undertaken where there is sufficient space, good visibility when entering and exiting the driveway and no major obstructions such as trees. If a resident requires more information on the planning requirements for converting their driveway they can contact the DCC Planning Department at  planning@dublincity.ie. Furthermore DCC provides Housing Adaption Grants for people with a disability for converting a driveway.

Order: Deferred pending meeting with Active Travel Office.

That the North Central Area Committee requests an onsite meeting with the residents of Richmond road (from Grace park road to Drumcondra road), with the North Central area management, public domain, parks, traffic engineers, active travel team and local councillors, as we support their request for a liveable street, safer, quieter, more greenery,  including placemaking designs options with social spaces, rainscapes, climate-resilient, newly designation as a local road, rather then arterial route,, reduce the traffic, the speed, look at possibility of temporary filtered permeability from Grace park road to Drumcondra road and connected biodiversity corridors from the local parks and Tolka river.

That the North Central Area Committee requests an onsite meeting with the residents of Richmond road (from Grace park road to Drumcondra road), with the North Central area management, public domain, parks, traffic engineers, active travel team and local councillors, as we support their request for a liveable street, safer, quieter, more greenery,  including placemaking designs options with social spaces, rainscapes, climate-resilient, newly designation as a local road, rather then arterial route, reduce the traffic, the speed, look at possibility of temporary filtered permeability from Grace park road to Drumcondra road and connected biodiversity corridors from the local parks and Tolka river.

Report:

The Transport Advisory Group produced a report on the Health and Safety concerns at the Western End of Richmond Road. This report was circulated to members (Elected Members, Area Office, Residents), and a subsequent meeting was held at the Coolock Area Office, Bunratty Road to discuss.

Following the above, the Transport Advisory Group has proposed and installed a Pay & Display/Permit Parking (P&D/PP) scheme on Richmond Road, between Drumcondra Road and Grace Park Road, in order to mitigate traffic and safety issues.

Considering the above, the Transport Advisory Group have no other plans for works in this area and will continue to assess the area.

Contact: Catalin Rosca – North Central Area Engineer  

E-mail: catalin.rosca@dublincity.ie

A site meeting will be arranged in the coming weeks with the Area Office initially to gain an understanding of the wishes of local residents.

Mick Carroll Area Manager.

Order: Agreed