Agenda and minutes

Attached herewith.

Order: Agreed.

Attached herewith.

Order: Noted 

Attached herewith.   Will Mangan, Máire Nic Réamoinn, Catalin Rosca

Order: Noted. 

Attached herewith.

Order: Noted.  

Report attached herewith.   Will Mangan

 Order: Noted.

Report attached herewith.   Bronagh Corry

Order: Agreed. 

Report and Map attached herewith.  Cathy Cassidy.

Order: Agreed. 

Report and map attached herewith.   Cathy Cassidy

Order: Agreed. 

Report and map attached herewith.  Lynda Drysdale

Order: Agreed, subject to use of the name in Irish.

Report attached herewith.   Fergal Scally

Order: Noted. 

Fergus O’Carroll.

Order: Noted. 

Area Managers’ Reports.  Derek Farrell and Mick Carroll.

Order: Noted. 

Attached herewith.

Order: Noted. 

The North Central Area Committee would like to see a meeting between the council management in the area, the Marino and Clontarf Residents Associations and the owners of the Westwood gym to address ongoing issues relating to traffic at the entrance. Notwithstanding measures to date, the backing up of traffic at the entrance to the gym is problematic for the bus lane/public transport and for pedestrians and cyclists and a solution needs to be agreed to tackle this ongoing problem

The North Central Area Committee would like to see a meeting between the council management in the area, the Marino and Clontarf Residents Associations and the owners of the Westwood gym to address ongoing issues relating to traffic at the entrance. Notwithstanding measures to date, the backing up of traffic at the entrance to the gym is problematic for the bus lane/public transport and for pedestrians and cyclists and a solution needs to be agreed to tackle this ongoing problem.

Report

Westwood Gym is currently developing a new Traffic Management Plan for the gym which aims at improving traffic flow on Clontarf Road to-and-from the gym car-park. The next step involves the submission and review of this plan by the Dublin City Council Traffic section.

An on-site meeting with Residents and the owners of the Westwood Gym can be arranged when a clear agenda is established, proposed solutions have been presented in advance, and there is a reasonable expectation of a positive outcome. It is important to note that the solutions outlined above should be implemented before any on-site meeting will be considered.

Contact: Catalin Rosca – North Central Area Engineer 

Email: catalin.rosca@dublincity.ie  

Order: Agreed.  

For many residents in the Clonshaugh/Priorswood area, the local shops on Conshaugh Avenue are a much needed amenity at the heart of the community. Unfortunately, the shop fronts and carpark have become an eye sore for the residents and a space they do not feel safe in.

 I call on Dublin City Council to address these concerns by:

1. Identifying and contacting the owner to highlight the concerns of the residents.

2. To have the wall surrounding the car park reconstructed.

3. Maintain the carpark.

4 To fit a pedestrian access – there is no footpath or marked walkway from Clonshaugh Avenue across the carpark to the shops or the local Scout Den.

5. To maintain the lighting so it is lit after dark.

6. To address the overflowing bins and recycling centre which is rarely emptied leaving bags of clothes, and bottles strewn on the ground.

For many residents in the Clonshaugh/Priorswood area, the local shops on Conshaugh Avenue are a much needed amenity at the heart of the community. Unfortunately, the shop fronts and carpark have become an eye sore for the residents and a space they do not feel safe in.

 I call on Dublin City Council to address these concerns by:

1. Identifying and contacting the owner to highlight the concerns of the residents.

2. To have the wall surrounding the car park reconstructed.

3. Maintain the carpark.

4 To fit a pedestrian access – there is no footpath or marked walkway from Clonshaugh Avenue across the carpark to the shops or the local Scout Den.

5. To maintain the lighting so it is lit after dark.

6. To address the overflowing bins and recycling centre which is rarely emptied leaving bags of clothes, and bottles strewn on the ground.

Report

The Area Manager will attempt to source the contact details of the owner of these premises with a view to discussing the issues raised by residents and councillors. 

Contact: Derek Farrell, Area Manager

email:   derek.farrell@dublincity.ie

Moatview Fairfield Group litter pick this location on a daily basis.

Contact: Richard Cleary, Public Domain Officer

email:  richard.cleary@dublincity.ie

Bottle banks at Priorswood are monitored and cleaned on a daily basis by the service provider, and are emptied regularly. The clothes banks on site do not form part of Dublin City Council’s textile recycling service. Waste Management Services removed its clothes recycling facility from this site several years ago due to ongoing illegal dumping. Since that time, Waste Management Services has removed unauthorised banks from this site on multiple occasions, and will continue to do so.

Contact: Sid Daly, Public Domain Officer

mail:  sid.daly@dublincity.ie

Order: Agreed.  

That the North Central Area Committee calls on the Manager install roadside bollards on Watermill Road, Raheny, from Watermill Lawn to The Village / Bettyglen, to ensure cars do not park on the grass and among the trees. This practice has increased significantly over the years to the extent that cars park in this area most days. In doing so cars illegally cross the footpath, creating serious risk for pedestrians at busy times when the path is most in use. Further, there is already a tree preservation order for trees on the same road (see page 45 of the Dublin Tree Strategy), which is indicative of the importance of the trees in this area adjacent to the park.

Page 53 of the Dublin City Tree Strategy notes: “Damage to tree roots by severance or soil compaction can have a detrimental impact on the tree’s ability to absorb the essential water and nutrients needed by the tree to survive. Severance or damage to larger woody roots can also compromise the tree’s stability, leading to potential wind-throw.” Such soil compaction could be caused by the regular movement of large vehicles in this area.

Further, the National Roads Authority guidelines on the protection of trees note at page 2 that compaction of root protection area: “may occur as a result of vehicular… activity ”.

“Living with Trees”, the South Dublin County Council tree management policy for 2021 to 2026 notes at page 14: “There is an increasing trend by car users to park their vehicles on verges, causing rutting and soil compaction, resulting in significant damage to tree roots as well as leaving the verge in an unsightly and unsafe condition”.

That the North Central Area Committee calls on the Manager install roadside bollards on Watermill Road, Raheny, from Watermill Lawn to The Village / Bettyglen, to ensure cars do not park on the grass and among the trees. This practice has increased significantly over the years to the extent that cars park in this area most days. In doing so cars illegally cross the footpath, creating serious risk for pedestrians at busy times when the path is most in use. Further, there is already a tree preservation order for trees on the same road (see page 45 of the Dublin Tree Strategy), which is indicative of the importance of the trees in this area adjacent to the park.

Page 53 of the Dublin City Tree Strategy notes: “Damage to tree roots by severance or soil compaction can have a detrimental impact on the tree’s ability to absorb the essential water and nutrients needed by the tree to survive. Severance or damage to larger woody roots can also compromise the tree’s stability, leading to potential wind-throw.” Such soil compaction could be caused by the regular movement of large vehicles in this area.

Further, the National Roads Authority guidelines on the protection of trees note at page 2 that compaction of root protection area: “may occur as a result of vehicular… activity ”.

“Living with Trees”, the South Dublin County Council tree management policy for 2021 to 2026 notes at page 14: “There is an increasing trend by car users to park their vehicles on verges, causing rutting and soil compaction, resulting in significant damage to tree roots as well as leaving the verge in an unsightly and unsafe condition.

Report

In accordance with the Road Traffic (Traffic & Parking) Regulations, 1997, Article 36, (1), (2); a vehicle shall not be parked:

(i)                 on a foot way, a grass margin or a median strip.

Therefore, parking on the grass verge, as seen in the photos provided with this question, is illegal and is enforceable in law by Dublin Street Parking Services by phone 01 602 2500 or e-mail info@dsps.ie, or by An Garda Síochána.

Dublin City Council Parks Department, may have a sustainable solution for preventing motorists from parking on the grass.  The request may be submitted through the Dublin City Council’s Citizen Hub for their attention – see link: https://citizenhub.dublincity.ie/en

Contact: Catalin Rosca – North Central Area Engineer 

Email: catalin.rosca@dublincity.ie

Order: Agreed.  

The North Central Area Committee of Dublin City Council is gravely concerned that the Central Bank of Ireland is regulating the Israel Bonds Issuance Programme and, thereby, facilitating the sale throughout Europe of bonds which are funding genocide in Gaza. 

This Committee notes that: 

(i) the bonds, known as Israel Bonds, have, since 1951, raised funds for the Israeli Treasury for use across the Israeli economy including the financing of the apartheid system, the Israeli military and illegal settlements 

(ii) the bonds are now being advertised as war bonds and are funding the genocide in Gaza

This Committee further notes that:

(i) in January 2024 the International Court of Justice (ICJ) confirmed the plausibility of the charge of genocide against Israel 

(ii) in June 2024 the UN’s International Commission of Inquiry on Palestine found that Israel’s actions in Gaza “constitute the war crimes of willful killing and mistreatment, and the crime against humanity of extermination” 

(iii) in July 2024 an ICJ ruling declared that Israel is committing the crime of apartheid and its entire regime of military occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal and must end immediately 

(iv) all institutions are under obligation under international law to prevent genocide and abuse of human rights 

This Area Committee believes that the Central Bank of Ireland must end all complicity in genocide and therefore, calls on the Central Bank of Ireland to immediately end the regulation of the Israeli Bond Issuance Programme.  

The North Central Area Committee of Dublin City Council is gravely concerned that the Central Bank of Ireland is regulating the Israel Bonds Issuance Programme and, thereby, facilitating the sale throughout Europe of bonds which are funding genocide in Gaza. 

This Committee notes that: 

(i) the bonds, known as Israel Bonds, have, since 1951, raised funds for the Israeli Treasury for use across the Israeli economy including the financing of the apartheid system, the Israeli military and illegal settlements 

(ii) the bonds are now being advertised as war bonds and are funding the genocide in Gaza

This Committee further notes that:

(i) in January 2024 the International Court of Justice (ICJ) confirmed the plausibility of the charge of genocide against Israel 

(ii) in June 2024 the UN’s International Commission of Inquiry on Palestine found that Israel’s actions in Gaza “constitute the war crimes of willful killing and mistreatment, and the crime against humanity of extermination” 

(iii) in July 2024 an ICJ ruling declared that Israel is committing the crime of apartheid and its entire regime of military occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal and must end immediately 

(iv) all institutions are under obligation under international law to prevent genocide and abuse of human rights 

This Area Committee believes that the Central Bank of Ireland must end all complicity in genocide and therefore, calls on the Central Bank of Ireland to immediately end the regulation of the Israeli Bond Issuance Programme.  

Report

If this motion is agreed I will write to the Central Bank of Ireland to request they address the issues raised by this committee.

Contact: Mick Carrol, Area Manager, Clontarf and Donaghmede LEAs.              

Email:  mick.carroll@dublincity.ie 

Order: Agreed.

That this area committee acknowledges the presence of blind spots for cyclists and motorists on the cycle way between Gaffney pub and Merville avenue and that this committee In the short term calls for more signage warning for caution and also a mirror to be added at the junction to Merville Avenue and in the long term that there is a safety review is conducted of the cycle way.

That this area committee acknowledges the presence of blind spots for cyclists and motorists on the cycle way between Gaffney pub and Merville avenue and that this committee In the short term calls for more signage warning for caution and also a mirror to be added at the junction to Merville Avenue and in the long term that there is a safety review is conducted of the cycle way.

Report

As part of our project safety protocols, the Project Team are reviewing the layout at the junction of Fairview Ave and Merville Avenue. We shall come back with any findings of this review which is expected in the next couple of weeks.

Contact: Victor Coe - Project Resident Engineer

Tel:  01 222 2536

Email:  ActiveTravelOffice@dublincity.ie

Order: Agreed