Agenda and minutes

The Lord Mayor opened the meeting by expressing condolences to the family and friends of Walter Foley who worked with International Relations, Dublin City Council and who died on 12th January 2016.

She then referred to a motion which was agreed at the Protocol Meeting 28th January 2016 in relation to a Working Group being established :

 “Because of Waste Management Legalisation which is due to come into operation in July 2016 it is agreed that a working group be established to:

1. Find solutions to facilitate residents who don’t have bin storage facilities and other related requirements of this legalisation.

2. To prepare a submission to the Department of the Environment requesting a derogation from the legalisation. 

That the working group be comprised of 8 members which would be based on proportional group membership, also to ensure maximum participation that each full member can nominate an alternate who would be able to attend in their absence”. 

The Protocol Committee recommended that a special committee of council be formed to deal with this matter and to report ultimately to the Environment SPC.  The Protocol Committee recommended that the Council appoint Cllr. Mary Freehill to be chair of this Sub-committee. The City Council agreed that a committee of eight Members including the chairperson be set up on foot of this motion represeniting the various political groupings on the Council and that the chairperson to be selected by the members of the committee its first meeting. Nominations to be submitted by Group Leaders.

The Lord Mayor then informed the Members that permission was being sought for Banners on Liberty Hall – agreed at Protocol Committee meeting held 28th January 2016 and recommended to Council. The following were then approved by the City Council.

•           Banner on Liberty Hall in support of the Trócaire Lenten Appeal from 8th     February – 22nd February 2016

•           Banner on Liberty Hall in support of Fair Trade Ireland’s 20th Anniversary   Campaign from 22nd February - 7th March 2016

•           Final Artwork of Banner for approval -1916-2016 Liberty Hall Wrap. Approval          in principal already given for Banner

The Lord Mayor then extended good wishes to all the Members who may be candidates in the forthcoming General Elections. The City Council then approved the attendance of Councillor C Cuffe at the following conference "Ready for 20” The Annual 20mph Places Conference on 26th  Feb 2016 in The Guildhall, City of London"

It was moved by Councillor V Jackson  and seconded by Councillor S McGrattan “That Dublin City Council approves the Dublin Chief Executive answering the questions lodged”. The motion having been put and carried, written answers to the 144 questions lodged for the City Council meeting were issued. The Questions and Answers are set out in Appendix A attached.

It was moved by Councillor C Burke and seconded by Councillor V Jackson “That Dublin City Council notes the contents of this letter”. The motion was put and carried.

The minutes of the  Meeting of the City Council held on 11^th January 2016 having been printed, certified by the Meetings Administrator, circulated to the Members and taken as read, were signed by the Lord Mayor.

It was proposed by Councillor R McGinley and seconded by Councillor D Flanagan “That Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No 41/2016”. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor R McGinley and seconded by Councillor M Flynn “That Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No 40/2016”. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor R McGinley and seconded by Councillor R McAdam “That Dublin City Council notes Report No 05/2016 and hereby approves the contents therein”. The motion was put and carried.

It was moved by Councillor C Burke and seconded by Councillor M Flynn “That Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No 39/2016”.  The motion was put and carried.

The City Council agreed to defer these appointments to allow the matter to be put before the Central and South East Area Committees for their consideration.

The following nominations were received and approved

            Nominee                                 Proposer                                Seconder

            Cllr A Connaghan                    Cllr C Cuffe                             Cllr J Boylan

            Cllr T MacVeigh                      Cllr B Smith                             Lord Mayor

            Cllr M Flynn                             Cllr M Flynn                             Cllr V Jackson

Councillor MacVeigh had previously been appointed as an observer to this Committee. Therefore, as there was now a vacancy for an observer, Councillor M Flynn agreed to take this position.  All three appointments were approved by the City Council.

It was proposed by Councillor R McGinley and seconded by Councillor C Burke

“That Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No 57/2016. An amendment to this motion was put forward by Councillor R McAdam and seconded by Councillor C Burke as follows : “In light of the unanimous agreement of this City Council on December 17th to initiate a new statutory process for the purpose of drafting and implementing a Local Area Plan for Phibsborough and that the content of the recently considered Local Area Plan be retained as the basis for the starting point of a revised LAP for Phibsborough, Report No.57/2016 should include Phibsborough in Section 2, which relates to Current LAPS/SDZs for Preparation”

The City Council noted the contents of Report No 57/2016 and approved the amended motion to include Phibsborough in Section 2 of Report no 57/2016 which relates to current LAPs/SDZs for preparation.

It was proposed by Councillor P McAuliffe and seconded by Councillor S McGrattan “That Dublin City Council approves Report No 60/2016 and adopts Dublin City Council Strategic Policy Committee Scheme 2014 – 2019 as revised”.

An Amendment to this motion was put forward by Councillor B Smith and seconded by Councillor T MacVeigh as follows: “That the proposed Special Committee on Emergency Services be established as an SPC”. The amended motion was put and defeated. The original motion was then put and carried. It was agreed that a further report on the Special Committee on Emergency Services would be brought to the City Council in due course.

It was moved by Councillor P McCartan and seconded by Councillor R McAdam       “That We, the Lord Mayor and Members of Dublin City Council, being the Roads Authority for the City of Dublin and being of the opinion that the public right of way over the laneway to the rear of 4-14 Whitworth Road and 14-22 Grattan Parade, Drumcondra, Dublin 9., as shown on the attached Drawing No R.M. 36459, is no longer required for public use, extinguish the public right of way in accordance with Section 73 of the Roads Act 1993”. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor R McAdam and seconded by Councillor N Reilly “That Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No 43/2016 and assents to the proposal outlined therein” The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor R McAdam and seconded by Councillor N Reilly “That Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No 46/2016 and assents to the proposal outlined therein” The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor R McAdam and seconded by Councillor N Reilly “That Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No 47/2016 and assents to the proposal outlined therein” The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor R McAdam and seconded by Councillor N Reilly “That Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No 48/2016 and assents to the proposal outlined therein” The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor R McAdam and seconded by Councillor N Reilly “That Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No 49/2016 and assents to the proposal outlined therein” The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor R McAdam and seconded by Councillor N Reilly “That Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No50 /2016 and assents to the proposal outlined therein” The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor R McAdam and seconded by Councillor N Reilly “That Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No 51/2016 and assents to the proposal outlined therein” The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor R McAdam and seconded by Councillor N Reilly “That Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No 56/2016 and assents to the proposal outlined therein” The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor V Jackson and seconded by Councillor D Doolan “That Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No 42/2016.  The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor   A Connaghan and seconded by Councillor D Doolan “That Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No 58/2016.  The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor A Connaghan and seconded by Councillor N Reilly “That Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No 53/2016.  The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor C O’Moore and seconded by Councillor P Bourke “That Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No 45/2016.  The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor N Ring and seconded by Councillor R McAdam “That Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No 59/2016.  The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor V Jackson and seconded by Councillor P Hand “That Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No 55/2016.  The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor R McGinley and seconded by Councillor P Hand “That Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No 38/2016.  The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor P McCartan and seconded by Councillor M Flynn “That Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No 52/2016.  The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor P Bourke and seconded by Councillor M Flynn “That Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No 44/2016.  The motion was put and carried.

(a)“That Dublin City Council deplores the recent installation of bars on the exterior of Gandon House designed specifically to deter rough sleepers from obtaining a modicum of shelter from the rain at night and furthermore supports the introduction of a ban on such devices via building and planning regulations or bye-laws”

     Submitted by Councillors M O’Brien and P Dunne. It was further agreed that this motion would be referred to the Planning, International Relations & Property Development SPC.

(b)“This Council agrees that the members of the Housing SPC be given a report of all of the expressions of interest received in relation to developing the Council owned lands as included in the Housing Land Initiative.Furthermore, this Council agrees to ask the Irish Council for Social Housing, a member of the Housing SPC, to provide a list to the next Housing SPC of all ICSH members that have submitted expressions of interest relating to any of the DCC owned sites included in the Housing Land Initiative”

     Submitted by Councillors T MacVeigh and A Keegan

“This Council is calling on Egypt to release Ibrahim Halawa. Following a recent human rights delegation to Brussels, led by Lynn Boylan MEP, I ask that this Council and Dublin tArdmhéara write to the Taoiseach and the Department of Foreign Affairs asking them to publicly demand the release of Firhouse teenager Ibrahim Halawa. This strong approach has resulted in the release of American Mohammed Soltan, Canadian Mohammed Fahmy and Australian Peter Greste. I also ask that Ardmhéara writes to the Egyptian embassy asking for them to convey our views” The motion was put and carried. It was suggested that the Lord Mayor might request a meeting with the Egyptian Ambassador to Ireland and that the chair of the Planning, International Relations & Property Development SPC would also be present at that meeting.

“That this Council will, in line with Dublin City Council’s own key objectives, and in response to the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs, policy for reform and development of Local Government, Ireland’s Sustainability Policy and the mission of the Office of Government Procurement in Ireland develop a Sustainable Procurement Policy which will include a policy on the inclusion of Social Benefit Clauses in the City Council’s procurement process.

The aim of the policy will be to embed sustainability principles (social, economic and environmental) into all procurement within Dublin City Council. Local authorities in Ireland spend approximately €805m per annum through procurement which could provide a vital springboard to support economic growth in Dublin. We must use innovative, evidence-based approaches to procurement to support the design and delivery of efficient and effective public services and to optimise the added value that is delivered to the economy and communities of Dublin.

To this end, Dublin City Council will before carrying out a regulated procurement, consider how in conducting the procurement process it can:

             i.    improve the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of the authority’s area,

            ii.    facilitate the involvement of small and medium enterprises, third sector bodies and supported businesses in the process”

The motion was put and carried.

“That Dublin City Council, in the context of the "age friendly villages" initiative, undertake to arrange a "Caring for Dementia" Concert as an acknowledgement of carers who care for loved ones with dementia” The motion was put and carried. It was further agreed that this motion would be circulated to all other local authorities.

“This Area Committee, calls on the City Council, to, in conjunction with the HSE and in the context of the “age friendly villages” initiative, undertake to arrange a “Carers of People who suffer with dementia Christmas Concert” as an acknowledgement of these carers”

“That Dublin City Council will require the publication of a monthly list of all “Pre planning meetings” that council officials have taken part in within the meaning of Section 247 of the Planning and Development Acts, which would list the date of the meeting, the land/site involved and the name of the organization or person with the interest in the land” The motion was put and carried.

“This Council calls upon the National Gallery in London to return to the Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin the collection of impressionist paintings bequeathed to Dublin by Sir Hugh Lane but which continue to be retained in London”

Mayor “That this Council calls on The Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government, Alan Kelly, to introduce legislation as matter of urgency to improve tenancy rights for the private rental sector and to introduce proper rent control legislation that would limit annual housing increases and prevent overheating in the rental market in the City” Councillor Byrne requested that she be allowed amend the motion to remove the name ‘Alan Kelly’ and this was agreed. The amended motion was then put and carried.

“It was proposed by Councillor and seconded by Councillor That the Members agree and call for the renaming of the Dublin Port Tunnel as the Tom Clarke Tunnel after the executed leader of the 1916 Easter rising, and further call on the Chief Executive to contact the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sports and the National Roads Authority to advise them of the decision of the Members and to ask that the process be commenced to rename the tunnel if that is the decision of the Members.

“That all contracts carried out by contractors and sub-contractors working on any project for DCC comply with all agreed rates of pay for their tradesmen and other operatives under their employment, and any agents employees on the bogus and illegal subcontract certificate RCT should not be permitted with DCC tender contracts and that DCC sets the gold standard for employment and workers employed properly with the full benefits of the state and not exploited” As this motion was still under discussion at the close of the meeting, in accordance with Standing Orders, it will be the first of the motions to be taken at the next monthly City Council meeting.