Agenda and minutes

Inclusion and Integration Week

The Lord Mayor invited Beatrice Casserly, Inclusion and Integration Officer and Adam Harris, CEO AsIAm, Irelands National Autism charity to discuss with councillors the launch of Dublin City Councils Inclusion and Integration Week and the plan to make Dublin the world’s first Autism Friendly Capital City.  A copy of the presentation by Adam Harris can be found in Appendix A attached to these minutes.

Following the presentation it was agreed to take the following motion in the name of Cllr Nial Ring without debate, “That the members of Dublin City Council ("DCC") welcome the recently published Final Report of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Autism and commit DCC to implementing the recommendations of the extensive report where applicable to DCC.

In particular, DCC commits to the recommendations (in particular the provision of sensory rooms) pertaining to autism-friendly social housing, autism-friendly public buildings such as public offices and libraries as well as autism-friendly public spaces such as parks, playgrounds etc.

In addition, the members note the recommendations that autism training should be provided to staff, and agree that this should be offered to councillors if requested”. The motion was proposed by Councillor Nial Ring and seconded by Councillor Mannix Flynn. The motion was put and carried.

It was moved by Councillor Mannix Flynn and seconded by Councillor Terence Flanagan that Dublin City Council approves the Dublin Chief Executive answering the questions lodged. The motion having been put and carried, written answers to the  questions lodged for the City Council meeting were issued. The Questions and Answers are set out in Appendix B to these minutes.

·         Limerick City and County Council

·         Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council

·         Clare County Council

·         Limerick City and County Council

·         Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council

·         Clare County Council

It was proposed by Councillor Anthony Connaghan and seconded by Councillor Mannix Flynn that Dublin City Council notes the contents of all correspondence listed. The motion was put and carried.

The minutes of the City Council meeting held on the 2^nd October 2023 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 Alison Gilliland and seconded by Councillor Cat O’Driscoll, that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No 250/2023 and hereby approves the adoption of the Scheme of Priority for Affordable Dwelling Purchase Arrangements. The motion was put and carried.

Councillor Sophie Nicoullaud requested that her objection to the report be noted.

It was proposed by Councillor Vincent Jackson and seconded by Councillor Terence Flanagan that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 234/2023 and hereby approves the contents therein. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Alison Gilliland and seconded by Councillor Terence Flanagan that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 246/2023 and hereby approves the contents therein.  The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Donna Cooney and seconded by Councillor Alison Gilliland that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report no.248/2023.

It was proposed by Councillor Mannix Flynn and seconded by Councillor Anthony Connaghan 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 at St. Marys Terrace, Dorset Street, Dublin 1 as shown on the attached Drawing SM 2023-0225 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 Mannix Flynn and seconded by Councillor Cat O’Driscoll 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 at St. Laurence Place East, Sheriff Street Lower, Dublin 1 as shown on the attached Drawing SM 2023-0429 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.

The members were circulated with an amended report before the meeting that included a summary of the consultation received.

It was proposed by Councillor Mannix Flynn and seconded by Councillor Anthony Connaghan that Dublin City Council notes the initiation of the variation (No. 4) of the Dublin City Development Plan 2022 – 2028 as outlined in Report No. 224/2023. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Daithí Doolan and seconded by Councillor Anne Feeney that that Dublin City Council notes the initiation of the variation (No.5) of the Dublin City Development Plan 2022 – 2028 as outlined in Report No.226/2023. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Nial Ring and seconded by Councillor Anthony Connaghan that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 244/2023 and hereby approves the contents therein.  The Motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Anthony Connaghan and seconded by Councillor Vincent Jackson that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 231/2023 and hereby assents to the proposal outlined therein. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Anthony Connaghan and seconded by Councillor Cat O’Driscoll that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 213/2023 and hereby assents to the proposal outlined therein. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Anthony Connaghan and seconded by Councillor Cat O’Driscoll that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 236/2023 and hereby assents to the proposal outlined therein. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Daithí Doolan and seconded by Councillor Sophie Nicoullaud that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 237/2023 and hereby assents to the proposal outlined therein. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Mannix Flynn and seconded by Councillor Cat O’Driscoll that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 239/2023 and hereby assents to the proposal outlined therein. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Naoise Ó Muirí and seconded by Councillor Anthony Connaghan that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 240/2023 and hereby assents to the proposal outlined therein. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Máire Devine and seconded by Councillor Mannix Flynn that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 241/2023 and hereby assents to the proposal outlined therein. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Dermot Lacey and seconded by Councillor Vincent Jackson that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 242/2023 and hereby assents to the proposal outlined therein. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Mannix Flynn and seconded by Councillor Pat Dunne that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 238/2023 and hereby assents to the proposal outlined therein. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Mannix Flynn and seconded by Councillor Pat Dunne that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 243/2023 and hereby assents to the proposal outlined therein. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Daithí Doolan and seconded by Councillor Anthony Connaghan that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 247/2023. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Terence Flanagan and seconded by Councillor Vincent Jackson that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 232/2023. The motion was put and carried.

The Lord Mayor vacated the Chair to Councillor Vincent Jackson at 8.02 p.m. and returned to the chamber at 8.06 p.m.

It was proposed by Councillor Terence Flanagan and seconded by Councillor Vincent Jackson that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 235/2023. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Terence Flanagan and seconded by Councillor Vincent Jackson that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 227/2023. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Terence Flanagan and seconded by Councillor Vincent Jackson that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 222/2023. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Terence Flanagan and seconded by Councillor Vincent Jackson that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 223/2023. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Terence Flanagan and seconded by Councillor Vincent Jackson that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 233/2023. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Terence Flanagan and seconded by Councillor Vincent Jackson that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 230/2023. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Terence Flanagan and seconded by Councillor Vincent Jackson that Dublin City Council adopts Report No. 225/2023. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Terence Flanagan and seconded by Councillor Vincent Jackson that Dublin City Council adopts Report No. 249/2023. The motion was put and carried.

No topical issues were submitted for consideration.

Motion No. 1: It was proposed by Councillor Mannix Flynn and seconded by Councillor Damian O’Farrell: “ That this meeting of DCC call on the management of the Artane Band and the Artane School of Music and the GAA to change the uniform and change the name of the Artane Band.

The symbol of the Artane Band, its uniform, its name, its insignia and its history are deeply traumatising and hurtful to the many thousands of us who were incarcerated in industrial and reform schools run by the Christian Brothers and other religious organisations.  Indeed, many children from the mother and baby homes were incarcerated in Artane.  Many more were press ganged into the band where children suffered horrendous abuse, sexual and otherwise, in the band room.  Today, many of us still carry these scars and we find it wholly unacceptable in this day and age having gone through all of the various inquiries including the Ryan Report, and the many horrors of child sexual abuse that the Artane Band still marches under that banner and in the uniform of the residential industrial School, Artane, St Joseph’s where it was formed over 150 years ago.  It is no excuse in this day and age to say that the children in the present band are well looked after or that the children in the band at present are going to be in anyway hurt by a change of uniform and change of name.   In a world of political correctness, in a world where symbols of this nature are being frowned upon, one only has to site the symbols of slavery and the decommissioning of public monuments etc. to realise that the time has come, and long overdue, that the oppressive symbols of the Artane Band, its uniform and its name, be consigned to history.

It is absolutely outrageous that the National sports field, that the likes of the GAA and indeed RTE would blatantly display these symbols and this band without having any regard whatsoever for the ongoing dreadful suffering many thousands of children had to endure in residential institutions.

Indeed, Justice Ryan in his report regarded the Artane band, “The band was the public face of Artane and was used as propaganda to reassure the public that those in residential institutions such as Artane and Letterfrack were receiving good care and education”  But as we all know now, the reality was very different. Indeed many of those that were in this band have since committed suicide. And many more who are alive today can’t even look at a GAA match or go to Croke Park where the band is playing. This is our present day suffering and it needs to stop.

It is time now for change. Stop this re-traumatising and let us begin a proper process of recovery and healing.”

The motion was put and carried.

Motion No. 2 in the name of Councillor Niall Ring and seconded by Councillor Mannix Flynn was taken  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27.

There were two emergency motions accepted for debate.  It was agreed by the Lord Mayor that both motions would be debated together.  

Emergency Motion No. 1 in the name of Cllr. Cieran Perry on behalf of the Independent Group, Sinn Fein, Social Democrats, People before Profit and Cllr Mannix Flynn.

“With the continuing indiscriminate slaughter taking place in Gaza this council agrees to fly the Palestinian flag above City Hall for a week as a sign of solidarity. We also echo the international calls for an immediate ceasefire.

The support for the Ukrainian people shown by Dublin City Council in the aftermath of the illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine has set a precedent. The indiscriminate targeting of people in Gaza, similar to the indiscriminate targeting of the Ukrainian people, warrants an equivalent public display of opposition to the murder of Palestinian civilians.”

The motion was put to a vote and defeated.  A copy of the vote can be found in Appendix C attached to these minutes.

Emergency Motion No. 2 in the name of Cllr. Deirdre Heney on behalf of the Fianna Fáil group.

“That this Council agrees that a flag of peace shall be flown over Dublin City Hall to demonstrate Dublin City Council’s support for peace in the war that is taking so many lives in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory.”

The meeting concluded at 9.30 p.m. before a vote could be taken and the motion fell.