Agenda and minutes

The Lord Mayor opened the meeting by thanking the operational staff in Dublin City Council and the members of Dublin Fire Brigade for all their work on Thursday 23^rd  November and Friday 24^th November, following the appalling scenes in Parnell Square and subsequent rioting on the streets.  While it was a dark day in the history of Dublin City, the Lord Mayor expressed his pride in the immense work that was carried out to clean up the City and open it back up for the people of the City, tourists and businesses.  He also paid tribute to the Chief Executive for the leadership he showed during this time. 

Richard Shakespeare, Chief Executive and Karl Mitchell, Executive Manager provided an update to the members on the ongoing activities by the City Recovery team. 

Representatives from all political parties echoed the Lord Mayor’s condemnation of the attacks and the subsequent events that took place on 23^rd November.  They also expressed their gratitude to all the City Council staff and emergency personnel for their swift response to this event. 

The Lord Mayor then congratulated the students and staff at UCD involved in launching Ireland’s first satellite, EIRSAT-1.

It was moved by Councillor Ray McAdam and seconded by Councillor Vincent Jackson that Dublin City Council approves the 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 A to these minutes.

It was proposed by Councillor Ray McAdam and seconded by Councillor Cat O’Driscoll 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 6^th November 2023 and the Budget Meeting Held on the 20^th November 2023 having beenprinted, certified by the Meetings Administrator, circulated to the Members and taken as read, were signed by the Lord Mayor.

It was proposed by Councillor Cieran Perry and seconded by Councillor Dermot Lacey that Councillor Vincent Jackson be appointed to the Local Community Development Committee following the resignation of Councillor Sophie Nicoullaud. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Kelsey May Daly and seconded by Councillor Cat O’Driscoll that Councillor Hazel de Nortúin be appointed to the Housing Strategic Policy Committee following the resignation of Councillor Kelsey May Daly.  The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Hazel de Nortúin and seconded by Councillor Cat O’Driscoll that Councillor Kelsey May Daly be appointed to the Arts, Culture, Leisure and Recreation Strategic Policy Committee following the resignation of Councillor Hazel de Nortúin.  The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Mannix Flynn and seconded by Councillor Vincent Jackson that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report Number 253/2023 Capital Programme 2024 to 2026. The motion was put and carried.

The following motion in the name of Councillor John Lyons and seconded by Councillor Pat Dunne was taken with the report without debate:

“That this City Council supports the vote of the North Central Area Councillors in October 2021 calling for a new publicly-owned and managed full-sized all-weather football facility in the Coolock-Artane area, notes the lack of progress to date in delivering this desperately needed and much deserved facility, urges council officials to refocus their efforts on this project and to ensure provision is made in the 2024 capital budget for the funding of this essential community and sports facility.”

The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Ray McAdam and seconded by Councillor Naoise O’Muirí that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report Number 271/2023 and hereby approves the community grants as set out therein. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by councillor Vincent Jackson and seconded by Councillor Naoise O’ Muirí notes the contents of Report No. 258/2023 and hereby approves the contents therein. The Motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Ray McAdam and seconded by Councillor Mannix Flynn that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 245/2023 and hereby approves the contents therein.  The motion was put and carried.

The Lord Mayor vacated the Chair to Councillor Vincent Jackson at 8.18 p.m. for the remainder of the meeting.

It was proposed by Councillor Cat O’Driscoll and seconded by Councillor Declan Meenagh that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 260/2023 and hereby assents to the proposal set out therein. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Declan Meenagh and seconded by Councillor Donna Cooney that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 264/2023 and hereby assents to the proposal set out therein. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Declan Meenagh and seconded by Councillor Donna Cooney that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 265/2023 and hereby assents to the proposal set out therein. The motion was put and carried.

It was agreed that this report be deferred to the January 2024 meeting as it did not include the provision of a clause agreed by the North Central Area.  Anthony Flynn, Acting Assistant Chief Executive agreed to amend the report to include the agreed clause and to bring the report back to the January meeting

It was proposed by Councillor Declan Meenagh and seconded by Councillor Donna Cooney that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 272/2023 and hereby assents to the proposal set out therein. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Paddy McCartan and seconded by Councillor Anthony Connaghan that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 266/2023 and hereby assents to the proposal set out therein. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Paddy McCartan and seconded by Councillor Anthony Connaghan that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 267/2023 and hereby assents to the proposal set out therein. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Paddy McCartan and seconded by Councillor Anthony Connaghan that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 269/2023 and hereby assents to the proposal set out therein. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Paddy McCartan and seconded by Councillor Anthony Connaghan that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 270/2023 and hereby assents to the proposal set out therein. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor John Lyons and seconded by Councillor Pat McCartan that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 259/2023. The motion was put and carried.

An end of year review was presented by Frank d’Arcy, Acting Assistant Chief Executives.  It was agreed that the report presented would be circulated to members. An invitation was also extended to members to forward any questions to him for reply.

It was proposed by Councillor Séamas McGrattan and seconded by Councillor Anthony Connaghan that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 273/2023. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Naoise Ó Muirí and seconded by Councillor Daithí Doolan that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 263/2023. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Cat O’Driscoll and seconded by Councillor Séamas McGrattan that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 262/2023. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Cat O’Driscoll and seconded by Councillor Séamas McGrattan that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 262/2023. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Cat O’Driscoll and seconded by Councillor Séamas McGrattan that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 256/2023 and hereby assents to the proposal set out therein. The motion was put and carried.

It was proposed by Councillor Cat O’Driscoll and seconded by Councillor Séamas McGrattan that Dublin City Council notes the contents of Report No. 257/2023 and hereby assents to the proposal set out 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 adopts the contents of Report No. 261/2023 and hereby assents to the proposal set out therein. The motion was put and carried.

The following motion to rescind was proposed by Councillor Cieran Perry and seconded by Councillor Christy Burke:

“This Council agrees to rescind the previous decision not to fly the Palestinian flag on November 6^th 2023.   Should this motion to rescind be agreed, and in light of the unique and unprecedented circumstances that prevail in Gaza, the City Council agrees to the deviation from the “Protocol for the Flying of Flags from Civic Buildings” and further agrees to fly the Palestinian flag above City Hall for a period of 7 days from Tuesday 5^th December to demonstrate Dublin City Council’s ongoing solidarity with the plight of the people of Gaza.”

The motion was put and carried. Cllr Deirdre Heney and Cllr. Naoise Ó Muirí requested that be noted that they did not agree with the deviation from the Council’s Flags Policy.

No topical issues were submitted for consideration.

Motion No 1: It was proposed by Councillor Cieran Perry and seconded by Councillor Declan Meenagh that;

“This council supports the Fair Employment Bill 2022 drafted by the Trade Union Left Forum as a replacement for the 1990 Industrial Relations Act.

The 1990 Industrial Relations Act was introduced as a control mechanism on trade unions. The act introduced many changes to the accepted norms of industrial relations up to that time. It banned support strikes, solidarity action, political strikes, sit-ins and immediate action. It isolated individual workers and introduced 7 day notice. It puts many conditions and restrictions around balloting for industrial action it ended Union autonomy and transferred what were always Union decisions to the judiciary.

At the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) biennial delegate conference last year the following motion proposed by the Dublin Council of Trade Unions (DCTU) was unanimously passed and is now ICTU policy 

"Conference recognises that the restrictions on trade union action in the 1990 Industrial Relations Act need to be opposed, and that the act should be reformed to restore rights which trade unions had before 1990. Conference mandates the executive to seek an alternative legislative regime which would allow trade union and industrial action for workers, for issues that concern workers across society and, across employers, and for effective solidarity to workers in dispute"

The motion was put and carried.  The Lord Mayor agreed to send correspondence to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

Motion No. 2 in the name of Councillor Racheal Batten “That this council agrees that as of this day all Dublin City Council residential leases will include first right of refusal on sale of the said property. This clause will be inserted into all new lease agreements with an independent assessment of fair market value to take place. The landlord shall not commence placing the property on the market without such 60 days’ notice been given to the council.”  It was proposed by Councillor Lacey that this motion would be forwarded to the Housing Strategic Policy Committee for consideration.  Agreed.

Motion No. 3: It was proposed by Councillor Michael Pigeon and seconded by Councillor Donna Cooney;

“That Dublin City Council supports libraries in their rightful provision of LGBTQ+ community supportive literature and related educational material in libraries.

No library worker should have to deal with harassment or threats: this Council stands in support with them, and in opposition to hateful, homophobic and transphobic protests that we have seen at Irish libraries in recent months.

Libraries must be safe, inclusive and supportive services for Dublin's diverse communities, and through their provision of knowledge counteract prejudice.”

The motion was put and carried.

No Emergency motions were accepted for debate.