Agenda and minutes

Action: Agreed.

Matters arising: None

The vision of the Active Cities Project is to engage, maintain and increase the numbers of citizens, regardless of age and ability, participating in sport and physical activity in their city.

Action: Welcomed and Noted.  Circulate to members all Sports Development Officers e-mail addresses and phone numbers.

https://prezi.com/p/ruif8k76ywxq/?present=1

Action: Welcomed and Noted.  It is hoped to have an official opening of the skatepark in July.  Circulate presentation to all Councillors

Agreed to amend GIO14 to:  To liaise and work with and support the National Parks and Wildlife Service in the designation of additional nature reserves and Natural Heritage Areas, and in the identification of opportunities for nature development.

Chapter:10, Section:GI014, Page: 277 Replace with: Further Nature Reserves and opportunities for nature development -To liaise, work with and support the National Parks and Wildlife Service in the designation of additional Nature Reserves and Natural Heritage Areas, and in the identification of opportunities for ‘nature development’ in areas of existing green and blue infrastructure with the potential for biodiversity enhancement through the addition of ponds, trees, hedgerows, wetlands, verge planting or biodiversity pontoons with the objective of creating additional nature reserves.

Planning Reason

Planning reason: To deliver on the city's biodiversity goals; to identify opportunities to protect and enhance high nature value areas; to ensure that existing ecological infrastructure resources are protected and enhanced, and help guide future ecological infrastructure provision.

Chief Executive's Response

Green/Blue infrastructure will be delivered through the Development Management process, the planning and development of new growth areas in the city, through LAPs/Planning Schemes, through City Council Greening and Public Realm Strategies (existing and those to be developed) and through public infrastructural projects, with sufficient policies and objectives included in the Draft to achieve this (such as GI2, GI3, GI7, GI9-G18, GI34). This approach is additionally supported by the ongoing operations of DCCs Parks, Biodiversity and Landscape Services team under the Development Plan policy framework and strategies such as; the City Biodiversity Action Plan 2021 – 2026, the proposed Green Infrastructure Strategy, the Dublin City Tree Strategy or through the Council’s management plans and Parks Strategy for the city. It is not the role of the National Parks and Wildlife Services to deliver biodiversity enhancement through measures such as verge planting etc. This is an operational matter for the Council, delivered through the mechanisms and plans detailed above. The designation of additional NHA's is a separate statutory process and outside the scope of the Development Plan.

Chief Executive Recommendation

It is the recommendation of the CE that the motion is not agreed. Retain GIO14 as is. Operational matter, outside the scope of the Development Plan.

The motion was AGREED as AMENDED. To be referred to Arts, Culture, Leisure & Recreation SPC.

Agreed to amend GIO14 to:  To liaise and work with and support the National Parks and Wildlife Service in the designation of additional nature reserves and Natural Heritage Areas, and in the identification of opportunities for nature development.

Chapter:10, Section:GI014, Page: 277 Replace with: Further Nature Reserves and opportunities for nature development -To liaise, work with and support the National Parks and Wildlife Service in the designation of additional Nature Reserves and Natural Heritage Areas, and in the identification of opportunities for ‘nature development’ in areas of existing green and blue infrastructure with the potential for biodiversity enhancement through the addition of ponds, trees, hedgerows, wetlands, verge planting or biodiversity pontoons with the objective of creating additional nature reserves.

Planning Reason

Planning reason: To deliver on the city's biodiversity goals; to identify opportunities to protect and enhance high nature value areas; to ensure that existing ecological infrastructure resources are protected and enhanced, and help guide future ecological infrastructure provision.

Chief Executive's Response

Green/Blue infrastructure will be delivered through the Development Management process, the planning and development of new growth areas in the city, through LAPs/Planning Schemes, through City Council Greening and Public Realm Strategies (existing and those to be developed) and through public infrastructural projects, with sufficient policies and objectives included in the Draft to achieve this (such as GI2, GI3, GI7, GI9-G18, GI34). This approach is additionally supported by the ongoing operations of DCCs Parks, Biodiversity and Landscape Services team under the Development Plan policy framework and strategies such as; the City Biodiversity Action Plan 2021 – 2026, the proposed Green Infrastructure Strategy, the Dublin City Tree Strategy or through the Council’s management plans and Parks Strategy for the city. It is not the role of the National Parks and Wildlife Services to deliver biodiversity enhancement through measures such as verge planting etc. This is an operational matter for the Council, delivered through the mechanisms and plans detailed above. The designation of additional NHA's is a separate statutory process and outside the scope of the Development Plan.

Chief Executive Recommendation

It is the recommendation of the CE that the motion is not agreed. Retain GIO14 as is. Operational matter, outside the scope of the Development Plan.

Action: The Managers response is accepted.

“The Arts, Culture, Leisure and Recreation SPC recognises the immense benefit that the twoSport Inclusion and Integration Officers (SIIOs) within Dublin City Sport and Wellbeing Patnership (DCSWP) have brought to the provision of sport and physical activity for children, young people and not so young people with disabilities, from ethnic minorities, who are members of the LGBT+ community, who are neurodiverse, who suffer mental health difficulties or who are members of other minority and hard to reach groupings. The have succeeded in supporting my local community centres and sports clubs/groups to understand diversity and to accommodate, adapt and indeed create new programmes to suit specific heretofore unmet needs. However, the SPC expresses serious concern that these two dedicated positions are being terminated inthe near future. While many local sports officers have learned from both SIIOs and are well placed to support inclusion and integration in their areas the SPC is of the view that, as a strategic policy objective, the two dedicated Sport Inclusion and Integration Officer (SIIOs) positions need to continue long term within the DCSWP to ensure that Dublin City Council's policy of inclusion and integration is fully continuously and consistently underpinned, promoted and put in to practice on the ground across our city.”

“The Arts, Culture, Leisure and Recreation SPC recognises the immense benefit that the twoSport Inclusion and Integration Officers (SIIOs) within Dublin City Sport and Wellbeing Patnership (DCSWP) have brought to the provision of sport and physical activity for children, young people and not so young people with disabilities, from ethnic minorities, who are members of the LGBT+ community, who are neurodiverse, who suffer mental health difficulties or who are members of other minority and hard to reach groupings. The have succeeded in supporting my local community centres and sports clubs/groups to understand diversity and to accommodate, adapt and indeed create new programmes to suit specific heretofore unmet needs. However, the SPC expresses serious concern that these two dedicated positions are being terminated in the near future. While many local sports officers have learned from both SIIOs and are well placed to support inclusion and integration in their areas the SPC is of the view that, as a strategic policy objective, the two dedicated Sport Inclusion and Integration Officer (SIIOs) positions need to continue long term within the DCSWP to ensure that Dublin City Council's policy of inclusion and integration is fully continuously and consistently underpinned, promoted and put in to practice on the ground across our city.” 

Action: Cllr Freehill took the Motion in the absence of the Lord Mayor. 

Members were informed that the 2 dedicated positions will not be terminated.  A   competition for the 2 posts will be advertised soon.  Agreed.

“That Dublin City Council create a framework for cultural use of vacant commercial, industrial or other spaces under its ownership or management, on a temporary basis from this summer. The scheme would serve as a response to extraordinary circumstances, with a simple, transparent application process. Given the short-term nature of the projects, it should not necessitate a planning application for change of use, allowing the process to move quickly to reanimate the city. 

The context for the motion isthe lack of footfall in the city post-pandemic and the need to reanimate the city centre as a destination. The attrition of  spaces for culture in the city leaves the cultural community without space to gather, create or share their work.”

“That Dublin City Council create a framework for cultural use of vacant commercial, industrial or other spaces under its ownership or management, on a temporary basis from this summer. The scheme would serve as a response to extraordinary circumstances, with a simple, transparent application process. Given the short-term nature of the projects, it should not necessitate a planning application for change of use, allowing the process to move quickly to reanimate the city. 

The context for the motion isthe lack of footfall in the city post-pandemic and the need to reanimate the city centre as a destination. The attrition of spaces for culture in the city leaves the cultural community without space to gather, create or share their work.”

Action: The Motion was broadly supported.  Engage with the Working Group and report back to this SPC. The Chairperson agreed to write to the Minister for Arts Culture and Heritage to suggest  a meeting to discuss the issue.  Agreed.

“That this Committee would consider the promotion of a statue or other appropriate memorial to commemorate the great Irish actor Maureen O’Hara for the Ranelagh area or perhaps close to the former Glenmalure Park former home of her beloved Shamrock Rovers.”

“That this Committee would consider the promotion of a statue or other appropriate memorial to commemorate the great Irish actor Maureen O’Hara for the Ranelagh area or perhaps close to the former Glenmalure Park former home of her beloved Shamrock Rovers.”

Action:  To be referred to the Commemorations & Naming Committee.  Agreed.

Recognizing the LGBTQ community’s decades-long struggle to achieve full equality in Ireland, often times in the face of brutal state and non-state oppression, discrimination and violence, this City Council SPC agrees to commission a public monument/piece of art to acknowledge the proud history of struggle for full equality waged for more than four decades by Dublin’s LGBTQ community. To bring this motion to life, a consultative forum with relevant internal and external stakeholders will be established.”

“Recognizing the LGBTQ community’s decades-long struggle to achieve full equality in Ireland, often times in the face of brutal state and non-state oppression, discrimination and violence, this City Council SPC agrees to commission a public monument/piece of art to acknowledge the proud history of struggle for full equality waged for more than four decades by Dublin’s LGBTQ community. To bring this motion to life, a consultative forum with relevant internal and external stakeholders will be established.”

Action:  Agreed.  City Arts Officer is in consultation with the LGBTQ and will report back with an update.

It was agreed at this stage to extend the meeting to 11.45 a.m.

Action: Noted.

Action:  Agreed.  Send to full City Council for adoption.

Action: Noted

Action: Report Noted.  Interested members to contact Iseult to set up a Working Group.

The following issues were discussed:

·         Inchicore Library – Closed because of serious access issues / poor condition of the building / increase in costs

·         Bram Stoker Update – Bidder identified – Report back to SPC when contracts are signed

·         Richmond Road Studio – City Valuer is engaging with the receiver

·         Community Monument Fund - Clontarf Graveyard – Les Moore to report back why there was no funding awarded to this site.

·         Dublin Bay Conservation and Research Strategy – Will be launched in Q2 / early Q3

Action: Report Noted.

Action: Report Noted.

Action: Noted.

Action: Noted.

Action: Noted.

Action: Noted.

Action: Noted.

Action: Noted.

Action: Noted.

Action: Noted.

There was no other business.

         Date of next meeting:  Monday 25^th July 2022 at 9.30 a.m.  Location TBC