Agenda

To follow.

That this Committee agrees to amend Dublin City Council’s Parks Bye-Laws by inserting the following Paragraph:-

“That Dogs in parks and open spaces shall be kept on a leash, other than in areas designated as off-leash areas, or at times specified by the City Council. Dogs must be kept under effectual control at all times. Dogs (other than guide dogs or assistance dogs) shall not be permitted in public playgrounds. A person shall not cause or allow any Restricted Breed, as defined in the Control of Dogs Regulations 1998 (as amended) belonging to him/her, or in his/her charge to enter or remain in the park unless such dog is kept securely muzzled and led on a sufficiently strong leash not exceeding two metres in length by a competent person over 16 years of age.”

Reply:

It is acknowledged that our Parks Bye Laws need to be reviewed and updated. The requirement “That Dogs in parks and open spaces shall be kept on a leash, other than in areas designated as off-leash areas” would be a beneficial change which would give local communities and neighbourhoods greater say over what parks and what areas of parks would be best suited for dogs off lead. We are trialling this in St Anne’s park and the North Bull Island at present.

The process for making and changing Bye Laws is a statutory process contained in Part 19 of the Local Government Act 2001 and the Local Government Act 2001 (Bye-laws) Regulations 2006. It involves a public consultation which would undoubtedly generate a great deal of comment, feedback and stakeholder engagement. At present the Parks Service is not in a position to commence such a resource heavy process but this review could commence in Q3 2024. 

Leslie Moore

Head of Parks, Biodiversity and Landscape Services

That it is agreed;

Ø  that the decision of the Subcommittee established to explore cultural uses and occupancy of the former DIT School of Music on Chatham Row, as communicated in the report to the SPC on the 27^th of November 2023 at item 10 is quashed, and cannot be relied upon by any party;

Ø  that the resident artists of the Dean Arts Studio, who currently occupy the premises on Chatham Row, be provided an opportunity to present to the full Arts, Culture, Leisure & Recreation SPC in respect of their residency in the studio; and

Ø  Dublin City Council Law Agent to carry out a review on the specific powers and procedures of the Arts, Culture, Leisure & Recreation SPC or a Subcommittee of that SPC, to restrict the legal right of the Dean Arts Studio to negotiate a lease with the Property section of Dublin City Council.

Reply:

It is the role for the SPC to make policy determinations and to ask the Executive to ensure best practice in the implementation of policy. Standing Subcommittees exist for the Irish Language, Commemoration and Arts and Cultural Policy amongst others and it was therefore understandable that, following debate on the occupation of the former school of Music on Chatham Row by the Dean Arts Studio,  a Subcommittee was formed to look at the long term use of this building.

This Subcommittee listened to proposals from the Executive and asked the City Arts Office to conduct an Open Call process as it had successfully done at 15 Bachelors Walk, Artane Place and the Former Filmbase on Curved Street. This three stage process concluded in December 2023. This process and its outcome is the subject of a report from the Assistant Chief Executive at the February SPC that deals with the requests to appeal the outcome of the Open call process by applicants who were not successful at interview.

This Open Call process does not replace or interfere in the statutory Disposal process as the successful applicant will not be offered a lease but a short term Licence to ensure successful occupancy and if successful then a recommendation from the Executive for a lease may be forthcoming.

The Dean Arts Studio participated in all phases of the Open Call that set out set out the process and its consequences clearly and the decision of the Assessment Panel was agreed by all parties to be final.

Ray Yeates

City Arts Officer.

“The Arts SPC recognises that DCC has an extremely well run library service, sports, recreation and other community facilities that are key to the active engagement, social inclusion and well-being of many of our many families and citizens in our city. The Arts SPC also recognises the growing demand for the extension of the opening hours for these services and facilities especially for our younger citizens in the evenings, during school holiday periods and at weekends. The Arts SPC therefore commits to developing and implementing a strategic plan to ensure this expansion of opening hours over the coming year”. 

Reply:

Dublin City Libraries operate 21 branches across the city and all are open over 6 days per week.

·         8 branches are open for 54 hours per week, including until 8 p.m. Monday to Thursday

·         11 branches are open for 42 hours per week, including until 8 p.m. two evenings a week

·         2 branches are open for 42 hours per week, closing at 5 p.m.

·         2 My Open Library (MOLs) branches provide extended opening hours on an unstaffed basis, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week, 365 days a year. This service will extend to another two branches during 2024.

Planning for the next Library Development Plan is underway and will be completed by year end.  Opening hours will be addressed under improvement to service delivery.

Dublin City Sports & Recreational Facilities provide services to the community in many instances 7 days a week. Our larger leisure facilities are generally open for 88 hours a week to cater for all of the community. We have in recent months completed a full recruitment programme across our services and following all pending appointments we will be in a position to increase services in the small number of centres that have been adversely impacted by staff shortages in recent years.

As part of the development and implementation of the new Dublin City Sports Plan our operational model will be examined in order to provide maximum services to all in the most flexible way going forward.

Mairead Owens                                 Donncha O’Dulaing

Dublin City Librarian                        Senior Executive Officer

“That this committee agrees to progress the delivery of a full sized accessible sports pitch at Marrowbone Lane Dublin 8 and the development of the playing facilities at Teresa’s Gardens. Dublin 8 is lacking open space and data shows young girls are playing more team sports and we need more facilities in the city to cater for this. The Sporting Liberties Campaign has had drawings made up and are eager to meet council management to progress the plans”.

Reply:

The Marrowbone Lane Depot provides key operational services for the successful functioning of the City. It is planned to continue the delivery of these services from Marrowbone Lane for the foreseeable future. The future redevelopment of the Marrowbone Lane site is some time away and it is therefore considered to be premature to begin developing design proposals for the site.

DCC and the LDA are partnering in developing a mixed use scheme of 543 homes on the site of the Former St. Teresa’s Gardens lands. Planning was granted for this development in June 2023. Contractor procurement is underway and construction will commence this year. The Development will be delivered in phases to 2028.

As part of these works DCC are developing a new municipal pitch, changing rooms and boxing club.

A planning application was submitted to An Bord Pleanala for the municipal pitch, changing rooms and boxing club last year. A decision on this was due to be determined by November 2023. However no decision has been made to date and there is no indication of date for such decision.

In lieu of this, DCC intend submitting a planning application for the development of Municipal pitch and changing rooms through a Part 8  Planning route. Once planning is granted DCC will jointly develop the pitch and changing rooms with the LDA as part of the overall delivery of the mixed use scheme outlined above. Currently DCC Housing are working closely with Sporting Liberties in agreeing their requirements for pitch (GAA, 2 No. Juvenile soccer and 1 adult soccer) , changing rooms and boxing club . It is intended to accommodate these at the Donore location.

Bruce Philips                         Martin Donlan

Area Manager                        Senior Architect