Agenda and minutes

1.    Minutes of Meeting 22^nd November

Agreed

2.    Matters arising:

Terms of Planning and Development Bill 2023

Aileen sent copy of Bill and Explanatory Memorandum to all Members.

Working group set up consisting of Cllr Dermot Lacey as Chair,

Cllr. Sophie Nicoullaud, Cllr Ray McAdam and Mr. Odran Reid.  The working group

to examine The Bill and report back to the SPC with a submission prepared and

ready to go to the Oireachtas Committee. Dr. Robbie Sinnott asked to join the group.

There is no update. As the Bill is now at Committee Stage, Dáil Third Stage the

period for submissions has passed.

Enforcement

Motion B from Councillor Janet Horner regarding Banners

Chair will write to Minister O’Brien & O’Donnell with copy of motion with an addendum

“Hotel and other establishment” in wording and copy to go to Gambling Regulator

 and Advertising Standards.

            Living Over The Shop

  Aileen sent summary of Housing Agency and Simon project.  Simon to come to April SPC     to give update on findings of study on vacant “abovethe shop” units (VATSUs) for residential use.

3.    Childcare Update

Aoife Boland, Manager Dublin City Childcare Committee.

  Carol Dillon, Supply Management Co-ordinator.

  The Chair congratulated them both on their new positions.

Carol gave verbal update on new role which is part of the commitment under First 5 and Programme for Government.  This is a new unit set up to look at supply management issues across the country. Waiting for review from Department of Housing regarding planning review and guidelines and what that can mean to childcare and childcare provision.   The Unit will be working on policy and policy directives to work with Local Authority.

The key at the moment is the Capital Investment, which is imminent, two parts to the Capital Grants:

Renovation Scheme  

First priority is the 1-3 years age group, services can apply for grant from €50,000 to €100,000 and the total funding available is €50 million.  This scheme will be launched in the next few weeks.

Extension Scheme         

Later on in the year and going into 2025 the 2^nd scheme will be launched, services can apply for grant from €100,000 to €500.000 for extensions, total funding available will be €20 million.

ICT Scheme

Other funding will be available to the value of €10 million, to help promote ICT investment for the services, new systems, sustainability and help progress childminding initiatives and regularisation of services.

Discussion followed and Carol Dillon, Supply Management Co-Ordinator answered questions raised by the Members.  Aileen sent Irish Times article from Saturday 10^th February on why childcare places are in short supply after the meeting to all the Members.

4.    Greening Strategy

Peter Leonard, Senior Executive Landscape Architect gave presentation.

The department work to policy and objectives, including Dublin Council Development Plan, Climate Change Action Plan, various Greening Strategies and SuDs guides and EU Nature Restoration Law. The presentation showed before and after pictures of various areas around the inner city to demonstrate the greening strategy.

Discussion followed and Peter answered questions raised by the Members.

Dr Robbie Sinnott is looking for more engagement with DPOs and disability proofing as  per CRPD and co-design.  Peter made the point that they do engage with DPOs and do an accessibility audit on larger projects and design to universal standards. Peter will check on feedback for Dr Sinnott.  The Members all felt that this is a fantastic initiative and look forward to seeing more greening in their local area.

Aileen circulated presentation after meeting.

5.    Planning and Development Bill 2023

Deirdre Scully, Dublin City Planning Officer gave a verbal update on LAP’s and the impact of the Planning Bill.

Main Points:

The Bill contains a guillotine element regarding LAPs and the next Development Plan; in that LAPs in place will fall when the new Development Plan is adopted.   The Bill has no impact on Ballymun & Cherry Orchard Plans will naturally expire within their given time frame.   The process of making a new LAP is approximately a 2 years. This would bring any new LAP very close to the guillotine time in 2028.   As a result the Council is in a transitionary period which could effect the 3 priority LAP areas named in the Development Plan (Baile Bogáin, City Edge, NEIC) that are currently being worked on.  Work will continue on these 3 priority local plans whilst we await the outcome of enacting the Bill and commencement of the relevant section.   Deirdre is optimistic that the government will commence the legislation regarding local plans early as they won’t want to impede the process across the county.

Following questions on training and resources; Deirdre outlined that a recruitment programme is ongoing and the Council is actively filling posts, and has 9 posts approved following a request submitted by the LGMA on behalf of all Local Authorities. Training will continue to be delivered.  Deirdre is available to brief elected members and SPC members when new council is formed and a briefing will be given to Members when the Council re-forms. The Office of the Planning Regulator is currently preparing a suite of training to be rolled out for Elected Members in the autumn following the local elections.

Working Group:

It is too late to make amendments to Bill.  Stated “In committee” – verification advised to speak to a Local TD nevertheless, for the record it is unclear why the committee never convened.  Cllr. Dermot Lacey said that the timeframe for working group has passed.

Direction given to ensure that the record was updated to reflect the same.

The working group was never convened.

6.    A.O.B.

Cllr Janet Horner brought up about over supply of office space in the city and how can we look at this issue. Deirdre Scully said that this a large and complex issue and we are looking at the different sectors and the Council will look to undertake research on this issue which will inform future policy.  There are a number of studies and working groups underway, including one organised by the Department regarding vacancy, that will all also inform future direction when they are completed

Tuesday 16^th April @ 9am ZOOM

7.    Date of next meeting:

Tuesday 16^th April @ 9am