Agenda and minutes

Order: Agreed

Order: Agreed and recommend to Council

·       Cllr. Racheal Batten. “LCDC Annual Networking Event – LCDC and Climate Action”. Tullamore Court Hotel, County Offaly. 9^th November 2019.

·       Cllr. Sophie Nicoullaud. “Fuel Poverty Conference”, Croke Park, Dublin City. 21^st October 2019.

·       Cllr. Sophie Nicoullaud. “Mercy Law Resource - Housing Law”. Mercy Law Centre, Dublin 8. 25th September 2019.

·       Cllrs. Racheal Batten & Catherine Stocker. “Marcy Law Resource - Housing Law”. Marcy Law Centre, Dublin 8. 25^th September 2019.

·       Cllr. Anthony Connaghan, Fuel Poverty Conference, Croke Park, Dublin City. 21^st October 2019.

Order: Agreed and recommend to Council

·       Cllrs. Racheal Batten & Catherine Stocker. “Marcy Law Resource - Housing Law”. Marcy Law Centre, Dublin 8. 25^th September 2019

·       Cllr. Anthony Connaghan, Fuel Poverty Conference, Croke Park, Dublin City. 21st October 2019.

·       Cllrs. Racheal Batten & Catherine Stocker. “Marcy Law Resource - Housing Law”. Marcy Law Centre, Dublin 8. 25^th September 2019

·       Cllr. Anthony Connaghan, Fuel Poverty Conference, Croke Park, Dublin City. 21st October 2019.

Order: Noted

The Manager gave a verbal report regarding security concerns in City Hall following the disturbances at the November Council meeting. She confirmed that a security consultant had been appointed to carry out a security review and risk assessment of the building and the existing procedures. The consultant’s report would be presented at the next Protocol Committee meeting for consideration by the Members. She also informed Members that she had written to the Councillors who had provided the passes to those who were responsible for the disturbance and informed them that those individuals would not be granted access to City Hall in future.  

The Members condemned the behaviour of those in the public gallery who disrupted the Council meeting as unacceptable. They expressed concern at the degree of access and lack of supervision members of the public had to the upper floors of City and suggested new procedures be put in place to oversee the attendance of guests to Council meetings. They were also in favour of ensuring that Councillors were held responsible for guests that they brought in to City Hall and that appropriate sanctions were in place to deal with breaches of accepted standards of behaviour.

The Members were mindful of not over-reacting to what was an unprecedented incident but were in agreement that additional measures were necessary to ensure the safety of Councillors, officials and members of the public. It was agreed that Deirdre Ní Raghallaigh would be granted the authority to take whatever actions she thought appropriate in the interim to ensure the safe conduct of Council meetings, until such a time that new procedures had been agreed with the elected Members.            

“That this Protocol committee requests the Council executive to carry out a comprehensive security risk assessment in City Hall to ensure a safe and secure working environment for members, staff and visitors.”

“That this Protocol committee requests the Council executive to carry out a comprehensive security risk assessment in City Hall to ensure a safe and secure working environment for members, staff and visitors.”

Order: The motion was agreed

“That this Protocol committee agrees that Councillors must take responsibility for the visitors they sign-in/bring into City Hall.”

“That this Protocol committee agrees that Councillors must take responsibility for the visitors they sign-in/bring into City Hall.”

Order: The motion was agreed

“That this Protocol committee agrees that as Councillor ceremonial robes are no longer worn by many Councillors, a more up to date replacement i.e. a sash (as in France) with Dublin colours and emblems is designed for Councillors to wear (voluntarily) at official ceremonies and local community occasions where appropriate.  This change would be be more in line with a modern Republic, cheaper to provide, easier to carry to events and would still ensure that Councillors are easily identifiable at ceremonial events.”

“That this Protocol committee agrees that as Councillor ceremonial robes are no longer worn by many Councillors, a more up to date replacement i.e. a sash (as in France) with Dublin colours and emblems is designed for Councillors to wear (voluntarily) at official ceremonies and local community occasions where appropriate.  This change would be be more in line with a modern Republic, cheaper to provide, easier to carry to events and would still ensure that Councillors are easily identifiable at ceremonial events.”

Order: The motion was defeated. 

·       "The Irish Waste Management Conference" on 28th November 2019 at the Croke Park Conference Centre. Further Information on the Conference is available here https://wasteconference.ie/

·       LCDC Networking Event. 9th November 2019, Tullamore Court Hotel, County Offaly. (Retrospective approval)

·       "The Irish Waste Management Conference" on 28th November 2019 at the Croke Park Conference Centre. Further Information on the Conference is available here https://wasteconference.ie/

·       LCDC Networking Event. 9th November 2019, Tullamore Court Hotel, County Offaly. (Retrospective approval)

Order: Agreed and recommend to Council

Order: The Members decided not to grant your request to fly the Kurdish Flag on City Hall. They wished it to be known that their decision is not a reflection on the Kurdish Community in Dublin or as a comment on the current plight of the Kurdish people. The decision to fly guest flags on City Hall was taken by the previous Council. A new Council was elected in May 2019 and it is their position that guest flags will not be flown on City Hall

Order: Agreed and recommend to Council

Order: Agreed and Recommend to Council. The Members also requested that the Law Agent investigate if “Council Privilege” is applicable to statements made by elected Members in the Council Chamber in a similar way to “Dail Privilege” for Members of the Oireachtas.

Order: Following on from the adoption of the selection process by the Committee, the external experts were invited to nominate potential artists. Officials are following up with the external experts with a view to drafting a longlist of artists, from which the shortlist, i.e. those who will be invited to submit proposals, will be selected. It is proposed to hold a meeting of the Committee in the first week of December.

·       The Manager reported that IT equipment, including laptops and printers would be provided to Members on request. Those wishing to avail of this should contact Oliver Douglas in the Chief Executive’s Office.

·       The Disclaimer for the use of auto-forwarding on emails has been circulated to all Members. It is imperative that Members complete the form and return to the Chief Executive’s Office to ensure that their auto-forwarding service remains active. Oliver Douglas will forward details of those Members who have yet to complete the disclaimer to the Group Leaders. Once this process is complete Deirdre Ní Raghallaigh will notify staff of the email policy.

Councillor Alison Gilliland informed Members that there had been an incident at the Housing SPC in which a Councillor had made serious allegations against a senior official of the City Council who was present at the meeting. Cllr. Gilliland, as Chair of the Housing SPC, has written to the Councillor involved and made it clear that his behaviour was totally unacceptable and that he should make a public apology to the official in question. She enquired from the Committee if there was any further action that could be taken against the Member if he refused to apologise.

The Manager informed Members that under standing orders there is no further action that can be taken against the Councillor in question. However, under the Councillor Code of Conduct the official could make a formal complaint to the Council’s Ethics Registrar.

Cllr. Deirdre Heney confirmed that she would talk directly with the Councillor in regards to the matter.     

Order: 19^th December was Agreed as the date of the next meeting.