Agenda and minutes

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Items
No. Item

1.

Minutes from the meeting held on 28th April and matters arising. pdf icon PDF 389 KB

Minutes:

Ruth Dowling informed the meeting that she discussed the matter of St. Patricks Festival Board membership with the Chief Executive and had no issue with members requesting greater representation.

 

Cllr. Flynn stated that a report had been commissioned on governance of St. Patricks Festival and that it would be prudent for the Committee to have access to the report before seeking a seat on the Board. Ruth confirmed the Department of Tourism and Sport were the owners of the report and they would have to authorise its release to the Members.

 

Order: Minutes agreed and the Chair to write to the Department of Tourism and Sport to request access to the report on St. Patricks Festival.

2.

Draft Procedure for Twinning / Informal Agreements with International Cities pdf icon PDF 408 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Grainne Kelly reported that the Twinning Policy had been amended to reflect the comments made by the Members at the last meeting.

 

The Members thanked Grainne for the report and requested that the policy be strengthened with greater emphasis on the cultural and historical linkages. They also requested that an annual report be brought to the Protocol Committee outlining the progress and activities carried out as part of the Twinning Programme.

 

Order: Report noted and final draft to be circulated to the Committee.

3.

Corporate Communications and Media pdf icon PDF 609 KB

Minutes:

The Chair welcomed Michael Ryan, Dublin City Council’s Media Relations Officer and Deirdre Ni Raghallaigh to the meeting. Michael gave a presentation to the Members on the role and work of the Media Relations and Communications Section. (Attached).

 

The Members thanked Michael for the presentation and raised the following issues; the need to improve how Council staff publicise events; engagement with Councillors to assist in promoting positive messages; the use of SPC and Area Chairpersons as spokespersons on relevant issues; combatting inaccurate information that creates negative public sentiment towards the City Council; the use of video as an important communications tool.

 

Michael thanked the Members for their input and agreed with them on many of the points raised. He confirmed that media training was being rolled out for senior officials and they were also preparing an FAQ for staff on Communications to help improve how the Council publicises initiatives.

 

Deirdre reported that a tender was being prepared for videography services as the role did not currently exist within the Council and the process to get sanction from the Department for a new  position was time consuming. She also emphasised that the purpose of Media Relations was to communicate on behalf of Dublin City Council as a Local Authority and not as a spokesperson for the various political parties on the Council.

 

Order: Report noted, presentation to be circulated and item to be relisted for October.

4.

Hybrid Council Meetings - Review and Improvements

Minutes:

The Members expressed concerns regarding the quality of the hybrid Council meetings in the Richard O’Carroll Room and Council Chamber.

 

Ruth acknowledged that there had been problems but that a new PC had been installed in the Richard O’Carroll Room and the system had been recalibrated and training provided to users which has resolved the problem. The system in the Chamber requires a piece of technology to rectify the sound distortion. However, although it had been ordered supply issues had caused a delay in delivery. Ruth also confirmed that when officials were required to give a presentation they would be present in the Chamber.    

 

The Members also expressed concerns regarding how the Development Plan meetings would be organised in July given the current hybrid nature of Council meetings.

 

Ruth also confirmed that the Annual Meeting on 27th June will be hybrid and Members will be able to vote while attending online and in person.

 

Order:  Report noted and the Manager to contact Group Leaders with a view to arranging a meeting with the Planning Department to agree procedures for the Development Plan meetings. 

5.

Motion in the name of Cllr. Dermot Lacey: "The Protocol Committee agrees that prior to any major local event or initiative being organised by Dublin City Council in an Area that the Local Area Committee be consulted about the proposed event."

Minutes:

The Members agreed that it would be very beneficial for updates on events in local areas to be circulated to Area Committees.

 

Order: Motion agreed.

6.

Women's Committee Quarter 1 Update pdf icon PDF 218 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Cllr. Heney commended the Chair of the Women’s Committee, Cllr. Darcy Lonergan for the work she had overseen.

 

Order: Report noted.

7.

Request from the Lord Mayor for approval to endorse and sign the "Global Declaration of Mayors for Democracy". pdf icon PDF 17 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Order: Agreed.

8.

City Hall Lighting Requests:

8a)

Request from the Irish Haemochromatosis Association to illuminate City Hall in red for one day during Haemochromatosis Awareness Week - 30th May through to 7th June 2022.

Minutes:

Order: Agreed

8b)

Request for City Hall be lit orange on 7th November 2022 for the Color The World Orange™ campaign to raise awareness of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)

Minutes:

Order: Agreed

9.

Manager's Report

Minutes:

Ruth informed the Members on the following matters:

 

·         The Freedom of the City will take place on Saturday 11th June at 8pm in the Round Room, Mansion House.

·         The Lord Mayors Awards are to take place in 23rd June at 7pm in the Round Room, Mansion.

·         Members were reminded that that survey on the Citizen Hub Online Public Rep system was still open  if they wished to participate.

·         The Lord Mayor of Belfast wished to invite a delegation of Councillors to visit the City. The Members agreed that the delegation should be made up of two members form each of the larger parties and one member each from the smaller parties.

·         Fanchea Gibson will be leaving the Mansion House and moving to CRES in July. The Members expressed their gratitude for her service in the Lord Mayor’s Office and wished her well in her new role.  

10.

A.O.B.

Minutes:

Cllr. Dermot Lacey encouraged Members to complete the survey being conducted by Maynooth University in conjunction with the AILG.

 

Order: The Manager to circulate the link to the survey to all Members on behalf of Cllr. Lacey.

 

Cllr. Mannix Flynn enquired as to when the Ukrainian Flags would be removed from City Council Flag poles. It had been a very worthwhile gesture but it was now time to revert to the established policy of supporting events and sport in the City.

 

Order: The Manager to investigate and report back to the Committee.

11.

Proposed date of Next meeting - 21st July 2022 at 8am

Minutes:

Order: The date of the next meeting was agreed for 21st July 2022.