Minutes:
The Lord Mayor opened the meeting by calling for a moments silence to remember the following politicians who had recently died:
o John Hume, Architect of the Northern Ireland peace process who died on 3rd August.
o Former Councillor Ger Dorgan died Monday 10th August. He was co-opted to Dublin City Council in July 2003 in the Local Electoral Area of Clontarf and served on the Council for 7 months.
o Former Councillor Eamonn O’Brien who died on 19th August 2020. He was a member of the Labour Party and represented the Ballymun area from 1985 to 2004.
The Lord Mayor and Members offered their congratulations to Councillor Mannix Flynn for his documentary aired on national television on 27th August and for being the voice of children and adults who have been the victims and are still suffering because of institutional abuse in Ireland.
Due to Covid19, the Lord Mayor’s Awards will be held monthly and will be acknowledging those who have worked during the Covid19 pandemic. The Lord Mayor also updated Members that she is working with the Parks Department to create a Memorial to remember those who have died from Covid 19.
The Lord Mayor announced that Councillor Críona Ní Dhálaigh will be resigning from 20th September, she paid tribute to Councillor Ní Dhálaigh for all the work that she has done in the 15 years that she has been a Councillor. Representatives from all the political groups on the Council paid tribute to Cllr. Ní Dhálaigh.
It was proposed by Councillor Donna Cooney and seconded by Councillor Deirdre Heney that the meeting adjourn at 8.15 p.m. and reconvene on Monday 21st September 2020 at 6.15 p.m. to deal with Item Nos 7, 8 & 10.
The Lord Mayor then requested permission of the City Council to take Emergency Motions. Accordingly, the City Council suspended Standing Orders to agree the following emergency motions:
Emergency Motion 1:
Dublin City Council calls on the Chief Executive to seek legal advice on the recent An Bórd Pleanála decision to approve a 12 storey block in Santry Dublin 9 against the City Council Recommendation, with a view to taking Judicial Review that there was an error in law by the inspector not concerning the health and Safety regulations and with specific reference to the risk of fire safety concerns of our local fire services not being able to provide proper safe service in an event of a fire.
Submitted by Councillor Racheal Batten.
Emergency Motion 2:
“This City Council expresses grave concern at the flooding of communities throughout the City with illegal fireworks. Communities across Dublin are reporting widespread fear at the use of these illegal fireworks, often to directly attack people on the streets and in their homes. The nightly explosions are causing to terror to many people, especially vulnerable people including the elderly, as well as family pets.
- We call on the Garda Síochána to use the full powers at their disposal to combat this crime, including laws on possession of illegal fireworks and their use to commit assault.
- We call on the Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner for the Dublin Metropolitian Region to release adequate resources, including overtime, to ensure Gardaí can respond swiftly and appropriately to calls from the public.
- We agree to the urgent establishment of a joint task force with Gardai, city councillors and city officials to address this critical situation as we approach Halloween 2020.”
Submitted by Cllr. Mícheál Mac Donncha, Cllr. Larry O’Toole, Cllr. Críona Ní Dhálaigh, Cllr. Séamas McGrattan, Cllr. Daithí Doolan, Cllr. Daniel Céitinn, Cllr. Janice Boylan. Cllr. Anthony Connaghan.
Emergency Motion 3:
“That Number 40 Herbert Park, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, be added to the list of protected structures. This was the family home of 1916 leader Mícheál Ó Rathaille (The O'Rahilly) and closely associated with key figures in the Irish Volunteers, the 1916 Rising and the War of Independence.”
Submitted by Councillor Mícheál MacDonncha.
Emergency Motion 4 :
That the CE give a report on the review and renewal of the contract to operate a dog pound facility at Ashton to Mr. M. Stone, if no review being carried out that he agree to review same now and in the meantime, if he will agree to make provision that no further placement of dogs into the pound will occur until such time as the CE can ensure that no unnecessary suffering is inflicted on any dog the City Council causes to be placed there.
Submitted by Councillor Deirdre Heney.
Emergency Motion 5 :
That
the CEO urgently convene working groups of Senior Management and
appropriate elected representatives to put together proposals
for projects for EU Recovery Funds (which is 700 billion euros)
Furthermore that senior staff and Cllrs area
involved in planning for 2021-2027 European funding including ERDF,
ESF, EMFF, JTF, AMIF, BMVI, ISF funds
That Dublin Agreement proposals be included. As the European
Office has been run down that the Council buy in expertise to put
this proposal together.
Submitted by Cllr. Mary Freehill, Cllr. Dermot Lacey, Cllr. Kevin Donoghue.