Agenda item

Emergency Motion in the names of Councillors Nial Ring, Christy Burke and Janice Boylan

 

"That the members of this Council agree that the 2018 budgetary process will give priority to ensuring that Dublin Fire Brigade is fully resourced so that it can continue to provide an all inclusive Fire Based Ambulance and EMS service and, in addition, be sufficiently staffed and funded to provide a comprehensive and ongoing building control inspection programme".

 

 

 

Justification: Having regard to the recent comments made by Pat Flemming (see below), Chief of DFB, it is imperative that at this early stage we ensure that the resourcing of DFB be considered so that financial resources can be correctly budgeted for next year.

 

           

PAT FLEMING'S COMMENTS:

 

 

IRISH INDEPENDENT JULY 3RD 2017

Staff shortages may hinder Irish fire safety inspections in wake of Grenfell tragedy, Chief Fire Officer

 

 

Local authorities are best placed to inspect fire safety requirements of buildings, but are currently too short staffed to do so, according to the Dublin Fire Brigade’s Chief Fire Officer.

 

Patrick Fleming told Morning Ireland on RTÉ Radio 1 that more resources are needed to carry out building control inspections around the country, which are set to evaluate the safety of units over 18 metres tall.

 

A review of staffing levels is underway, he said.

 

Mr Fleming acknowledged that the self-certification system employed during the Celtic Tiger had left some residents in dwellings with sub-standard safety requirements and said his “heart went out to them.”

 

“It’s our role as a statutory organisation to work with them as much as possible in order to alleviate the risk of fire and the consequences of that,” he said.

 

This comes as Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy announced a new taskforce to review fire safety in Ireland in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy in London.

The minister has asked local authorities to review fire safety in the multi-storey social housing sector and to report back in three weeks.

 

The Residential Tenancies Board has been instructed to notify all landlords of their responsibilities in relation to fire safety requirements.

Speaking on Morning Ireland, Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy said the Grenfell tragedy would be a "game-changer in terms of how we deal with buildings for life safety inspection, fire-safety inspection and everything else".

 

"The first responsibility that I think we have here is to make sure there are life safety and fire-safety measures in place in all multi-story buildings," he said.

He said reports from local authorities would be submitted by July 19, but did address the “lack of resources” raised by Mr Fleming.

 

“In terms of the work we have to do now, we’re just making sure the buildings that people are working and living in are safe,” he said.

Mr Murphy's department intends to meet local authority chief fire officers in the coming weeks.

 

ORDER: Agreed.

 

Motion in the name of Councillor Christy Burke

 

That this Committee sends congratulations to all involved in celebrating the mass and the residents who cleaned up and made buntings and contributed to the great day at St. Laurence O’Toole’s Church on Sunday 18^th June 2017.

 

ORDER: Agreed.

 

Motion in the name of Councillor Christy Burke

 

That this Committee receive an up to date report on the completion of the pyrite works at Poplar Row, Ballybough, Dublin 3.

 

ORDER: Report to Councillor.

 

Motion in the name of Councillor Ciaran Cuffe

 

That this Committee agrees that it is expedient, and in the interests of amenity and the environment, to make a Tree Preservation Order for the London Plane tree that is slowly encroaching on the iron bench in Kings Inn Park adjacent to the entrance to the park at 1 Constitution Hill, Dublin 7, and shall also seek the designation of the bench as a Protected Structure under the Planning Acts.

 

ORDER: Report to Councillor.

 

Motion in the name of Councillor Ciaran Cuffe

 

That this Committee agrees that the Chief Executive present a report on actions taken by planning enforcement and environmental health on foot of the concerns raised at the Central Area Committee by the North Port Dwellers on Mayor Street and New Wapping Street, Dublin 1.

 

ORDER: Report to Councillor.

 

Motion in the name of Councillor Ciaran Cuffe

 

That this Committee voices its concern that our officials appear reluctant to take action to address noise complaints concerning neighbours, and calls on the Manager to initiate a pilot scheme for Summer Street, Dublin 1 and take action on foot of residents’ complaints about noise pollution emanating from adjoining residential premises.

 

ORDER: Report to Councillor

 

Motion in the name of Councillor Nial Ring

 

Having regard to the motion passed at this Area Committee in September 2016 (reproduced below for convenience) and in light of the opportunities and possibilities presented under the proposed Croke Villas development, this Committee calls on officials in Dublin City Council and Iarnród Éireann to use the redevelopment opportunity of Croke Park Villas to examine the possibility of the provision of a rail station in the immediate area which would not only serve the 16,000 residents living within 1 kilometre but would be of immense benefit to Croke Park users. The Committee also notes, as it did in September 2016, that these matters are specified by Policy MT6 of the Dublin City Development Plan 2016-2022 which states that it is the policy of DCC "to work with Iarnród Éireann, the NTA, PRA and other operators to progress a co-ordinated approach to improving the rail network....to ensure maximum public benefit and promoting sustainable transport and improved connectivity".

 

(FOR INFORMATION: Motion passed at Sepeteber 2016 CAC: That this Committee calls on Iarnród Éireann to use the opportunity presented by the opening of the Phoenix Park tunnel to expand the proposed service to include new rail stations at Phoenix Park (Infimary Road), Cabra, Cross Guns Bridge and Croke Park rather than bypass these heavily populated areas previously identified as being in need of commuter rail stations. The committee also notes that the current proposed route, whilst passing through the Northside, excludes any rail service to the residents therein with the exception of Drumcondra, thus losing an opportunity to provide the area with a viable alternative public transport service, contrary to Policy MT6 of the Draft Dublin City Development Plan 2016-2022 which states that it is the policy of DCC "to work with Iarnród Éireann, the NTA, PRA and other operators to progress a co-ordinated approach to improving the rail network....to ensure maximum public benefit and promoting sustainable transport and improved connectivity". Finally, if the motion is agreed, we further agree to forward the motion to Iarnród Éireann by way of input into the public consultation process).

ORDER: Report to Councillor.

 

 

Motion in the name of Councillor Nial Ring

 

That this Committee requests the Planning Manager to compile and distribute a list of all "massage" parlours in the area and to indicate if they are fully compliant with all planning regulations. In addition, this Committee notes, with concern, the proliferation of such establishments in the area and requests the Chief Executive to liaise with the Gardai to ensure that any and all reported illegal activities being carried on in these establishments is investigated fully. Finally, this Committee instructs the Chief Executive to request the authorities to carry out investigations into these establishments to ensure that any reported exploitation of workers therein or possible human sex trafficking is investigated fully.

 

ORDER: Report to Councillor.