The public can do this through:

Dublin City Council’s Litter Hotline on 1800 251 500 (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm)

The Environmental Protection Agency’s 24 hour National Environmental Complaints Line at 1850 365 121

Log onto our website dublincity.ie , click on the link ‘Report Stockpiling of Bonfire Material’

Email customerservices@dublincity.ie

The Council will carry out dozens of stockpiling raids removing bonfire material between now and Halloween. It’s all part of its drive to promote a safe Halloween that all the community can enjoy. This includes family-friendly Halloween events around the city, licensed fireworks displays and Dublin Fire Brigades Safety awareness campaign.

The council will use #dubsafehalloween to promote this on social media and is encouraging the public to use this hashtag when posting their own safe Halloween content. Dublin Fire Brigade will use #firesafety on social media promoting the Dublin Fire Brigade Safety Awareness Campaign. The main focus is to promote a safe and enjoyable Halloween for the citizens of Dublin through various events and festivals across the City and to minimise the impact of environmental and social consequences of bonfires and illegal fireworks through preventative actions and awareness raising activities.

Dublin City Council removed about 1,500 tyres and 750 tonnes of bonfire material last year.

Councillor Kieran Binchy at the Dodder walkway

This section of the route will run mostly along the banks of the River Dodder, from its mouth at Grand Canal Dock, through Ringsend, Lansdowne, Ballsbridge, Donnybrook, Clonskeagh, Milltown, Dartry, Churchtown and Rathfarnham, then joining with the section through South County Dublin which has recently been through planning. The route will cross into Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown in the vicinity of Clonskeagh, Milltown and Churchtown. It is intended that the route will utilise the various parks along the corridor, including Herbert Park, Dartry Park, Orwell Park, and the linear parks between Clonskeagh and Milltown.

The general principle of the scheme is to provide an attractive leisure and commuter cycle route that would be on par with other routes of its kind in Europe. To achieve this a holistic design approach has to be exercised, taking into account not only journey times and comfort of cyclists but also various other aspects including but not limited to, consideration of pedestrians and local walkers, impact on flora and fauna, benefiting local communities through enhancing existing and providing new amenities, increasing accessibility to and providing good connectivity between local businesses, village centres, and other cycle paths. The proposals will incorporate a number of rest places with bike parking facilities, linkages to cafes and restaurants, potential for Dublin Bike stations, and various heritage places of architectural or historical interest, which will be consistently sign posted, and easy to locate and access. It is the intention that the greenway will be branded, and a signing strategy will be developed as part of the design.

Currently we are developing the route options, and consulting with the relevant statutory bodies and key stakeholders including DCC and DLR departments, to determine the particular requirements for the scheme.

We also intend to consult with other interested parties including business groups, local community groups, and affected landowners, etc, to gather any comments or observations in relation to the scheme and to assist with identification of constraints that must be taken into consideration as part of the design of the greenway route.

It is envisaged that a preferred option will be identified in November, which can then be circulated for comment. It is also intended to hold a public consultation on the preferred option early in the New Year, with any feedback forming part of the development of the preliminary design. Once the preliminary design is complete, a further statutory public consultation will be held as part of the planning process, which is likely to be Summer/Autumn 2016.

Q.126 COUNCILLOR KIERAN BINCHY

To ask the Chief Executive for an update on the formation of a community liaison forum for the Poolbeg incinerator.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S REPLY:
Membership:
The committee shall comprise 10 members having an independent chairperson, 3 local community representatives, 3 elected members of Dublin City Council, 2 officials of Dublin City Council and 1 representative from the operators of the waste to energy facility.

The Independent Chair
The Chief Executive has appointed Peter McLoone as independent Chairperson of the CGLC. Peter has considerable experience on various Boards, Committees and Agencies in a variety of organisations and sectors.

3 Local Community Representatives
An Assessment Panel comprising the Chair, the Lord Mayor and the Executive Manager, Environment & Transportation Department met on the 3rd June to assess the applications received for membership of the Committee from the following sectors:
(i) community/voluntary/disadvantage (ii) education/sports/art/culture/environment and (iii) business. The Panel has nominated one group from each sector to the Chief Executive who will then appoint the 3 community representatives on confirmation from them that they are agreeable to the appointment.

3 Elected Representatives
The 3 elected representatives have been selected by the South East Area Committee (SEAC) at its meeting on the 9th March. The SEAC has agreed that the following 3 councillors will sit on the CGLC from March 2015 to April 2017:
Cllr Chris Andrews
Cllr Claire Byrne
Cllr Kieran Binchy
The following 3 councillors will sit on the CGLC from May 2017 to May 2019:
Cllr Dermot Lacy
Cllr Frank Kennedy
Cllr Paddy McCartan

2 Officials of Dublin City Council
The Chief Executive has appointed the South East Area Manager and the Senior Executive Officer, Environment & Transportation Department to the CGLC.

1 Representative from the Operator of the facility
Covanta has nominated its General Manager, John Daly to the Committee.

When all the appointments have been made, it is intention of the Chair to convene the first meeting of the committee which is likely to be before the end of June.

Almost three years ago we were first approached by the Board of Directors from both Bohemians and Shelbourne Football Clubs. They explained that both clubs were in a very precarious financial position and they sought the City Council’s assistance in trying to put together a plan for survival.

These discussions let to the following tentative proposal:

• Dublin City Council to acquire Dalymount Park if Bohemians Football Club could achieve a “deal” on their outstanding debts which were in the region of €5.5 million.

• Shelbourne Football Club to surrender the lease of Tolka Park.

If all this happened then Dublin City Council as owners of the property would facilitate both clubs to have their base and home ground at Dalymount Park thus ensuring their future as senior football clubs in Dublin City.

It has not been possible to reach agreement with Shelbourne Football Club and we are now proposing to acquire Dalymount Park from Bohemians Football Club and the overall transaction and future plans will not include Shelbourne.

Such an acquisition has now been agreed in principle with Bohemians Football Club and they have reached agreement with their main creditors. The purchase price agreed (subject to Contract etc) is €3.8 million (three million and eight hundred thousand euro).

The future plans for Dalymount Park will be:-

• The stadium/property will be wholly owned by Dublin City Council and we will develop a Municipal Sports Centre on the site (emphasis on soccer)

• We will facilitate Bohemians FC. to continue playing their home matches at Dalymount Park and to have their headquarters there.

• We will in consultation with the Football Association of Ireland and Bohemians F.C. prepare a comprehensive redevelopment plan for the stadium and the pitch, and seek government funding to implement it as soon as possible.

• City Council will consult with the community, the local schools, local junior soccer clubs, Dublin Institute of Technology and all other stakeholders/interests in developing future plans and activities for Dalymount Park.

The major benefits arising from Dublin City Council becoming owners of this property are:

• Retention of a stadium that has hosted football matches since 1901 and ensuring the survival of Bohemians FC which has existed since 1890.

• Retention of a stadium that hosted international football from 1924 to 1990 a total of 66 years.

• Retention of a stadium that has been graced by the best footballers of their time if not ever.

• Retention of a stadium that the vast majority of football supporters have attended at some stage.

• Retention of a stadium that has hosted major musical events.

• Retention of a stadium that has played a large part in the Cultural, Social and indeed political history of Ireland.

The stadium, in the future could be used for community purposes, assisting the adjacent schools, and local soccer clubs in the area and consideration will be given for the development of a soccer museum at the site.

The retention in public ownership of Dalymount Park and the development of a Municipal Sports Centre is fully consistent with the Phibsboro Local Area Plan (L.A.P.).

There are opportunities also at the site for some private development which could result in some of this investment (acquisition) being fully or partly recouped in the future.

We will now work towards the formulation of a comprehensive business plan and consider suitable models for the ongoing management and operation of the Municipal Centre and our relationship with the various stakeholders.

It is therefore the intention of the Council to purchase Dalymount Park for the sum of €3.8 million (Subject to Contracts etc).

Public Consultation June 11th – July 16th

• Dublin City Centre Transport Study proposes major changes to ensure city continues to function efficiently and accommodate future growth

• €150 million NTA investment in public transport forecast

• Public transport, cycling and pedestrian only links along North and South Quays and at College Green plus pedestrianisation of Suffolk Street and St. Stephen’s Green North

• Increases in public transport capacity plus implementation of city wide cycle network

• New interchange hubs, bridges, coach and taxi facilities to ease city flow

Public’s views sought – consultation open from June 11th to July 16th 2015 on www.dublincity.ie/TransportStudy

The National Transport Authority and Dublin City Council today (June 10, 2015) published their joint “Dublin City Centre Transport Study” – a set of proposals to enhance overall movement in the city and achieve the objectives set out in the current Dublin City Development Plan – “ … modal share targets crossing the canals of 55% for public transport, 15% for cycling, 10% for walking and 20% for private car use in the annual cordon count by 2017”. A period of public consultation on the Study will run from tomorrow, June 11th until July 16th 2015, so that the views of members of the public, and interested parties, can be heard before final decisions are made.

Anyone with views they wish to express can do so online on www.dublincity.ie/TransportStudy. A comprehensive public information pack on the study is also available at this location.

Submissions can also be made, and the Study consulted, at Dublin City Council’s public libraries, Area Offices and Customer Services Centre in Wood Quay.

Traffic congestion levels in Dublin are already rising, and, with an additional 42,000 morning-peak journeys into the City Centre anticipated by 2023, plans need to be put in place now to meet the Development Plan targets and to ensure that the capital city continues to function efficiently into the future. In addition, the construction and operation of Luas Cross City will require a significant reconfiguration of current traffic arrangements.

Measures proposed in the Study work together to form a cohesive plan. They include:

• A rebalancing of road space and junction capacity to enable increased public transport provision;

• the introduction of the high-capacity Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system;

• increasing the frequency and capacity of the DART;

• running new rail passenger services between Kildare and the Grand Canal Dock area through the Phoenix Park Tunnel;

• enhancing interchange opportunities between modes at key points across the city;

• developing a high-quality cycle network in the City Centre;

• improving pedestrians’ experiences with wider footpaths and crossing priority at key junctions; and

• reorganising city centre space for taxis and for coach-parking.

Specifically, the Study proposes extending the current ‘bus gate’ at College Green to exclude cars, vans and taxis on a 24-hour basis, restricting the street permanently to Luas, buses, cyclists and pedestrians and developing a much-enhanced civic space in front of Trinity College.

On the North and South Quays, Bachelors’ Walk would be reconfigured as a public transport / cycling / walking only corridor, between its junctions with Jervis Street and O’Connell Street. Across the river, this arrangement would be mirrored, either on Aston Quay, Burgh Quay or George’s Quay – with this decision to be made following a more detailed analysis. General through-traffic would be re-routed around the city’s central area – freeing up road-space in this currently congested part of the city.

As a result of the new traffic restrictions on College Green, Westmoreland Street too would cease to be a through route for car traffic, and can therefore be reconfigured to provide a high quality pedestrian environment, linking the city centre’s two major retail/leisure destinations – O’Connell Street/Henry Street and the Grafton Street Quarter – with wider paths, priority pedestrian crossing onto O’Connell Bridge, BRT and Luas interchange and enhanced cycling facilities.

D’Olier Street would also benefit directly from car-traffic realignments in the city centre. A new central median to accommodate additional bus stops, segregated cycle lanes and ready access to the DART at Tara Street would make this street a key interchange location in the city.

Developing Luas Cross City has opened up the opportunity to pedestrianise Suffolk Street, complementing the Grafton Street commercial area. And a new civic space can be created on St Stephen’s Green North between the Dawson Street and Grafton Street junctions, and extending southwards onto St. Stephen’s Green West.

In addition, investments will be made in improving key transport interchange locations across the city – at Connolly Station / Busaras and Heuston Station as well as at Westmoreland Street / D’Olier Street as outlined above. Three new Dockland Bridges – including a new road-bridge linking Thorncastle Road (Ringsend) to Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, are proposed, as well as imaginative new ways to accommodate the requirement for coach-parking facilities and city centre taxi ranks.

Michael Phillips, Dublin City Council’s Director of Traffic said: “The changes proposed in the Dublin City Centre Transport Study would affect everybody with an interest in Dublin. That’s why we want to hear people’s views and opinions. Our public consultation runs until 16th July, we will also be engaging with transport stakeholders on these proposals and look forward to hearing people’s opinions .”

To facilitate the removal for refurbishment of the Beaver Row footbridge, the contactors need to site a crane on Beaver Row at the junction with Beech Hill. Bridge removal works will proceed on Sunday 14th June from 6am to 12pm and there will be a lane closure on Beaver Row during those times.

The traffic management plan will allow the contractors to maintain a single lane traffic shuttle system operated by flagmen. In the unlikely event of an emergency situation where Beaver Row has to close, the contractors have also identified a diversionary route which will be used. Please find a link below to the Emergency Closure Route.

https://copy.com/cCYwJ7CbukTLErFm

The current works which include the restoration of the historic perimeter path and the grassing down of a short link path, along the south-east corner of the park are well underway. It is necessary to knock a small section of the park depot to facilitate the installation of the perimeter path and this will be undertaken shortly. It is anticipated that the installation of this path will be completed by the end of July. In the meantime, re-graded soil areas will be seeded, allowing lawns to have sufficient growth to allow immediate access to the area when work on the paths has been completed.

The civil works at the Oscar Wilde Sculpture have been completed and planting will occur week commencing 17th June and the installation of two benches and a small interpretative sign will be undertaken by the end of June.

Treatment of the ESB sub -station is also being investigated to determine how best to repair and enhance this prominent building within the park. It is anticipated that work will commence on the building as soon as an appropriate treatment for the building has been agreed.

Additional works, including the widening of the footpath along Merrion Square North in keeping with the historic design for the park, will commence in the autumn and will be completed over the winter months when sculptures in the park will be moved to this location and appropriate period seating installed.

It is also considered that the design of the proposed tea rooms, to be located in the vicinity of the Oscar Wilde Sculpture and the playground, will commence in the autumn and Part 8 planning requirements completed over the winter and early spring 2016.

Every effort is being made to minimise any inconvenience to the public during these works and a full programme of events will be held in the park as normal over the summer months.

This relates to discretionary medical card holders whose cards were lost between July 2011 and May 2014 and whose cards were subsequently re-issued until 31st July 2015.

“A significant number of discretionary medical card holders lost their cards between July 2011 and May 2014. Many of these have been reinstated up to 31st July 2015. I am very pleased to learn that the temporary reinstatement of these discretionary cards should be extended by a further 12 months, up to the end of July 2016. This will be welcome news to the many individuals and their families in Dublin who depend on these cards,” Councillor Kieran Binchy stated.

The Mansion House

As part of the Mansion House 300 year-long programme of events Dublin City Council will open the public rooms of the Mansion House for guided tours on Saturday 27th June, Saturday 25th July and Saturday 29th August. There will be three tours on each of these dates, starting at 2pm, 3pm and 4pm.

The Mansion House is steeped in a rich and fascinating history. It has welcomed Dubliners, International and civic leaders, cultural stars and sporting heroes through its doors over the last 300 years. It has been the venue for the formation of the Irish State with the terms of the Truce marking the end of the Anglo-Irish war and the Anglo-Irish Treaty which allowed for the partition of Ireland both being signed in the Mansion House in 1921. I hope the public will take the opportunity to come along and walk through the House and see it in all its glory.

For more information and to book a place on a tour please contact The Office of the Lord Mayor at 01 222 6200 / lordmayor@dublincity.ie.