Disabled Parking in Sandymount
Fine Gael Cllr. Paddy McCartan proposed the installation of a disabled parking bay in Sandymount. The councillor asked the recent South East Area (SEA) meeting of Dublin City Council (DCC) to consider the creation of the bay at the side entrance of St. John’s Church on Park Avenue. The request was referred to the Traffic Advisory Group for consideration and report.
Trees in Ballsbridge
The City Council’s Park Section has recommended that a number of trees be felled in and around Ballsbridge. The survey, proposes the destruction of tress on Merrion Road, Clyde Road, Raglan Road and Waterloo Road. Meanwhile the council has also undertaken a similar survey of trees in Herbert Park.
The survey, conducted by the Parks and Landscape Division of the DCC, mapped the tress within the park and provided an assessment of their condition. In total there are 1,280 trees in the park, with 51 felled and 304 requiring some work.
Meanwhile, refurbishments to Herbert Park are continuing with the football locker rooms and the tennis pavilion due to get a makeover in 2014. Last year saw pitch drainage and ground leveling taking place.
Donnybrook Hospital
There were concerns raised at the SEA meeting of the DCC regarding a road through the Royal Hospital in Donnybrook. The issue was raised as the council discussed a planning report on the site. “The ethos of the hospital isn’t in question,” said Independent Cllr. Mannix Flynn. “It is a matter for planning, we have sought additional information.” “I do understand the residents’ concern, nothing in my experience would indicate that they want a through road,” said Labour Cllr. Dermot Lacey. “I think they should answer in their own interest.”
Criticisms of the Traffic Department
There was a general feeling of exasperation with the council’s Traffic Department expressed at the recent SEA meeting of the DCC. During the traffic formalities, where each councillor gets a chance to discuss traffic matters, Labour Cllr. Mary Freehill criticised the traffic department for not making informed decisions within the South East Area. “There’s no doubt about it, what’s coming from the traffic department is more efficient, but it isn’t more informed,” she said. Other councillors, including Dermot Lacey and Mannix Flynn raised similar concerns.
Poolbeg
Questions relating to the controversy over procurement contracts at Poolbeg were answered by the City Council. The questions, proposed by Fine Gael Cllr. Paddy McCartan, concerned the reasoning behind why the City Council allegedly paid two PR firms €200,000 a month in consultation fees for public relations work.
Cllr. McCartan asked the Council why a budget was approved in the first place and requested information regarding complaints about Poolbeg by the European Commission (EC).
The City Manager’s office said the total amount of money spent on the project should be available in due course. Furthermore, they said a “final assessment” report is being prepared and at this stage they are unsure of the amount of complaints the EC had about the project.
Late last year, the EC asked the Council to kill a pricey contract concerning client services regarding Poolbeg.
