By Dermot Lacey
First things first. “Thank you”. Thank you to the nearly two thousand people who gave me their Number 1 vote and the very many more who gave me subsequent preferences at the recent Local Elections. As the late Dan Spring TD said to me many years ago, “It is an honour to be elected but a very special honour to be re-elected.” I hope that I will repay that honour over the next five years as I embark on my seventh term on Dublin City Council. Despite the constant references in the media to abusive behaviour I found the campaign both friendly and enjoyable.
Welcome also to the two new Councillors for Pembroke, Emma Blain FG and Rory Hogan FF. I look forward to working well with them as I have with James Geoghegan and Hazel Chu for the last five years.
The first meeting of the City Council following those elections dealt solely with the election of the Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor. I am very pleased to be able to congratulate my Area colleague James Geoghegan on his election as Lord Mayor and wish him every success in that role. I also wish our new Deputy Lord Mayor Green Party Councillor Donna Cooney every success during her term.
At the first normal meeting of the City Council I was appointed to serve on the Eastern and Midlands Regional Assembly, the City of Dublin Education and Training Board, the HSE Regional Forum and the Board of the Little Museum of Dublin. I will also continue to serve on the Board of the Royal Hospital Donnybrook for a short interim term. Much to my surprise I was also elected to serve for a sixth year in a row as Chairperson of the South-East Area Committee – so a busy year ahead.
There were a huge range of issues raised during the Local Elections and over the next few months I hope to get these on the agenda of the relevant Committees. These range from a desire for a Dog run in Herbert Park, providing an alternative for the camper van use of the Strand Promenade car park, a lot of traffic issues, footpath and road maintenance issues, and much more. These I am all following up on through the Area Committee and, when established, the Strategic Policy Committees. A key objective will be advancing the Sandymount Flood Protection works.
Our first Area Committee saw motions and questions on Road maintenance in Donnybrook, Sandymount and Ranelagh, Cleansing in Rathmines and Ranelagh and sadly once again the ongoing vandalism at the Playground at the Sean Moore Park Playground.
I also raised, through an addendum to another motion, the proposed closure of the Ballsbridge Post Office and the Committee agreed to write to the Minister for Communications, Eamon Ryan on the issue. This area has already lost Sandymount, Ringsend, Donnybrook and Montrose post offices while Rathmines is threatened. If this was Rural Ireland RTÉ would cover the loss on numerous Radio and TV programmes – yet here in Dublin 4 and 6, despite the ongoing references to a “Dublin Centric media” – not a whimper from the Public Broadcaster.
The Summer Season brings a lot of community events and I was delighted to attend the Beech Hill Community Family Day and the Milltown Residents Association Fun Day. It has also been good to see the Sandymount Green extended road closure operate for another year. This is a classic case where good will and people working together saw a workable compromise that I hope is enjoyed by all.
Shortly after the Local Elections – three days after to be precise – the Upper Leeson Street Area Residents Association hosted their AGM where all five newly elected Councillors for Pembroke took part in an active Questions and Answers session with their members. This was followed by a pleasant social evening where we all engaged with residents in a more informal manner. Congratulations to Simon Nugent who has taken on the role of Chairperson of ULSARA.
An important community event on August 10th will see the unveiling of a plaque on the former home in Ranelagh of the great Irish actress Maureen O’Hara. This is something I formally proposed some time ago and it is lovely to see it finally happening. Maureen of course was not only a great actress but also a lifetime Shamrock Rovers fan – so two great reasons to honour her.
Most readers will know of the old Baths on the Merrion Strand. This historic part of our heritage has been ignored for too long and in my view they are a serious danger in terms of their current condition. I have requested Dublin City Council to hold a competition on what might be possible to do with them. I have no fixed view – other than we need to make them safe for people walking the Strand and, in particular for children, playing in the vicinity. Perhaps if you have ideas let me or NewsFour know and we can have a community debate on their future.
In Donnybrook work is ongoing on installing Columbarium Walls in the old graveyard and while there were some delays it is hoped that the new facility will be ready before the year’s end.
That’s it for now folks. Enjoy the Summer and always remember if you need a Councillor or a Peace Commissioner for any reason I am always here to help if I can.
