Cllr Timmons says ‘’ Covid 19 has highlighted the need to be prepared for any emergencies , The Clondalkin Foodbank will ensure we have a stock of food available for those in need, we look forward working with St Vincent De Paul to ensure those in need get the help they need. The Foodbank will be run that people must contact the Vincent De Paul before they arrive, and the Vincent De Paul will send me a list every Monday and we will prepare a food Bag for the person on the list , Bawnogue youth and community centre have kindly donated space to have the FoodBank that will serve the Clondalkin area ’’

Cllr Timmons says ‘’Since I set up Clondalkin helping Homeless in 2014 the service has evolved to assist those most in need in our community , FoodCloud services will continue as is but the Foodbank service will allow for collection of food as agreed.’’

Clondalkin Helping Homeless and those in Need is working in Partnership with St Vincent De Paul to open a new Foodbank in Bawnogue Youth and Community Centre and in Quarryvale with the help of Quarryvale Family Resource Centre. This foodbank is being operated by CHH and St Vincent De Paul. This foodbank will service the Dublin Mid West Area.

If you or anyone you know, needs to avail of this foodbank, they will need to ring the helpline on  0877618586 with their name and address. They will then be assessed by their local SVP Conference to be approved for this facility.

The foodbank will be on every Tuesday 11-1pm in the Bawnogue Youth and Community Centre and every Thurday in Quarryvale.

You must ring the Foodbank Helpline to ensure your name is on the list. Unfortunately, we cannot help anyone who has not been approved. We also ask that People bring their own bags to bring food away in.

Cllr Timmons says ‘’ I was saddened to learn of the death of Jamsie Hempsey, I knew Jamsie as a neighbour for many years and as chair of the Clondalkin Patricks day committee. He was delighted that the parade returned to Clondalkin and spent weeks sorting out his costume and shining his bike for the parade , I Gave Jamsie a framed picture of his part in Clondalkin Parade in 2016 which he treasured -The Clondalkin Patricks day parade won’t be the same without him. He was a legend around Clondalkin. As a neighbour of his he will be sadly missed around Cherrywood , he was a character and you never knew what he would be wearing when he came out of his house , he was quite simply Jamsie the Legend of Clondalkin ’’

Cllr Timmons says ‘’ The Public consultation is now open for the proposed council housing at Lindasfarne / melrose . Lindasfarne / melrose, I note the proposed Houses can’t be moved across the road due to the services beneath ,I also note you said the Green field opposite will be upgraded as part of the SDZ when the Houses beside Ashwood are built and while I welcome this some attempts must be made to make this safer in the short term and a pedestrian light would be required to allow safe crossing of this busy road if it is to be parkland? . I request that SDCC look and see what can be done and report back ? it would need to be secured so scamblers and quads do not take it over. I have asked Is there anyway even part of the houses could be allocated to people from Bawnogue on list , I have requested a list of sites the council own in Bawnogue that it is possible to build on and Also for the greater Clondalkin area. The lack of a playspace in Bawnogue has been raised by me since 2014 and I have suggested that the Bawnogue community centre be looked at as its secure , I Have asked for some feedback on this I had it agreed as a motion at the area committee  I have also requested to get an anti-social report on the Bawnogue area ? ‘’

Cllr Timmons says ‘’ I am glad to hear that the next part 8 will be for step down accommodation for older people this is something I have been asking for since I was elected’’

Submissions:

Submissions or observations in relation to the proposed development, dealing with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area in which the development would be situated, may be made as follows:

Online at https://consult.sdublincoco.ie up to 11.59pm on Thursday, 8^th October 2020.

Or

Written submissions not later than 5.00pm, Thursday, 8^th October 2020.

Please address your submission to:

Senior Executive Officer,

Housing Department,

South Dublin County Council,

County Hall,

Tallaght,

Dublin 24.

Section 183

Cllr Timmon says ‘’It appears in my opinion that the section 183 is a non-runner at the Lindasfarne site I have suggested we do not proceed with this and instead engage with Celtic Football club and the Deansrath Familiy centre in a site on St Cuthberts Park I feel this will get local and Elected members support , Celtic FC has just celebrated 50 years and it would be a huge win for the community to include a changing room and clubhouse facility along with a Family Resource Centre.  We need to reclaim the park.  Along with this the Cuthberts Park High level task force needs to be resumed as we need to look at the development of the area as a whole community. I feel we need to look at some type of amenity for the community at this space a nice garden or suggestions from locals who live there ? several people have raised issues of council maintenance of the area which I have raised with SDCC. I have also put in via membernet but also bollards and ramps in Lindasfarne has been raised with me. ‘’

COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, September 14, 2020

QUESTION NO. 31

QUESTION: Councillor F. Timmons

To ask the Chief Executive to comment and report on The Minister for Agriculture and the Minister of State with responsibility for Forestry at the departments new scheme to fund the creation of new native woodland on public lands and how the council proposes to meet this need including preserving current Woodlands already in SDCC.

REPLY:

The purpose of the Woodland Creation on Public Lands  Scheme is to encourage Public Bodies to establish new native woodlands on suitable bare land.

Native woodlands are an important part of Ireland’s natural heritage, history and culture, and are unique in terms of their biodiversity. They are home to specialised woodland animals, birds, insects and plants, including red squirrel, pine marten, great spotted woodpecker, narrow-leaved helleborine and wood millet, to name but a few. They provide numerous ecosystem services, including the protection and enhancement of water quality, wider habitat linkage, landscape enhancement, opportunities for outdoor recreation and interpretation, and carbon capture.

The Scheme aims to conserve nature by developing permanent, non-commercial woodlands on public land that will deliver the following benefits:

Recreation of lost native woodland habitats, rich in biodiversity and cultural significance.

Reverse the fragmentation of other habitats and the loss of biodiversity corridors within the wider landscape.

Carbon sequestration from forests that will exist in perpetuity.

Protection and enhancement of water and associated aquatic ecosystems.

Provision of attractive woodland amenities, to promote health and well-being and opportunities for outdoor learning amongst local communities.

Enhancing air quality in urban and peri-urban areas.

Soil protection and the reclamation of former landfill and brownfield sites.

The first step in the process is to identify a potential site or sites within the public land bank, which if developed into a native woodland, would advance SDCC’s own targets regarding the Sustainable Development Goals, corporate social responsibility, climate targets, etc. The site must also be suitable from a ‘silvicultural’ perspective to grow a new woodland, and also from an environmental perspective, so that negative impacts of other valuable habitats and species are avoided.

South Dublin County Council have recently commenced a Green Infrastructure Strategy and a Parks and Open Spaces Strategy for the county that will map areas of Green Infrastructure at a strategic level and help the council identify the optimal locations for retention and protection of existing elements of Green Infrastructure (including woodlands), the reinforcement of existing elements that require augmentation or the creation of new Green Infrastructure links and hubs (which can also include woodlands). The Parks and Open Spaces strategy will also examine our public lands at the county wide level and make similar recommendations on how we best develop and manage lands within public ownership and provide the optimal balance between our provision of active and passive recreation and provision and protection of visual amenity and protection and enhancement of biodiversity and environmental habitats.

The Council’s tree management strategy for the period 2015 to 2020 ‘Living with trees’ is being reviewed at present and will be replaced with a new policy document from 2021.  The strategy currently deals with the planting and maintenance of trees in on-street locations, it does not consider trees in park or urban woodland settings.  These areas will be included in the scope of the review of the strategy and will form part of the new strategy.  Work is due to be carried out to establish the extent of existing woodlands in SDCC ownership, these areas will be mapped in the strategy and this will help to identify areas where there is potential for urban woodlands to be extended or newly developed.

South Dublin County Council is a founding member of the Dublin Mountains Partnership (DMP); and the DMP in tandem with Coillte Nature recently announced the Dublin Mountains Conversion Programme as outlined below. SDCC are delighted to be a partner with Coillte in this proposal through the Dublin Mountains Partnership and will seek further ways to partner with Coillte Nature going forward to augment the proposals.

Dublin Mountains Conversion Programme:

“Coillte owns and manages around half of the forests in the Dublin Mountains, with the remainder managed by private forest owners. When this land was first planted with trees between the early 1940s and late 1960s, Dublin was a much smaller city and nobody thought much about outdoor recreation in forests. Today, these forests are among the most important recreational sites for a growing urban population seeking fresh air and green space: Coillte’s most popular forest, Ticknock, sees over 550 visits a day. Until now, Coillte have managed these areas for commercial purposes first, and for recreational purposes second. But because of their popularity and proximity to the city, it’s time to put people’s needs much higher up the agenda. Through the Dublin Mountains Makeover, nine Coillte forests will transition away from the clearfell and replanting cycle towards a different model. Multi-generational forests managed under ‘Continuous Cover Forestry’ (CCF) principles will maintain their green canopy on a permanent basis, and in areas where this isn’t possible, non-native Sitka spruce and lodgepole pine trees will be removed and replanted with native species such as Scots pine, birch, rowan, oak, holly and willow to provide habitat for nature and bring autumn colours to the hills.

Work will start on the Dublin Mountains Makeover in June 2020 and continuing over the coming years, Collite are moving towards a new ‘continuous cover’ approach to forestry that maintains a permanent forest canopy. In areas where this isn’t possible, they are clearfelling small areas of conifer plantations and replanting them with native woodland within the same year. This will enhance and create habitats for wildlife, enrich the forests’ recreational appeal for people and improve the wider landscape’s aesthetic value. The aim of the Dublin Mountains Makeover is to improve biodiversity, climate resilience and recreation.”

COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, September 14, 2020

QUESTION NO. 28

QUESTION: Councillor F. Timmons

To ask the Chief Executive if the Council has plans to looks at communication boards for children with speech, language and communication needs in all the playgrounds and playspaces throughout the county and how this could be funded? ‘

At South Dublin County Council we are committed to equality, inclusion and providing services that are accessible to the whole community’ (https://www.sdcc.ie/en/services/our-council/policies-and-plans/disability-access/). ‘Communication accessibility’ is generally overlooked in public policy. SDCoCo is home to 4 Specialist Disability Services and over 65 schools/preschools providing education to children who have communication difficulties linked to Specific Language Disorder, Intellectual Disability or Autism. Public parks & playgrounds are a lifeline to these children and their families, never more so than during the current COVID 19 pandemic. The Speech & Language Therapy Dept at Cheeverstown would like to SDCoCo to consider the installation of communication boards in all public playgrounds, as has been recently done by Wexford CoCo (template has been shared with the SLT Dept). True inclusion is not something that most of these families experience – it would be wonderful for them to see that their children are recognised as citizens of this county

REPLY:

The Council is supportive in general of measures that would increase the accessibility and inclusivity of our playgrounds and are currently evaluating the level of need for the communication boards. We have contacted our Disability Officer and her fellow Access Officers around the country and also the Special Projects Team responsible for the playground at Min Ryan Park in Wexford.

In addition, we have contacted a speech and language therapist who submitted the recent information on the communication boards, who has us information on how the proposal relates particularly to playgrounds.

We understand that many children who have this need have their own communication cards but may not always need to have them with them.  In some cases, children who have a mild or moderate disability can become unable to concentrate in a playground as it can be an overstimulating environment. In such cases the boards would help the children and parents to maintain communication and allow the child to continue using the playground.

The Council intend investigating the feasibility of installing a communication board in the upgrade of the new Corkagh Park Playground, which is commencing shortly, on a pilot basis.  We can examine feedback from parents / children before considering their further roll out.

Cllr Timmons says ‘’I am opposed to any increase in the Local Property tax for South Dublin County Council and feel strongly that the tax should remain at the 15% reduction for 2020 .e. the same as previous years when it was reduced by 15% for 2015, 2016, 2017 , 2018 and 2019, In my view the Local Property tax is an unfair and unjust tax. I have always voted for the maximum reduction allowed and did so again this year I am glad that the majority of councillors on SDCC voted not to hit the public again , the funding for local government needs to be looked at and a fairer system developed’’

‘’That this council shows solidarity with the LGBT Community in Poland and opposes the manner and way that Poland’s government is treating its LGBT Community by Banning Gay Marriage , Creating LGBT Free zones , locking up LGBT activists etc , We are proud that In Ireland we have come such a long way and We affirm that We are a country that promotes and advocate equality for everyone, We send solidarity to all our Polish LGBT Brothers and Sisters! We commit to write to the Polish Ambassador and our Minister for Foreign Affairs to express our Solidarity to the polish LGBT community.’’

Cllr Timmons says ‘’the motion that was agreed at September council meeting affirms the huge progress we have made on equality in Ireland but calls on the Minister for Foreign affairs to act in regards to the awful manner our polish LGBT brothers and sisters are being treated in there homeland in Poland , we cannot sit back and ignore when there is inequality we need to stand up for the human rights of others, The Polish governments treatment of its LGBT Community by Banning Gay Marriage , Creating LGBT Free zones , locking up LGBT activists etc is totally unacceptable , there is no room for such discrimination in a modern world , everyone is equal and I ask that as a council we stand in solidarity with the polish LGBT community and as a country we condemn this treatment of fellow human beings’‘

I cant help reflecting on what’s important at this time of a Worldwide Health Crisis!

Less cars on the road , less pollution , less rubbish around our villages  – Maybe Nature has a way of telling us that we need to look at what we are doing to our planet?

But also spare a thought for those living with domestic abuse , it is no doubt a worse time for them where work or social interaction offered some solace!

Or those going through Sexual , Mental or physical abuse , it is no doubt a worse time for them where work or social interaction and school offered some solace!

Spare some time to think of Parents struggling with Children who are feeling the strain of Lockdown!

Spare some time to think of People with Disability that are feeling frustrated and helpless!

Spare some time to think of Our Elderly that are feeling vulnerable!

Also reflect on who are our hero’s at this time , Our GPs . Doctors , Nurses , Ambulance staff  ,Care staff  etc some of these are on low wages ,  We depend on them all to keep us safe and well!

Lets reflect on all those who have come forward and answered Ireland’s call , those who look after our local communities and those in need at this strange time!

We are in strange times – its ok to feel anxious , its ok to feel afraid , its ok to feel insecure , after all we have had our world turned upside down Our norms are not as Normal for now!

In these strange times we need to Keep Safe and Be Kind , Help each other where we can , contact Friends and Family by phone or Apps!

We don’t yet know how but we will come through this and hopefully we will be a better and kinder race when we do!

For now look after yourselves and each other!

When this passes , will we have all learned a lesson ? Will we be a better , kinder and more compassionate Country ?

There is a lot to reflect on now and will be a lot more when this is over!

For now Stay Safe , Be Kind

The Lockdown is not over – the Guide is very clear – we all need to protect firstly ourselves and then others! The 5K travel restriction is still in place, social distance is still in place, washing hands and cough etiquette is still in place! People should not be out of their homes unless to go to work or short and safe exercise! We are advised to wear Facemasks in spaces where there is other people and a high risk like supermarkets, Public Transport etc Safe disposal of Gloves and Facemasks is necessary to avoid spreading the infection! It’s very simple you risk your own health and the health of others by not following guidelines! We also risk a New surge of the Virus! Covid 19 is a virus and people can die from it! Still every day More deaths are announced – this is someone’s Family! Stay Safe and Be Kind!