Minutes - SPC 3

Minutes of Strategic Policy Committee 3 Live Invest Visit Meeting held on Wednesday 17th September 2025 at 11 a.m.in the Council Chamber, County Hall, Riverside


In Attendance:

  • Councillor Arthur Gibbons (Agreed Chair for this meeting) Local Government Member
  • Councillor Declan Bree Local Government Member
  • Councillor Liam Brennan Local Government Member
  • Councillor Marie Casserly Local Government Member via MS Teams
  • Councillor Fergal Nealon Local Government Member
  • Steven Barker Community/Voluntary - PPN Nominee (Cliffoney CF)
  • Ruth Flood Social Inclusion - PPN Nominee (Sligo DPO)

                                              

Officials                                                 

  • Brían Flynn Director of Services
  • Margaret McConnell Senior Executive Officer
  • Tracy Ferguson Economic Development Officer

                                            

Guest                                                     

  • Marie Brouder Brouder Marketing, Consultant supporting development of Sligo Food & Drinks Strategy (Guest Speaker)

             

Apologies                                              

  • Councillor Gerard Mullaney (Chair) Local Government Member
  • Councillor Dara Mulvey  Local Government Member
  • Paula Scallon  Business / Commercial National Pillar - (Chambers Ireland)
  • Councillor Thomas Walsh  Local Government Member
  • Denise Curran  Trade Union National Pillar - (MANDATE) (ICTU)

 

Nomination of Temporary Chair

Brían Flynn, DOS, noted apologies from Cathaoirleach Councillor G. Mullaney and asked for nomination for Chair of Meeting. Councillor Arthur Gibbons was nominated to Chair the meeting.

Proposed:   Councillor F. Nealon
Seconded:   Councillor D. Bree

Councillor Gibbons ensured meeting was quorate and welcomed all in attendance.

Apologies were noted.

 

Confirmation of Minutes:

  • Amendments to Minutes of Q1 Meeting, 25th February 2025

Adopted:

Proposed:  Councillor Fergal Nealon
Seconded:  Councillor Declan Bree

  • Minutes of Q2 Meeting, 22nd May 2025.

Proposed: Councillor Fergal Nealon
Seconded: Councillor Declan Bree

 

2.  Matters arising

Steven Barker, PPN Representative, sought clarification on his suggestion re loans to communities of festivals and events resources. Brían Flynn advised this was happening as a matter of course and where communities could be assisted with available resources, this was happening.

 

3.  Declaration of Conflict of Interest

Nothing declared.

 

4.  Update on Sligo Library Services Plan 2025 – 2030

Patricia Keane, Senior Executive Librarian, provided members with the context and methodology used to draft the forthcoming Sligo Library Services Plan 2025-2030. This included -

  • Structure and timeline.
  • Overview of Library Services.
  • Sample responses from public consultation.

Action: An opportunity for providing further comments by email will be provided to the SPC Members until a closing date of 1st October 2025.

The Members commented on the good work of Sligo Library Services and acknowledged the aims of the draft plan.

Councillors Bree, Brennan, and Nealon asked for clarification on the expected implementation of capital works and expenditure.

P. Keane advised:

  • The tender for a new mobile library has been awarded with expectation that the new library vehicle should be ready in early 2026.
  • Plans for relocation of Ballymote Library are ongoing in consultation with Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht.
  • A multi-disciplinary design team has been appointed for development of a Masterplan for the proposed City Campus project. The City Campus will among other thing include for the provision of a new Central Library.

The Chair noted the direct and positive impact of libraries on children and all sectors of the community in decades past and now, in the digital age. The need for a new building was reiterated.

 

5.  Update on Public Art Commissions Plan

Glenn Gannon, Assistant Arts Officer, presented an overview of current public art activity, including close-out of legacy projects, first priority commission at Collooney/Castlebaldwin, and upcoming plans under the 2022–2028 Commissions framework. For information.

Points highlighted:

  • That the Public Art Steering Group would reconvene in November after its first meeting in June.
  • An online session for information on the scheme will take place on 23rd Set, with Ruairi Ó Cuív as facilitator.
  • That Public Art does not necessarily have to be a statue or visual art but can take various forms including workshops, performance, music, writing, etc. Much of this depends on submissions to the Public Art Steering Committee made at Call Outs. The date of the next Call out will be decided at the Public Art Sterring Committee meeting in November.

Comments/Queries:

  • Expenditure on public art is often criticised. Does the location of public art have to be at the site of the capital expenditure project?
  • Can the funds for public art be pooled for the whole county?
  • Can workshops through Age Friendly groups be funded through the Public Art Scheme?
  • That local artists can be financially challenged.
  • That existing public art needs upkeep and maintenance; can this be funded through the Public Art scheme?

G. Gannon addressed these queries.

B. Flynn, DOS, provided clarification: that funding for Public Art does not become available until the associated capital project is delivered and complete. The recommendations of the Public Art Steering Committee are presented to the Council for final approval.

 

6.  Update on Implementation of the Sligo County Council Disability Inclusion and Access Strategy 2024 – 2027:

for discussion.

Margaret McConnell, Senior Executive Officer outlined the context and key points of the Strategy which was adopted by Sligo County Council in 2024. Details highlighted:

  • That the Strategy is built on the Social Model of Disability
  • Explicitly includes review and monitoring of the strategy and its implementation
  • That the role of Access Officer will be reviewed
  • That implementation of the Strategy is a matter of responsibility for all Directorates across the Council and that an interdepartmental Staff group will be put in place to reflect this. Implementation of the strategy will be embedded within all aspects of the Council’s work.
  • That lived experience is an important aspect of the new strategy.
  • The proposed structure of the Disability Consultative Committee who will have oversight of the Strategy’s implementation.

Comments/Queries:

Ruth Flood, PPN Representative provided a brief insight into the difference between the Medical and Social Models of Disability and into the work of the Disabled Person’s Organisation (DPO) for context for the discussions

  • Pride was repeatedly expressed that Sligo County Council was the first local authority to adopt a disability Strategy using the Social Model of Disability.
  • The work of Councillors Bree and Gibbons and Sligo County Council Staff including M McConnell and B Flynn on this and previous Disability Strategies was acknowledged.
  • Welcomed the Disability Consultative Committee (DCC) putting the strategy into practice with increased representation of lived experience.
  • There are concerns over the structure of the DCC and the nomination process to same which veers back towards a medical model of disability in specifying impairments that must be represented.

Proposed Alternative:

That Sligo PPN and Sligo DPO would develop a Memorandum of Understanding that would outline the roles and responsibilities of representatives to the DCC from their sector. This would include requirement to have lived experience as a disabled person. The proposal may seek to alter the makeup of the DCC to better reflect the Social Model of disability.

In response to detailed query it was clarified that the PPN and DPO are aligned in their approach to this matter and that nominations to the DCC would be sought via the PPN but through the lens of the DPO. Lived experience would be critical to ensuring effective representation.

M McConnell thanked all for their comments and reiterated the commitment to work with the DPO and PPN to ensure effective representation on the DCC.

Suggestion Arising:

In order to avoid delaying the nomination process further would this SPC 3 Meeting agree that ongoing work could continue to reach agreement on nomination to and representation structure of the DCC.

This was agreed by SPC 3.

B. Flynn reiterated that the Management Team are committed to using the Social Model of Disability in the implementation of the Strategy and work.

 

7.  Update on Draft Sligo Food & Drinks Strategy:

for comment.

Marie Brouder of Brouder Marketing presented update on development and provisional aims of Sligo Food and Drinks Strategy as provided.

Comments/Queries:

  • While the potential is apparent, it is important that the strategy includes a financial basis for implementation and oversight of progress.
  • The work of Sligo Food Trail on limited funds was acknowledged with credit being given to their voluntary membership.
  • Support to Sligo’s food offering is all about the bottom line of job creation.
  • As food and drinks form part of our tourism offering, a 12 month calendar of events for Sligo, including food and drinks, would be welcome.
  • Protection of our seafood and marine resources would be an important consideration.

Responses:

  • L. Kiely, as Chair of the Steering Committee for the strategy, reiterated that the Strategy is still in draft form and acknowledged the comments with regard to funding and implementation and the 12-month diary. He affirmed that Sligo Local Enterprise Office will be fully supportive of the strategy’s action plan.
  • M Brouder highlighted that Sustainability is an underpinning consideration of the Strategy.

Work on finer detail of the Strategy continues and the SPC 3 Members will be updated on completion. The input of the SPC 3 Members is acknowledged and will be reflected in the final draft.

 

8.  Continuation of the existing Business Incentive Scheme under Section 66 of the Local Government Act 2001 for financial year 2026:

to note.

Patricia Guckian, Financial Management Accountant, presented details of:

  • The existing Sligo County Council Rates Incentive Scheme;
  • Amendments to legislation re the Scheme which came into effect as of 10th July 2024;
  • Future proposals for Rates Incentive Schemes.

Comments/Queries:

  • Stated vacancy rate for Sligo is 20%. Has the Rates incentive Scheme helped to reduce this?
  • Is it possible to set bespoke rates for certain types of businesses to disincentivise some and incentivise others?
  • The clause on displacement and unfair competition may cause new businesses to self-exclude from setting up. Is there any plan to review this clause?

Response:

  • The stated vacancy rate has previously been based on Geodirectory information. The Rates incentive Scheme has helped but the Rates Abatement Scheme, introduced in 2022, has been of greater effect, reducing the number of vacant properties in Sligo by more than 200. There are continued improvements in reducing vacancy.
  • Bespoke rates can be set strictly based on Local Area Plans. The process for affecting changes would be that a new scheme will be drafted before 30 June 2026. This will be put before the SPC and will be subject to other consultations. Any changes will then be brought to full council with new adopted scheme being effective from 2027.
  • In terms of Displacement and Unfair Competition, specific information is used to determine a basis for invoking these clauses. Cases are reviewed on a case-by-case basis with common sense being taken into consideration and decisions being subject to oversight and review.

P. Guckian was thanked for her clear presentation of the matters and responses to queries.

 

9.  Any Other Business

No matters raised.

 

10.  Next Meeting

Q4:  Wednesday 12th November 2025

 


Meeting Date 17/09/2025