Agendas 2021

Agenda of November Ordinary Meeting of Sligo County Council to be held on Monday, 1st November 2021


Corporate Services,
County Hall,
Riverside,
Sligo

071 911 1111

26th October 2021

TO:  THE CATHAOIRLEACH AND EACH MEMBER OF SLIGO COUNTY COUNCIL

The Ordinary Meeting of Sligo County Council will be held:

ON:  Monday, 1st November 2021

AT:  10.00 a.m.

IN:  Council Chamber, County Hall, Riverside, Sligo.

You are requested to attend.

Kevin Colreavy
Meetings Administrator

 

CLÁR

  1. To note the Minutes of Cranmore Regeneration Steering Group Meetings held on:
    • 3rd October 2019
    • 27th February 2020
    • 16th June 2020
    • 20th October 2020
    • 18th May 2021 (Copies attached).
  2. To note Minutes of Meeting of SPC1 (Housing & Corporate) held on 8th June 2021 (Copy attached).
  3. To note Minutes of Annual General Meeting of Sligo Borough Municipal District held on 28th June 2021 (Copy attached).
  4. To note Minutes of Meeting of Sligo Borough Municipal District held on 19th July 2021 (Copy attached).
  5. To note Minutes of Meeting of Sligo-Drumcliff Municipal District held on 26th July 2021 (Copy attached).
  6. To note Minutes of Meeting of Corporate Policy Group held on 3rd September 2021 (Copy attached).
  7. To confirm Minutes of Ordinary Meeting of Sligo County Council held on 4th October 2021 (Copy attached).
  8. To confirm Minutes of Adjourned Ordinary Meeting of Sligo County Council held on 11th October 2021 (Copy attached).
  9. To note Minutes and Report of Procedures Committee Meeting held on 14th October 2021 (Copies attached).
  10. To adopt the 2021/2022 Winter Maintenance Plan (Report to follow).
  11. To approve, pursuant to Section 183 of the Local Government Act 2001, the disposal of property at Ballyara, Tubbercurry, Co Sligo to Hubert and Teresa Frizzell (Report previously circulated).
  12. To approve, pursuant to Section 183 of the Local Government Act 2001, the disposal of land at Joe McDonnell Drive, Cranmore, Sligo as set out in attached notice (Report previously circulated). 
  13. To note the Monthly Management Report for September 2021 (Report to follow).

 

DEFERRED MOTIONS

  1. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor J. Queenan and Councillor M. Clarke:
    “To call on Sligo County Council to activate Section 34 6 of the Planning Act so that the development of surfing accommodation on former IDA lands at Easkey, Co. Sligo can be considered for planning.”
  2. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Bree:
    “Noting that in 2019, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission invited each local authority in the State to undertake a review of its provision of Traveller accommodation. The equality reviews  to focus on failures nationally to draw down ring fenced capital funding to meet obligations on Traveller specific accommodation; and further noting that following the Review, the Commission, in July of this year, recommended that Sligo County Council should undertake eight specific actions to strengthen the level of equality of opportunity and non-discrimination in its systems for the provision of Traveller-specific accommodation services; this meeting therefore requests the Council executive to indicate what steps will now be taken to implement the eight recommendations of the Commission.”
  3. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Casserly:
    “That this Council in conjunction with Tusla, Dept of Children and Equality and the Gardaí establish an appropriate and safe Refuge Centre for victims and survivors (mainly women) of domestic violence in Sligo and surrounding area.”
  4. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor S. Maguire:
    “This motion asks that Sligo County Council engage with Sligo Leader to conduct a feasibility study to ascertain possible options towards establishing a 50m pool in Sligo and engage with all local stakeholders in this regard including, Sligo IT, Sligo Sports Partnership, Regional Sports Centre and the swimming and triathlon clubs.”
  5. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Bree:
    “Conscious that the proposed appointment of former Minister Katherine Zappone as Special Envoy on Freedom of Opinion and Expression, without a transparent process, amounted to cronyism and fell below the standard of Government expected by the public; and noting the failure of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence, Simon Coveney, to credibly explain the manner in which the proposed appointment was handled; and the failure of the Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, to sanction Minister Coveney; this Council commends those members of Dail Eireann who supported the recent motion of no confidence in Minister Coveney; and further we express our disapproval of those who voted confidence in Minister Coveney.”
  6. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Bree:
    “That a report be provided in regard to the Council’s inspection of private rented accommodation, the report to include:
    1. Details of inspection targets, if any were set, for the number of private rented properties to be inspected by the Council during 2018 and during 2019 (targets which may have been set at the start of the year)?
    2. The number of inspection reports arising from inspections of private rented properties made available to tenants during 2018 and during 2019?
    3. How many prohibition notices were issued by the Council during 2018 and during 2019 in relation to private rented properties?
    4. How many dwellings were inspected by the Council during 2018 and 2019? How many of those dwellings were found to be non compliant with the regulations for standards in private rented accommodation?
    5. The total number of private rented properties inspected during 2018 and 2019 as a proportion (percentage) of the total number of registered tenancies in the county?
    6. The average cost per inspection?
    7. The number of properties which were inspected proactively - ie not arising from complaints or concerns raised with the Council, nor as a result of the council's responsibility to inspect private rented properties under the HAP and RAS schemes?
    8. The details of the Council’s policy for identifying properties for inspection?
    9. The most common reasons for non-compliance with standards regulations?
    10. The number of follow-up inspections carried out during 2018 and 2019?
    11. The number of improvement notices issued in relation to private rented properties?
    12. The number of prosecutions brought by the Council in respect of non compliance with the regulations for standards in private rented accommodation?”
  7. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor R. O’Grady:
    “That Sligo County Council outline the number of car charging points in the county, and outline what plans are in place to increase the number available to the public.”
  8. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor R. O’Grady:
    “That Sligo County Council include the upgrading of the road and footpaths at Ashgrove Maugheraboy in the road works programme for 2022.”
  9. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor R. O’Grady:
    “That Sligo County Council as a matter of urgency commence putting in place a plan to facilitate the needs of camper vans for 2022 season.”
  10. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. Walsh:
    “In March 2022 just under €2.6million was announced for Sligo under the Active Travel Programme.

    I ask Sligo County Council to provide update on all schemes, spend to date and projected timeline for completion of all projects.

    Project Code: Sligo 
    • Cycle parking €50,000
    • New Footpath Schemes A - Strandhill, Grange, Carney €195,000
    • New Footpath Schemes B - Ballygawley, Ballintogher, Coolaney , Rockfield, Collooney, Ballinafad, Carraroe €355,000
    • New Footpath Schemes C - Enniscrone, Geevagh, Tubbercurry, Sligo City €245,000
    • Footpath Improvement Schemes - Various locations in the City €400,000
    • Safe to Schools Programme - Support Infrastructure €100,000
    • Low Cost Junction Tightening/Pedestrian Crossing Schemes €300,000
    • Light Segregation Cycle Schemes €100,000
    • Transport Studies/ Urban Mobility Plans/Active Travel Network Plans €275,000
    • Low Cost Permeability Measures €100,000 SO/21/0011 
    • Walking/Cycle Scheme €100,000 SO/21/0012
    • Footbridge Review €100,000 
    • IT Sligo to Hyde Bridge Walking/Cycling scheme €100,000 
    • Covid projects - permanent works €50,000
    • Upgrade Existing Junctions to an Urban Traffic Control system €125,000
      Total €2,595,000.”

 

MOTIONS

  1. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Clarke:
    “To ask Sligo County Council, LCDC, Sligo leader and the Minister to provide a report, why under the programme that is ran by Sligo Leader Company, the maximum grant for a community group in Sligo is €200,000, and the same project in Mayo is €300,000.

    Why when the cohesion program was introduced in Ireland and west Sligo was amalgamated into Sligo from Mayo (Moy Valley Leader Group), the commitment was to ensure would not be worst off as regards Leader funding?

    What efforts are been made to ensure that community groups in Sligo and in west Sligo in particular are receiving the same level of funding as community projects in Mayo?”
  2. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Casserly:
    “That a report be carried out and funding sought for improved walking and cycling facilities between Ballinode and Hazelwood Forest and surrounds.”
  3. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. MacSharry:
    “That Sligo County Council would reconsider a connecting road from the Summerhill roundabout to link with the Maugheraboy area which would provide access to and from the area with a view to substantially reducing the volume of traffic going in and out by the Post Office into Maugheraboy"
  4. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Mulvey:
    “I call on Sligo County Council to endorse my request for the Manager of Ballymote Credit Union branch to install an external ATM that can be used by the community 24/7.”
  5. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor G. Mullaney:
    “To all on the Minister for Transport and the National Transport Authority to ensure that the Half-price travel fares for people between 19 to 23 years old will also be delivered by private bus companies that are not on Public Service Obligation routes.”
  6. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Casserly:
    “That Sligo County Council apply for funding to install more EV charging stations in all towns and villages across the county including the city centre.” 
  7. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Gilroy and Councillor P. Taylor:
    “That Sligo County Council seek an updated report from National Broadband Ireland on the rollout of high-speed Broadband in County Sligo. The report to include:
    1. Update on the delivery of the 2513 underserved premises in the current deployment area that NBI expected to serve by the end of Q4 2021. (Reply to Motion 52 1st February 2021 Motion)
    2. The list of areas that will be next in line and when delivery is expected to be completed in these areas.
    3. Of the 14,800 premises listed as not having access to high-speed broadband how many will see delivery in each of the next three years,
      • 2022
      • 2023
      • 2024.”
  8. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor G. Mullaney:
    “To call on the Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine to incentivise farmers to convert all or a proportion of their wetlands into a carbon sequestration and to maintain its eligibility for ANC and BPS.”
  9. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Baker:
    “To consider use of promotional signage to encourage people to visit the economic hubs and businesses in our towns and villages.”
  10. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor G. O’Boyle:
    “I’m asking what actions if any has Sligo County Council taken on this motion passed in December 2020:

    In view of ongoing correspondence from concerned citizens to Elected and Executive Members, in relation to sewage flowing along the streets of Easkey Village and polluting the Easkey River, we demand that Sligo County Council carry out a full and transparent audit examining all Planning Permissions of publicly funded capital projects in Easkey, to ensure that they have ALL complied and conformed to ALL the conditions of the PP actually granted, ie not just 'substantially complied' as concerned Easkey residents have been told.  In light of the fact that Warning Letters were sent from this County Council to those in receipt of public funds in Easkey in both February and July this year, it would appear that 'substantial' compliance is demonstrably not adequate, and nor should it be. If it is adequate, why does Sligo County Council issue Planning Permission conditions in the first place?”   
  11. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor A. Gibbons:
    “That the following works would be carried out on the R291 in the interest of safety.

    That the 3 wooden ESB poles adjacent to the road close to the entrance of Cartron Heights be reinstalled further back from the roadside kerb and that a yellow box would be installed on the road for traffic exiting Cartron Heights and where the R291 Road narrows at least 150 metres back from the junction of Scotsman’s walk towards Cartron direction, warning reflectors or other form of safety measures would be put in place to warn of road narrowing, also measure be put into place to make motorists aware while travelling from Rosses Point direction via Scotsman’s walk that they a very lightly to meet pedestrian on the corner of the junction as this road has become very popular for people walking.”
  12. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor A. Gibbons:
    “Following on from my motion that was unanimously agreed March of this year, calling on Roads Department of this County Council to start procedures to have a pedestrian crossing installed on R293 adjacent to the Park in Ballymote, in the interest of health and safety, particularly for young children and the elderly crossing the road to and from the Park. Could we have an updated progress report?”
  13. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor A. Gibbons:
    “That this local authority  write to the FG minister for finance Paschal Donohoe TD and the FF minister of state at the Dept of Finance with specific responsibility for insurance regulation, Sean Fleming TD, that during the current drafting of insurance legislation the legislation actually leads to a reduction of insurance costs to customers, and this legislation must contain the end of dual pricing and loyalty penalty and not further delay at stopping these practices as this and previous governments  have done for far too long.”
  14. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Bree:
    “Recognising that the social housing targets set for Sligo in the new Housing for All strategy will not be sufficient to resolve the housing crisis in the county and further recognising that the strategy will not ensure the provision of affordable houses for those who wish to buy a home and will not tackle the extortionate rents in the private sector, this Council calls on the government to review the strategy so as to prioritise the delivery of Council housing and affordable homes to buy and rent through increased investment in a major state-led housing programme; greater security for tenants; reserving public land exclusively for public housing and establishing a new Right to Housing.”
  15. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Bree:
    “Recognising that rates are payable on all commercial property, will the Council management now consider agreeing to (a) collect the rates in respect of all commercial property; (b) prepare a draft Refund Scheme which will allow the Council to refund a percentage of the rates on vacant properties in the Municipal Districts; (c) introduce the Long Term Vacant Property Incentive Scheme to promote job creation and employment in Sligo.” 
  16. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Bree:
    “To ask what plans, if any, the Council has to increase the planting of native tree species on Council property and to ask when the Council intends to develop a comprehensive tree planting programme/strategy.”
  17. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. Fox:
    “I propose that this council consider creating the post of Cycling & Walking officer for the county.”
  18. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. Healy:
    “To call on Sligo County Council to write to Irish water for an update report on the Groundwater Investigation Programme to identify alternative sources of water in North Sligo area that will meet with demands of customers during periods of prolonged dry weather and a permanent supply into the future.”
  19. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. Healy:
    “To call on Sligo County Council to address the ongoing traffic issues and safety concerns on the Ballisodare to Ballygawley Road and to approach the landowner who owns the parcel of ground which would eliminate all these traffic concerns.”
  20. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. Healy:
    “To call on Sligo County Council to write to the Minister for Housing to make funding available to build affordable and social housing on land that Sligo County Council own in Collooney and Ballintogher to address the housing crisis within the county.”
  21. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor R. O’Grady:
    “That Sligo County Council write to the NTA expressing our dissatisfaction at the cancellation of our November meeting with them.”
  22. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Gilroy:
    “To ask Sligo County Council to report on the latest available traffic count numbers on the following National Primary routes in the county. Please include where along these routes the traffic figures have been collated, over how long a period the figures were collected and when the traffic count took place. So that these figures can be used by members in future road planning decisions”
    1. N4
    2. N15
    3. N16
    4. N17.”
  23. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Gilroy:
    “To call on the Department of the Marine to make funds available from the Brexit Adjustment Fund available for the renovation repair and dredging of Local Authority Piers and Harbours within the county.

    This fund could bring massive benefits to the Commercial Port of Sligo and to the fishing and Marine Tourism harbours along the coast of Sligo.”
  24. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Casserly:
    “For this Council to raise awareness on bullying and to ask our elected representatives in Dáil Éireann to lobby for legislation on bullying so that together with schools and communities we can all look at ways to protect children from bullying through programmes that support them at home and in school life.”
  25. Votes of Sympathy.
  26. Votes of Congratulations.
  27. Conferences/Training.
  28. To note the summary of proceedings of conferences attended in accordance with Section 142(5) (f) of the Local Government Act, 2001.
  29. Correspondence:
    1. Letter dated 28th September 2021 from the Office of the Minister of State in relation to Sligo Garda Station.
    2. Letter dated 30th September 2021 from Sligo University Hospital, Office of the General Manager, regarding update on vacant nursing and midwifery posts at SUH.
    3. Acknowledgement email dated 1st October 2021 from the Office of the Minister for Housing, Local Government & Heritage regarding rent increases and housing stock maintenance.
    4. Acknowledgement letter dated 30th September 2021 from the Office of An Taoiseach regarding increase of base social welfare rate to a living rate.
    5. Copy of resolution passed by the Members of Fermanagh & Omagh District Council regarding Syringes for Cuba Campaign/End the Blockade.
    6. Email dated 15th October 2021 from RSA NCTS Manager regarding outdoor shelters at the National Car Testing Service (NCTS).
    7. Copy of resolution passed by the Members of South Dublin County Council regarding boycott of Israeli Goods.
    8. Acknowledgement email dated 22nd October 2021 from the Office of the Minister for Rural & Community Development regarding Sligo County Council’s endorsement for RRDF applications for Collooney, Ballisodare and Ballymote.
    9. Copy of resolution passed by the Members of Donegal County Council regarding the Mica, Pyrite, Pyrrhotite crisis.
    10. Email dated 22nd October 2021 and letter dated 21st October 2021 in relation to Sligo Garda Station.
    11. Acknowledgement letter dated 21st October 2021 from the Office on An Taoiseach regarding Sligo County Council’s endorsement for RRDF applications for Collooney, Ballisodare and Ballymote.
  30. Matters arising from Minutes.
  31. Any other business.

 


Meeting Date 01/11/2021