Agendas 2022

Agenda of September Ordinary Meeting of Sligo County Council to be held on Monday 5th September 2022 at 10am


Sligo County Council,
Corporate Services,
County Hall,
Riverside,
Sligo

30th August 2022

TO:  THE CATHAOIRLEACH AND EACH MEMBER OF SLIGO COUNTY COUNCIL

The Ordinary Meeting of Sligo County Council will be held:

ON:  Monday, 5th September 2022

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 Meeting of the Audit Committee held on 29th March 2022 (Copy attached). 
  2. To note the Minutes of Meeting of Cranmore Regeneration Steering Group held on 29th March 2022 (Copy attached).
  3. To note the minutes of Meeting of Sligo Borough District held on 16th May 2022 (Copy attached).
  4. To note the minutes of Meeting of Ballymote-Tubbercurry Municipal District held on 16th May 2022 (Copy attached).
  5. To note the minutes of Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Ballymote-Tubbercurry Municipal District held on 20th June 2022 (Copy attached).
  6. To confirm minutes of Ordinary Meeting of Sligo County Council held on 4th July 2022 (Copy attached).
  7. To appoint a Chair to Strategic Policy on Environment, Transportation and Infrastructure (SPC 2) following resignation of Cllr. Joe Queenan.
  8. To appoint a Member to the Board of the Hawks Well Theatre.
  9. To note the recommendations of the Public Art Steering Group under the Sligo County Council’s Public Art Commissions Plan 2022 - 2025 (Report previously circulated).
  10. That Sligo County Council being satisfied of their general public utility declare the Roads named below to be Public Roads in accordance with Section 11(1) of the Roads Act, 1993.
    Road No.Location and Terminal Points
    L-12026-0, L-12026-1, ;L12026-2, and L-12026-3 The roads serving development known as “Kingsfort Manor, Ballintogher, Co Sligo

    (Report attached).
  11. To appoint a Member to the new North West Joint Homelessness Consultative Forum (Report attached).
  12. To note the briefing paper on the establishment of the Sligo PEACE Plus Partnership 2021-2027 and to nominate and agree 4. No Elected Members to sit on the Sligo PEACE Plus Partnership (Report attached).
  13. To consider report in relation to commencing the process of taking in charge the estate known as “Scáth na Sléibhe”, Strandhill, Co Sligo (Report previously circulated).
  14. To approve in accordance with Section 6 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992, and Regulations thereunder, provision of assistance to Co-Operative Housing Ireland Society Limited, in the form of CALF Loan in the amount of €291,200 for the CALF P&A Acquisition of Apartments No 1 - 8, The Fairways, Tubbercurry, Co Sligo (Report previously circulated).
  15. To note the Quarterly Management Report for Q2 2022 (Report to follow).

 

DEFERRED MOTIONS

  1. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. Healy:
    “To call on Sligo County Council to write to the Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, the Tánaiste Leo Varadkar and the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications Eamon Ryan that this Government must reverse its proposal to ban the sale of turf.”
  2. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Gilroy:
    “That Sligo County Council report based on the standard condition attached to most one-off rural houses.

    “The area between the new front boundary wall and the edge of the public road shall be cleared, soled in road making material, graded, levelled and surfaced to a standard suitable and to the satisfaction of the planning authority. The finished level of the area soled in road making material shall be a minimum of 200mm below the existing road centre line level.”
    • Define Road Making material
    • Define Surfaced to a standard suitable and to the satisfaction of the planning authority

    Confirm who is responsible for the maintenance and future surfacing of this area.”

 

MOTIONS

  1. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Gilroy:
    “That Sligo County Council select a pedestrian crossing near the Sligo commercial centre to be painted in the PRIDE colours as a gesture of support to the LGBTQ+ Community in Sligo and to show that after the awful events of 2022 that Sligo is a place of welcome to all.“
  2. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Bree:
    “Noting that Mr P.A. McHugh was the first ever Chairperson of Sligo County Council, this Council indicates its support for the proposal to have a headstone placed on his final resting place in Sligo Cemetery and further the Council agrees to provide a grant as a contribution towards the cost of the headstone and restoration works.”
  3. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Casserly:
    “For this council to write to the Minister for Finance to introduce a windfall tax on energy companies' excessive profits at a time when ordinary people cannot afford to heat their home, and the funds from this windfall tax be ring-fenced for redistribution over the winter to those most in need. Can this motion also be shared with other local authorities around the country.”
  4. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Casserly:
    “That funding for beach changing shelters be applied for under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme at suitable locations at beaches in county Sligo.”
  5. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor A. Gibbons:
    “That Sligo County Council carry out a county wide audit of the availability of disabled parking places. This to include all urban areas and tourist amenities. A copy of this motion to be sent to all Local Authorities in the state.”
  6. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor A. Gibbons:
    “That Sligo County Council write to the Minister for Third Level Education Simon Harris to immediately introduce a student accommodation strategy.”
  7. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Mulvey:
    “I ask Sligo County Council to write to the Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien asking that there should be a similar scheme for renovating derelict houses and properties which are located in rural Co Sligo similar to the recently announced Croí Cónaithe scheme which is planned to bring vacant buildings in towns and villages back into use for housing which is welcomed but is restrictive.”
  8. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. Walsh:
    “In the interest of the safety of our community and frontline Garda members, that Sligo County Council calls on the Minister for Justice and the Garda Commissioner to undertake a review of Garda Numbers in the Sligo/Leitrim Division urgently.

    “Sligo-Leitrim suffered a net reduction of 5.8% in Garda personnel last year which means the division now has fewer gardaí than in 2015”

    That this motion be relayed to the Garda Commissioner, the Minister for Justice and the Assistant Commissioner for the North-West Division.”
  9. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. Walsh:
    “To call on the Minister for Transport to expedite the review of the School Transport Scheme for primary and post primary schools.

    Families waiting to see if their child has a seat on a bus for the summer period and some being told a number of days before the return of the academic school year that they don’t have a place is unacceptable.

    That this Council asks the Minister for Transport and the Chair of the Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to examine this issue.

    Furthermore, in light of the current number of families in Sligo who have been unsuccessful in their application for school bus for the coming academic year that this Council asks Bus Eireann to meet a delegation of members from this Local Authority to discuss same.”
  10. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Bree:
    “Noting that the Minister for Housing announced in January that changes to the Tenant Purchase Scheme would enable pensioners to purchase their own home as and from the 1st of February 2022; and further noting with deep concern that to date the Minister has not signed the required Ministerial Direction to allow Councils to implement the new scheme; Sligo County Council calls on the Minister to sign the necessary Ministerial Direction without further delay.” 
  11. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Casserly:
    “To write to the Minister for Transport and Bus Eireann to consider carrying out a review of the current school bus system and to engage stakeholders in devising a new better, more economic and functional system.”
  12. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor A. Gibbons:
    “That this local Authority call on Bus Eireann to have a full audit of all their Bus Stops assessed with the intention to have Bus shelters provided where possible throughout Sligo county.”
  13. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor R. O’Grady:
    “That a review be undertaken of the entrances to popular beaches and amenity areas in the county.”
  14. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor R. O’Grady:
    “That a further meeting be convened with the NTA to review proposals for additional routes.”
  15. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor R. O’Grady:
    “That Sligo County Council look at putting further measures in place to prevent people entering the sea at beaches where swimming is prohibited.”
  16. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor G. Mullaney:
    “While commending the Government on providing free bus travel for all students, I am calling on the Department of Transport to provide adequate bus seating to allow students to avail of this initiative.”
  17. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. MacSharry:
    “That Sligo County Council would acknowledge Mr P.A McHugh 1854-1909, as the first Chairman of Sligo County Council and as a former Mayor of Sligo on six occasions by assisting in the provision of a headstone at his grave in Sligo Cemetery.”
  18. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Bree:
    “Recognising that people with disabilities have the same right to use and enjoy public spaces that we all share; Acknowledging the obstacles which people with disabilities face in their daily lives, including badly parked vehicles and bicycles, billboards, over-grown hedges and other ill-placed hazards; Understanding that most obstacles are caused by thoughtlessness and genuine lack of awareness; this Council reiterates its support for Ireland’s Annual “Make Way Day” which takes place this year on Friday 30th September.”
  19. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor S. Maguire:
    “That this Council would adopt a breastfeeding friendly policy and ensure that all of its buildings are breastfeeding friendly.”
  20. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor S. Maguire:
    “That this Council will write to the Minister for Health asking for the introduction of free fertility treatment in this country.”
  21. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Gilroy:
    “That Sligo County Council revise the current policy on the provision of School Crossing Wardens, so that the safety of children attending schools is treated exactly the same in all areas of the county and that traffic wardens are assigned in a targeted approach to ensure that there is no dangerous and illegal parking outside any of the schools in the county.”
  22. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Gilroy:
    “That Sligo County Council engage with Eircode and the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications to find a system whereby an EIRCODE can be established for the many scenic locations in Sligo. This not only would help to bring people to the locations by means of electronic mapping but, more importantly, give the emergency services immediate precise locations when locals or visitors are in need of assistance.

    If Eircode and the department are unwilling to engage, can Sligo County Council investigate how we can establish these locations as a postal address so that the Eircode can be assigned.”
  23. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. Fox:
    “Given the increased dependence by householders and businesses throughout the county on the electricity system, and with recent warnings about power outages this winter, is there a plan in place by this council in preparation to address if such a crisis situation were to occur.”
  24. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor G. O’Boyle:
    “Sligo County Council take waste collection back into public ownership.”
  25. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor G. O’Boyle:
    “Sligo County Council put in place a sexual and domestic violence liaison officer in the Housing section. If appropriate funds are not available, we write to Justice Minister Helen McEntee.”
  26. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor G. O’Boyle:
    “That this council does a review on vacant homes buildings and holiday homes in the county of Sligo and start using CPOs as a matter of urgency due to the housing crisis and the shortage of homes available to this council.”
  27. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. Walsh:
    “In light of the increase in antisocial behaviour and other incidents on the Dublin to Sligo train and indeed on public transport across the country that Sligo County Council write to the CEO of Iarnród Éireann, Minister for Transport and the Minister for Justice to ask them to examine this issue and ask them what controls and measures are currently in place to manage these incidents.

    Furthermore, if they will consider the introduction of a transport police to put Ireland in line with other European Countries and make public transport safer.”
  28. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillors M. Baker and P. Taylor:
    “To call on the Minister for Housing to sign the Ministerial Order to make the necessary changes to the Tenant Purchase Scheme.”
  29. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Baker:
    “To call on the Commission for Regulation of Utilities to introduce measures to make it easier for consumers switch to another supplier.”
  30. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor P. Taylor:
    “To call on Sligo County Council to write to the Government to take urgent action to support middle income households and the self-employed, who are currently struggling as the current rate of inflation rises, which in turn is bringing more families into the low income rate. As the winter months fast approach, rising fuel costs, and weekly shopping bills on the rise. The government needs to urgently step in to protect families, by providing supports towards electricity, gas and oil costs.

    Those working will also need to see an increase in their take home pay to meet the cost of living.  We do not want to see members of our community struggling and having to make decisions on heating their home or putting food on the table.  Currently families who are earning are struggling to keep bills paid and deal with everyday household expenses because of the increase in the cost of living.  They need to be recognised in the forthcoming budget and as a local representative, I am asking you, my council colleagues, to support this motion .”
  31. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor P. Taylor:
    “To call on Sligo County Council to write to the Minister to request an urgent solution to the current school bus crisis. The current system for allocation of school bus tickets is beyond broken and has not been updated since the 80's. Parents have the right to choose to send their child to whatever school is right for them and their child. No child should be disadvantaged because they are unable to get a bus ticket. How can our Green party colleagues call on us to reduce our emissions and reduce our use of cars if we don't have a functional school transport system in place.”
  32. Votes of Sympathy.
  33. Votes of Congratulations.
  34. Conferences/Training.
  35. To note the summary of proceedings of conferences attended in accordance with Section 142(5) (f) of the Local Government Act, 2001.
  36. Correspondence:
    1. Acceptance of invitation dated 18th May 2022 from Mayor of Kempten Thomas Kiechle for a delegation from Sligo County Council to attend the Kempten August Festival.
    2. Email dated 30th June 2022 from the Office of Marian Harkin TD in response to resolution passed at the June Ordinary meeting of Sligo County Council, together with copy of letter dated 28th June 2022 from the General Manager, SUH regarding the Renal Unit at Sligo University Hospital.
    3. Email dated 30th June 2022 from the Office of Marian Harkin TD in response to resolution passed at the June Ordinary meeting of Sligo County Council, together with response received, in relation to provision of passport office in Sligo.
    4. Copy of resolution passed by the Members of the Metropolitan District of Limerick regarding retention and expansion of Long Covid Clinics.
    5. Acknowledgement letter dated 29th June 2022 from the Office of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence regarding provision of passport office in Sligo.
    6. Letter dated 30th June 2022 from the Office of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage regarding refurbishment grants to bring properties back into use.
    7. Copy of resolution passed by the Members of Cork County Council regarding subsidy for the Irish fishing fleet and reduction of excise duties on diesel.
    8. Copy of resolution passed by the Members of Limerick City & County Council regarding declaration of housing emergency / introduction of moratorium on evictions.
    9. Letter dated 7th July 2022 from Mr. Jim Meade, Chief Executive, Iarnród Éireann regarding CCTV at Collooney Station.
    10. Acknowledgement email from the Office of the Minister of State for Special Education and Inclusion, Ms. Josepha Madigan regarding a new scheme to provide Irish Sign Language.
    11. Acknowledgement email dated 15th July 2022 from the Office of the Minister for Education in relation to Culleens National School.
    12. Email dated 15th July 2022 from the Office of the Minister for Education in relation to Special Educational Needs Centres.
    13. Email dated 15th July 2022 from Office of the Minister for Housing, Local Government & Heritage regarding Housing Adaptation Grant query.
    14. Letter dated 6th July 2022 from Ms. Gráinne McCann, Hospital Manager, SUH, in response to letter issued to the Minister for Health as agreed at the June Ordinary Meeting of SCC, in relation to the introduction of a Minor Injuries Clinic at Sligo University Hospital.
    15. Acknowledgement letter dated 14th July 2022 from the Office of An Taoiseach regarding introduction of an emergency budget.
    16. Acknowledgement letter dated 14th July 2022 from the Office on An Taoiseach in relation to the Good Friday Agreement (GFA).
    17. Acknowledgement letter dated 14th July 2022 from the Office on An Taoiseach in relation to creation of a state construction company to address the Irish housing crisis.”
    18. Acknowledgement email dated 18th July 2022 from the Office of the Minister for of State for Special Education and Inclusion, Ms. Josepha Madigan regarding Special Educational Needs Centres.
    19. Email dated 18th July 2022 from the Office of the Minister for Housing, Local Government & Heritage regarding linking the maximum grants under the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability scheme, in respect of private houses, to the Consumer Price Index.
    20. Email dated 19th July 2022 from the Office of the Minister for Education, Norma Foley, in relation to Culleens National School, Sligo.
    21. Email dated 19th July 2022 from the Office of the Minister for Housing, Local Government & Heritage in relation to motion passed at SCC June Ordinary meeting regarding introduction of legislation to protect tenants in private rented accommodation from unfair rent increase / investment in a realistic social housing programme.
    22. Acknowledgement letter dated 20th July 2022 from the Office of the Minister for Justice regarding future of the national Abhaile Service.
    23. Email dated 22nd July 2022 from the office of the Minister for Finance in response to motion passed at the July Ordinary meeting regarding removal of VAT on AEDs.
    24. Copy of resolution passed by the Members of Donegal County Council in relation to Inheritance Tax.
    25. Email dated 28th July 2022 from the Office of the Minister of State for Special Education and Inclusion regarding Irish Sign Language Support for children.
    26. Email dated 28th July 2022 from the Office of the Minister of State for Special Education and Inclusion regarding Special Education Centre.
    27. Copy of resolution passed by the Members of Wexford County Council in relation to provision, retention and expansion of Long Covid clinics.
    28. Email dated 3rd August 2022 from the Office of Marian Harkin TD regarding the National Abhaile Service.
    29. Acknowledgement email dated 3rd August 2022 from the Office of the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration & Youth regarding Irish sign language in pre-schools and childcare facilities.
    30. Letter dated 4th August 2022 from the HSE in relation to wait times for psychology services and CAMHS in Sligo.
    31. Email dated 10th August 2022 and attached letter dated 10th August 2022 from the Office of the Minister for Further & Higher Education in relation to greater investment in the apprenticeship system.
    32. Letter dated 10th August 2022 from the Office of the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment in relation to supplementary payment to those in full time employment who are earning the national minimum wage.
    33. Email dated 19th August 2022 from the Office of the Minister for Health in relation to ratification of the convention against trafficking in human organs.
    34. Letter dated 8th August 2022 from Carla Serazzi, Chilean Ambassador in Ireland regarding request to raise Chilean flag on 18th September 2022 in commemoration of 30 years of Diplomatic Relations between Chile and Ireland.
    35. Email dated 25th August 2022 from the Office of the Minister for Health in relation to access to Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT).
  37. Matters arising from Minutes.
  38. Any other business.

 


Meeting Date 05/09/2022