Agendas 2024

Agenda of September Ordinary Meeting of Sligo County Council to be held Monday, 9th September 2024 at 10 a.m.


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

3rd September, 2024

TO: THE CATHAOIRLEACH AND EACH MEMBER OF SLIGO COUNTY COUNCIL

The Ordinary Meeting of Sligo County Council will be held

ON:      Monday, 9th September, 2024

AT:      10.00 a.m.

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

You are requested to attend.

Sinéad Branley
Meetings Administrator

 

CLÁR

  1. To confirm minutes of Meeting of SPC 1 (Housing and Corporate) held on 11th March, 2024 (Copy attached)
  2. To note minutes of CPG Meeting held on 13th May 2024 (Copy attached)
  3. To confirm minutes of Meeting of Sligo Borough District held on 20th May, 2024 (Copy attached).
  4. To confirm Minutes of Ballymote-Tubbercurry M. D. Meetings held on
    a) 20th May, 2024 and
    b) A.G.M. held on 27th June, 2024 (Copies attached).
  5. To confirm Minutes of Sligo-Drumcliff Municipal District Meetings held on
    a) 27th May, 2024 and
    b) 28th June, 2024 (Copies attached). 
  6. To confirm Minutes of Ordinary Meeting of Sligo County Council held on 8th July, 2024 (Copy attached).
  7. Appointments to The Model.
  8. Chief Executive’s Recommendation to the Audit Committee.
  9. Appointments to the Procedures Committee.
  10. To appoint officials of Sligo County Council to the Local Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee (Report attached).
  11. Draft Strategic Policy Scheme (SPC) Scheme 2024 – 2029 (Report and Draft Scheme circulated)
  12. To set a date for a special meeting to consider the Third Chief Executive’s Report on submissions and observations received on the Proposed Amendments to the Draft Sligo County Development Plan 2024-2030.
  13. To consider holding a Civic Reception for
    a) Sligo's Olympic Games competitors
    b) Sligo U18 LGFA Team.
  14. To note the Monthly Management Report for July-August 2024 (Report attached).

DEFERRED MOTIONS

  1. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. MacSharry:
    “That Sligo County Council call on the Government to establish a victims of crime compensation fund in the interests of Justice.”
  2. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Casserly:
    “That we write to the Ministers of Sport and Finance requesting a strategic review of funding for national and international athletes and coaches and ask for a significant increase in funding for our athletes competing and performing so well on the international stage.”
  3. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Casserly:
    “To request that Sligo County Council contact the Minister for Justice requesting details on what she is doing to ensure consistency of sentencing in criminal matters.”
  4. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Casserly:
    “That this Council write to the Minister for Transport, Minister for Public Expenditure and TII to request that the upgrade of the N15 be added to the National Development Plan during the mid-term review.”
  5. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Clarke:
    “To call on Sligo County Council to write to the Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien, to seek immediate action on providing application forms for Sligo's home owners who are affected by Pyrite, and to provide Council staff to ensure those applications are dealt with in a timely fashion.”

 

MOTIONS

  1. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Casserly:
    “To request that the H.S.E. reverse the decision to have the Pain Clinic move to Galway University Hospital and to have it reinstated back to Sligo University Hospital to have patients who are waiting for appointments to be treated as soon as possible.”
  2. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Casserly:
    “To request that central government develop a database or 'one stop shop' of available grants to sports clubs and voluntary organisations to make it easier for volunteers to access and to raise awareness of grants at any given time.”
  3. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Casserly:
    “To request that a Food and Drink Strategy be developed for County Sligo to highlight and promote the excellent unique offerings we have in County Sligo. Focusing on local provenance, best in class food experiences and developing new experiences, to support food and drink business to build capacity and embrace sustainability. This strategy should be included as an integral part of the Sligo Tourism Strategy.”
  4. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. Healy:
    “To call on Sligo County Council to write to the Minister of Health to outline our concerns regarding medical card holders who can't get dental services in Sligo Town and call on the Minister to write to the list of Dentists who are currently taking medical cards and, if not, what is the reason.”
  5. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Bree:
    “That Sligo County Council endorses the proposal for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty and urges the Irish Government to support the initiative to create a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.”
  6. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. MacSharry:
    “That Sligo County Council would advise members on any funding applications made to the O.P.W. to deal with Coastal erosion in the county.”
  7. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. MacSharry:
    “That Sligo County Council would call on the Minister for Finance to again reduce the V.A.T. rate back to 9% to assist struggling businesses in the Hospitality sector.” 
  8. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. MacSharry:
    “That Sligo County Council would call on the N.T.A. to again meet with members to discuss bus services in the county.”
  9. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. Healy:
    “To call on Sligo County Council to write to the Minister of Housing to include affordable houses in any housing scheme where we are building social housing on local authorities land in the county as this is not the case at present.”
  10. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Mulvey:
    “To ask Sligo County Council what funds are in place for structural works such as boundary wall rebuilding at Cemeteries in Co. Sligo. If no such fund is available for such works, can a figure be included in the 2025 budget.”
  11. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Mulvey:
    “I call on Sligo County Council to seek an update and meeting with the National Transport Authority (NTA) on what proposal can be put in place to provide a rural bus services as part of Connecting Ireland plan for the communities living off the N17 in Co Sligo.”
  12. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Mulvey:
    “I call on Sligo County Council to contact NBI (National Broadband Ireland) to ask why only some parts of County Sligo can access the roll out of high-speed broadband while others are unable to access it.”
  13. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. Walsh:
    “Following correspondence from the HSE (ref: REPDR/23/00789. 6th March 2023) in response my Notice of Motion which sought an update on a future strategy for the 105-acre Cloonamahon Native Woodland Park and their reply as outlined below:
    ‘We expect our considerations of the current, and future, needs to be complete within the next 2 to 4 weeks, at which point, we will engage proactively with Sligo County Council initially to commence discussions on the future usage of the overall site.’
    that Sligo County Council advise on what, if any, communication they have had with the HSE on this project.”
  14. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. Walsh:
    “In 2024, Sligo County Council received €264,000 for safety improvement works for 15 projects.
    That Sligo County Council write to the Department of Transport requesting them to, at minimum, double the allocation of funding to Sligo County Council for Safety Improvement Works on Regional and Local Roads for 2025.”
  15. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. Walsh:
    “That Sligo County Council writes to the Minister for Social Protection to request a review of existing community employment schemes in place in the state with a view to putting in place an ambassador/care-taker scheme for every village in Ireland, that a person, or persons be paid accordingly to support tidy towns and community development groups with maintaining and enhancing their communities. For example, a village with a settlement of 1000 or less, may be eligible for one worker, 1000 plus two workers etc.
    That this motion be forwarded to the Taoiseach, Tanaiste and all other Local Authorities for consideration.”
  16. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Clarke:
    “To call on Sligo County Council to develop and rollout a scheme to build rural housing to support rural families and the rural communities and to seek funding from government for staff to implement the scheme.”
  17. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Clarke:
    “To call on Sligo County Council to instruct the TII to ensure that all new road schemes and existing road infrastructure is designed to facilitate cycling and greenways.”
  18. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor E. McSharry:
    “That Sligo County Council write to the Minister of Health informing him that the current Sligo-Galway Cancer bus which transports patients to Galway University Hospital for essential cancer treatments has reached its end of life and no longer has a toilet on the bus.  To request that the minister apply a special once off grant from the HSE National lottery funds to help local charities to purchase a new fit for purpose bus. The current bus was funded in this way by the Department of Health in 2009.”
  19. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor E. McSharry:
    “That Sligo County Council write to the Minister of Finance to request that the hospitality sector in the Northwest are given the necessary supports to ensure their viability. The excessive cost to run a hospitality business due excise and vat rate increases with increased wage costs has caused many of our pubs and restaurants to close. This is affecting our tourist economy.”
  20. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor E. McSharry:
    “The Dublin to Sligo train has greatly improved its service with future plans to reduce journey time. However, it currently takes over 3 hours to commute between Dublin and Sligo with no refreshments or hot drinks available on the train.   Can I request that Sligo County council write to the TFI to reinstate the food cart as soon as possible.”
  21. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor A. Gibbons:
    “That this local authority calls on the Minister for Justice and the RSA to publish a full yearly report of what actions and resources have been put in place since the introduction of the new laws on the use of e-scooters that was introduced in Ireland 20th May 2024 to combat those blatantly breaking the law and being a danger and nuisance to pedestrians and Traffic alike. This report is to be made public every year and it is to include how many offenders were prosecuted and other successful legal actions that have been taken.”
  22. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. Healy:
    “To call on Sligo County Council to write to Minister McConalogue who must bring forward a solution for the group known as ‘Forgotten Farmers’ in the upcoming Budget.”
  23. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor N. Cosgrove:
    “That Sligo County Council write to Darragh O'Brien Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage of Ireland to request additional funding to be ringfenced specifically for playgrounds and recreational spaces." 
  24. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor N. Cosgrove:
    "That Sligo County Council erects Communication Boards in all of the playgrounds and recreational spaces throughout the county."
  25. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor A. Gibbons:
    “This local authority writes to Bus Éireann to ascertain the following information, what action plan is in place for scheduled Expressway buses that have to turn back to the Depot due to engine failure.”
  26. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor G. O’Boyle:
    “Sligo County Council calls on the Government to compel the religious orders to pay redress for mother and baby home or the state should seize lands and assets owned by the religious orders to pay the redress.”
  27. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor G. O’Boyle:
    “Sligo County Council calls on the Minister for Health to improve post-natal care for women in Ireland.”
  28. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor G. O’Boyle:
    “Sligo County Council writes to the Minister for Health and Taoiseach asking why we are still waiting on an overhaul of CAMHS.”
  29. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Bree:
    “Noting that the restoration of the section of the Western Rail Corridor between Athenry and Claremorris has been included in the latest All-Island Strategic Rail Review and further noting that it is an objective in the North West Regional Spatial & Economic Strategy 2020-2032, and the Draft Sligo County Development 2024-2030, to deliver the Athenry-Claremorris-Sligo rail corridor to an appropriate level of service and to a standard capable of facilitating passenger and freight transport, this Council acknowledges the publication of the rail review and confirms its support for the provision of a greenway linking Collooney with Bellaghy that is constructed a safe distance from the Rail Corridor.”
  30. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor F. Nealon:
    “This motion calls on Sligo County Council to write to the Minister of Finance to reinstate the 9% Vat rate for food lead business, splitting food services from the accommodation sector’s Vat rate of 13.5%”
  31. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor L. Brennan:
    “I call on Sligo County Council to write to the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, asking him to increase the number of staff available for Home Support Services in the HSE West and Northwest region which is at crisis point due to the lack of staffing. I also ask Sligo County Council to ask if the 'staffing ceiling' for Home Support Services can be increased?”
  32. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor L. Brennan:
    “I call on Sligo County Council to increase the funding available for the repair and maintenance of rural cemeteries in the upcoming budget.”
  33. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Bree:
    “To ask when the proposed draft Bye-Laws to control the use of jet ski’s and fast power boats on Lough Gill and the Garavogue River, will be brought before the Council for consideration.”
  34. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor F. Nealon:
    “To write to Barry Kenny, Iarnród Eireann to do a feasibility study on the possibilities of
  • A daily commuter service running from Longford to Sligo arriving between 8.30-8.45 am.
  • A daily nighttime service running from Sligo to Longford at 10-10.30pm

Consulting with key stakeholders such as Sligo ATU, Enterprise Ireland, Sligo chamber of commerce, Sligo County Council and Sligo Bid
Currently there is no train that arrives in Sligo in time for start of the working, school or college day.
A nighttime train would also encourage the evening time economy of live events, hospitality, sports events as well as work and college commutes.”

  1. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Gilroy:
    “That Sligo County Council calls on the H.S.E. Older People’s Service to provide Physiotherapy Services at St. John’s Community Hospital, Sligo to assist people who need these services to continue to live at home and not to end up occupying valuable space in Hospital that may be used by those who actually need hospital care.
    The excellent work being done by Older People’s Services within CHO1 is being let down by the failure to provide the correct levels of care for older people at Day Centres who require services such as Physiotherapy.”
  2. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Gilroy:
    “That Sligo County Council put in place that any Service Provider who damages roads or paths repair them to the original standard.”
  3. Votes of Sympathy.
  4. Votes of Congratulations.
  5. To approve the Conferences/Training events as circulated.
  6. To note the summary of proceedings of conferences attended in accordance with Section 142(5) (f) of the Local Government Act, 2001.
  7. Correspondence:
    1. Acknowledgement for Sligo County Council’s Vote of sympathy from the wife and family of the late Peter Gallagher, R.I.P.,
    2. Acknowledgement dated 15th July (by e-mail) from the Office of the Taoiseach re. Chronic Pain Service in Sligo University Hospital,
    3. Acknowledgement dated 15th July, 2024 (by e-mail) from the Office of the Minister for Justice re. construction of Garda HQ in Sligo,
    4. Acknowledgement (via e-mail) dated 16th July, 2024 from the Office of the Minister for the O.P.W. re. construction of Garda HQ in Sligo,
    5. Acknowledgement (via e-mail) dated 17th July, 2024 from the Office of the Minister for Health re. lifting of H.S.E. Recruitment embargo,
    6. Acknowledgement (via e-mail) dated 17th July, 2024 from the Office of the Minister for Finance re. increase in level of grant funding,
    7. Acknowledgement (via e-mail) dated 17th July, 2024 from the Office of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage re. increase in level of grant funding,
    8. Acknowledgement (via e-mail) dated 17th July, 2024 from the Office of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage re. funding for Housing Adaptation Grants,
    9. Acknowledgement dated 16th July, 2024 from the Office of the Minister for Social Protection re. Carers Allowance,
    10. Acknowledgement dated 15th July, 2024 from the Office of the Taoiseach re. resources for ‘Cuan’,
    11. Acknowledgement dated 15th July, 2024 from the Office of the Taoiseach re. electricity prices,
    12. Letter dated 19th July, 2024 from the Department of Social Protection re. removal of the means test from the Carer’s Allowance payment,
    13. Letter dated 19th July, 2024 from the Office of the C.E.O. of the H.S.E. re. Chronic pain Service in Sligo University Hospital,
    14. Acknowledgement dated 23rd July, 2024 from the Office of the Minister of State for International and Road Transport and Logistics re. the N15 National Primary Route,
    15. Acknowledgement dated 24th July, 2024 from the Parliamentary Affairs Office of the H.S.E., enclosing reply from Grainne McCann, Hospital Manager risk assessment and security review at Sligo University Hospital,
    16. Reply from Sligo Credit Union, by letter dated 24th July, 2024, re. ‘Cultivate’,
    17. Reply (via e-mail) dated 26th July, 2024 from the Office of the Minister for Health re. recruitment embargo at Sligo University Hospital,
    18. E-mail dated 27th July, 2024 from “Alannah” re. funding for horse racing and greyhound industries,
    19. Letter (via e-mail) dated 29th July, 2024 from Mr. Tony Canavan, Executive Chairperson, Regional Health Forum West re. Chronic Pain Service in Sligo University Hospital,
    20. Acknowledgement (1) dated 1st August, 2024 from the Office of the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth concerning the Redress Scheme,
    21. Acknowledgement dated 1st August, 2024 from the Office of the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth concerning Childminding Regulations,
    22. Acknowledgement dated 1st August, 2024 from the Office of the Minister for Transport re. request for a Meeting re. N15 route,
    23. Acknowledgement (2) dated 7th August, 2024 from the Office of the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth concerning the Mother and Baby homes Redress Scheme,
    24. E-mail dated 7th August, 2024 from Mr. Vinny Glennon of “How much Rent” re. rental transparency,
    25. E-mail dated 8th August, 2024 from Ms. Katie O’Hara regarding ban on sale of baking items in “Homestore and More”,
    26. Letter (via e-mail) dated 12th August, 2024 from the Office of the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment re. grant assistance for the remediation of radon gas,
    27. E-mail dated 13th August, 2024 from Ms. Mary Kelly of the “Ann McGeeney Trust Fund”,
    28. Letter (via e-mail) dated 15th August, 2024 from Dr. Orla Flynn, President A.T.U. regarding sports facilities at A.T.U. Sligo,
    29. Copy of Resolution passed by the Elected Members of Wexford County Council re. gender based violence,
    30. Letter dated 22nd August, 2024 from the Office of the Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform re. prevention of damage and vandalism to archaeological sites in Sligo,
    31. Acknowledgement dated 26th August, 2024 from the Parliamentary Affairs Office of the H.S.E., enclosing reply from Grainne McCann, Hospital Manager of Sligo University Hospital re. Chronic pain Service,
    32. Acknowledgement in memory of the late Mickey and Edie Loftus, R.I.P.,
    33. Letter, via e-mail, dated 2nd September, 2024 from the Office of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage re. Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability Scheme and
    34. Letter, via e-mail, dated 2nd September, 2024 from the Office of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage re. an additional funding application under the Disabled Person’s Grant Scheme.
  8. Matters arising from Minutes.
  9. Any other business.

 


Meeting Date 09/09/2024