Agendas 2025

Agenda of February Ordinary Meeting of Sligo County Council to be held Monday, 10th February 2025 at 10 a.m.


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

4th February, 2025

TO:      THE CATHAOIRLEACH AND EACH MEMBER OF SLIGO COUNTY COUNCIL

The Ordinary Meeting of Sligo County Council will be held

ON:      Monday, 10th February, 2025

AT:      10.00 a.m.

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

You are requested to attend.

Sinéad Branley
Meetings Administrator

 

CLÁR

  1. To note Minutes of Corporate Policy Group (CPG) Meetings held on a) 9th September, 2024 and b) 4th November, 2024. (Copies attached)
  2. To note Minutes of meetings of Sligo-Drumcliff Municipal District a) 29th October (Budget Meeting) and b) 29th October, 2024. (Copies attached)
  3. To note Minutes of meeting of the Municipal District of Ballymote-Tubbercurry held on 11th November, 2024. (Copy attached)
  4. To note Minutes of Borough District of Sligo Municipal District meetings held on a) 18th November, 2024 and b) Special Meeting held on 9th December, 2024 (Copies attached)
  5. To note Minutes of Sligo County Council Audit Committee Meeting held on 20th November, 2024. (Copy attached)
  6. To confirm Minutes of Ordinary Meeting of Sligo County Council held on 13th January, 2025 (Copy attached)
  7. To consider the Chief Executive’s Report on the Part 8 for the development of Active Travel Facilities in Ballygawley. (Report attached)
  8. To consider the Chief Executive’s Report on the Part 8 for the development of Active Travel Facilities in Coolaney/Rockfield. (Report attached)
  9. To approve, pursuant to Section 183 of the Local Government Act 2001, the disposal of land held by the Local Authority at Cullagh More Td., Carney, Co. Sligo to E.S.B. (Report previously circulated)
  10. To approve, pursuant to Section 183 of the Local Government Act 2001, the disposal of dwelling house and lands at Annagh, Tourlestrane to Adrian McSteen and Grainne McSteen. (Report previously circulated)
  11. To consider Chief Executive’s Report and Recommendation to proceed with the proposed Social Housing Development at St. Farnan’s Drive, Knockaculleen Townland, Dromore West, Co. Sligo pursuant to Section 179(3) and 179(4) of Part XI of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) (Report attached)
  12. To consider Chief Executive’s Report and Recommendation to proceed with the proposed Social Housing Development at Woodland Crescent, Aderavoher Townland, Easky, Co. Sligo pursuant to Section 179(3) and 179(4) of Part XI of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) (Report attached)
  13. To approve, pursuant to Section 183 of the Local Government Act 2001, the disposal of freehold interest in the E.S.B. sub-station site and associated cable wayleaves to E.S.B. networks at Camross and Carrownanty townlands, Ballymote, Co. Sligo (Report previously circulated)
  14. Corporate Plan 2024-2029
  15. To note Sligo County Council Audit Committee Annual Report 2024. (Copy attached)
  16. To approve Audit Committee Charter 2024. (Copy attached)
  17. To approve Audit Committee Work Programme 2025. (Copy attached)
  18. To note report of Ethics Registrar under Section 174(b) of the Local Government Act, 2001. (Copy attached)
  19. To note the recommendations of the Sligo County Council Culture and Creativity Team under the Sligo Creative Ireland Open Call 2025. (Report attached)
  20. Delegation to attend St. Patrick’s Day Engagements in New York. (Report attached)
  21. To note the Management Report for January 2025 (Copy attached).
  22. Presentation by Sligo Public Participation Network (P.P.N.)

DEFERRED MOTIONS

  1. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. Healy:
    “To ask if this Local authority has received any communication from Government with regard to the draft Air Pollution Bill currently being finalised and if it has a view with regard to the search and seize powers contained in the bill and the possibility arising from of Local authority staff entering private dwellings and homes.”
  2. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor G. O’Boyle:
    “Sligo County Council writes to the Minister for Education to grant students with learning disabilities extra time in second level state exams.”
  3. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor G. O’Boyle:
    “Sligo County Council writes to the Minister for Housing and put in place a stop on all no fault evictions.”
  4. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor A. Gibbons:
    “That this local authority calls on the government to desist from increasing the V.A.T. of 9% to 13.5% on electricity costs that is planned to come into effect from May 2025. A copy of this motion to be forwarded to all local authorities within the state.”
  5. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor A. Gibbons:
    “That this local authority calls on the government to abolish any plans of introducing further Carbon Taxes for the foreseeable future. A copy of this motion to be forwarded to all local authorities within the state.”
  6. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor A. Gibbons:
    “That this local authority calls on the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to reinstate the Tenant in Situ scheme and increase the financial threshold limit in line with the current housing market prices in County Sligo. A copy of this motion to be forwarded to all local authorities within the state.”

MOTIONS

  1. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor F. Nealon:
    “That this Council writes to the new Minister of Housing and Minister of Finance requesting an increase in the allocation of funding for home adaption grants.”
  2. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Casserly:
    “To ask that Sligo County Council write to the NTA asking them to provide a new bus route servicing the Carraroe, it's hinterland and Caltragh area of Sligo town and to thank them for providing the new long awaited S3 Bus service.”
  3. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Mulvey:
    “To call on the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan, T.D. to help Retailers with the frightening increase in shoplifting.
    Shoplifting, theft, and crime figures are rising all the time among small businesses. It is not just the thefts that are concerning but the associated incidents, such as assaults, hateful comments being made to staff, and public order offences. A staggering 94% of Retailers have been impacted by shoplifting in the last year, a recent survey has found, also revealing that 100% of Retailers have faced some form of crime in the last 12 months, including shoplifting, violent robbery, and break-ins.
    Retailers and SMEs are the backbone of our communities, yet they are facing unprecedented levels of crime that threaten their livelihoods.”
  4. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Mulvey:
    “That this Council would write to the new Minister for Mental Health and Older People seeking the inclusion of mental health services as part of the emergency 999/112 telephone services.”
  5. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. Walsh:
    “Following correspondence issued from the National Transport Authority on 6th October 2023 where I was advised “The Authority is also at an advanced stage in progressing revisions to the network of town bus service within Sligo Town. Carraroe Retail Park will be served by one of the routes within the revised network and details of this will be available soon. Implementation is planned for early in 2024”,
    That Sligo County Council request the NTA to meet with this Council and ask 1. Why only partial of the planned new S3 route has been implemented? and 2. When will the revision and additions to S1 and S2 take place to service the Carraroe and Caltragh area in Sligo town.
    Furthermore that this motion be relayed to the Minister for Transport and the Secretary General at the Department of Transport.”
  6. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Mulvey:
    “I call on Sligo County Council to write to the RSA (Road Safety Authority) and the Department of Transport calling on them to start the process whereby it must be compulsory to wear Hi Viz clothing if you are walking or cycling after dark on public roads. Serious injury or loss of life can be prevented by simply making oneself visible to motorists. From 2019 to 2023, 164 pedestrians died and 1,436 were seriously injured on our roads.”
  7. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. Healy:
    “To call on Sligo County Council for an update on the defective concrete block scheme which now has included Sligo.
    Can you please answer the following questions in relation to this –
    • Has Sligo been given the resources and staff and necessary funding to set up the scheme in Sligo?
    • Time frame for when households can make an application?
    • Time for the process of the application?
    • How will the grouping work for example?
    • Demolishment, outer leaf of block work or any other work 
    • When will Sligo County Council hold a meeting to inform anyone affected by pyrite in Sligo and how the scheme will work?”
  8. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. Walsh:
    “That Sligo County Council gives an update on all medium to large scale schemes expected to progress in 2025 and associated timeline for same.”
  9. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor B. Gallagher:
    “To call on Sligo County Council to contact the Taoiseach, Tanaiste, Minister for Agriculture and Uisce Éireann immediately regarding the below issues and put a plan in place that these cannot and will not happen again.
    1. For the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine, Martin Heydon to meet with all forestry owners throughout Ireland but especially in Connacht and that a law be put in place that each owner must now cut back the trees to a safe distance so that they will not fall down and take out power lines as what happened during storm Éowyn. Going forward no plantation should be allowed where power cables are running through it unless power cables would be either buried or re directed around the perimeter of the plantation a safe distance away form the plantation. Also that all trees along roadsides be cut down also.
    2. It to be mandatory for Irish Water to have backup generators permanently fixed at every plant they look after and maintain throughout Ireland.”
  10. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor B. Gallagher:
    “To call on this Government and the OPR to give the elected members of each County & City Council more input and say into planning applications submitted within their county.
    For anyone to object to a planning permission in a county they would have to be living in the area of the development looking for planning and also a fee of €250 would have to be paid.”
  11. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor G. Mullaney:
    “That this council request a presentation from the ESB Networks on how they propose to upgrade the network to a standard where it will withstand a severe storm.”
  12. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. Walsh:
    “In light of the recent storm and red weather warning, the length of time it took for power to be restored to homes, water to return, access to be restored; Sligo County Council now requests that a full review be carried out by the authorities of 1. The preparedness of the agencies (ESB, EIR, Local Authorities, Coillte) for the storm and its aftermath, 2. How the agencies managed and coordinated activities 3. The learning from the event and 4. A report be commissioned to review our critical energy infrastructure in order to improve and safeguard it.
    That this motion be relayed to the Minister, Secretary General at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the CEO of the ESB.”    
  13. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Clarke:
    “Given that the Government has missed its housing target by 10,000 houses in CSO figures with just 30,330 delivered in 2024. Sligo missed target is one of the worst in Ireland. Mitchell McDermott Expert Construction Consultants expects national housing delivery to remain at 32,000 at most over the next three years, citing insufficient land zoned, Uisce Éireann failure to service land and Governments failure to bring forward a proper National Planning Framework policy. I call on Sligo County Council to write to the Minister for Housing, James Browne T.D. to come to Sligo address the Council.”
  14. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Clarke:
    “Given the widespread water and electricity failure and outage, causing severe hardship to older people and sick people depending on live supporting equipment. This Weather event was well flagged 2 weeks in advance and yet the Government failed to put a plan in place and refused to recall the Dail while the people suffered alone. I call on Sligo County Council to write to the Taoiseach Micheal Martin TD expressing the outrage of the People of Northwest, and look for answers, who will be held accountable for decay of the electricity and Water Network and will there be changes in top management, what action will be taken to reduce the impact of further weather events.
    Given the widespread damage caused to property on farms and SME premises in the North west, I propose Sligo County council write to Minister Darragh Calleary to provide an emergency easy accessible humanitarian fund to carry out necessary emergency repairs.”
  15. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. Healy:
    “To call on Sligo County Council to write to Uisce Éireann in relation to the Water issue in Cork regarding manganese results. Has there been any concerns raised in consultation with the HSE whether consumers in Sligo are required to be notified.”

  16. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor P. Taylor:
    There have been several storms over the last two years (some of them listed below).  Experts tell us that these storms will be more frequent.  At this point our utility service providers should have the necessary arrangements in place to be storm ready.  Based on the last two storm events this does not seem to be the case.
    I call on Sligo County Council to request a report from the ESB, Eir, Coillte, Irish Water as follows as regards the area of County Sligo setting out:
    1.      Contingency arrangements and plans that are in place to ensure as much as possible we have business continuity
    2.      The state of readiness to deal with storm Éowyn.  This event was well flagged.  What arrangements were in place to ensure efforts to restore services could happen as quickly as possible.  In relation to the ESB why did we have to wait several days before crews from outside the country were engaged.  Please indicate exactly what date foreign crews were deployed in force to assist with the fallout from Storm Éowyn. 
    3.      Report from Coillte in terms of their supports to the other utilities in restoring services.
    4.      What arrangements were put in place by Irish Water to have back up power options in place to ensure business continuity.
    5.      What survey works have been done to identify forested lands that were encroaching on power lines and Eir lines and what if anything was done to contact all the landowners where issues were identified.
    6.      Are sufficient stocks of material in place so that they can be accessed quickly to fast-track emergency repairs.  Provide detailed report on replacement stock management system that is in place.
    7.      How often is the ESB/Eir network assessed and surveyed to ensure for example cables and poles and other equipment are in good condition.  Provide report on such assessments carried out over the last two years.
    8.      Was there a debrief of staff at national, regional, and local level to learn from storm Darragh.
    9.      What mistakes were made in dealing with storm Darragh and Éowyn and how are these being captured at national, regional, and local level so that learnings can be taken from such mistakes.
    10.   Provide report on plans to enhance or improve on each of the items listed in 1-8 above so that we can be better ready to deal with storms going forward.
    Lastly, ESB, Eir, Coillte, Irish Water should present on the items listed above at the next meeting of this County Council.
    That this motion be forwarded to the Minister and Secretary General for Housing, Local Government and Heritage of Ireland, the Minister and Secretary General at the Minister at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with Special Responsibility for Forestry, Horticulture and Farm Safety and the CEOs of ESB, Eir, Coillte, Irish Water.
    List of storms in last two years (non-exhaustive)
    2024

- 21st January
- 4th February
- 15th April
- 20th October
- 25th October
- 30th October
- 23rd November
- 6th December

2025

- 11th January  - 24th January.”

  1. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor P. Taylor:
    “To ask Sligo County Council to contact the relevant departments to make grants available for homes and businesses to upgrade properties to include resources which will allow homes and businesses to use and alternative power sources during major weather outages and future storms. The upgrades should include conversion of electricity to generators etc to ensure fridges basic lighting and medical devices can continue to operate.”
  2. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor A. Gibbons:
    “It is evident now that this government is incapable of delivering its own yearly housing targets, and the number of families living in emergency accommodation is increasing by at least 16% per year with an estimated 4,000 children homeless in Ireland. I am once again calling on the Government to implement an eviction ban, only in cases where the Tenant are abiding with the letting contract, this would protect both Tenant and the landlord. A copy of this motion to be sent to all Council within the state.”
  3. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor A. Gibbons:
    “This local authority calls on the government to initiate a fixed penalty fine of €10,000 on any retailer or person who sells or provides children under the age of 18 with e-liquids, vape kits, or nicotine-containing products.  A copy of this motion to be sent to all Council within the state.”
  4. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor E. McSharry:
    “That Sligo County Council  write to the Minister of Health and the Minister of Social Protection Rural and community development to request that their departments collaboratively work together and set up a task force to develop actions plans in the event of electricity outages to ensure enough generators are available for  primary care health facilities, services and people living in the community who require health care services and interventions such as nebulisers , mobility hoists and other motorised equipment.”
  5. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor E. McSharry:
    “That Sligo County Council write to the Minister for Transport Climate Environment and Energy to request that the Department provide additional funding to Sligo County Council to ensure all roads (including local roads) on Local link bus routes are treated during inclement weather.
  6. ”To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor E. McSharry:
    “That Sligo County Council write to the Minister of Health to request that at policy level initiatives are implemented to recruit and retain Nurses, Dentist, Doctors, Speech therapists, all other health care professionals to address shortages and inability to recruit staff into our health services.”
  7. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Bree:
    “That this Council expresses its deep disappointment and concern at the failure of the new government to commit to the provision of a surgical hub for Sligo and the North-West, particularly taking into consideration that it has given a commitment in the Programme for Government to establishing six new surgical hubs nationwide (two in Dublin, one in Cork, one in Limerick, one in Waterford and one in Galway).” 
  8. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Bree:
    “To ask if there is any indication as to when funding might be approved for the proposed new cycle link connecting the Sligo urban area with Calry and ATU St Angela’s.”
  9. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Bree:
    “That the Council be provided with a report indicating (a) the beaches in the county which are currently wheelchair accessible and where beach wheelchairs are available (b) the proposals which the Council has to improve access to beaches for people with limited mobility in the current year.”
  10. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. Healy:
    “To call on Sligo County Council to write to the government to make funding available to install a number of generators in different hubs around the county and to make sure that these hubs are provided with the necessary supplies, food, and water and camping gas stoves in case of such storms occurring again.”
  11. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor F. Nealon:
    “To ask the Minister of Transport to confirm that the 24hr search and rescue and HEM service will be fully operational from its Sligo base by February 14th as per contract.”
  12. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Casserly:
    “That the Council write to the Minister for Agriculture and request that urgent priority be given to the processing of ACRES applications where payment is late. In some cases, I am aware of delays of up to two years in receiving payments on foot of applications correctly made, which is not acceptable by any standards. And that the Council further ask that the Minister appoint an official in his Department to oversee not only the streamlining of the processing and payment of all farm payments but to initiate a culture of the use of common sense and normal language in respect of all interactions with the farming industry.”
  13. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor L. Brennan:
    “I ask that Sligo County Council creates media and social media graphics that explicitly ask landowners/occupiers to maintain hedgerows along public roads and that similar explicit reminders are placed on local radio stations. Current graphics refer to the ‘Roads Act 1993’ and the responsibilities of landowners/occupiers is not clear enough for the general public.”
  14. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor L. Brennan:
    “I ask Sligo County Council for an update on the mica and pyrite redress scheme for affected homeowners in County Sligo, with clarification on how and when applications can be made.”
  15. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor L. Brennan:
    “Following on from previous motions, I call on Sligo County Council to write to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) to demand that forestry corridor widths are widened to avoid the power outages caused by Storm Éowyn. I also ask that Sligo County Council seeks clarification of who is responsible for ensuring that these guidelines are maintained.”
  16. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Gilroy:
    That Sligo County Council write to the RSA and the Minister for Transport to ask that a regular competency test be but in place for all drivers to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on our roads. Vehicles have required regular safety checks for many years, and it is now time for drivers to be regularly checked.
  17. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Gilroy:
    “Can Sligo County Council confirm if planning permission is required to cut down individual trees on private land and if so, what is the process of receiving such permission.”
  18. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Casserly:
    “That the Council contact the Minister for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport in respect of the almost total collapse of mobile communications during the recent storms. Given that even small shops had made provision for power backup during supply failures, it is extraordinary that mobile communications companies are allowed to operate in Ireland without backup power supplies. These companies are part of the emergency computations communications system of most citizens, and they are in receipt of enormous profits. It is not acceptable that they have no systems in place to provide an uninterrupted service to their customers, especially in an emergency.
    The Council should request that the Minister introduce legislation compelling these companies to provide a reliable service during power outages.”
  19. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Gilroy:
    “Can Sligo County Council confirm if there is any planning permission or building regulation that bans chimneys from new dwellings.”
  20. Votes of Sympathy.
  21. Votes of Congratulations.
  22. To approve the Conferences/Training events as circulated.
  23. To note the summary of proceedings of conferences attended in accordance with Section 142(5) (f) of the Local Government Act, 2001.
  24. Correspondence
    1. Letter dated 9th January, 2025 (via e-mail) from the Minister for Justice re. i) DNA Database System and ii) Dublin and Monaghan bombings,
    2. Letter, via e-mail, dated 10th January, 2025 from the office of the Minister for Justice re. An Garda Síochána Divisional Headquarters,
    3. Acknowledgement dated 16th January, 2025 from the Office of the Minister for Finance regarding the means test for Carers,
    4. Acknowledgement from the Office of the Minister for Finance dated 16th January, 2025 re. commencement of upgrading of N17 route,
    5. Acknowledgement from the Office of the Minister for Agriculture dated 16th January, 2025 re. Forestry Licences,
    6. Acknowledgement dated 16th January, 2025 from the Office of the Minister for Health re. day services at St. John’s Hospital,
    7. Acknowledgement dated 16th January, 2025 from the Office of the Minister for Health re. H.S.E. Capital projects in Sligo,
    8. Acknowledgement dated 16th January, 2025 from the Office of the Minister for Health re. staffing of St. Cecilia’s School,
    9. Letter, via e-mail dated 16th January, 2025, from the office of the Minister for Transport re. N15 route,
    10. Acknowledgement dated 16th January, 2025 from the office of the Minister for Education in relation to Public Service pension schemes for school Secretaries,
    11. Copy of resolution agreed by the Elected Members of Roscommon County Council re. rural and urban isolation and loneliness,
    12. Acknowledgement from the office of the Taoiseach dated 16th January, 2025 re. one stop shop resource for families in need of support,
    13. Acknowledgement from the office of the Taoiseach dated 16th January, 2025 re. provision of Passport Office in Tubbercurry,
    14. Acknowledgement re. Vote of Sympathy for the late Seamus Cawley, R.I.P. of Riverstown,
    15. Acknowledgement from the office of the Taoiseach dated 16th January, 2025 re. State supports for disabled drivers,
    16. Acknowledgement dated 16th January, 2025 from the Office of the Minister for Education re. St. Cecilia’s School,
    17. Letter dated 17th January, 2025 from the Office of the Minister for Education re. St. Celilia’s School referring the query to the Minister for Health,
    18. Acknowledgement from the office of the Taoiseach re. upgrading of N17, N15 and N59 routes,
    19. Letter dated 21st January, 2025 from the Office of the Minister for State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage re. Sligo County Development Plan 2024-2030,
    20. Letter dated 27th January, 2025 from the office of the Minister for Health re. Nurse Led Day Services at St. John’s Hospital,
    21. Acknowledgement dated 23rd January, 2025 from the Office of the Taoiseach re. applications for planning permission on family lands and
    22. Letter dated 31st January, 2025 from the Embassy of the State of Palestine, Dublin enclosing letter from the Acting Mayor of the Al-Bireh Municipality.
  25. Matters arising from Minutes
  26. Any other business.

Meeting Date 10/02/2025