Agendas 2025

Agenda of May Ordinary Meeting of Sligo County Council to be held Monday, 12th May 2025 at 10 a.m.


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

6th May 2025

TO:      THE CATHAOIRLEACH AND EACH MEMBER OF SLIGO COUNTY COUNCIL

The Ordinary Meeting of Sligo County Council will be held

ON:      Monday, 12th May 2025

AT:       10.00 a.m.

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

You are requested to attend.

Sinead Branley
Meetings Administrator

 

CLÁR

  1. To note minutes of meetings of Borough District of Sligo Municipal District:
    a) A.G.M. held on 27th June 2022,
    b) Budget Meeting held on 24th October 2022,
    c) A.G.M. held on 26th June 2023 and
    d) 20th January 2025. (Copies attached)
  2. To note Minutes of Sligo County Council’s Twinning Committee Meeting held on a) 9th December 2024 and b) 12th March 2025 (Copies attached)
  3. To confirm minutes of Ordinary Meeting of Sligo County Council held on 7th April 2025. (Copy attached)
  4. To approve in the form of a Capital Assistance Scheme Loan in the sum of €3,563,958 to Sophia Housing Association CLG Ltd for the provision of a 10 Unit development at Summerhill, Tubbercurry, Co. Sligo. (Report previously circulated)
  5. Appointments to Sligo, Leitrim, northern counties railway (SLNCR) Community Liaison Group (Report attached)
  6. To consider entering into an agreement with Donegal County Council under Section 85 of the Local Government Act 2001 in respect of the Department of Transport Zero Emissions Vehicles Ireland (ZEVI) funded project to prepare Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Strategies for Region 7. (Report attached)
  7. To note audited accounts of the Sligo BID Company Limited by Guarantee (Reports attached). 
  8. To adopt the Sligo Noise Action Plan 2024-2028 (Reports attached)
  9. To approve, pursuant to Section 183 of the Local Government Act 2001, the disposal of St Michaels Family Life Centre. F91 TX08, access and gardens. (Report previously circulated)
  10. To approve, pursuant to Section 183 of the Local Government Act 2001, the disposal of lands at Caltragh, Part of Folio SL22019F. (Report previously circulated)
  11. To consider and adopt the Road Safety Strategy for County Sligo 2025-2030 (Report attached)
  12. To note arrangements for Annual General Meetings of:
    a) Sligo County Council and
    b) Municipal Districts
  13. To adopt Sligo County Council’s Annual Report 2024 (Report to follow).
  14. To note the Monthly Management Report for April 2025 (Copy to follow).

DEFERRED MOTIONS

  1. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. Healy:
    “To call on Sligo County Council for an update on the textile banks throughout the county.  Where is Sligo County Council on the current tenant with the textile company and is that company still going to continue the service as there are major changes coming in the textile industry.”
  2. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Gilroy:
    “That further to the request of his excellency the Spanish Ambassador to Ireland Ion de la Riva Guzmán de Frutos and with his assistance, that Sligo County Council open communications with the Region of Ferrol in Galicia with a view to establishing a Town Twinning that would honour the links and shared heritage between Sligo and Spain, with particular reference to the Spanish Armada Disaster of September 1588 at Streedagh, where the ships, La Lavia, La Juliana and Santa Maria de Visión were wrecked with the loss of over 1,000 lives.”
  3. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Casserly:
    “To request that this Council call on the Minister for Transport and the Road Safety Authority (RSA) to:
    1-Immediately implement a structured cancellation waiting list to allow driving test applicants to take up available slots as they arise.
    2-Introduce a clear and fair process for applicants to appeal delays or request priority testing where employment or essential travel is impacted.
    3- Allocate additional resources, including examiners and test slots, to reduce the backlog and ensure timely access to driving tests.”
  4. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Casserly:
    “Given the ongoing disparities between DEIS and non-DEIS schools within the Irish education system Sligo County Council calls on the Department of Education to implement targeted measures to address this inequality. These measures should include increased funding for schools in need, expanded support services such as guidance counselling and special education resources, and equitable access to extracurricular activities, wellbeing programs, and digital learning tools. By ensuring fair opportunities for all students, regardless of school designation, we can work towards a more inclusive and balanced education system.”
  5. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. Walsh:
    “Given the huge success of the Love Sligo Gift Card since its launch in 2024, and it having achieved over €1M in sales within a year in Sligo, over €10M in gift card sales in Ireland, driving an estimated 150,000 in-store consumers across the country:
    That Sligo County Council writes to Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Minister for Rural Affairs to ask them to consider supporting the Town and City Gift Card rollout across every county. That this motion be shared with each Local Authority in the country.”
  6. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor A. Gibbons:
    “This local authority calls on government to properly fund and resource the ambulance service. Paramedics are being driven to exhaustion and burnout by under staffing and under resourcing by this Government.”
  7. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Gilroy:
    “Now that the County Development Plan 2024-2029 has been adopted, when will Sligo County Council instigate a review of the June 2018 Development Contribution Scheme and the Landscape Characterisation assessment that has been in place since the 1990s.
    Can the reply also include details of how long these reviews will take and when the draft Development Contribution Scheme and Landscape Characterisation Assessment will be brought before the members for consideration.”
  8. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor A. Gibbons:
    “That this local authority supply Portaloo or other types of toilet facilities at all popular forest walks and amenity beauty spots within the County.”

MOTIONS

  1. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Mulvey:
    “This scheme operates in some other counties and offers eligible community groups the opportunity to apply for a maximum number of buckets of paint. In exchange for the paint, participating groups are asked to promote the use of upcycled paint in their communities and help build confidence in using it.  Relove Paint is the result of a collaboration between a County Council, and local social enterprise. The social enterprises collect unwanted paint from recycling centres, then remix and recolour it before redistributing a high-quality but low-cost paint back into the community.  This paint would otherwise have been exported and incinerated and to date over 30 tonnes of paint has been diverted from reuse. The public are encouraged to bring unwanted or leftover paint to their nearest recycling centre so it can be reused by the Relove Paint project. At a national level, there are 9 paint reuse social enterprises operating across the country, supported by 11 Local Authorities and 27 civic amenity sites. In total, over 80 tonnes of paint have been diverted from incineration and redirected to reuse.”
  2. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Mulvey:
    “To ask Sligo County Council to support my motion calling on the Minister for Finance to scrap the VAT which is currently applied to sunscreen. Considering skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in Ireland and largely preventable through UV protection, it is imperative that Ireland reclassify sunscreen to reflect its importance to public health. Sunscreen is not a luxury; it’s a lifesaver. The truth is harsh: skin cancer is currently the most common malignancy in Ireland, with 13,000 new cases diagnosed annually. We sometimes believe that Irish sun "isn't real sun." By 2045, this figure is expected to more than double. Cutting VAT from SPF 30+ sunscreen could save the HSE millions annually in treatment costs”.
  3. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor B. Gallagher:
    “To ask Sligo County Council for an update in relation to the installation of columbarium's in cemeteries throughout County Sligo” 
  4. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Casserly:
    “That Sligo County Council, recognising the urgent need to address the housing crisis and accelerate the delivery of key infrastructure, calls on the Government to:
    • Enact emergency legislation to fast-track planning for strategic housing and infrastructure projects (SHIPs).
    • Establish a dedicated Fast-Track Planning Unit within An Bord Pleanála with strict statutory deadlines.
    • Reform judicial review rules to prevent delays, limiting grounds to serious legal breaches and setting time limits.
    • Mandate pre-application consultations and enforce fixed timelines for planning decisions.
    • Fully digitise the planning process to ensure efficiency and transparency.
    • Align zoning and land-use plans with the National Development Plan; and
    • Provide increased resources to planning authorities to meet these new requirements.
    This motion aims to create a planning system fit to meet Ireland’s housing and infrastructure needs quickly and effectively”.
  5. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. Healy:
    “To call on Sligo County Council to write to the Minister of State at the Department of Finance with special responsibility for Insurance, Minister Robert Troy, asking that he would consider including playgrounds also as part of a new agreement between the local authority and Irish Public Bodies Insurance and that this motion be sent to all local authorities”
  6. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. Healy:
    “To call on Sligo County Council to write to Ministers in the Department of Housing and Roads to make funds available to Sligo County Council to address the issues regarding boundary fences in the County in a number of housing estates as Sligo County do not have funding for these type of works and need financial assistance”.
  7. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor G. O’Boyle:
    “Sligo County Council calls on the Minister for Health, Dr. Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, to introduce a Breast Density Notification Law that ensures:
    1. All women are clearly informed whether they have non-dense or dense breasts after a mammogram.
    2. Clear guidance is provided on what their breast density means and any additional screening options, such as ultrasound or MRI.
    3. GPs receive this information so they can properly advise their patients”
  8.  To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor G. O’Boyle:
    “Sligo County Council writes to the Minister for Agriculture Food and Marine calling for stronger laws, enforcement and an overhaul of Animal Welfare legislation”
  9. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. Walsh:
    “Given their worldwide success, that Sligo County Council explore the provision of a Westlife Centre/Museum as part of the provision of a county museum/library which will interpret the historical, cultural, landscape and literary strengths of Sligo and that an update be given on the plans same”.
  10. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. Walsh:
    “That Sligo County Council writes to the operator of Queen Maeve Square, stating this Council fully supports the provision of a Christmas market to increase footfall, build atmosphere and improve the visitor experience in Sligo town centre for Christmas 2025 and ask them to consider the provision of a Christmas Market in or around Queen Meave Square/Rockwood Parade this year”.
  11. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Casserly:
    “That this Council calls on the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to urgently address the severe shortage of childcare provision in the Bundoran–Sligo region, with particular focus on services for children under the age of two. We further request immediate measures to increase investment in early years services, reduce waiting lists, and support the establishment and sustainability of childcare providers in rural and underserved areas. This motion also calls for a regional childcare needs assessment to be carried out to inform future planning and policy development”.
  12. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor G. Mullaney:
    “That this Council writes to the Minister for Housing, Loval Government and Heritage, James Brown TD, requesting him to provide additional funds to enable Council’s to purchase houses in 2025”
  13. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor T. Walsh:
    “That Sligo County Council give a breakdown of what was spent in 2024 across Sligo from the 2024 bus stop enhancement programme and detailed breakdown of same, likewise, what is spent to date from the 2025 bus stop enhancement programme and what is the anticipated spend for 2025 and provide detailed breakdown of same”. 
  14. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor A. Higgins:
    “Can Sligo County Council commence the process to achieve Autism Friendly status for Sligo by engaging with AsIAm, Ireland's national autism charity and advocacy organisation and by engaging with our local communities to build the relevant infrastructure and supports to make Sligo more inclusive and ultimately autism friendly”.
  15. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor A. Higgins:
    “Ireland must start future proofing its energy security.  Irish citizens are facing the threat of higher electricity prices while energy requirements for data centres account for over a fifth of electricity usage from an already pressurised national grid, this motion calls on Sligo County Council to:
    a) Ensure that all newly constructed industrial developments within Sligo County are required to include solar panels and/or other renewable energy sources as a planning condition,
    b) Write to the Minister of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke and the CEO of the IDA Michael Lohan to request that all new IDA industrial developments nationwide are required to include solar panels and/or other renewable energy sources as a planning condition,
    c) Ensure that all public buildings currently under ownership by Sligo County Council are fitted with solar panels and/or other renewable energy sources,
    d) Write to the Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy Darragh O’Brien to request that this government begin the process of fitting all public buildings with solar panels and/or other renewable energy sources”.
  16. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor A. Higgins:
    “As we head into the peak tourist season, recognising that some of Sligo’s main attractions are based in rural areas and are only accessible by car resulting in many tourists based in Sligo town not being able to access our main attractions, this motion requests that Sligo County Council engage with private providers or Transport For Ireland Local Link to develop a regular daily tourist bus route during peak season between May to September to bring visitors to our key tourist sites (on a route between Carrowmore Tombs and W.B. Yeats grave) that are not serviced by regular public transport”.
  17. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Bree:
    “Noting that the Programme for Government includes a commitment to convening a “Local Democracy Task Force” with the local government sector to finalise a programme for the reform and strengthening of local government, this Council urges the AILG in co-operation with LAMA to recommend that an item be included on the agenda of the plenary meeting of each local authority in the state, reporting and updating the elected councillors on the deliberations of the “Local Democracy Taskforce”
  18. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Bree:
    “Aware that a Consultant Orthopedic surgeon in Sligo University Hospital has described the Orthopedic theatre in the hospital as “entirely unfit for purpose”, “archaic, falling down, ramshackle”, Sligo County Council calls on the Government and the Minister for Health to sanction, as a matter of urgency, the development of the proposed new Multiservice Surgical Block at the hospital”
  19. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor E. McSharry:
    “That Sligo County Council provide   a report on public forest walk trails and playgrounds detailing:
    1. The public forest walks, trails, and playgrounds in County Sligo that were closed or damaged as a result of recent severe weather events.
    2. The current status of repair works at each location, including anticipated timelines for full reopening.
    3. The safety measures implemented for partially reopened or still closed sites.
    4. The level of additional funding received by Sligo County Council or applied for, specifically for the restoration and upgrading of these amenities.
    5. The Council’s engagement to date with Coillte, the OPW, and other relevant agencies on the coordination of these repairs and long-term resilience planning”
  20. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor E. McSharry:
    That Sligo County Council, in light of recent media coverage highlighting the ongoing roof damage at the Orthopaedic Operating Theatre in Sligo University Hospital (SUH), formally writes to the Minister for Health and the HSE seeking immediate intervention. This Council demands that the necessary capital funding be allocated without delay to carry out the full repair and restoration of the theatre roof, to avoid more cancellations of elective surgery, ensure continuity and safety of orthopaedic surgical services at SUH.
  21. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor E. McSharry:
    “That Sligo County Council write to the Minister for Housing, James Browne, to express concern that the council have insufficient funding to prevent homelessness due to   no additional funding available for current schemes.  This Council calls for: An additional ring-fenced emergency fund for homelessness prevention measures”
  22. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Gilroy and Councillor B. Gallagher:
    “That Sligo County Council provide a report to members on how many and where traffic Calming islands along National Primary and National Secondary Roads are designed in such a way that Cyclists and pedestrians must move out onto the main carriageway and if any plans are in place to remove the grass and vegetation that has been allowed to grow out blocking the safe passage of vulnerable road users”.
  23. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Gilroy:
    “That Sligo County Council members be supplied with a report to list
    a) The No. of housing units on multi use development sites that have planning for in excess of 2 years which have not been developed
    b) The dates on which the planning permission will expire.
    c) What actions have to date been taken to identify the reasons as to why they are not progressing
    d) What responses have been received from each developer as to why they are not progressing”.
  24. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Gilroy:
    “That Sligo County Council and TII provide funding for additional Chevron Signage at dangerous bends along National Primary and National Secondary Roads and explain what Criteria is used to determine where such signage is required”.
  25. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Casserly:
    “That Sligo County Council calls on the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, to allocate increased resources to local authorities specifically for the recruitment and support of outdoor staff. Current staffing and budget levels are inadequate to meet growing demands, particularly in supporting voluntary and community groups who carry out clean-ups and other civic initiatives. Additional funding is urgently needed to ensure local authorities can properly assist and collaborate with these groups in maintaining and enhancing public spaces across the county”.
  26. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor A. Gibbons:
    “This local authority would explore the possibility of creating a DNA database for all registered dogs in the county, so the dog fouling could be traced back to the individual dogs and their irresponsible owners”
  27. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor A. Gibbons:
    “That this local authority calls on the government to scrap carbon taxes for the next five years”
  28. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor A. Gibbons:
    “This local authority calls in the government to make the medical card dental scheme more attractive to the dental association to help encourage more dentist to sign up to the medical cards scheme”. 
  29. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor D. Bree:
    “Noting that the Minister for Housing and Local Government stated that increased funding would be made available as part of the Social Housing Second Hand Acquisitions Programme 2025;  and further noting with concern that the allocation of funds for Sligo County Council is insufficient to even cover the cost of commitments entered into in 2024, this Council calls on the Minister and the Government to increase the funding allocation to Sligo County Council as a matter of urgency so as to allow the Council to acquire second hand houses for priority cases including people with a disability and older persons requiring urgent housing responses.”
  30. To consider the following motion as submitted by Councillor M. Clarke:
    “To call on the Minister for Agriculture to pause restrictions under geac2 and to agree terms and conditions with farming organisations. And to introduce a stand-alone annual payment based on acreage and carbon content on the designated peat land”. 
  31. Votes of sympathy
  32. Votes of congratulations
  33. To approve the Conference/Training events, as circulated.
  34. To note the summary of proceedings of Conferences attended in accordance with Section 142(5)(f) of the Local Government Act, 2001.
  35. Correspondence:
    a) Notification from AILG (Association of Irish Local Government) re. induction training for members of Local Authority Strategic Policy Committees (SPCs),
    b) Letter dated 4th April 2025 from the Chief Executive Officer of Coillte re. Storm Éowyn/invitation to attend special meetings of Sligo County Council,
    c) E-mail dated 7th April 2025 from the office of Minister Marian Harkin enclosing copy of reply received from the NTA re. bus services in Sligo town,
    d) Copy of resolution agreed by the Elected Members of Donegal County Council re. Road safety and the wearing of high visibility vests,
    e) Correspondence from Senator Nessa Cosgrove, dated 9th April 2025, in response to resolution regarding fracked gas,
    f) Correspondence from Mr. Eamon Scanlon, T.D., dated 10th April 2025, in response to resolution regarding fracked gas,
    g) Acknowledgement dated 11th April 2025 from the office of An Taoiseach re. Cardiology Services in Sligo University Hospital,
    h) Acknowledgement dated 11th April 2025 from the office of An Taoiseach re. fracked gas,
    i) Acknowledgement dated 10th April 2025 from the office of the Minister for Education re. early access to social media,
    j) Acknowledgements from the office of the Minister for Health, dated 10th April 2025 re. 1) Heartwatch Programme, 2) Cardiology Services in Sligo University Hospital and 3) Home care hours,
    k) Letter dated 11th April 2025 from the office of the Minister for Education, Ms. Helen McEntee, T.D. re. early access to social media,
    l) Letter dated 11th April 2025 from Dr. Maurice Mulcahy, Regional Chief Environmental Health Officer, H.S.E. re. highlighting the dangers of vaping,
    m) Acknowledgement dated 11th April 2025 from the office of An Taoiseach re. the right to housing,
    n) Letter dated 14th April 2025 from Mr. Martin Kenny, T.D., re. gas fracking,
    o) Acknowledgement dated 14th April 2025 from the office of the Minister for Transport re. used car buyers and safe roads,
    p) Acknowledgement dated 11th April 2025 from the Office of the C.E.O. of the H.S.E. re. request for an increase in budget for home care hours,
    q) Acknowledgement dated 11th April 2025 from the Office of the C.E.O. of the H.S.E. re. Cardiology CT scanner service and full time Cath Lab service in Sligo University Hospital,
    r) Letter dated 11th April 2025 from the Customer Resolution Department of EIR re. request to OpenEir to provide a timeline for restoration of broadband and phone services,
    s) Acknowledgement dated 11th April 2025 from the office of the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality re. supports for after school services,
    t) Acknowledgement dated 11th April 2025 from the office of the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality re. early access to social media and smartphone use,
    u) E-mail dated 14th April 2025 from the office of the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality re. early access to social media and smartphone use,
    v) Letter dated 11th April 2025 from the office of Minister of State, Mr. John Cummins, T.D. re. enforcement action on cabins and modular homes,
    w) Letter dated 15th April 2025 from the office of the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science re. wage threshold for apprentices,
    x) Acknowledgement dated 17th April 2025 from the office of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage re grant aid funding for septic tank wastewater treatment systems.
    y) Letter from Leitrim County Council dated 16th April 2025 regarding a resolution passed by members of the Carrick on Shannon Municipal District regarding ash die back in trees.
    z) Letter from the ATU dated 22nd April regarding update in relation to sale of lands at Ardaghowen.
    aa) Email from the Office of the Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, TD dated 23rd April 2025 in relation to the Home Care Budget.
    bb) Letter from Martin Collum, General Manager, Services for Older Persons dated 16th April 2025 (received 24/04/25) regarding the budget for home care hours.
    cc) Letter from the Office of the Integrated Healthcare Manager (HSE) dated 24th April in relation to the provision of a Cardiology CT Scanner and Cath Lab.
    dd) Acknowledgement email from Uisce Eireann dated 25th April 2025 re road resurfacing grant.
    ee) Acknowledgement email dated 28th April 2025 from the office of the Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD, regarding CT scanners and full time cath labs at Sligo University Hospital.
    ff) Email from the office of the Minister for Transport dated 28th April re derelict roof at Sligo's Seán Mac Diarmada Train Station
    gg) Letter from Kerry County Council dated 22nd April 2025 enclosing details of resolution passed by members on a defined calendar for grant applications.
    hh) Acknowledgement email from the office of the Minister of State for Older People and Housing regarding Adaptive Re-Use Schemes.
    ii) Thank you letter from Caroline Devins dated 29th April following receipt of Vote of Sympathy letter from Elected Members.
    jj) Email from the Office of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage of Ireland, James Browne, TD dated 1st May 2025 regarding the need for a review of the response to Storm Éowyn.
    kk) Email re nomination request for Presidential Election from possible candidate Professor Doctor Joseph Chikelue Obi
  36. Matters arising from Minutes.
  37. Any other business.

Meeting Date 12/05/2025