It is proposed to put a large  offshore wind farm in Dublin Bay – see below for details  in relation to same. This could have major benefits and it could have serious adverse effects in respect of views of Dublin Bay.  The photomontages for the windfarm, together with the EIS, are on display until the 1st of June only at:  Public Libraries in Howth & Dun Laoghaire; Garda Stations in Bray & Greystones  & at the RDS, Anglesea Road, Hall 10A  (10am-4pm Tuesday-Friday; 10am-3pm Saturday).

Public Consultation Period: 9^th April – 1^st June 2013

• A private company has lodged an application with the Department of Environment, Community & Local Government for a Foreshore Lease to construct a large scale wind farm (“Dublin Array”) on the Kish & Bray Banks, 10 km off the coast of Dublin & Wicklow.   The application proposes construction of 145 turbines, each up to 160 m from sea level to blade tip, five times higher than the Kish Lighthouse (31m). It will be visible all around the coast and from significant viewpoints inland.

• The developers’  Non-Technical Summary states that the electricity generated may be sold to Irish consumers.  Alternatively, it may be connected directly to the UK to help that country meet its renewable energy targets.

• As legally required, an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) has been prepared on behalf of the developers and lodged with the application.  The EIS was made available for public consultation from 9^th April to 1st June 2013.  Final date for submissions: 11^th June 2013.

• There is virtually no public awareness of the application, the EIS or the public consultation.
• The proposed development, covering an area of 54 km², would have substantial environmental impacts.

• With regard to landscape impacts, the construction of 145 huge turbines, 10 km off the coast will significantly alter the character and quality of coastal landscapes from Howth to South Wicklow.   The developers’ EIS assesses visual impact from 22 viewpoints and predicts significant adverse impacts for 16 of these. They are Howth, Clontarf, Sutton, Bull Island, Poolbeg/Ringsend,  Sandymount,  Dalkey, Killiney, Bray, Greystones, Newcastle, Sugar Loaf Mountain, the N11 at Kilmullin, Carrickgollogan Hill (overlooking Shankill) & Wicklow town.

• “Adverse Major” Visual Impacts are predicted by the developer for Bray Head, Killiney Hill, Vico Road and Howth Head, nationally important scenic areas. These effects, listed in the EIS, give some idea of the immense visual impact the Dublin Array offshore wind farm would have on the entire coast from Howth to South Wicklow.

• The Kish and Bray Banks are shallow sandbanks, an important habitat listed for protection under the EU Habitats Directive.  Some degradation of these banks is inevitable, given the scale of the proposed development.  The EIS acknowledges disturbance of wildlife, including the harbour porpoise, a protected species, commonly seen in Dublin Bay.  Information on a wide range of potential impacts is given in the EIS.

• The EIS is available online, without photomontages, at www.dublinarray.com

• It may be viewed, with photomontages, at five locations around the coast:  Public Libraries in Howth & Dun Laoghaire; Garda Stations in Bray & Greystones  & at the RDS, Anglesea Road, Hall 10A  (10am-4pm Tuesday-Friday; 10am-3pm Saturday).

This current period for consultation is the only opportunity afforded to the public to influence the proposed construction of a major industrial development in Dublin Bay.

It is extraordinary, indeed somewhat surreal, that once again we are having a debate on the introduction of a Property Tax/Council Charge in the absence of virtually any contribution from those who actually work within the local government sector and who try to make a dysfunctional system work at all.

Instead we have had myriad opinion pieces from academics, ill informed commentators, vested interests and frequently the oppositionists from the Far Left and the Nationalist Left who have opposed every single suggestion as to how we should finance our system fairly and with democratic accountability.

Too often the voice of the Constructive left has been sidelined and the platform left to the opportunists. Across the world Socialists and Social Democrats advocate payment into a collective fund, toward the provision of collective services.

Opposing the “Trendy Left”

All across the world, that is, except for the Trendy Left and Nationalist Left in Ireland. Here they simply oppose, protest, march, campaign and instil fear and selfish individualism. I oppose their agenda just as much as I oppose those who broke this country and brought Ireland to its knees.

No Public representative particularly wants to advocate more tax. However, surely this country has had enough of those who promise without cost and who offer Public Services without any reference to payment or appropriate taxation.

The truth is that since the populist and cowardly abolition of Domestic Rates Local Government has been starved of funding. The promise to reimburse Councils for the Rates foregone was never honoured by Government. I have calculated that since that decision approximately E4billion has been withheld from Dublin City Council alone by Government. That cannot be sustained.

More accountable model

It is clear that the Property Tax has many flaws I hope that in the period between now and the announcement of Budget 2014 we can use the period to tackle those problems and develop a fairer and more accountable model.

However instead of even attempting to develop an alternative or seek to amend the legislation the pretend Far Left in Ireland just say No. So much for Social Solidarity, so much for honesty and so much for the redistribution of wealth that they claim to stand for.

We need an honest debate on Local Government Reform and on Local Government Financing.

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The City Council has just published the street sweeping schedule, which may be of interest.

Essentially, the 3,500 streets in Dublin are organised into 4 categories that determine how often they are swept.  The highest footfall streets (such as Grafton St) are attended to at least daily, while smaller, less busy, streets are swept quarterly.

If you have any suggestions on how street sweeping could be made more efficient or effective, please get in touch with me at dermot_lacey@labour.ie

City Budget 2013

I am delighted to report that we secured agreement on a balanced and progressive Budget for the City at our Estimates meeting just before Christmas for 2013. In addition to continuing the pattern of reducing the commercial rate we managed to provide for a number of initiatives across the City – in Dublin South East these included security doors for a number of inner city flat complexes, funding for improvements to Herbert Park and flood protection measures in Ballsbridge and Sandymount. I was particularly delighted and appreciative of the fact that for the first time in many years the entire Labour Group supported the Budget.

I am hoping that Dublin City Council will avail of the new Social Employment Scheme to reactivate a plan to create a linear park along the Dodder.

Property Tax:

In January the Council adopted this Labour Party motion in relation to the Property Tax:

“The Elected Members of Dublin City Council support a property tax if it is based on site valuation, with money being raised and spent locally so strengthening local democracy and government, with a facility for those who can’t pay to defer payment.  Such a tax would allow Dublin City to take advantage of its more efficient use of services and resources and the elected representatives of the people of Dublin call on the Government to respect their views.”

Housing Committee:

Significant progress has been made for the complete overhaul of the Crampton buildings complex. I continue to seek the assistance of Labour in Government to support the application by the Royal Hospital Voluntary Housing Association for a demolition and rebuild project for 25 units at Beech Hill Terrace. The alternative sadly is that we de tenant them and pay security costs way into the future. Such is the thinking of the State.  We have now agreed a Sale of Flats scheme and will be piloting two complexes one of which will be in Dublin South East. A new and more transparent Allocations Policy has been agreed. With Gerry Ashe I am working with a number of women who lived in the former Magdelen Homes with a view to securing independent living arrangements.

Southern and Eastern Regional Assembly:

As Cathaoirleach of the Regional Assembly I am participating in the affairs of the Assembly and made a presentation to the Finance and General Select Committee of the Northern Ireland Assembly- the first Councillor from the Republic of Ireland to formally speak at the Assembly.

Local Government Reorganisation:

The 1991 Barrington report acknowledged that a process of devolution of functions from central to local government would take some years to complete.

That was 21 years ago. Yet in the “Putting People First” document the Department and the Minister are still procrastinating – in fact in the case of Dublin, they are proposing that any relevant reform would have to wait at least another seven years -  until 2019. For any Party serious about Political and Structural reform that cannot be deemed satisfactory. I have undertaken a lot of work to try and input into the process to ensure that the eventual legislation is better than the policy document.

Miscellaneous:

During the month I attended VEC, CDYSB, Ringsend and Ballsbridge College meetings. I continued to work with the South Inner City Local Drugs Task Force. At the Area Committee the principal issues were revised opening arrangements for Herbert Park, responding to the increase in dog dirt, cleansing of the City generally. On Monday 28^th January the full City Council will meet to determine the future of lands previously Zoned Z15. Later this week the first meeting of the new Naming Committee will be held to look at appropriate names for new infrastructure in the Dublin area – I will be a Labour member along with Mary Freehill and Sheila Howe.

Greyhound has informed me that if your current bin day falls on Christmas Day, St Stephens Day or New Years Day, your collection day has been changed. All other collections remain the same as scheduled.

Christmas Collection Schedule

• Collections scheduled for Christmas Day will be carried out on the preceding Saturday, 22nd December
• Collections scheduled for St. Stephens Day will be collected on the following Saturday, 29th December
• Collections scheduled for New Years Day will be collected on the following Saturday, 5th January