Emergency Motion for the South East Area Committee 12th October 2020
“This Committee notes the serious and constructive work engaged in by the STC Community Group (Serpentine Avenue/Tritonville Road, Claremont and other Adjoining Roads) in preparing the Strand Road Trial Rapid Deployment Cycle Route – An Alternative Proposal and requests the Chief Executive to assess the contents of same prior to any commencement of any Cycleway proposal for the Strand Road. The Committee also acknowledges with gratitude the input to the process to date from many others including the long standing Sandymount and Merrion Residents Association.
The Committee further agrees that it will meet as required over the coming months either in full plenary session or alternative Area or Workshop type meetings with Officials and other interested Parties to discuss these and alternative proposals.”
Dermot Lacey
October 12th, 2020 by Webmaster in Articles & Speeches | No Comments »
Dear Editor,
Your correspondent Stephen Oliver Murray ( 9th October 2020) questioned the accuracy of my comments about the “theft of local councils powers” and the implication of same in relation to the non-protected status of 40 Herbert Park – the former home of The O’Rahilly.
My simple points was that when I was first elected a Councillor we could initiate such protected status and there would be a temporary protection pending a full analysis.
However that power has now been removed from the elected members and in between the adoption of new Development Plans the initiation of Protected status must come from the Executive. It is just one of very many powers that have been removed from democratic Local Government in recent years.
Within the powers available to me I opposed the proposed development on the site primarily because of its overbearing height and appalling design. Needless to say under the powers also granted to the Planners by the Oireachtas those views were disregarded too.
Yours sincerely,
Councillor Dermot Lacey
October 9th, 2020 by Webmaster in Letters to the Editor | No Comments »
The Editor,
Letters Page,
The Irish Times.
Dear Editor,
I welcome the article from Stephen Collins ( 9th October ) lauding the Government for their decision “to take back control from unelected public officials”. I look forward to future articles in The Irish Times supporting the transfer of powers from Chief Executives of Local Councils, An Bord Pleanala, the National Transport Authority, Boards of all three CIE Companies and the myriad of other totally unaccountable agencies and Public Officials who now exercise more power and authority than any combination of elected Representatives. Other countries would call it democracy.
Yours sincerely,
Councillor Dermot Lacey
October 9th, 2020 by Webmaster in Letters to the Editor | No Comments »
The Editor,
Letters Page,
The Irish Times.
Dear Editor,
Twice in recent weeks an Irish Times editorial has criticised the response of Dublin City Council to some key issues. On both issues I agree with the editorial view.
However what I fail to ever see is an Irish Times Editorial or an Opinion piece, informed by practitioners, decrying the appalling structure of Local Government and the governing legislation underpinning it that blocks so much that is possible in other countries and that so many elected Councillors want to deliver to their areas. Quite simply Ireland can be transformed by Local Government reform. The Irish Times might help that by less pompous editorials and more concrete coverage of the facts.
Yours sincerely,
Councillor Dermot Lace
October 3rd, 2020 by Webmaster in Letters to the Editor | No Comments »
Dermot recently appeared on the Here’s How podcast. Have a listen to the episode here: https://blog.hereshow.ie/2020/09/heres-how-111-local-misgovernment
September 11th, 2020 by Webmaster in Dermot in the News | No Comments »
