O Connell calls for Dun Laoghaire Harbour Accounts to be sent to Minister
Labour Party Councillor in Dún Laoghaire, Juliet O Connell has requested the CEO of Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council to deliver the financial accounts of the dissolved Harbour Company to the Minister and has laid out a series of initiatives she wants the Council to take to revitalise the Town and Harbour.
The newly elected Councillor and local business operator Juliet O Connell caused a stir at the most recent Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Council meeting when she submitted a motion calling on the Chief Executive to submit final accounts to the Minister under the Harbours Act 2015. In response other groupings then called for an emergency meeting of the Council which will now be held on the 30th September on the issue.
O Connell is also calling on officials to report on the integration of the Harbour operations into the Council and a commitment be given that regular briefings with elected representatives be undertaken.
Cllr O Connell said:
“As a newly elected Cllr for Dún Laoghaire one of my key commitments is to revive and support the local town economy. As part of the motion I recently tabled, I have called on the Council Executive to commence the procurement of an independent Economic and Spatial Strategy for the harbour and town. Also central to the motion is my call for the CEO to deliver the accounts of the dissolved Harbour company to the Minister as required under the Harbour Act.
“Another initiative I want carried out is that the Council formally recognise that the Harbour area has enormous historic and cultural significance. To deliver on that, I am calling on the Council to also carry out a public consultation process with all of the stakeholders, statutory bodies and residents of Dún Laoghaire Rathdown as a first step to developing an economic plan for the future use of the Harbour and of the town.
“It is also necessary that that a full review of the current harbour Bye-Laws is carried out, alongside a review of harbour policy including the National Ports Policy, County Development Plan and the National Maritime Planning Framework. It is also essential as part of this that sources of funding to be identified for the public.”
ENDS
Notes: On Thursday the 26th September Cllr. Juliet O Connell is hosting a public meeting with expert speakers to discuss the possibilities to save Dun Laoghaire town and to discuss opportunities to integrate the development of the main street with the development of the harbour
The full text of the motion is as follows:
- “That the Chief Executive now report on the status of the final accounts for the former Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company pursuant to Section 33 of the Harbours Act 2015 and
if they have been presented to the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local
Government and laid before both houses of the Oireachtas. - – Report on the integration of the Harbour operations into the Councils.
– Agrees that the Council Executive commence the Procurement of an independent Economic and Spatial Strategy for the harbour and Town.
– Agrees that in recognising the Harbour area as having enormous historic and cultural significance commences a public consultation process with all of the stakeholders, statutory bodies and residents of Dún Laoghaire Rathdown as a first step to developing an economic plan for its future use and that of the Town.
– Agrees to review the current harbour Bye-Laws, review harbour policy including the National Ports Policy, County Development Plan and the National Maritime Planning Framework.
– Identify sources of funding.
– And that regular briefings for the elected Council be undertaken.”
[9 September 2019]