News

Motion: Councillor D. Smith “That Fingal County Council explore the provision of Columbarium Walls in closed or nearly full graveyards through a pilot scheme in the Swords Balbriggan Ward, with a view to allowing local people to be interred in their local graveyard without the Council needing to extend the graveyard or re-open it through further land acquisition.”

Report: Columbarian Walls are located in a number of Council burial grounds and demand for acquiring niches in these walls is very low. However, it is accepted that people who wish to be, or have their loved ones, interred in a sustainable manner in their local graveyard , that is at or nearing capacity, should be facilitated insofar as possible. The identification of a suitable graveyard and an innovative design for a Columbarian Wall, appropriate to the existing surroundings , will be further explored.

Question: Councillor D. Smith “To ask the Chief Executive can the two tree stumps in the ditch at the top of Daleview Road be removed and can the soil be repaired, treated and sowed properly with grass and can this take place as soon as possible following the work which was already carried out at residents expense on this ditch?”

Reply: Tree stumps are not removed from planted areas, as they are from road side verges, as this would damage the roots of nearby trees and shrubs. It is intended to fill the ditch at this location incrementally when locally generated excess landscape materials become available.

Question: Councillor D. Smith “To ask the Chief Executive to address the dilapidated state of the toilets at Tower Bay Portrane and put in place a plan of repair and maintenance?”

Reply: The toilets at Tower Bay were painted last year prior to the bathing season. The Toilets will be inspected over the winter months and any necessary works that can be addressed within existing budgets will be scheduled before next year’s bathing season.

Question: Councillor D. Smith “To ask the Chief Executive to work with local sports clubs to ensure overflow car parking on the Elms Estate Ridgewood due to the adjacent sports pitches is ended as it is causing major parking and safety concerns for local residents?”

Reply: Appropriate management of parking associated with playing of competitive games in a manner that does not inconvenience adjoining residents is a condition of allocation of pitches. Through the scheduling of match times and promoting car sharing there is much that the clubs can do to reduce demand for parking at peak times. The clubs will be contacted to remind them that this is a condition of pitch allocation and that due consideration must be given to residents. Affected residents should be advised to contact the operations department when such inconsiderate parking occurs to allow the clubs to be contacted.

Question: Councillor D. Smith “To ask the Chief Executive to have the brick pillar leading to the Brook Beach in Portrane and supporting the Green Coast Award plaque fixed and reinstated and can work take place to improve the pathway onto the beach at this pillar including improved edging, cutting and planting?”

Reply: The pillar and pathway will be inspected and necessary repairs effected as soon as the schedule of the construction crew and budgets allow.

Question: Councillor D. Smith “To ask the Chief Executive can an outdoor table tennis table be provided in the Swords skatepark similar to the tables provided in mainland Europe which are all year weather resistant and have a metal grid as opposed to a traditional net?”

Reply: Table tennis tables that are robust enough for such a location are expensive to purchase and install and no budgetary provision was made to procure same in 2016. Consideration can be given to procurement of such a table in 2017 with a view to having one in place for the summer months.