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DÚN LAOGHAIRE-RATHDOWN COUNTY COUNCIL Minutes of the County Council Meeting held in the Council Chamber, County Hall, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin on Monday, 13 June 2016 at 5.00 pm PRESENT: Bailey, John F Lewis, Hugh Baker, Marie McCarthy, Lettie Blain, Emma McGovern, Lynsey Brennan, Shay McKinney, Carron Colgan, Anne Merrigan, Michael Cuffe, Jennifer Murphy, Brian Curran, Chris Murphy, Tom Devlin, Cormac Nic Cormaic, Sorcha Dockery, Liam O'Brien, Peter Donnelly, Deirdre O'Brien, Shane Fayne, Mary O'Callaghan, Denis Feeney, Kate O'Neill, Seamas Furlong, Karen Saul, Barry Gildea, Jim Smith, Donal Halpin, Melisa Smyth, Carrie Hanafin, Mary Smyth, Ossian Hand, Pat Stewart, Patricia Kennedy, John Tallon, Grace Kingston, Deirdre Ward, Barry Apologies for inability to attend were received for Councillor Kevin Daly Absent: Councillor Karl Gill An Cathaoirleach, Councillor Cormac Devlin presided. OFFICIALS PRESENT: Philomena Poole (Chief Executive), Frank Austin (Director of Infrastructure and Climate Change), Helena Cunningham (Director of Finance and Risk Management), Andrée Dargan (County Architect, Architects), Mary Henchy (Director of Planning and Organisational Innovation), Catherine Keenan (Director of Housing), Dearbhla Lawson (Director of Economic, Community and Cultural Development), Tom McHugh (Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Corporate, Communications and Governance), Richard Shakespeare (Director of Municipal Services), Thomas Mahon (Senior Executive Officer, Corporate, Communications and Governance), Michael Mangan (Senior Engineer Projects, Infrastructure and Climate Change) and Pamela Graydon (Senior Staff Officer, Corporate, Communications and Governance) C/254/16 Presiding Chairperson It was AGREED that the outgoing Cathaoirleach, Councillor B. Saul, would preside until the election of An Cathaoirleach. 1 C/255/16 Address of Outgoing Cathaoirleach An Cathaoirleach, Councillor B. Saul thanked the Members, the Chief Executive, the Management Team and the staff for their support and hard work during the year. Outgoing Cathaoirleach’s Speech “It has been a very busy year for me as Cathaoirleach and also as a father of three young kids. I have to say that I have enjoyed every moment of it. During the last week I took a little bit of time to reflect on the year. In total I attended over 250 events or meetings as Cathaoirleach. There are not many other jobs that you can find that allows to you cut ribbons, start the iron man, launch books, open community centres and sporting facilities. The role is a very important role which also involves the Chairing of Council meetings, I probably won’t miss the Chairing of the Council meetings too much but I hope I have been as fair and honest as I possibly can. I don’t have 20/20 vision but I think, hopefully, we got through the year as Councillors still on talking terms. There are a number of important things that we did; the Budget is an important process that we managed to stir through; the County Development Plan was an experience that I can tell people about. On a sombre note during the year we had two tragedies; The Carrickmines tragedy and the Berkeley tragedy. We think of the families and victims involved in both tragedies. One of the greatest joys in being Cathaoirleach was meeting people from all over the County, visiting schools, particularly I had a tear in my eye this morning in Scoil San Treasa when I went to hand them an award and I literally had 300 kids and the whole school in front of me so as someone who left there many many years ago I was delighted to go back. I met a huge amount of people: festivals, business groups, sports associations. I had a few themes during the year that I tried to concentrate on tourism, enterprise, local businesses, sport and volunteerism. In the sport sector I was delighted and honoured to open the Samuel Beckett Civic Campus which is a huge addition to the Council in the Glencullen area. It was a great day opening the Shankill Indoor Tennis Club establishment, I was delighted to have the honour in doing that yesterday. Helping to initiate a Sports Strategy again is something that I think will help to stir the Council and relieve some of the congestion over the next couple of years and decades. The Cathaoirleach’s Sports Awards was the first time they have ever been done and is something that I took a lot of pride in and there was huge support from the Councils Sports Office. Volunteerism is the final theme of my year and in the last couple of months I rewarded and acknowledged volunteers. Last year Councillor Marie Baker held the first Volunteer Recognition Awards, I continued that tradition and we were delighted to have over 100 people receive their volunteer certificates and crystal. We also had the Sports Awards, Cathaoirleach’s Awards and a particular highlight was awarding the Freedom of the County our highest honour to Jane and Brendan McKenna, the founders of LauraLynn. A couple of highlights I remember from the year: I think we take this building for granted in terms of the Chamber, the stairwell and the Assembly Hall. When we are here every couple of days the beauty and charm of the building tends to be less notable to us but I was reminded again during the Award Ceremonies how many people that have never been here are so delighted with coming to County Hall and many brought their families along also. 2 The Office of An Cathaoirleach, in my view, needs to be modernised and hopefully we will look at doing that. Everyone has their different style but I think we should promote it within the County. We talk about our assets in the County being the mountains and the sea, as someone who has come from the private sector I can see 100 per cent that our biggest assets here are our staff. The word public servant is exactly what it is, the amount of time, effort and work all sections of Departments do here, it was only brought home to me in the last year with the amount of events I have been at, the amount of events the Council organise all over the County by all different Departments – Sports, Arts, the Theatre, the LexIcon, the strongest most valuable assets are the staff in this building and the various buildings around. I would like to thank them for their huge contribution and support. A few things before I finish up. I would like to thank my Fine Gael colleagues for electing me to the position and selecting me as a candidate for Cathaoirleach. I would like to thank all of the Elected Members in that Chamber for this year. I would like to thank An Leas Chathaoirleach, Councillor Pat Hand for assisting me during the year. The voters of the Stillorgan LEA who have supported me over the last few years. Finally I would like to thank the Chief Executive, Philomena Poole, for her support, patience and encouragement. I would also like to thank the Management Team, Carla in the Chief Executive’s Office, Nigel in the Cathaoirleach’s Office, the Communications Office, Therese, Conor, Brid, Karen and all in Corporate, Communications and Governance Department, they do great work and are the epitome of what public service is all about. Finally to my wife Deirdre who is watching the webcast, I would like to thank her for getting me here and for her patience and support. I have enjoyed my term in office and look forward to taking my seat in the Chamber.” The Members and Ms. P. Poole, Chief Executive congratulated An Cathaoirleach on his promotion of the County of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown during his year in office. Ms. P. Poole, Chief Executive, presented An Cathaoirleach, Councillor B. Saul, with a photo album as a memento of his year’s term in office. C/256/16 (Agenda Item No. 1) Election of An Cathaoirleach An Cathaoirleach, Councillor B. Saul invited nominations for the election of An Cathaoirleach. Councillor C. Devlin was proposed by Councillor S. Brennan and seconded by Councillor J. Bailey. Councillor P. O’Brien was proposed by Councillor D. O’Callaghan and seconded by Councillor D. Kingston. Councillor C. Curran was proposed by Councillor S. Nic Cormaic and seconded by Councillor S. O’Brien. As there were three nominations for the position of An Cathaoirleach a roll call vote took place, the result of which was as follows: COUNCILLORS: CLLR. C. DEVLIN CLLR. P. O’BRIEN CLLR. C. CURRAN ABSTAINED Bailey, John F. √ Baker, Marie √ 3 COUNCILLORS: CLLR. C. DEVLIN CLLR. P. O’BRIEN CLLR. C. CURRAN ABSTAINED Brennan, Shay √ Cuffe, Jennifer √ Curran, Chris √ Daly, Kevin Devlin, Cormac √ Dockery, Liam √ Donnelly, Deirdre Fayne, Mary √ Feeney, Kate √ Furlong, Karen √ Gildea, Jim √ Gill, Karl Halpin, Melisa √ Hanafin, Mary √ Hand, Pat √ Kennedy, John √ Kingston, Deirdre √ Lewis, Hugh √ McCarthy, Lettie √ McGovern, Lynsey √ McKinney, Carron √ Merrigan, Michael √ Murphy, Brian √ Murphy, Tom √ Nic Cormaic, Sorcha √ O’Brien, Peter √ O’Brien Shane √ O’Callaghan, Denis √ O’Neill, Seamas √ Saul, Barry √ Smyth, Carrie √ Smyth, Ossian √ Stewart, Patricia √ Tallon, Grace √ Ward, Barry TOTAL: 19 7 6 1 FOLLOWING THE ROLL CALL VOTE COUNCILLOR CORMAC DEVLIN WAS DECLARED ELECTED AS CATHAOIRLEACH TO HOLD OFFICE UNTIL THE ELECTION OF HIS SUCCESSOR. 4 COUNCILLOR CORMAC DEVLIN WAS INVESTED BY THE OUTGOING CATHAOIRLEACH WITH THE CHAIN OF OFFICE. The new Cathaoirleach then took the Chair. Cathaoirleach’s Acceptance Speech “A Chorleoirí, go raibh mile maith againn It is great honour and privilege to have been elected Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council here this evening. This Chain and the office has a long tradition in this area and I am honoured to form part of that roll.