Sunday, March 18, 2012

COUNCIL NEEDS TO CONSULT PUBLIC MORE EFFECTIVELY - HUMPHREYS

STATEMENT BY CLLR RICHARD HUMPHREYS
Labour Party Councillor for Stillorgan
Sunday, 18 March 2012

COUNCIL NEEDS TO CONSULT PUBLIC MORE EFFECTIVELY - HUMPHREYS

Cllr Richard Humphreys, the Labour Party Councillor for the Stillorgan Ward, has called for greater public information on the large number of initiatives that are undergoing public consultation.

“I received information in reply to a question at the March Council meeting that at present, 19 separate projects are at various stages of public consultation including projects that will go to consultation later this year.”

“In order to help our citizens keep track of current consultations I am calling on the Council to put up a single easily accessible webpage which links to all of the various current consultations.”  Humphreys said.

“It would also be helpful if preliminary information about planned projects could be made publicly available even before the formal consultation process.”

“In my own ward in Stillorgan there will be public consultation during 2012 on the Leopardstown roundabout and link road works, and the Cabinteely Park Climbing Adventure to be constructed by the Council, but there is no even preliminary information on these projects listed on the Council website.” Humphreys said.

At the county-wide level there is currently a consultation on the River Dodder Flooding Plan (CFRAM) although this is not indexed on the Council’s website.  The consultation remains open until 6th June 2012 and further details are at www.cfram.ie.  I would encourage interested parties to submit their views.

It is also proposed to have a consultation on the Cycle Network Review, but no real information about this is contained on the Council’s website.  I am calling on the Council to review its consultation practices more generally and give as much information to the public as possible, as far in advance as possible.” Humphreys said.

Ends



Note to editors – text of question and reply attached

MEETING OF DÚN LAOGHAIRE-RATHDOWN COUNTY COUNCIL
12TH MARCH 2012
POLICIES OR PLANS/PUBLIC CONSULTATION
Question: Councillor R. Humphreys
“To ask the Manager for a list of all policies, plans or other actions of the Council that
have gone out to public consultation but have not yet come before the elected
members, a list of the items currently undergoing public consultation, and a list of
the items likely to be the subject of public consultation during 2012?”
Reply:

Planning

List of policies and plans that have gone out on public consultation:
1. Cherrywood Strategic Development Zone Draft Planning Scheme.
Public display from 29th February, 2012, closing date for submissions 11th
April, 2012.
2. Material Alteration Variation No. 6.1 - Sandycove A.C.A.
List of items likely to go on public consultation during 2012:-
1. Variation No. 7 – Monkstown A.C.A.
2. Variation No. 8 – DART Car-park & Open Space Development.
3. Variation No. 9 – Ticknock Road Specific Local Objective Number 97.
4. Adelaide Street A.C.A.
5. Vico Road A.C.A.

Environment, Culture & Community

List of items likely to go on public consultation during 2012:-
- Part 8 Deck over Metals at People’s Park
- Part 8 Climbing Adventure, Cabinteely Park
List of items recently gone out to public consultation:-
- Beach Bye Laws
- Litter Management Plan

Transportation

Item likely to go on public consultation during 2012:-
- Dun Laoghaire Laneways
- Shankill Dart Car Park
- Leopardstown Roundabout and Link Road
- Braemore Cycle Tracks
- The Cycle Network Review

Housing

Item likely to go on public consultation during 2012:-
- The refurbishment / energy upgrade scheme at the Rochestown House senior
citizen complex under Part 8 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (as
amended).`

Water & Waste Services

The normal procedure is that plans are presented to the Area Committees in advance
of the Public Consultation Stage.
The Public Consultation for the River Dodder Flood Catchment Flood Risk Assessment
and Management (CFRAM) Plan was officially launched by Minister Brian Hayes last
week. The Plan was presented to the Dundrum Area Committee on 5th December
2011. The documentation will be on display until 6th June 2012.
The Eastern CFRAM Study is ongoing and will involve various consultation phases,
the first of which is planned for 2013.

Architects

Item likely to go on public consultation during 2012:-
- Interim works Dún Laoghaire Baths site

Contact: Kathleen Holohan, Director of Planning.
Contact: Richard Shakespeare, Director of Environment, Culture & Community.
Contact: Tom Mc Hugh, Director of Services, Transportation Department.
Contact: Charles MacNamara, Director of Housing.
Contact: Frank Austin, Director of Water & Waste Services
Contact: Andree Dargan, County Architect.



Wednesday, March 14, 2012

March 2012 Council meeting - webcast

The webcast of the March 2012 meeting of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council is now on line -
http://www.dlrcoco.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/71070

To view my input follow these instructions: Along the blue strip on top of the picture you will see three tabs, which stand for Home, Index Points and Speakers. Click on the second one (index points - marked by a picture of what look like a few bullets), then scroll down and click on my name at the following point(s) -

0.22.33 on dealing with the backlog of Councillors' motions
0.29.53 on the need for housing associations to engage with representatives of constituents
1.38.38 on setting up a working group to name the Moran Park Central Library
2.17.25 on a procedural issue

Sunday, February 26, 2012

ANTI-HOUSEHOLD CHARGE POSTERS DON’T BELONG ON COUNCIL POLES - HUMPHREYS

STATEMENT BY CLLR RICHARD HUMPHREYS
Labour Party Councillor for Stillorgan
Sunday, 26 February 2012

ANTI-HOUSEHOLD CHARGE POSTERS DON’T BELONG ON COUNCIL POLES - HUMPHREYS

Cllr Richard Humphreys, the Labour Party Councillor for the Stillorgan Ward, has criticised the poster campaign by the “Campaign against the Household and Water Taxes”.

“Posters advocating non-payment of the household charge have begun to appear on poles around the County, urging people not to register or pay.  There is something ironic if not ridiculous about the fact that the Anti-Charge campaign is using poles paid for by Council money and maintained by the Council in order to advocate non-payment of lawful charges to fund essential local government services.” Humphreys said.

“The Anti-Charge lobby advocates a “free rider” philosophy – they wish to take the benefits of democracy but not to contribute to paying for it.  This is an insult to the intelligence of the public.  I am calling on Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council to withdraw its consent to the placing of posters on its poles which advocate the non-payment of lawful charges.  I fully respect the entitlement of protesters to free speech, but this does not extend to advocating the commission of criminal offences.  The unfortunate reality is that anyone liable to the charge must declare his or her liability and pay the charge due or otherwise they are committing an offence.”

“I regret the necessity for a household charge but due to the disastrous economic situation which the Government inherited from Fianna Fail and the Greens, it has become required as a condition of EU and IMF funding, without which we as a country will not be able to pay our nurses, teachers and Gardai and fund other essential services.  The essential thing is that it be fairly borne by the community.  A mass boycott campaign is sheer economic fantasy and is an insult to the law abiding members of society” Humphreys said.

“It is also somewhat striking that the “Campaign against the Household and Water Taxes” is a somewhat shadowy organisation which does not list its members or committee conspicuously on its website.  Nor does it publish on its website any rules or constitution which would show that its committee is accountable to its members.  Its press releases are featured on a Socialist Party website and it gives every impression of being another vehicle for the cynical politics of the Ultra-Left Alliance.”

Ends

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Download full councillors' expenses for 2011

The full list of all councillors' expenses for 2011 is available on my website - http://richardhumphreys.ie/ and click on "Download 2011 expenses".  An excel document with all expenses should download for you.

Amounts paid to each Councillor in 2011

I submitted a question to last Monday's council meeting to establish the total amounts paid to each Councillor in 2011.  This includes conference fees which are not paid directly to the Councillor but to conference organiser on their behalf.  The totals, arranged in order of amount, are as follows.  Note that the 6 lowest councillors did not serve a full 12 months during 2011.  

I received the second lowest amount of the Councillors in the Stillorgan Ward and weighed in at a respectable mid-table position overall.

3505 Richard Boyd-Barrett
3671 Mary Mitchell-O’Connor
7196 Grace Tallon
14907 Melissa Halpin
16472 Aidan Culhane
19332 Patricia Stewart
22155 Hugh Lewis
22167 Aoife Brennan
22256 Stephen Fitzpatrick
23057 Tom Murphy
23473 Jim O’Dea
24114 Carrie Smyth
24681 Barry Ward
24772 Gearoid O’Keefe
25565 Donal Marren
25731 Cormac Devlin
26022 Marie Baker
26199 Richard Humphreys
26641 Neale Richmond
26871 Niamh Bhreathnach
27346 Barry Saul
27958 Victor Boyhan
28198 Tony Fox
28868 Tom Joyce
30085 Pat Hand
30554 Jane Dillon-Byrne
30688 Denis O’Callaghan
34236 Gerry Horkan
38108 Maria Bailey
41789 Lettie McCarthy
47058  John Bailey

Launch of Irish Labour History Society Photo Exhibition

Last night I attended the launch by Tánaiste and Party Leader Eamon Gilmore of the Irish Labour History Society photographic exhibition at Beggar's Bush, Haddington Rd, to commemorate the centenary of the founding of the Labour Party in 1912.  Pic shows me with the legend of recent Labour history, former Tánaiste and Party Leader Dick Spring.  It was an immense privilege for me to have worked as part of Dick's team as a special adviser to Labour during the 1990s.  Photo credit: the ever-professional Shauneen Armstrong.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

February 2012 Council Meeting

The webcast of the Feb 2012 meeting of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council is now on line -
http://www.dlrcoco.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/71069


To view my input follow these instructions: Along the blue strip on top of the picture you will see three tabs, which stand for Home, Index Points and Speakers. Click on the second one (index points - marked by a picture of what look like a few bullets), then scroll down and click on my name at the following point(s) -

0.09.08 on Councillors expenses and the EUR61,000 expenses incurred by PBP TDs
0.14.58 on my amendments to the public art policy
1.42.39 on the motion concerning a public inquiry in respect of oil drilling
1.54.09 paying tribute to Richard Cremins and Les Moore on leaving the Council
2.10.00 on legal advice regarding Councillors' interests in the Cherrywood SDZ
2.24.50 on reform of the water sector

Monday, February 13, 2012

Monday 20th Feb - All welcome to Public Meeting with local Garda Siochana and Joint Policing Committee

From http://www.dlrcoco.ie/newsevents/latestnews/title,7626,en.html


"Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Joint Policing Committee - Notice of Public Meeting

A public meeting for the residents of Ballinteer, Blackrock, Churchtown, Dundrum, Glencullen, Goatstown, Mount Merrion, Sandyford, Stepaside, and Stillorgan will be held in:
Taney Parish Hall, Taney Road, Dundrum
On Monday, 20th February, 2012
From 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

The Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Joint Policing Committee is chaired by Councillor Dr Richard Humphreys and consists of local elected representatives of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, An Garda Síochána, Oireachtas members and community representatives.

This is a meeting that local residents from the above areas are welcome to attend.  At the meeting you will have an opportunity to make observations and address questions on matters relating to crime and anti-social behaviour with a view to improving public safety within local communities.

RAISE ISSUES, GET FEEDBACK, ALL WELCOME.
For further information contact:
Neil Healy on (01) 2047299
E Mail: nhealy@dlrcoco.ie "

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Arts Grants 2012

Artists or arts groups working or living in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County may be interested in the arts grants scheme - closing date 28 February.  Details at http://www.dlrcoco.ie/arts/grants_scheme_2012.htm

FIGURES FOR COUNCILLORS' ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS

There is more to the job of a councillor than attendance at meetings but nonetheless the figures are interesting.  I attach figures showing attendance at meetings up in 2011 up to the start of December.  At that stage I had attended a respectable 88% of meetings which put me in 2nd place in the Stillorgan Ward, and in the top half of councillors overall in terms of percentage attended.   I was in joint 6th place in the Council overall in terms of actual number of meetings attended.


ORGANISATION PROCEDURE & PROTOCOL COMMITTEE
7TH DECEMBER 2011
COUNCILLORS ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS IN 2011 TO DATE
Question: Councillor M. Baker
“To ask the Manager to report on Councillors attendance at all official meetings of
DLRCC for the calendar year 2011 to date, highlighting in each Councillors case
the total number of meeting that should have been attended and the actual
number of meetings attended and the percentage attendance rate in each case?”
Reply:
Councillor        Total No of
Meetings that
Councillor Could
have Attended
No of Meetings
Attended by
Councillor
% Rate of
Attendance
John Bailey    41                          37                                90%
Maria Bailey   35                          29                                83%
Marie Baker   43                          41                                95%
Niamh Bhreathnach 43                 36                                84%
Victor Boyhan 42                         36                                86%
Aoife Brennan 41                         23                                56%
Cormac Devlin 37                         29                                78%
Jane Dillon Byrne 37                      34                                92%
Stephen Fitzpatrick 35                 34                                97%
Tony Fox 39                                 37                                95%
Melisa Halpin 19                          14                                74%
Pat Hand 43                                36                                84%
Gerry Horkan 40                          40                                100%
Richard Humphreys 42                 37                                88%
Tom Joyce 45                              34                                76%
Hugh Lewis 41                             28                                68%
Donal Marren 39                          34                                87%
Lettie McCarthy 45                       43                                96%
Tom Murphy 39                            30                                77%
Denis O’Callaghan 39                   39                                100%
Jim O’Dea 42                               34                                81%
Gearóid O’Keeffe 40                     7                                  18%
Neale Richmond 38                      23                                61%
Barry Saul 42                              30                                71%
Carrie Smyth 41                          39                                95%
Patricia Stewart 29                       29                                100%
Grace Tallon 10                            10                                100%
Barry Ward 43                             30                                70%
Contact: Tony Pluck, Director of Corporate Services & I.T.