Minutes of Kilkee Town Council held on Tuesday 5th May 2009 at Sweeney Memorial Library, Kilkee at 8:30 p.m.
Cathaoirleach sa Cathair
I Láthair
- Cllr. L. Marrinan Sullivan
- Cllr. T. Nolan
- Cllr. M. Martin
- Cllr. B. Keane
- Cllr. Claire Haugh
- Cllr. P.J Lardner
Apologies
- Cllr. M. McGrath
- Cllr. C Deloughery
I Láthair:
- Nora Kaye, Acting Director of Services Housing and Social Policy,
- John Corry, Acting Town Clerk
- Derek Troy Town Engineer, Executive Engineer
Cllr. Claire Haugh took the chair initially in the temporary absence of Cllr. P.J. Linnane who subsequently took the chair
Minutes of the April Monthly Meeting of Kilkee Town Council held on Monday 6th April 2009, at 8.00 p.m. at the Sweeney Memorial Library, Kilkee.
Cllr. Tom Nolan sought an update re the issue of Halpin’s Field.
John Corry indicated that he spoke with John Bradley on the matter and that he was advised by the Planning department that it was a condition of the licence for Cois Farraige that a temporary camping site be established and MCD arranged that the subject camping would be provided at the Diamond Rocks Café. The gravelled areas and pathways served to keep the area as dry underfoot as possible during the festival event, especially around the entrance and the portable toilets and showers. It was confirmed that the Planning Department were aware of one mobile home unit placed in Halpins field and that this would be the subject of enforcement proceedings in the coming weeks.
John Corry advised the members that following his investigations with Betty Devanny in the Environment Section, Clare County Council that the beach in Kilkee, as a public place, would be subject to the litter legislation and enforcement even though there were no bye laws adopted for the beach.
The Minutes of the April monthly meeting were proposed for adoption by Cllr. P.J. Lardner and seconded by Cllr. M. Martin.
Embargo on seasonal staff recruitment
John Corry informed the members that this item had been placed on the Agenda, as he wanted all Members to be aware of the circumstances pertaining to the embargo on the seasonal staff. He added that this embargo was coming from National Government and that all local authorities would be obliged to comply with it. He added that it was unfortunate that Kilkee were losing these two workers who had provided great service to Kilkee over the years. He also added that the work, which was carried out by these two workers, would be carried out on an ongoing basis from staff from the West Clare area. He added that this embargo was also going to affect the position of the temporary traffic warden for Kilkee as they were employed on a seasonal basis.
Cllr. Claire Haugh said it was very bad news and that it was not acceptable that they only got two days notice that their contract would not be renewed. She said that they had done sterling work for Kilkee over the years and that she was quite shocked at how they were treated. She also queried as to how the Traffic Warden duties would now be carried out.
John Corry indicated that a final decision had not been made on this yet but he indicated that the duties would have to be carried out, as there would need to be management of traffic in Kilkee during the summer months.
Cllr. Lily Marrinan Sullivan said that the first thing that should be done was that the two lads should be thanked for work they had done. She acknowledged that the decision was made at national level and not by the Town Clerk or by the Town Manager but at the same time she said that the Members had an entitlement to air their grievances. She said their concern was that the people who would be carrying out this work in place of the two aforementioned workers would not be in a position to carry out this work to the same level as these workers. She also sought clarification as to whether or not this embargo would also extend to the lifeguards.
Nora Kaye confirmed that the Circular, which came from the DoEHLG, was very severe and that no new appointments, no acting allowances and no temporary appointments could be made. She confirmed that it had been agreed to seek a derogation for the seasonal workers and the traffic warden in Kilkee. She added the only derogation granted to date was for lifeguards because it was a Health and Safety issue. Nora Kaye added that this embargo affected public service as a whole and that it was draconian and unworkable, but that being said it was the law.
Cllr. Lily Marrinan Sullivan asked could a letter be written to the two workers on behalf of this council thanking them for the work they had done and apologising for the way they had been treated and to point out that it was outside the hands of this council. She added that now more that ever that Kilkee needed a FAS scheme.
John Corry indicated that he had been following up on same with FAS.
Cllr Michael Martin agreed with the sentiments expressed by Cllr. Lily Marrinan Sullivan and Cllr. Claire Haugh. He said he was not blaming Clare County Council. He added that the two guys did a lot of work that wasn’t seen and he hoped that the three council workers were left to do their work without same being affected by the loss of the two seasonal workers.
Cllr. Tom Nolan said that the amount of savings as a result of this embargo for Kilkee was minimal relative to the value that they were providing and that the Town Council should register their disapproval. He suggested that if a way could be found within the current budget to employ these workers then that should be done.
Cllr Michael Martin said that these workers would be on the dole and that the savings would be minimal. He added that Kilkee had a seasonal trade and that same should not be jeopardised. He also added that it would be very difficult for someone to do the work of the traffic warden, as it was a thankless job.
Derek Troy Town Engineer indicated that any works carried out by these two workers in the past would now be carried out by the roads and water services staff for the West Clare area.
Cllr. P.J. Linnane asked if there was glass on the beach who looked after the removal of same.
Derek Troy Town Engineer indicated that up to now that this would have been done by the seasonal workers but that in the future that this was now to be carried out by their replacements.
Cllr. P.J. Linnane said that a lot of glass was removed from the beach by these workers.
Cllr. Claire Haugh said it would be detrimental to Kilkee if these workers were not retained in Kilkee as they worked full time during the summer months and now they would be replaced by area staff who only spend a few hours carrying out this work per day.
Cllr. P.J. Lardner agreed that you would be saving nothing by removing these workers.
Nora Kaye confirmed that it was unfortunate.
Allenders Field
John Corry confirmed that it was agreed at the last meeting that Allenders Field would remain on the Agenda to update members with regard to progress on the improvement of Allenders Field. He indicated that the gates had been repaired, the rubbish had been removed, the pathways and the bridge had been repaired and the grass had been cut. He added that the head Gardner in Vandeleur Walled Garden was seeking quotations for plants he deemed would be suitable for planting in Allenders Filed, as he didn’t have any such plants in stock himself. He also added that he had met with the Senior Executive Engineer for the West Clare area and that there was a commitment in place to have a staff member from the West Clare area available to maintain the field. He also indicated that a commitment had been given by the Senior Executive Engineer to provide large boulders to place strategically in the field to provide shelter and also to provide a feature in the garden. He suggested that the head Gardner could advise on the strategic location of these boulders. He recommended that the improvement of the site should be done on a phased basis. He also confirmed that he would continue to communicate with FAS to try and have a FAS Scheme complement the council’s staff in maintaining the field.
Cllr. Lily Marrinan Sullivan suggested that it would be beneficial to have Phase 1 of the plan proceeded with.
Derek Troy Town Engineer indicated that he had seen the 30 trees recently planted and that same seemed to be taking well.
Kilkee Courthouse
Cllr. P.J. Linnane confirmed that he had a meeting with Catherine O’Hara today and he discussed the courthouse at length. He confirmed that unfortunately that there were no funds available to do anything with the courthouse. Catherine suggested that he should get in touch with Leader, as it may be possible to secure some funding from them. Cllr. P.J. Linnane added that the Civic Trust was definitely interested to get involved in the project with the Town Council.
Cllr. Lily Marrinan Sullivan presented a drawing to the Council of the courthouse as it was now and the proposed upgrading of same. This drawing was prepared by Tom Byrne, of the Tidy Towns committee.
Cllr. P.J. Linnane suggested that a joint proposal should be submitted.
Nora Kaye suggested that the submission should encompass the Tidy Towns, Leader, the Town Council and the Civic Trust, because she felt that an interagency and combined approach would provide a more rounded proposal.
Cllr. Lily Marrinan Sullivan said that if the works could be carried out as part of a FAS scheme that same would be good for local employment etc. so she agreed that the more agencies involved in this project the better.
Nora Kaye indicated that there may be students who would want to get experience in different areas as part of their college courses and that they may be interested in getting involved in this as well. She suggested that this would be a strategic project which could be done on a phased basis. She reminded the Councillors that the 14th of May was the closing date for submission of proposals.
Notice of Motion submitted by Cllr. Tom Nolan
"That Clare County Council declare its further/continuing interest in Kilkee Waterworld"
Cllr. Tom Nolan said as a shareholder in Kilkee Waterworld, the development never came to fruition as to what it was hoped it would be. He said he would be interested in what Clare County Councils plans were for it.
Nora Kaye indicated that it was considered annually at the Budget process, as to what contribution would be made. She indicated that it was not a straightforward provision that was made as a sum of money approx. €80,000 was put in and from this the commercial rates and water rates were taken off to give a net provision of €50,000 to €55,000 per annum. She said that it was approximately this amount that was provided on an annual basis. She said that for the current year that they had been paid their net amount. She added that the County Council was represented on the Board of Directors. She also added that she would raise at Management Team level in terms of assistance to projects in future but added that she was not aware of any change in assistance being provided in the future.
Cllr. Lily Marrinan Sullivan asked if they was any truth in the fact that the levy put on for recycling was to support Waterworld.
Nora Kaye and John Corry indicated that this was not the case.
Cllr. Tom Nolan asked if the Council would consider selling Waterworld.
Nora Kaye indicated that same had not been discussed at Management Team and that she was not aware of any proposals re same. She said she would seek an update re same.
Cllr. P.J. Linnane said that during the Budget for 2009 that there was a lengthy discussion re the contribution for Kilkee Waterworld so he felt that it would be difficult for a budget to be provided re same for 2010.
Cllr. Lily Marrinan Sullivan said if it was a proper sized swimming pool that it could be used a lot more.
Cllr. P.J. Lardner said that they had met with John O’Donoghue, Minister for Sport, re same a no. of years ago and that he had indicated that there would be no problem with providing funding to upgrade to a normal swimming pool. He had asked for plans to be submitted and he would ok the money. Cllr. P.J. Lardner indicated that this was never done.
Cllr. Michael Martin’s concern was that if funding was not provided for it in 2010 that in a very short space of time that the building would be vandalised.
Cllr. Tom Nolan said he was encouraging Clare County Council to consider its future to see what they were going to do with it and if it was a matter of off loading it that people may be interested in buying it. He added that Ireland was looking at 10 to 15 years of recession and that this facility was not possible of sustaining itself.
A number of members felt that if it had been upgraded to a proper swimming pool that it may have been able to sustain itself.
Notice of Motion submitted by Cllr. Keane
"I am looking to have the road surfaced from the church to Nancy O’ Kane’s house and the steel fencing along by the building site tidied up or replaced with a proper fence either concrete or timber, and the open river by the side of the road beyond the building site piped and made safe."
Response submitted by Derek Troy Town Engineer, Executive Engineer.
The L60771 is not included on the current Clare County Council roadwork’s programme. A request will be forwarded to the Roads section, to have it considered in future programmes. The steel fencing along by the building site is part of the 64 unit development, which was subject of the following planning applications: P06 115, P06 21, P07 2303, P07 2374 and P07 2675. The current condition of the site fencing will be reported to the Planning Enforcement section for inspection and appropriate action.
Response Ends
Cllr. Brian Keane said that the third part of his motion wasn’t answered
Derek Troy Town Engineer said the site had been left in a very bad condition and that he had constantly been on to the builders and developers regarding the condition of it. He confirmed that what he had started to do was to get on to the Planning Enforcement section regarding same. He said there was never a definite plan to pipe that river but when the development was going ahead he thought that it might be an opportunity to ask the developer to construct some part of it but with the way things have gone with that particular site it doesn’t seem that this was going to happen. He added that there was no specific funding to pipe that drain and that there are drains like that all over West Clare that could be piped but there was no specific funding for that.
Cllr. P.J. Linnane confirmed that if enforcement proceedings are taken out against the developer that he is required to put things right and that can be done at any time during a planning application and that it doesn’t have to wait until the planning runs out.
Cllr. Lily Marrinan Sullivan questioned could the Health and Safety section of Clare County Council do anything regarding Health and Safety issues.
Derek Troy Town Engineer said that the Health and Safety section could deal with the public road. He said that if they instructed them to put up the fence and it blew back down again that you are just going around in circles and that planning was the way to pursue this.
Cllr. Lily Marrinan Sullivan asked if the Planning Section could be notified that there were Health and Safety issues that were not being adhered to pertaining to this development.
Nora Kaye confirmed that they could and that the developer had a huge responsibility if anything happens so it was in their best interests to make it safe. She suggested further to what Derek Troy Town Engineer said that it could be referred to the Health and Safety unit within roads and also mentioned to Planning that there were serious health issues there that were a threat to public safety.
Cllr. Brian Keane asked if he could get an update on that.
Notice of Motion submitted by Cllr. Marrinan Sullivan
"Update on the promised sewage system for Kilkee."
Response submitted by Hugh McGrath, Senior Executive Engineer, Water Services, Clare County Council.
"The Preliminary Report for Kilkee and Kilrush is still awaiting approval by the DEHLG. On receipt of this approval the next stage is that Clare Co. Co. will prepare Contract Documents for tender if funding is available"
Response Ends
Cllr. Lily Marrinan Sullivan asked how long did it take to get approval.
John Corry indicated that all information had been furnished to the DoEHLG and that it was now up to them to confirm the approval of same.
Cllr. P.J. Linnane said it was his understanding that the funding for these projects were ring fenced. He said that there was an onus on Clare County Council to provide this infrastructure because of European Directives.
Cllr. Michael Martin said that in the current economic climate that it was possible that works could now be carried out far more economically.
Cllr. P.J. Linnane said that realistically that it could take at least 2 more years before this project would be underway.
Derek Troy Town Engineer confirmed that he had been in constant contact with Hugh McGrath in Clare County Council regarding same and that all information had been furnished to the Department and that it was a case of waiting to hear from the Department.
Nora Kaye said coming from the housing perspective that any projects that had not yet commenced that the Department would not commit to approving and funding same at the present moment. She said that there were critical issues out there that were funding related.
Cllr. Lily Marrinan Sullivan said there had to be a look at this in the wider context. She said that the current system in Kilkee couldn’t deal with sewerage.
Derek Troy Town Engineer confirmed that there was no treatment system in Kilkee at the moment. He said that what they had in Kilkee was a sewerage network to a pumping station to an outfall point. He said that there was no treatment facility. He added that once pumps keep pumping that there is infinite capacity.
Cllr. Michael Martin and Cllr. Lily Marrinan Sullivan said that their concern was that if there was a good summer that the sewerage system would not be able to deal with the increased numbers in Kilkee.
Derek Troy Town Engineer confirmed that even if there was a new treatment facility in Kilkee that it would be on the pump line before the outfall so there could still be a pump failure.
Brian Keane questioned if there was a stand by pump.
Derek Troy Town Engineer confirmed that there was.
Notice of Motion submitted by Cllr. Marrinan Sullivan
"Kilkee Town Council to be brought up to date with the grass cutting contract including copy of agreement."
Cllr. Lily Marrinan Sullivan indicated that she was happy with the information that she had received re same from the Town Engineer.
Notice of Motion submitted by Cllr. Marrinan Sullivan
"Update on the next stage of the work being carried out at the east end Kilkee (development of the ditch)"
Response submitted by Derek Troy Town Engineer, Executive Engineer.
Grass seed has been ordered and will be sown within the next two weeks, on the mound that was constructed in late 2008. The seed ordered will be similar to the existing grass in this area. Additional topsoil will be used where required to complete the mound along the road edge. It is not proposed to adjust the height of this as it has been put in place to the prevent vehicular access onto the grassed areas between the road and cliff edge.
Response Ends
Cllr. Lily Marrinan Sullivan confirmed that she had spoken with Derek Troy Town Engineer regarding this and that they were waiting on a particular type of grass.
Cllr. Claire Haugh said that cars couldn’t drive onto the grass on the previous Sunday and that the car park was completely packed so cars were parking at either side of the road making it very difficult to drive up or down. She described it as utter chaos. She said that this ditch was a disaster.
Cllr. Lily Marrinan Sullivan said that you were not supposed to park on grass by the cliff. She said the grass was destroyed up there.
Cllr. Claire Haugh said you had barriers by the golf club to prevent caravans going up there and that should be the big worry, not the ditch.
Cllr. P.J. Linnane agreed that the ditch was not necessary above the barriers.
Cllr. Michael Martin said it would end up like the West End at the Pollock Holes if cars were parked at both sides of the road.
Cllr. P.J. Lardner said that ditch was only a joke and that if wouldn’t stop anyone.
Cllr. Lily Marrinan Sullivan asked what the position was with the barrier at the West End, i.e. was it supposed to be opened or closed, as she said that it was open all of the time.
Derek Troy Town Engineer said that there was only one person that operated that barrier and that was the person who operated the Café. Derek Troy Town Engineer said the County Council had no business to open that barrier.
Cllr. Lily Marrinan Sullivan said that the operators of the Café should be reminded that the barrier should remain closed to prevent campers/caravans etc, gaining access.
Cllr. Brian Keane asked what if caravans/campers moved into the Kilkee Bay Hotel.
Cllr. P.J. Linnane replied that this was private property.
Correspondence
The Correspondence was acknowledged as being read.
A.O.B.
Nora Kaye informed the Members that the Co. Manager in line with all other cuts was now reducing the 5 Directors in Clare County Council to 4. She then outlined to the members the new directorates and directors responsible for their information.
Gerard Dollard – Community and Enterprise and also Ennis Town Council.
David Timlin – Housing and Water Services and Ennistymon Area
Bernadette Kinsella – Housing and Community Services and Shannon Area
Nora Kaye – Planning, Roads and Kilkee Town Council and Kilrush Electoral Area
Cllr. Lily Marrinan Sullivan wished Nora Kaye well.
It was agreed that next Town Council meeting would be Tuesday 2nd June, which would be last meeting of the current council.
Derek Troy Town Engineer informed members that he had taken away the bollards on the strand line as there were problems keeping them in place. He said it was a trial and that if a smaller alignment was done at the roundabout that this may be a better solution. He also mentioned that some road markings were being done around the town and some disabled spaces marked. He said that that was probably as much as he was going to get done on Traffic Management for 2009.
Cllr. Lily Marrinan Sullivan asked if the markings on both ends of the Post Office lane hatched in yellow could be repainted as they had faded.
Nora Kaye confirmed that she contacted the Community Warden regarding the Casual Trading Bye Laws which were effective from 1st April and that he was in Kilkee at 9.45 am on previous Sunday morning and he reported that generally there were no major issues and that there were 21 of 27 traders there and they were more or less complying with bye laws and that it was positive to note.
Cllr. Michael Martin queried if there was a farmers market in Kilkee now.
Cllr. Lily Marrinan Sullivan clarified that there would be.
Derek Troy Town Engineer confirmed that Hilary Gleeson had confirmed that they would be operating on private property but that he hadn’t received anything definite on this.
Nora Kaye said that as far as she knew that farm and homemade produce was exempt from casual trading.
Cllr. Claire Haugh confirmed that Cllr. Martin wouldn’t be attending the next meeting and she wished to thank him for his service to Kilkee. She said he never brought politics into the chamber that his interest was always for the good of Kilkee.
Cllr. Lily Marrinan Sullivan agreed and thanked him for his service.
Cllr. Brian Keane also agreed and this was echoed by other members.
Cllr. Michael Martin thanked the members and said it had been a pleasure to have been a member of the Town Commissioners and then the Town Council. He said he had been lucky to sit with some very able politicians. He said his policy was that he felt that all Councillors should be independent. He also thanked the Town Manager, Town Engineer, Town Clerk and all their predecessors.
John Corry wished Cllr. Michael Martin well on his retirement.
Nora Kaye wished him well also and said that they could arrange a party for the sitting councillors later during the summer.
As there was no further business the meeting concluded.
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