On the PROPOSAL of Councillor Ward

            SECONDED by Councillor Cummins

It was AGREED to adopt the Minutes of Plenary Meeting held on 28.05.2018

There were no matters arising.

·         May 2018

Members noted the Management Report for May 2018.

Mr. Eugene Dwyer, Head of Roads and Infrastructure gave a Presentation to the members on the CFRAM Programme and the Flood Risk Management Plans:

·         National Flood Risk Plan with 40,000 maps, 4,000km of Waterways (1,000km is River Shannon), affecting 18,000 properties and proposals for 118 new schemes to provide protection for 11,000 properties nationally.

·         Ten year programme of €1billion in investment in flood relief measures

·         A first tranche of €257m for 50 flood relief schemes does not include Roscommon schemes.

·         Recommendations include proactive, catchment based approach to flood risk management plans

·         The Plans were approved by Minister for PER in April 2018, reported to the EU Commission, website www.floodinfo.ie launched in May 2018 and are now submitted to Councils for consideration.

·         Twenty-nine flood risk management plans published and four of the river basins affect Roscommon

·         The preliminary flood risk assessments identify 37 communities as being at potentially significant flood risk in the Upper and Lower Shannon of which 6 are in County Roscommon

·         Six towns were identified as Areas for Further Assessment (AFA’s):

o   Athleague – New flood defence wall 190m and embankment of 390 meters

o   Athlone – all of the works proposed are in Co. Westmeath (1.038km flood defence walls, 2.29km embankment & 16m floodgate

o   Boyle – a 300m flood defence wall

o   Castlerea – no action works proposed

o   Cortober –  1,799m flood defence walls, 846m embankments and 2m floodgate

o   Roscommon – 2,065m of flood defence walls and 350m of embankments

·         Aside from the plan, there is still in operation the Minor Works programme ongoing

·         The Department will look at the rural areas not covered in CFRAM –Part 2

·         CFRAM does not include turloughs

·         Local Authorities have a three-month period in which to adopt the plan and 1 month to advise of the decision.

The members welcomed the presentation as raised the following observations and issues:

o   There needs to be a maintenance and drainage programme for the River Shannon as dredging is urgently required.

o   Extreme weather events are becoming more prevalent and must be taken into account.

o   Disappointment that turloughs are not included in the study.

o   Ratification of the CFRAM Plan should only be considered if it does not affect the current minor works programme

o   Will the assessment in Castlerea be carried out? There is an ongoing implication for flood insurance that people cannot get.

o   What are the differences between CFRAM and CAS maps?

o   There must be a plan to reduce the peat escaping from Bord na Mona and the danger of contamination of groundwater.

o   Huger reservations about the plan as there had been no real maintenance done on the Cross or Suck rivers and all are draining into the River Shannon which has up to nine foot of sludge at the bottom.

o   Investment in Flood Relief Schemes should have the same priority as the Roads programme

o   Nothing in the report about Lough Fuinshinagh. The floods have not gone down and affect 20/30 farmers and we  ...  view the full minutes text for item 84.18

On the PROPOSAL of Councillor Keogh

            SECONDED by Councillor Murphy

It was AGREED that Roscommon County Council adopt the Annual Report 2017.

On the PROPOSAL of Councillor Cummins

                SECONDED by Councillor Callaghan

It was AGREED to extend Standing Orders after 5.30 p.m.

Ms. Louise Ward, Head of Local Enterprise Office gave the members an update on the initiatives and events that the office is involved in during the year:

·         Affiliated to Trinno Inter Reg programme

·         12 Clients are utilising the 14 hot desk facilities available in ‘The Cube’.

·         Hosting this year’s National Women’s Enterprise Day in Kilronan Castle in October.

·         GMIT Empower Programme

·         Showcase 2018 in the RDS in Dublin helped fill the order books of local participants

·         Student Enterprise in Elphin

·         Local Enterprise Week – 16 events held in March with 337 participants

·         Lamb Festival – craft and food displays

·         Blas na hEireann Festival in October

·         The ongoing involvement in the Ireland West International Trade centre Rhode Island and the success story of Padraic Cuddy in securing a contract with Amazon for his very successful product - ‘The Field’.

·         3 sites due to be sold at the Ballyboughan Industrial Park in coming months

·         Phase 2 of ‘An Chistin’  - Castlerea Food Hub development with innovation space applications due tomorrow

·         Participated in London Food Basket under Ireland West Food

·         Taste of Lakelands food festival in Ballyleague in October

·         Full Circle – Going North Initiative

·         Creative Ireland Programme

·         New Monksland Innovation Centre

·         Upper Shannon Future Economy Project with Cavan, Leitrim and Longford – 2 graduates to be placed in 2018

·         National launch of Mainstreaming Student Entrepreneurship under EU Erasmus + to take place here on July 6^th

·         Network Ireland – formal Roscommon branch of 27 members

·         Supporting iFactory West

·         Supporting ‘The Field’ at the National Ploughing Championships in September

·         Facilitating Online Trading vouchers

·         Supported 77 jobs in 2017

·         All work targets are measured and evaluated including mentoring, training programmes etc.

The members thanked Ms. Ward for her presentation and the work done by LEO in giving people opportunities to develop their businesses -

·         Members of the Athlone Municipal District approved the Part 8 for Monksland Innovation Centre and hope to see it completed within the next 12 months.

·         Bringing the Local Enterprise Office back under the stewardship of Roscommon County Council was a good move and an example of joined up thinking.

·         It is shameful that the government is not doing the work of bringing jobs to the county like Roscommon County Council are.

·         Hard to get apprentices and workmen as the unemployment figure is down from 20% to 6.1%. Need to encourage more young people to do trades.

·         The LEO is an active office connecting with people and the Rhode Island project is a wonderful concept

·         When will the Part 8 for the Roscommon hub be ready?

·         All of this work is very positive and awards give people confidence

·         GRETB have discussed apprenticeships and the school career guidance need to encourage more students to take this career path.

·         Anyone who has looked for help from LEO have been very happy with the response received.

Ms. Ward thanked the members for their comments and thanked the Management Team of the council for their ongoing support and the staff of the section for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 87.18

The Meetings Administrator confirmed that the Report from the Local Electoral Area Boundary Review committee had been recently published and has recommended no change from the current situation.

Cllr. Keogh expressed disappointment that the submission on behalf of the members of the County Council that requested that the number of members be increased and electoral areas also increase was not taken into consideration.

Mr. Martin Lydon, Head of Finance informed the members that a Local Government Funding Baseline review is currently in consultation period with a submission to be forwarded to the Department by 3^rd July 2018.

·         This review is in relation to the revenue budget funding only and not infrastructural funding. It is about raising additional revenue streams above the current baseline

·         Must consider our socioeconomic indicators as well as income generation.

·         Roscommon is a net beneficiary of the Local Property Tax (LPT) and the rates revaluation did not generate additional income.

·         The Council has been operating with a standstill budget for the past 3 years.

·         This is an important issue into the future

The members highlighted the following issues:

·         Very few sources of funding that can be generated within the county and LPT is currently the main source of revenue

·         Very important that we ensure adequate funding of roads

·         If property tax rate is increased, our net beneficiary amount will reduce so there will be no net gain unless we can have a more general fund

·         As a rural county we are very dependent on income from Government and since 2008 our funding for roads has decreased by €10m. This has to be made clear to government.

·         Only way to create more funding within the county is by creating more jobs and have more people working and living in the county – this is what we need to concentrate on.

Mr. Lydon confirmed that all of the points raised by the members are important and will feed into the Roscommon County Council submission including looking at spatial issues including age profile, demographics including population decline and equality issues that affect Roscommon.

There were no items for discussion.

·         Letter from South Dublin County Council expressing its solidarity with the Palestinians and calling on Minister for Foreign Affairs & the Taoiseach to expel the Israeli Ambassador from Ireland.

·         Letter from Leitrim County Council RE Resolution calling on Minister for Health to intervene in the HSE’s decision not to award medical cards to cancer patients.

·         Letter from Waterford City and County Council RE Resolution calling on Government to provide all teachers & Special Needs Assistants with Occupational First Aid training, encompassing CPR.

·         Letter from Waterford City and County Council RE Resolution requesting HIQA to lower the age of eligibility for Cervical Screening to twenty years.

·         Letter from Waterford City and County Council RE Resolution calling on the Minister for Health requesting the HSE to review the decision to restrict the use of versatis pain relief patches.

·         Letter from Waterford City and County Council RE Resolution calling on the Minister for Health to include those that are not Children or Young Adults in the provision by the HSE of Free Style Libre to sufferer’s of Type 1 Diabetes.

·         Letter from Donegal County Council RE Resolution calling on Government to expel the Israeli Ambassador from Ireland.

·         Letter from Mr. Shane Ross, T.D., Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport regarding funding in relation to roadside trees.

·         Letter from Kerry County Council RE Resolution calling on An Post and the Government to seek a new international partner to allow the Post Offices to offer full Banking Services including Current Accounts, Loans and Mortgages.

·         Letter from Kerry County Council RE Resolution opposing efforts to allow people to work until they are 68.

On the PROPOSAL of Councillor Shanagher

                SECONDED by Councillor Callaghan

It was AGREED to adopt the list of payments for attendance at conferences as circulated to the Members. 

Strike by Forsa Members:

Cllr. Leyden asked that the members debate the current strike by Council Staff and acknowledging that the members have no formal role in relation to staff matters, the Cathaoirleach agreed but stated that there is a formal process in place and leave it to deal with the matter.

The following points were raised by the members:

·         Always found staff dedicated to delivery of services, loyal and hardworking.

·         All other Local Authorities have flexible work practices that facilitate work life balance and 13 days flexi-leave is allowed for under Government Policy. If this issue is not solved, it could escalate across the country.

·         Local Authority is not a commercial entity and their work is in provision of a service. The provision of flexi time that allows the working up of a day’s flexi leave is a small bonus for staff and calling on management to solve this issue without delay.

·         Roscommon Co. Co. cannot take their own view of the implementation of a scheme unless the scheme is reviewed by the Department.

·         It is incumbent on both sides to sit down and resolve this matter as soon as possible as the services to the public will suffer.

·         International studies show that flexible working in both public and private sectors is more productive.

·         Please come together and talk as it will eventually have to be solved and the sooner the better as strikes become divisive.

·         It is unfair to ask the Chief Executive to comment as there is a process in place a to deal with this but it will take compromise.

Road Safety:

Cllr. Naughten asked that verge trimming on local and regional roads be carried out as a matter of urgency as there is a serious lack of sight for cyclists and other road users. The Council will have to seek additional funding for verge trimming. Cllr. Keogh said that the maintenance budget for the south of the county had been expended in March. He called on  the Cathaoirleach of Athlone MD, Cllr Fallon and also Cllr. Naughten to liaise with Minister Naughten to try to get further funding from the Minister for Transport to the county as a whole and in particular the South Roscommon area.

The Cathaoirleach said that he will have to arrange a meeting of Oireachtas members as all members and the Executive are of the opinion that the current roads maintenance allocation is not sufficient to carry out the works required particularly this year.

Cllr. Ward stated that replies received from Minister Naughten and Minister Ross on the issue of funding for roads is not acceptable. Cllr. Keogh stated that the Athlone Municipal District had discussed a similar proposal and ask Minister Ross and the Department and to TII request they come to meet with the Councillors in the council chamber to answer to the elected members.

On the PROPOSAL of Cllr. Ward

SECONDED by Cllr. Keogh

It was AGREED to write again to Minister Ross and Minister Naughten seeking additional  ...  view the full minutes text for item 93.18