There were no Disclosures of Conflict of Interest declared by Members.

On the PROPOSAL of Cllr. Crosby

              SECONDED by Cllr. Fallon

It was AGREED to adopt the minutes of the Plenary Meeting of 23.03.2026.

There were no matters arising.

·         Management Report for Q1 2026 noted.

Cllr Fitzmaurice queried whether provision could be made for a mix of Affordable Housing and Cost Rental Schemes within the Tarmon Manor project that is referenced in the Housing section of the Management Report.

Director of Services, Mr. Chris Flynn, advised that the Housing Department is actively engaging with the Department in this regard and expects to be in a position to confirm its stance in the coming weeks.

·         Sale of 0.2Ha – Grange, Curraghboy

On the PROPOSAL of Cllr. Keogh

SECONDED by Cllr. Fallon

It was AGREED that the Council consent to the disposal of property pursuant to the provisions of Article 206 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, Section 211 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 (as amended) and Section 183 of the Local Government Act, 2001 of particulars of property which it is proposed to dispose of at the location in County Roscommon and to the persons set out in the schedule hereunder.  Particulars of the property which the County Council proposes to dispose:

The Property:  Site comprising 0.20 hA (0.49 acres) at Grange, Curraghaboy, Co. Roscommon

The person(s) from whom the land was acquired: Unknown – First Registration to Roscommon County Council

The person(s) to whom the land is to be disposed of: Anne Harrington C/O Timothy J C O’Keefe & Co Solicitors Abbey Street Roscommon

The consideration proposed in respect of the disposal: €60,000

Noted as circulated in advance of the meeting.

Director of Services, Ms. Caitlín Conneely, introduced the presentation on the Second Implementation Report, which was approved at the March Plenary Meeting, noting the significant progress that has been made.

The Climate Action Coordinator, Ms. Aoife Moore, advised that this was the second progress report under the Roscommon County Council Local Authority Climate Action Plan 2024–2029 (LACAP), covering the period from February 2025 to January 2026.

Ms. Moore outlined that the report summarises actions delivered and commenced during 2025 and presents progress aligned with strategic commitments across five key areas: Delivery Across Services, Governance and Leadership, Mitigation Targets, Adaptation Goals and Community Engagement.

During the presentation Ms. Moore highlighted the following:

• Targeted climate action training for Members and staff
• The integration of climate action into Integrated Performance Management structures and meeting frameworks
• Targeted communication strategies
• Initiatives such as the net zero carbon design for new Local Authority buildings, social housing retrofit projects and additional EV charging infrastructure
• Progress on energy and emissions targets, noting that reductions in greenhouse gas emissions remain challenging
• Initiatives promoting heritage, biodiversity, and climate awareness
• The introduction of nature-based solutions for roads, biodiversity, and water management
• The continuation of the Community Climate Action Programme (CCAP) and ongoing stakeholder engagement
• Engagement with the business community
• Initiatives supporting waste reduction, the circular economy, and behavioural change
• Support for community-led nature-based solutions
• Ms. Moore noted that the report includes case studies on the use of library services to promote climate action, the Community Resilience Toolkit, and the CCAP

In conclusion, Ms. Moore stated that significant progress has been achieved with tangible results. She advised that new funding opportunities and initiatives will be advanced throughout 2026, with a continued focus on embedding climate action into the daily lives of Roscommon citizens.

She further advised that the Just Transition Fund Start Programme was recently launched, with 12 expressions of interest received, that two projects have been submitted under the ERDF and are awaiting determination, the CARO Conference was held in Roscommon earlier in the month, and that engagement with SEAI is ongoing, with six energy masterplans currently in progress.

Cathaoirleach Cllr. Callaghan thanked Ms. Moore for her presentation and emphasised the need to increase public awareness of climate action, particularly in due to the recent rising of oil and fuel costs and the need for greater self?sufficiency. He highlighted the range of SEAI grants available and noted the reluctance of some householders to undertake home upgrades. He stressed the importance of Members engaging on climate action matters and referenced the recent tree?planting initiative undertaken by Foróige at Bennett’s Orchard, Castlerea, as an example of positive community-led action.

Members also thanked Ms Moore for her presentation and made the following points:

• Referenced a recent Bord na Móna presentation at Mount Lucas attended by Members and noted its informative nature
• Expressed concern regarding the potential fines Ireland may face in 2030 should climate targets not be met
• Acknowledged the progress being made in County Roscommon to date
• Highlighted the need for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 52.26

Senior Executive Officer, Ms. Fiona Ní Chuinn, delivered a presentation on the background, purpose, structure and current progress of the Local Community Safety Partnership (LCSP).

The key points from the presentation were as follows:

·        The LCSP is established under the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024, which commenced in April 2025

·        The Act reflects national policy that community safety is a shared responsibility, requiring coordinated action across public services, communities and An Garda Síochána

• The LCSP replaces the former Joint Policing Committee (JPC)
• It has a broader remit, moving beyond policing alone to include harm prevention, anti?social behaviour, youth engagement, domestic, sexual and gender?based violence, mental health and wellbeing, road and traffic safety, substance misuse supports and safe public spaces and community cohesion
• It is hosted by the local authority and supported by the Department of Justice through the National Office for Community Safety
• The LCSP operates on a partnership basis with wide representation from Elected Members, An Garda Síochána (AGS), Local Authority representatives HSE, Tusla and community, voluntary and sectoral representatives
• The Partnership will meet a minimum of six times per year, including public meetings
• Functions include acting as a forum for identifying and discussing community safety issues, carrying out public consultation and engagement, developing and overseeing the implementation of a three?year Local Community Safety Plan, coordinating actions across agencies and services, providing input into local policing plans and supporting local and neighbourhood safety forums where appropriate
• Focus groups have taken place with young people, minority communities, the Traveller community and migrant groups
• Public consultation events have been held across the county
• There is targeted engagement with older people through Age Friendly initiatives
• The Roscommon Community Safety Survey 2026 has been launched to gather county?wide feedback
• Next steps include the consolidation of information from focus groups, consultations and the survey, progression of Roscommon’s first three?year Community Safety Plan, informed by evidence and community input and continued collaboration with An Garda Síochána on initiatives such as property marking and road safety education

Members thanked Ms. Ní Chuinn for her detailed presentation, wished the committee luck and discussed the following:

·        Importance of completing the survey to highlight issues, Members encouraged to circulate to their communities

·        Multi-agency focused with great representation across the committee.

·        Limited budget available

·        The lack of representation from the fire service was noted, especially with Roscommon having one of the oldest demographics in the country and the importance of fire safety. It was queried if this could be reconsidered

·        Concern that the former Joint Policing Committee had a higher representation of AGS personnel, as well as having representation from Oireachtas members and Chief Executive of the Local Authority versus one AGS member and one Director of Services on the current committee

·        The prevalence of drug crime and drug abuse was also highlighted

Cathaoirleach Cllr. Callaghan reiterated that community safety is of utmost importance and condemned anyone putting anything on social media in relation to AGS or the work they do. He  ...  view the full minutes text for item 53.26

I call on this Authority, to request the Minister for Housing and Local Government, to establish a Commission for the Validation of Planning Objections. 

This Commission should be Independent of the Department and chaired by a retired High Court Judge / Senior Counsel.  This Commission would be responsible for the validation and scrutiny of objections to large scale projects at local and national level. 

The Commission would examine these objections thoroughly and would scrutinize the bona fides of the objection and of the objectors. This would eliminate delays and would discourage vexatious and spurious objections by third parties with personal agendas.

Notice of Motion from Cllr. Frain

I call on this Authority to request the Minister for Housing and Local Government to establish a Commission for the Validation of Planning Objections.  This Commission should be Independent of the Department and chaired by a retired High Court Judge / Senior Counsel.  This Commission would be responsible for the validation and scrutiny of objections to large scale projects at local and national level.  The Commission would examine these objections thoroughly and would scrutinize the bona fides of the objection and of the objectors. This would eliminate delays and would discourage vexatious and spurious objections by third parties with personal agendas.

The Meetings Administrator read the following reply: This motion requires a resolution of the Council.

Cllr. Frain noted that this is a very serious and common issue and added that serious repercussions/fines should be implemented against offenders. He also mentioned the impact it is having on stalling national and local developments.

Members agreed with the motion and made the following points:

·        Noted the size and complexity of the Planning and Development Act and how it could be interpreted differently

·        Highlighted the number of projects being delayed through appeals to An Coimisiún Pleanála and judicial reviews

·        Concerns that objectors are hiding behind environmental groups

·        Suggestions that Lough Funshinagh, a supermarket development in Boyle and the N61 are local examples of where objectors have significantly delayed progress

·        Suggestions that the motion doesn’t go far enough and more stringent obstacles should be put in place and to increase the cost of objecting significantly

·        Highlighted the current lack of consequences for objections that result in significant delays and costs

·        People without connections to the area should not be able to object

·        Concerns regarding adding another layer of bureaucracy

·        Concern that if the fee was raised too much that it would be an obstacle to genuine objectors and suggestion that any fee could be refundable where objections are upheld

Cathaoirleach Cllr. Callaghan also supported the motion and concurred with the points made.

Cllr. Frain thanked the Members for their support and requested that amendments be added to the original motion to include points raised during the discussion.

On the PROPOSAL of Cllr. Frain

           SECONDED by Cllr. Crosby

It was AGREED to request the Minister for Housing and Local Government to establish a Commission for the Validation of Planning Objections.  This Commission should be Independent of the Department and chaired by a retired High Court Judge / Senior Counsel.  This Commission would be responsible for the validation and scrutiny of objections to large scale projects at local and national level.  The Commission would examine these objections thoroughly and would scrutinize the bona fides, location and relation to the objection and of the objectors. This would eliminate delays and would discourage vexatious and spurious objections by third parties with personal agendas. Significant fines should be implemented against objections deemed vexatious and spurious.

That Roscommon County Council recognises the strategic need to develop a Designated County Museum and resolves to identify and secure a town-centre site in Strokestown, in line with Town Centre First policy.

The Council will engage with the National Museum of Ireland and relevant stakeholders to progress designation, and advance a feasibility study for a museum located near Strokestown Park House and the National Famine Museum, which already attracts tens of thousands of visitors annually from across the world, as a priority capital project delivering cultural, tourism and economic benefits for the County.

Notice of Motion from Cllr. Crosby

That Roscommon County Council recognises the strategic need to develop a Designated County Museum and resolves to identify and secure a town-centre site in Strokestown, in line with Town Centre First policy. The Council will engage with the National Museum of Ireland and relevant stakeholders to progress designation, and advance a feasibility study for a museum located near Strokestown Park House and the National Famine Museum, which already attracts tens of thousands of visitors annually from across the world, as a priority capital project delivering cultural, tourism and economic benefits for the County.

The Meetings Administrator read the following reply:

The Heritage Council, in its publication “Museum Standards Programme for Ireland – Standards and Guidelines” defines museums as follow:

Museums are not for profit institutions that collect, safeguard, hold in trust, research, develop and interpret collections of original objects and original objects on loan, for the public benefit. They function publicly as places where people learn from and find inspiration and enjoyment through the display and research of original objects.

The Standards and Guidelines outline the requirements for Museums under 7 headings including:

1. Constitution and policies

2. Museum management

3. Caring for the collection

4. Documenting the collection

5. Exhibition (long term and temporary)

6. Education

7. Visitor care and access

Under Section 68 (2) of the National Cultural Institutions Act, 1997 the Director of the National Museum of Ireland may, with Ministerial consent, designate local museums as appropriate places for the curatorial care of State-owned archaeological objects that are predominately of local rather than national interest. Again, there are very strict standards required to be considered for designation.

Currently, there are over 240 museums in Ireland – including 12 in Roscommon. Of these 240 museums, 56 have applied for, or have obtained, accreditation under the Museum Standards Programme.

The provision of a County Museum would be a very significant undertaking in terms of capital investment in the first instance and once delivered, in terms of operational logistics. As well as the maintenance and operation of a specialised climate-controlled building with facilities for collections, research, storage, managing visitors, etc., there would be a requirement for permanent qualified staff to carry out the functions of the museum to the required standard to maintain accreditation and designation.

There are 12 museums designated under the National Cultural Institutions Act in Ireland, of which 7 are County Museums. The operations of each of the 7 County Museums are subsidised by their Council at an average rate of €474,000 per year and within a range of €300k to 600k per annum based on the 2026 Revenue Budgets.

There does not appear to be a source of funding for either the capital cost or the operation cost of a County Museum. However, it is recognised that Roscommon does have a rich cultural and built heritage and that there are many collections that would be of local interest if accredited and designated facilities were available. In that regard,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 54.26b

This Council expresses dismay at and opposition to government plans to abolish the Triple Lock. The Triple Lock means that for more than 12 troops to deploy on overseas missions there must be approval from: 1. Cabinet 2. Dáil Éireann and 3. the mission must have a UN mandate. 

It was introduced during the Nice Treaty and commitments to it were reaffirmed during Lisbon to safeguard neutrality and keep Ireland out of illegal wars. This Council rejects government plans to abolish the Triple Lock, which would signify a breach of trust with the electorate and a serious diminution of neutrality.

Notice of Motion from Cllr. Cull

This Council expresses dismay at and opposition to government plans to abolish the Triple Lock. The Triple Lock means that for more than 12 troops to deploy on overseas missions there must be approval from: 1. Cabinet 2. Dáil Éireann and 3. the mission must have a UN mandate. It was introduced during the Nice Treaty and commitments to it were reaffirmed during Lisbon to safeguard neutrality and keep Ireland out of illegal wars. This Council rejects government plans to abolish the Triple Lock, which would signify a breach of trust with the electorate and a serious diminution of neutrality.

The Meetings Administrator read the following reply:This motion requires a resolution of the Council.

Cllr. Cull referred to Ireland’s long?standing policy of military neutrality and its importance to the Irish people. She expressed concern regarding the potential implications for Irish Defence Forces personnel and stated that, in the current global context, neutrality contributes to international stability.

The motion was seconded by Cllr. Dineen, who stated his support for retaining the Triple Lock in its current form and emphasised the importance of United Nations approval for overseas missions. He noted that a number of other local authorities had passed similar motions and highlighted the significance of maintaining Ireland’s commitment to neutrality.

Cllr. Keogh proposed a counter motion and read it as follows: ‘’That this Council, mindful of Article 29 of Bunreacht na hÉireann and Ireland’s devotion to “peace and friendly co-operation amongst nations”, “the pacific settlement of international disputes” and “the generally recognised principles of international law”, reaffirms Ireland’s long-standing policy of military neutrality and opposition to military alliances, while supporting full democratic oversight and Ireland’s sovereign ability, in accordance with international law, to deploy Defence Forces personnel on peacekeeping, humanitarian, civilian protection and evacuation missions in the interests of global peace, in line with the long standing principles of the United Nations.’’

Cllr. Keogh stated that the counter motion reflected a balanced approach, noting that neutrality is grounded in Article 29 of Bunreacht na hÉireann. He referred to Ireland’s long history of participation in peacekeeping and humanitarian missions and expressed concerns regarding the ability of permanent members of the UN Security Council to veto mandates. He stated that Ireland should retain its sovereign capacity, subject to democratic oversight and international law, to deploy Defence Forces personnel where a peacekeeping or humanitarian need exists.

This motion was seconded by Cllr. Crosbywho referenced the origins of the Triple Lock in the context of the Nice Treaty. He stated that while neutrality is of fundamental importance, the current UN Security Council structure can present delays in addressing urgent situations, and gives opportunity to leaders of countries that are at war to veto requests. He suggested that reforms should be considered and noted the level of public confusion surrounding the issue.

Cllr. Cull reiterated her opposition to any change to the Triple Lock and stated that, in her experience as a public representative, there has  ...  view the full minutes text for item 54.26c

Nothing further to discuss.

On the PROPOSAL of Cllr. Connolly

              SECONDED by Cllr. Kelly

It was AGREED to adopt the list of payments for training and conferences as circulated.

Sympathy was expressed to the family of Terry Connaughton, Riverdale Avenue, New York, on his recent passing. Mr. Connaughton was a native of Athleague, County Roscommon, an influential member of the Irish community in New York, and a former President of New York GAA. Members noted his support for Irish emigrants in New York, including providing employment through his family run business, Riverdale Steakhouse.

Sympathy was also extended to Athlone Area Engineer, Susan Loughnanne, on the recent passing of her sister in the UK.

Congratulations were extended to the Cathaoirleach Cllr. Callaghan on the birth of his first grandson, Jack Tómas Callaghan.

Congratulations were also extended to Padraic Newman, Castlerea, on his involvement with the Glenamaddy Players, who recently won the All-Ireland Drama Festival.

Freedom of County Roscommon

The Cathaoirleach proposed to members that following the CPG meeting held earlier today it was agreed on the proposal of the Cathaoirleach that Mr. Sean Mulryan be awarded the Freedom of County Roscommon in accordance with Section 74 of the Local Government Act 2001. The Cathaoirleach noted that this proposed honour was in recognition of Mr Mulryan’s outstanding contribution to business in Ireland and his role in bringing international recognition to County Roscommon. He also acknowledged Mr Mulryan’s support for numerous organisations and his generosity to charitable causes.

On the PROPOSAL of Cllr. Callaghan

            SECONDED by Cllr. McDermott

It was AGREED to award the Freedom of the County in accordance with Section 74 of the Local Government Act 2001, to Sean Mulryan.

N5 Bypass

Cathaoirleach Cllr. Callaghan, supported by a number of Members, noted that issues have arisen following the opening of Section 1 of the N5 Bypass. These issues include a reported 70% decline in business in villages that have been bypassed and concerns regarding a junction at Portahard. He queried whether the plans could be re-examined to support local businesses in the area, including the retention of existing signage.

The Director of Services, Mr. Mark Keaveney, advised that he would liaise with the NRDO however, the plans were approved by An Coimisiún Pleanála following a thorough statutory process and, as a result, changes at this stage are unlikely.

Cllr Moylan added that speed limits have been reduced on sections of the road and queried whether this could be reverted.

Mr. Keaveney reiterated that he would raise the matter with the NRDO but advised that any change to speed limits would require a full legal process.