Social Democrats’ Dublin City Councillors have secured strong commitments in the council’s new work plan for the capital, which includes ambitious actions on climate change, housing, waste, culture, disabilities, public transport and accessibility.

“This is a roadmap for a fairer and more sustainable capital city that puts the public interest at the heart of the council’s actions on housing, public transport and new energy solutions.”

Social Democrats’ Dublin City Councillors have secured strong commitments in the council’s new work plan for the capital, which includes ambitious actions on climate change, housing, waste, culture, disabilities, public transport and accessibility.

The party’s five newly elected councillors have backed the Dublin Agreement published today, which sets out the council’s policies for the city for the next five years.

These include actions to make Dublin a carbon neutral city, to deliver suitable, affordable and sustainable homes, to expand cycling networks and to make the city more accessible for people with disabilities.

Councillor for Kimmage-Rathmines Tara Deacy said:

“This is a roadmap for a fairer and more sustainable capital city that puts the public interest at the heart of the council’s actions on housing, public transport and new energy solutions. We are very pleased that our influence has ensured actions based on core social democratic values. We will work hard over the next five years to deliver these progressive changes across the city.”

The commitments and actions the Social Democrats secured in the plan include:

• Ensuring that a minimum of 7% of Dublin City Council housing is fully accessible for people with disabilities. The Council will also conduct an audit of current housing stock, its level of accessibility and level of occupancy.
• A new Council sub-committee to develop an implementation plan for the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (UNCRPD) by 2020. This will lay vital groundwork for ensuring that people with disabilities are at the heart of all council policies and actions.
• A comprehensive Council strategy to tackle youth homelessness as well as guidelines to make sure the Council handles family homelessness with a focus on the rights of children.
• A commitment to the More Power to You Siptu/Forsa/Connect local power pledge.
• Funding for arts and cultural engagement for young people.
• The development of a multi-purpose Site of Conscience at the location of the former Magdalene laundry on Sean McDermott Street.
• Development of hang-out spaces in consultation with young people aged between12-18.
• Actively seek to engage young people in cultural and artistic activities through provision of a targeted funding stream.

Councillor for Ballymun-Finglas Mary Callaghan said:

“Many of the actions and commitments we fought to have included in the plan have the strong backing of non-governmental organisations including the Disability Federation of Ireland, Focus Ireland, the Children’s Rights Alliance and the Irish Wheelchair Association.

“Delivering on these actions is crucial if we are to build sustainable and fair communities – and as councillors we will work hard to ensure that this happens.”

Cabra-Glasnevin Councillor Gary Gannon, who has campaigned for years for a proper memorial to the women incarcerated in Magdalene Laundries added:

“The development of a Site of Conscience at the location of the former Magdalene laundry on Sean McDermott Street is a long-overdue tribute to the survivors and their families. We will make every effort to ensure that a suitable memorial is built on this site that is designed in consultation with the survivors themselves and the various different representative groups who have fought alongside them for many years.”

The Social Democrats trebled the party’s number of councillors to 19 in the recent local elections. This includes five Dublin City Councillors, four in Kildare County Council, two in Fingal County Council and one each on: Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown; Offaly; Limerick; Cork County; Galway City; Meath; Wicklow; and South Dublin. Ten of the new councillors are women.

The party will hold its third Annual Conference in Dublin on Saturday 22nd June, with the theme of A Fairer, Sustainable Future.

ENDS

17th June 2019

Download the Dublin Agreement 2019-2024

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