Category Archives: Notice of Motion

Park & Stride – Notice of Motion

7 Notice of Motion

7.1 Submitted by Councillor Trevor Golden

We call on the Trim Municipal District of Meath County Council to carry out a Park &
Stride trial in Trim and bring findings to Municipal District members for consideration.

Response:
The Parking section will carry out a trial “park and stride” promotion in Trim. This trial will be run for a 3-month period in which the section will promote Park & Stride / Walk the last K. 2 carparks will be utilized for this promotion where drivers can park at Tower View all day parking for €2.00 or free parking in The Council Offices on the Summerhill Road. The parking section will report to the members on this trial its outcomes and recommendations.

Free Recycling Day Initiatives – Notice of Motion

9 Notice of Motion
9.3 Submitted by Councillor Trevor Golden

“I call on Meath County Council to increase the number of ‘free day’ initiatives for residential customers using Recycling Centres which are very successful, to facilitate a greater use of the Recycling Centres.”

Response

Meath County Council provides a number of ‘Free Drop Off Days’ each year to encourage the use of the Recycling Centres for the management of specific waste streams and prevent the use of illegal ‘Man in a Van’ operators. Each year 500 tonnes of bulky waste and 1,500 mattresses are collected through these free events. The 2024 schedule of ‘Free Drop Off Days’ is prepared utilising the available allocation as agreed as part of the 2024revenue budget. When preparing the 2025 budget and developing the 2025 schedule, the number and type of these initiatives will be reviewed.

Free Parking under Free Travel Scheme – Notice of Motion

9.5 Submitted by Councillor Trevor Golden
“We call on Meath County Council to examine the feasibility of introducing Free Parking for Meath residents, who qualify for the Free Travel Scheme.”

Response
The primary objective of parking charges is to create turnover of spaces in town centre for customers and clients of retail, business and services. The provision of free parking impedes this objective. Meath County Council grants free parking only to disabled permits holder in specific disabled bays and in any parking bays if all specific bays are occupied, a high level feasibility study will be undertaken which considers our overall corporate objectives.

Tara Mines Workers SIPTU ICTU – Notice of Motion

10.1 Submitted by Cathaoirleach Tommy Reilly, Councillors Sean Drew, David Gilroy, Trevor Golden, Edward Fennessy and Michael Gallagher.

Meath Co. Council notes the commitment in the Government’s recent budget to the introduction of pay-related job seekers benefit in December 2024. However, this council is supporting SIPTU’s Construction Sector campaign on behalf of the Tara Mines workers in calling upon Government to bring forward the implementation date of these proposals and supports the ICTU’s position for job seekers benefit to be increased to 70% of average earnings capped at €550 for a minimum of 9 months.

CCPC Dual Pricing Reward & Loyalty Cards – Notice of Motion

10.6 Submitted by Councillor Trevor Golden
“Meath County Council calls government and regulators (Competition and Consumer Protection Commission) – to ban the practice of dual/discriminatory pricing of goods,
specifically by supermarkets by means of a membership system such as Rewards/Club
cards. This coercive practice unfairly discriminates and effectively forces an additional
condition on the sale of goods.”

Motion calling for the consideration of Nuclear Power Generation in Ireland.

Over the years I have spoken about Nuclear Power in many contexts including Global Warming, Energy Security, Sustainability and Government Policy. Cllr. Alan Tobin also spoke on these issues and we share many views on the subject. In October I reached out to Cllr. Alan Tobin to co-sponsor a motion.

The Electricity Regulation Act, 1999 reads:

(6) An order under this section shall not provide for the use of nuclear fission for the generation of electricity.

This legislation has effectively stopped Ireland talking about Nuclear Energy. The purpose of the motion is for our country to have an honest debate about Nuclear energy and its possible role in our transition to low carbon electricity generation.

The motion does not propose or suggest renewables are not the future, they are but there is a difficult transition period ahead of us. Crucially, we don’t have the time. We believe a mix of nuclear and renewables is a viable solution for Ireland.

At the December 2022 meeting of Meath County Council our motion on the Electricity Regulation Act & Nuclear Power Generation was debated and passed by the members. The motion:

10.2 Submitted by Councillor Trevor Golden and Councillor Alan Tobin (Deferred fromOctober and November Meetings)

“Meath County Council calls on the Government to amend the Electricity Regulation Act and associated legislation to allow for the consideration and possible implementation of nuclear power generation in Ireland.”

The motion was sent to Government and to all local authorities for their consideration. We continue to work with elected members and groups so Ireland can have an honest debate on Nuclear Power Generation.

Here is a link to my notes that I worked from for the debate – Cllr Trevor Golden – Motion – Nuclear Power – Electricity Generation Act.pdf

Link to Meath Chronicle Article – Should nuclear power be generated in Ireland? – that is the question posed by two councillors at a Meath County Council meeting.

Link to 12-2022 Minutes December Meath County Council.

Pedestrian Crossing & Safety on Dublin Road (R154) – Notice of Motion

7.1 Submitted by Councillor Trevor Golden

“That Meath County Council will assess and prepare a report for the Members’ consideration on improving pedestrian access from the R154 to Lackanash Road. This report should include, but not be limited to:
• Measures on the bridge
• Pedestrian Crossing on the R154.”

Supporting information to follow.

Open Data – Meath County Council

Meath County Council Ordinary Meeting – 13th May 2019, Council Chamber

10 Notice of Motion
10.3 Submitted by Councillor Trevor Golden
“We call for Meath County Council to make Data that is currently publicly accessible online (Meath.ie) also available in Open Data formats as detailed at https://data.gov.ie/pages/formats”

Response:
In line with Action 7.4 under Theme 7 of the National Open Data Strategy 2017-2022 (https://data.gov.ie/uploads/page_images/2018-03-07-114306.063816Final-Strategyonline-version1.pdf) which was published in July 2017, Meath County Council has now designated a member of staff to act as a liaison with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform’s Open Data Team, to engage on their planned initiatives.

There has also been a Local Government Open Data Working Group put in place, with which Meath County Council are currently participating on the development of a protocol for the publishing of Open Data datasets by all 31 Local Authorities to the https://data.gov.ie/ site, and which will be made available from www.meath.ie also.

Meath County Council has also engaged with the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, on their Myplan.ie project, and are currently publishing data to the National Planning Application Database portal, (https://housinggovie.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=9cf2a09799 d74d8e9316a3d3a4d3a8de)

Recycling Centres Incentives

Meath County Council Ordinary Meeting
5th November 2018, Council Chamber

9 Notice of Motion
9.1 Submitted by Councillor Trevor Golden

To help promote recycling at our recycling centres and reduce illegal dumping, we ask Meath County Council to consider introducing measures such as loyalty programmes, household credits or regular free recycling days for households in Meath.

Supporting Information subject to the motion being proposed, seconded and considered.The operation of the Council’s three Civic Amenity Sites at Navan, Kells and Trim is the subject of a three year contract with Oxigen, which expires at the end of 2018. The contract provides various incentives that promote greater usage of the three sites, andalso requires the operators to engage in extensive education and awareness initiatives to promote recycling and other sound environmental practices.In order to facilitate the public to the greatest extent possible, a number of trials have been conducted in relation to the opening hours at the centres. However, the current opening hours of 8.30am to 4.45pm Monday – Saturday have been found to meet the needs of the majority of visitors to the site. In recent years, the Environment Department, in collaboration with the operators, hasheld a number of successful events in the three sites, which found great favour with the public, including a free mattress ‘drop off day’ in July of this year, resulting in approximately 500 mattresses being brought to the Kells Recycling centre. This initiative was funded under the Anti Dumping Initiative and it is believed that some of these would otherwise have been dumped. A trial food waste project was held over a number of months in Navan where participants gained free access to the site. It is pointed out that persons wishing to drop off waste electrical, electronic equipment (WEEE) are exempt from the €3 entry fee. A free toy drop off was held in 2017 in the three sites where large volumes of recyclable materials were delivered to the sites. A farm hazardous waste collection day was held in Kells recycling centre last year. A number of new initiatives are now being considered, some of which will tie in with the award of a new contract for the operation of the sites for the next four years – these include:

  • The introduction of a compulsory loyalty scheme which will reward regular users of the sites and encourage additional users.
  • Subject to approval as part of the estimates process, a possible review of the entry fee to the three sites.
  • A free couch recycling day at Kells Recycling Centre on Saturday 17th November with further household bulky waste events to follow in 2019, as part of the Anti Dumping Campaign – (such events to be strongly advertised and promoted and aimed to dissuade the public from giving such goods to Man in the Van Type Operators.)
  • A further ‘toy drop off’ day to be held in each of the three sites in December.
  • Farm tyre waste collection day similar to a very successful event held recently in Cootehill, Co Cavan.
  • New signage at each site highlighting what is included in your gate fee, and which waste streams involve extra costs, with up to date leaflets and leaflet holder attached to signs.

Link to Minutes on Meath County Council