Councillors use legislation of “last resort” to save Grangegorman Bring Centre

Independent Councillor Nial Ring is campaigning to force Dublin City Council to reverse its decision to enter into an agreement with Grangegorman Development Agency to vacate the Grangegorman Bring centre in return for a smaller and unmanned site on the GDA campus.

“Early this year rumours started to go around the Stoneybatter/Phibsboro area that DCC were considering vacating the Grangegorman Bring Centre as part of a deal with the Grangegorman Development Agency who, in turn, would provide a new Bring centre on their 73 Acre campus,” Cllr Ring said.

“I sought clarification of this and in May and was assured by the head of waste Management that DCC “would not vacate the existing Bring Centre until a replacement site within the boundaries of the Grangegorman campus has been identified and developed.” he explained.

“However, by July the situation had changed and I was informed that “Waste Management Services are aware of the valuable resource that the existing Grangegorman Bring Centre provides to the local community and have been exploring a number of possible alternative sites in this part of the city on learning of the requirement to vacate the current site.

“Unfortunately we have not been able to source a suitable site at this moment, and so cannot commit to offer the recycling services that the existing site provides.

“Notwithstanding, the GDA have committed to provide some recycling services albeit on a smaller site adjacent to the existing site, which we deem acceptable as an interim solution at this time.

“Basically, the Chief executive had agreed with the GDA to have a Bring Centre on campus which would “have a much smaller footprint than the existing bring centre” and would “be an unmanned facility on GDA owned land.” This is not acceptable to the local community or local councillors.” he further explained.

“I followed up with a comprehensive question to the Chief Executive which was answered at the September City Council meeting (see below).

“Again, this was not satisfactory and following discussions between myself and Cllr. Ray McAdam (and Cllrs. Perry and O’Rourke from the Cabra ward) we decided to take the little used (and never used by any of us in our time on the council) Section 140 of the Local Government Act, 2001 to table the following motion to DCC.

“That the Elected Members of this Council direct the Chief Executive and Head of  Waste Management not to vacate the current location of the Grangegorman Bring Centre unless and until a similar facility of suitable size and with equal services is provided by Grangegorman Development Agency on a site within the boundaries of the Grangegorman Campus or elsewhere in the Dublin 7 area, subject to the agreement and acceptance thereof by local councillors and the local community.

“Within an hour of this being submitted by us, Dublin City Council responded with the following email:

Dear Members of the Central Area Committee,

As you are aware there has been ongoing discussions with the Grangegorman Development Agency (GDA) for some time regarding the Bring Centre that the Council has had on site for a number of years. 

The GDA gave notice that they required the site back in order to carry out works in the area and have made an adjoining site available to the Council as a replacement facility.  

This alternative site is significantly smaller than the existing Bring Centre that provides a wide range of recycling options in the Dublin 7 area. 

As a result the space being made available by the GDA is only capable of facilitating dry recyclables (Plastic, Cardboard etc).

Councillors have expressed concern regarding this in correspondence to myself and the Chief Executive and the matter was also raised at the September Central Area Committee meeting. 

Following these representations, Waste Management Services has made contact with the GDA regarding the concerns being raised and a meeting has been scheduled for the week of the 25th September in an effort to resolve the matter. 

I will keep the committee informed of developments via the Local Area Office.

Waste Management Services is committed to providing recycling facilities to communities throughout the city and the Dublin 7 area is no different in this regard so we will do what we can to bring about a satisfactory outcome for all parties.

Cllr. Ring said that “notwithstanding this somewhat positive development we have decided to proceed with having the motion voted on by the full council at our monthly meeting next Monday. I stopped the downgrade of Shamrock Terrace (North Strand) recycling centre and I’ll do the same in Grangegorman”

“Every local residents association is fully supportive of us on this and they have all expressed disquiet and anger at this blatant attempt to downgrade the facilities, pointing out that both DCC GDA boast of their commitment to Climate Change, sustainability, the circular economy and recycling etc. It looks like we have to force them to show that commitment.

“I stopped the downgrading of the Shamrock Terrace (North Strand) recycling centre and I’ll do the same in Grangegorman ” he concluded