Councillor blasts council’s communication skills

Fine Gael Councillor Maurice Dockrell has voiced his concerns with what he says are the communication practices of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council in relation to infrastructural works.

The Blackrock councillor says he is calling for improved communication with residents and businesses and emphasised the importance of the Council ‘communicating efficiently, accurately, and transparently with all stakeholders.’

He acknowledged that trust has been eroded due to assurances not being fulfilled, resulting in traffic disruptions and inconveniences for businesses, elderly residents, and the community at large.

Councillor Dockrell went on to highlight the challenges he and his fellow Councillors have faced in obtaining timely briefings from the Council before the commencement of works.

“I had to threaten to bring a Section 139 motion to get the Council to provide Councillors with a rushed briefing ahead of the Deansgrange works,” he said.

“The current state of these works does not align with the work plan outlined at that briefing.”

The Deansgrange Business Group is taking proactive steps to address the ongoing traffic chaos and health and safety concerns arising from the management of local works.

In response to these challenges, they have organised a Public Meeting at Kill O the Grange Parish Hall on Thursday, 12 October at 5pm.

“I fully support the residents and businesses affected by these works and encourage all stakeholders to participate in this important gathering,” Councillor Dockrell said.

“The disruption caused by the ongoing works has had a significant impact on the daily lives of local residents and businesses, to an extent that was entirely unforeseen.

“For local businesses, this has the potential for catastrophic consequences, with some facing the risk of closure due to a severe loss of business.”

Councillor Dockrell questioned whether the Council had taken on too many projects at once, and he raised concerns about the stretched resources of contractors involved.

Among the projects in the Blackrock Ward, Councillor Dockrell highlighted two in particular where residents and businesses felt insufficiently informed: the Rock Road works adjacent to St. Helen’s Road and the Deansgrange Active Travel route. He cited issues with inefficiency, inadequate implementation of the work plan, and a lack of communication between the Council and stakeholders. Deadlines were not met, assurances were given but not fulfilled, and the lack of proper road management led to significant delays and frustration.

Councillor Dockrell said he has also received reports of dangerous behaviour from road users, including motorists and cyclists, navigating the streets incorrectly.

He suggested that there might be insufficient manpower to carry out the works safely and efficiently. Daily reports of traffic congestion and chaos further highlight the need for improved road management.

In an unfortunate development, it was reported today that an unworkable stop-go system has been implemented, exacerbating the existing issues. Both the Council’s website and Google Maps were noted to be inaccurate representations of the ongoing situation.

“Dun Laoghaire County Council has to recognise the need to address communication challenges with the public and elected representatives, including an exceptionally slow CRM question system, inaccurate website and in one instance the unfortunate misplacement of vital documents submitted by constituents for essential services, such as HAP assistance.”

“I have encountered an instance  where documents submitted for a vital service, the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) assistance,  inexplicably went missing within the Council’s systems. This understandably caused distress and inconvenience to a  vulnerable constituent desperately  relying on that service. It is apparent that there is a widespread communication problem within Dun Laoghaire County Council, particularly in interacting with the public.”

Councillor Dockrell has highlighted these issues, expressing concerns over the communication framework within the Council. He has received assurances that there will be improvements but has yet to see this bear fruit.  While these challenges extend across various facets of communication, it is the realm of large-scale public works where the communication system has faced particularly noticeable difficulties, affecting far beyond the borders of Blackrock Ward.

Councillor Dockrell concluded by emphasising the need for enhanced communication systems between the Council, residents, businesses, and Councillors. He called for a clear and effective communication strategy to prevent future issues and to ensure that residents and businesses are kept fully informed and engaged throughout the planning and execution of projects.