Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, the Green Party, and the Labour Party have reached a new Dublin City Council coalition agreement, which includes the promise of advancing streetscape improvements “in an accelerated manner.”
Reaching an agreement on a coalition at local authority level is not required, but these pacts have become the preferred way for councillors to put a stronger structure on delivery for their term.
The pact between the four parties has the collective support of 31 councillors, one short of a majority, but it is viewed that this is workable.
The Dublin Inquirer reported earlier this week that the Labour Party walked away from negotiations to join up with the Green Party, the Social Democrats and Sinn Féin over setting the rate for the Local Property Tax.
The new agreement allows for a free vote for the first year and sets the tax to the base rate in the years following that. Previously all of the larger parties — Sinn Féin, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael — had voted to reduce the tax rate.
The agreement document, ‘Delivering for Dublin’, outlined that the “The Active Travel Network and agreed transport plans will be safeguarded and implemented. The Dublin Bikes and BikeBunker networks will be expanded, along with greater priority to EV charging for the city.”
It is understood that the phrasing means that the agreement secures the advancement of the Dublin City Centre Transport Plan and the planned Active Travel Network, although the parties signed up for the agreement may still be able to raise issues with some street-level changes of projects while not blocking overall progress or elements which are key to progress.
The document singles out increasing the number of pedestrian crossings and a “priority given to
them in the annual active travel budget”.
It also states that “road safety will be prioritised, through expansion of 30kph and safe school zones.”
In a press release issued in the last hour, Cllr Michael Pidgeon, the Green Party group leader on the council, said: “The Greens have also secured important commitments to push ahead with the transport changes in our city, develop a new integration strategy, and to work to make Dublin a climate-resilient city.”
The outlined policies also commit to the expansion of direct build of public and affordable housing projects on council-owned sites, more funding to street cleaning, supporting the Dublin City Council Climate Action Plan and the Biodiversity Plan, and supporting the Dublin City Council Sports Plan.
On the Local Property Tax, the agreement states it “will be set at base rate (0% variation) for years 2, 3, 4 and 5 of this council term with a free vote in year 1. Increased funding from LPT to be ringfenced for housing maintenance, street cleanliness and a new fund for playgrounds. Parties will also seek clear commitments from the central government on improving council funding, including the introduction of a hotel tourist tax, to better support city services and ease pressure on small businesses’ commercial rates.”
MORE: Document.