COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF LUCAN / PALMERSTOWN / NORTH CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE
Tuesday, March 28, 2023
MOTION NO. 9
MOTION: Councillor L. O’Toole
This committee seeks clarification from Chief Executive regarding ownership of all lands in the Finnstown estates (Abbey/Priory/Cloisters). To confirm that South Dublin County Council own and are in charge of all public areas. To advise if there any plans to alter the public spaces/green spaces in the area. Planning/management were recently made aware of surveys being carried out on the lands between Castleview and Finnstown Priory where the boundary separates the two and this same boundary is protected via an SLO in the CDP. To ask CE what mechanisms are in place to ensure open green spaces remain as open spaces within housing estates and when the council take in charge an area, can it be confirmed if the folio registration is changed to reflect this.
REPORT:
The Council are not the registered owners of the lands within Finnstown Abbey, Priory or Cloisters however, the land has been dedicated to the Council via a Deed of Dedication by the developers, which was standard procedure for developments at that time. These lands were taken in charge by the Council following the Deed of Dedication. Please note the taking in charge process is separate to a transfer of land process and does not necessarily involve a change in folio title. When a land transfer takes place then the folio title is registered in SDCC’s name.
In addition, the public open spaces are conditioned as open space through planning permission. Both the conditioning of land as public open space via planning permission and the Deed of Dedication confers a high degree of protection on the lands as public open space. All these open spaces are in charge and under the maintenance of the Public Realm Section and the Public Realm Section do not have any plans to alter the use of the public open spaces in the area.