“That this Strategic Policy Committee initiate a process, including consultation with the public, stakeholders and experts, considering any existing reviews of best practice, to make a policy on artificial light in the environment, in order to inform both the development and maintenance of lighting by the Council and the regulation of lighting in the planning process, which would take account of biodiversity impacts, energy efficiency, amenity, safety and technological innovation.”

“That this Strategic Policy Committee initiate a process including consultation with the public, stakeholders and experts, considering any existing reviews of best practice, to make a policy on artificial light in the environment, in order to inform both the development and maintenance of lighting by the Council and the regulation of lighting in the planning process, which would take account of biodiversity impacts, energy efficiency, amenity, safety and technological innovation.” 

The motion, in the name of Councillor D. Healy was proposed by D. Healy and seconded by Councillor J. Newman.

Report:

Fingal County Council Public Lighting follow best practice in all our operations and requirements through our training, membership of a professional lighting body, and our interactions with other local authorities, lighting professionals, and manufacturers.  

We regularly liaise with colleagues in the public lighting sections of other local authorities, especially Dublin City Council (DCC), South Dublin County Council, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, and Cork City Council, to collaborate and share information on public lighting matters and projects undertaken in each county. These four councils along with Fingal, comprise the five local authorities with the largest public lighting stocks in the country and the only councils with dedicated public lighting divisions. Fingal County Council Public Lighting are second only to DCC in terms of the number of public lights we maintain. 

We are members of the Institution of Lighting Professionals (ILP), and regularly attend seminars and conferences on lighting, as well as training on the software used in the industry, when there are changes to the relevant standards or National Rules for Electrical Installations, or when new technologies in exterior lighting emerge. We also regularly engage with other lighting professionals including consultants and manufacturers, to discuss changes in technology or issues encountered. In addition, all engineers and inspectors in Public Lighting undertake the Exterior Lighting Technology Diploma course run by the ILP.   

All exterior lighting schemes installed within the council area are required to comply with the requirements and specifications of the Public Lighting section. In addition they must adhere to the council’s policies and strategy documents such as: The Fingal Development Plan 2023-2029; The Fingal County Council Corporate Plan 2025-2029; The Fingal County Council Climate Action Plan 2024-2029; and Forest of Fingal – A tree strategy for Fingal; with regards to energy use and climate change, minimising obtrusive light (i.e. light spill and light pollution), as well as protecting and promoting the environment, biodiversity, and the unique urban, rural and coastal areas of the county.  

The recommendations stated in the relevant guidance notes and technical reports published by professional lighting institutions like the ILP, on topics such as reducing obtrusive light or lighting in environmentally sensitive areas, also need to be taken into account in all lighting designs.  

The Public Lighting General Specification sets out the standards that public lighting schemes and their associated electrical installations, within Fingal County Council, must comply with, as well as detailing the types of equipment that are acceptable. This document also lays out the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5