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HOWTH SPECIAL AMENITY

AREA MANAGEMENT

COMMITTEE

Members/alternates of the Howth SAAO:

Cllrs. David Healy, Joan Hopkins, Brian McDonagh,

Aoibhinn Tormey;

Dublin Naturalist Field Club: Declan Doogue/Con

Breen; Fingal Tourism: Neil Kennedy/Elaine O'Sullivan

HowthHillwatch: Jacqueline Feeley, Ciara Ní

LaoiHowth land owners: Ray Gilmore, Fiona

Bellingham Howth Pathways: Conn

Redmond/Dougal Cousins Howth Peninsula

Heritage Society: Edgar McLoughlin

Howth-Sutton Community Council: Nessa O'Brien

Irish Uplands Forum: Mary Tubridy

National Parks and Wildlife Service: Vacant

Howth Peninsula: Mary O'Connor/Sean Doran

Fingal Co. Co. officers supporting Howth SAAO:

Gemma Carr (SEO, Parks), Mary Godwin (SEO, Planning)

Fearghal McSweeney, (AO, Planning), Kevin Halpenny (Snr.

Parks Superintendent), Theresa Casey (EO, Parks), Carol Hurley

(Exec. Planner), Hans Visser/Deirdre O’Farrell (Biodiversity

Officers), Mary O’Reilly (Snr. Staff Officer), David Daly (Admin.)

Minutes of Meeting held Wednesday 15th

March 2023 in Baldoyle Public Library

Present: Philip O’Connor, Dougal Cousins, Conn Redmond, Edgar McLoughlin, Jacqueline Feeley, Ray

Gilmore, David Healy, Hans Visser, Gemma Carr, Fearghal McSweeney, David Daly

Apol.: Mary O’Connor, Mary Tubridy, Nessa O’ Brien, Joan Hopkins, Mary Godwin, Deirdre O’Farrell

SAAO/2 Minutes of previous meeting: Minutes of meeting of 14/12/22 proposed (by Conn

Redmond), seconded (by David Healy) and adopted. No matters arising.

SAAO/3 Update on SAAO works being implemented by Fingal Co. Co.: Hans reported: Tenders have

issued for further Rhododendron control; Pathway relocation at Bellingham’s agreed and tenders

to issue; cattle grazing continues but as dogs off lead still a problem, hidden camera (no facial

recognition) to be installed temporarily; goat grazing going well, entering kidding season, with

Council hosting a naming competition and a sponsorship/adoption programme; lease needed for

goats to graze other locations; limited Oxford sandy/black pig grazing project for bracken and

gorse to be trialled at Red Rock for 3 months, inc. temporary fencing; Deirdre to check and report

re signage needed on loop paths; Hans to circulate Failte Ireland report; Howth Head SAC covers

heathland and sea cliffs, but no survey ever done of latter, so to proceed this year; heathland reseeding

at Nose of Howth underway (nursery stage), with planting and rope fence in summer.

SAAO/4 Report from Conservation and Recreation Sub-Committee: Dougal reported. Re Op. Plan:

request again presentation on Fire Brigade report - Hans to follow up. Council’s commissioning of

a biodiversity study on woodlands welcomed, and Tetrarch if it could do similar on its lands - Ray

agrees to bring this up and also suggests a Tetrarch rep meet Hans on the Biodiversity plan; There

was concern at use of Red Rock Woodlands by ‘Forest School’ - Cttee. saw no problem with this,

agreed that Therese Casey be asked for opinion re impact; on data from pedestrian counter at

Balscadden Beach, Therese also to be asked. Other issues of the Sub-Cttee re signage, grazing

projects and dog walkers already answered in Hans’ report.

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Edgar asked if any update re NPWS participation on Cttee. Philip had received no reply from

letter to Minister O’Brien. Is meeting Mairead Stack soon,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1.