HOWTHSPECIAL AMENITY AREA MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

Members/alternates of the Howth SAAO:                                      Howth-SuttonCommunityCouncil:NessaO'Brien

Cllrs.D. Healy,J. Hopkins,B. McDonagh,J. GuerinDublin Naturalist FieldClub: D. Doogue/C.Breen; Fingal Tourism: Neil Kennedy/Elaine O'SullivanHillwatch: Jacqueline Feeley

Howth land owners:, FionaBellingham Howth Pathways: ConnRedmond/Dougal Cousins HowthPeninsula HeritageSociety: EdgarMcLoughlin Irish Uplands Forum: Mary Tubridy

NationalParks andWildlife Service:Mairéad StackHowth Peninsula: Mary O'Connor/Sean Doran

FingalCo. Co.officers supportingHowth SAAO:

Gemma Carr (SEO, Parks), Brian Murray (SEO, Planning)Fearghal McSweeney, (AO, Planning), Kevin Halpenny (Snr.Parks Superintendent),Theresa Casey(EO, Parks),Carol Hurley(Exec. Planner), Hans Visser/Deirdre O’Farrell (BiodiversityOfficers), DavidDaly (Admin.)

DraftMinutes ofMeeting heldWednesday 13^th March 2024, in Baldoyle Public Library

Present: Philip O’Connor, Deirdre O’Farrell, Cllr David Healy, Nessa O’Brien, Sorcha King, Mary Tubridy,     Zer Barokas, Jacqueline Feeley, Dougal Cousins, Edgar McLoughlin, Mary O’Connor, Ifty Finn, Killian O’Sullivan, Fearghal McSweeney, Cllr Joan Hopkins

Apologies:Conn Redmond,Gemma Carr, Mairéad Stack, Hans Visser, Therese Casey

SAAO/2 Minutesof previousmeeting:Minutesof meetingof 13/12/23proposed (by Dougal Cousins), seconded (by Cllr. David Healy) and adopted. Mary Tubridy wanted to note that she made direct contact with the Forest School who spoke at the last meeting to thank them for their time, Cllr Joan Hopkins also thanked the Forest School. It was also noted that Cowbooter Lane has been cut back.

SAAO/3 Update on SAAO works being implemented by Fingal Co. Co.

·       Deirdre O’Farrell spoke on matters arising and works being implemented.

·       Gorse removal carried out at  East Mountain and Ben of Howth.

·       Rhododendron control works east of Bog of Frogs ongoing.  works to continue towards back of Deer Park Hotel.

·       Heathland Restoration at the Nose of Howth was discussed. Trial for the first 6 weeks and will check back then to see what is working and what could be tweaked.

·       Rope fencing at Nose of Howth will be in place before the tourist season.

·       Consultants appointed to undertake feasibility of Greenhollows rewetting project. Area becoming marshier already following blocking of drain. This will serve as another method of wildfire management.

·       Melissa who is running the Goat Grazing project will be leaving her role in July. The Committee wished her well. An Apprentice will be brought in to shadow Melissa over the coming months.

·       Main activities requiring SAAO budget are PR person and schools and events programmes for a two year period. The estimated costs for the PR person is €27k, the estimated cost for the schools program is €18k and the estimated cost for the events program is €3200. The events costs can be covered in the Biodiversity program. Total remaining cost for the PR person and schools program is €45k. The budget allocation for the preparation and implementation of the communication plan was agreed €40k. €1k has been spend on preparing the communication plan and that leaves €39k. The overspend is €6k ,. Cllr’s Joan Hopkins and David  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1.