October 2025 Update – Cllr Eoin O’Driscoll
1. Local Policing Forum
A public meeting of the Dundrum/Stillorgan Local Policing Forum will be held on Tuesday 11th November at 7:30pm until 8:30pm in Dundrum Council Office, Maher’s Terrace, 1 Main Street, Dundrum, Dublin 14, D14 XV10.
There will be an opportunity to raise issues and address questions on relevant matters with members of An Garda Síochána from the Community Policing Team.
The meeting is a great opportunity for you to raise any concerns or views on local policing and public safety. I hope to see you there but if you cannot make it, I am more than happy to raise any issues on your behalf, just let me know.
2. Local Community Safety Partnership
The Local Community Safety Partnership (LCSP) is a newly established initiative aimed at enhancing community safety across Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown by placing local voices at the heart of decision-making. The partnership will bring together a diverse range of stakeholders including local councillors, An Garda Síochána, community groups, businesses, educators, and statutory agencies such as the HSE, Tusla, and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council is inviting expressions of interest from individuals and organisations passionate about making the county safer and more inclusive. Applications are welcome from residents’ associations, youth groups, educators, sports organisations, minority communities, and voluntary bodies.
For further information, see here.
3. Stillorgan Library
At a recent meeting of the Dundrum Area Committee, I received the following update regarding the construction of the new Stillorgan Library. It is an exciting development for Stillorgan and I look forward to visiting it in early 2026:
“Construction continues on the new Stillorgan Library. As per schedule, it is hoped to have the building handover by the end of 2025, allowing the commencement of fit-out.
Work remains on-going on the furniture and shelving tender, which we would hope to issue shortly.
Allowing for a 12-week procurement period for some items of furniture and given this may be further affected by factories/offices closing over Christmas, this would take us to Q1 2026
The IT installation and the stocking of library shelves will also be required. There may be some overlap between the furniture fit out and DLR fit out, but this would depend on the selected supplier’s fit out programme and timelines for procurement of shelving. Work continues to purchase stock for the new library.”
4. Cabinteely Greenway
Consultation Now Open – Deadline 11th December
The Cabinteely Greenway aims to develop a 2.3km safe, accessible, and attractive route for walking, wheeling, and cycling between Cornelscourt and Cherrywood. Stretching for 2.3km, the Greenway will offer a route through Cabinteely Park and surrounding areas.
The Greenway should be a very positive amenity for the local community but as always, it is imperative that local views and perspectives are fully taken into account in the Greenway’s design and delivery.
A consultation on the proposed scheme opened today with a deadline for submissions of Thursday, 11th December 2025. You can find further information and details of related webinars and drop-in sessions here.
5. €833,000 in Funding Available for Community Climate Action Projects
Applications are now being accepted for Phase 2 of the Community Climate Action Programme. Deadline 15th December 2025.
The programme provides funding for local community groups and organisations interested in developing capital projects that address the challenge of climate change. Community groups can apply for funding to support projects in five key areas:
- Community Energy – Improving energy efficiency or promoting renewable energy use
- Travel – Encouraging sustainable travel options
- Shopping and Recycling – Reducing waste and increasing recycling rates
- Food and Waste – Tackling food waste and promoting local food production
- Local Climate and Environmental Action – Broad initiatives that protect the environment and address climate change
For further details, see here.
6. UCD Student Accommodation
I was pleased to join Maeve O’Connell TD and local Fine Gael Councillors at the sod turning event in UCD as construction began to deliver 493 new student accommodation beds following the investment of €67m by government.
As I have repeatedly argued in the Council Chamber, the only answer to our housing challenges is to build more homes. As such, I greatly welcome any new housing in our community. This announced accommodation will greatly benefit not only future students at UCD but will also help reduce pressure on rental accommodation in the surrounding area. I look forward to continuing to work with government, in my capacity as a local councillor, to build more homes locally
7. Local Property Tax
As you are likely aware, we are currently in the midst of a new valuation period for Local Property Tax. The deadline for your LPT Return is 7th November 2026 for new valuation bands to apply from 2026 to 2030. You can find out more from Revenue here.
In this context, I want to draw your attention to a decision taken by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council over the summer; I was pleased to co-sign and strongly support a successful motion that ensures that we will retain the full 15 per cent downwards adjustment for LPT within the county for the next year.
This was a particularly important vote to mitigate the impact of the current revaluation of properties for LPT purposes. As the first revaluation since 2021, and considering the rapid inflation of house prices in that period, all homeowners will face increased LPT bills next year.
Council officials estimate that, with the full downwards adjustment in effect, the average homeowner in DLR will face a 5 per cent increase in their LPT bill. This will facilitate an extra €11m in income for the Council and facilitate a significant increase in Council expenditure for 2026, outpacing inflation by some margin.
It was disappointing, therefore, that the Green Party, supported by the Social Democrats, put forward a motion that would have ended any downwards adjustment on LPT within DLR. Taking the revaluation (and the Council’s conservative estimate of an average 5 per cent bill increase) into account, by defeating the Green Party motion, we have avoided increasing LPT bills within DLR by a massive, in my view unjustified, 23.5%.
8. In the media
I was pleased to get some media pick-up on my work in the Council over the past weeks. You can read more here:
Cllr. Eoin O'Driscoll 
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