Author: eoinodr

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council needs to get spiralling costs under control  – Cllr. Eoin O’Driscoll

Tonight Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Councillors voted to maintain a 15% downwards adjustment to local property taxes within the county. This moderates the impact of the planned revaluation of properties in November 2025.

“Tonight’s vote moderates expected local property tax rises for 2026 expected following the planned revaluation of property values in November”, said Councillor Eoin O’Driscoll (Fine Gael – Stillorgan).

“Estimates provided by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council suggest that, with the 15% downwards adjustment taken into account, homeowners across the county will pay an average of c.5% extra in local property tax in 2026, contributing a further €10.85 to the Council’s budget.

“Tonight’s vote was an important step in moderating local property tax increases for 2026 and avoiding punitive tax bills for local homeowners – who already face an undue and disproportionate tax burden”.

“Based on estimates provided by the Council, tonight’s vote facilitates a balanced budget and an overall increase in expenditure of 9%.

“This expenditure increase is far in excess of predicted inflation and reflects a trend of spiralling expenditure within Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. Over the course of the last Council term, 2019-2024, Council Expenditure rose by a massive 49.56%.

“We cannot do the same this term. As Councillors, we have a responsibility to oversee the prudent and effective use of public money. We need to get costs under control. We cannot have a situation for another Council term where expenditure rises consistently outpace inflation by a wide margin. Our focus needs to turn towards getting costs under control and away from squeezing more and more money from taxpayers – particularly homeowners and ratepayers”.

ENDS

Changes to the means test for Carer’s Allowance will see more carers qualify for the payment in Dublin a Fine Gael Councillor has said.

Councillor Eoin O’Driscoll said 5,280 carers across the country will receive an increase in their weekly payment as a result of the changes. In addition to this, it is expected that many more carers will now qualify for the payment for the first time under the higher income limits.

“This change to the Carer’s Allowance is a hugely positive step which was announced in Budget 2025 and takes effect this week.

“The weekly income disregard for the Carer’s Allowance payment will increase from €450 to €625 for a single person, and from €900 to €1,250 for carers with a spouse/partner.

“It will mean that 5280 carers across the country will receive an increase in their weekly payment. I am delighted that this includes 1,109 carers in Dublin.

“There have been significant changes to the Carers Allowance means test in recent years with the income disregard increased by €292.50 for a single person and €585 for a couple since 2022.

“The further increase in the income limits this week will mean that 99% of people receiving Carer’s Allowance will now receive the maximum rate of payment.

“In addition, these changes will mean that many more carers in Dublin who were previously outside the income limits will now qualify for a payment.

“Our carers play a vital role in our society and we need to support them. This is a welcome step, but we need to go further. The Programme for Government commits to phasing out the means test entirely during the lifetime of this Government.

“Carers across Dublin can be reassured that they are a key priority for Fine Gael”, concluded Councillor O’Driscoll

END

Investment of €6,633,857 has helped bring 532 homes back into use in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown as part of the Governments Voids Programme since 2014, Fine Gael Councillor Eoin O’Driscoll has said.

Cllr. O’Driscoll said that the Government is making more efficient use of our existing housing stock, which will bring more homes back into active use in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown

“The Voids Programme supports local authorities in making vacant homes ready for re-letting and works to tackle vacancy and dereliction to ensure vacant properties are re-used for housing.

“Bringing vacant housing back into use across towns and villages is essential to help ease pressure on the existing housing stock. It will boost supply and deliver much-needed social homes, while rejuvenating our towns.

“No one wants to see empty buildings in their towns or villages that could be used as homes, so it’s fantastic to see 70 buildings being brought back into use for social housing in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council this year.

“Overall, 2,357 vacant social homes nationally were brought back into active use in 2024 under the Voids Programme.

“Since 2014 there has been 532 houses brought back into use in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. showing the success of the programme since its introduction.

“I would like to thank Dún Laognaire-Rathdown County Council for their hard work in returning these homes to use in 2024, and this will make a real difference to the lives of the 70 households in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown I encourage them to keep being proactive in returning vacant properties for use in the Voids Programme.

“Fine Gael is committed to increasing the housing supply and revitalising our communities by bringing vacant homes back into use”, concluded Councillor O’Driscoll

ENDS

A new national policy on housing options for older people will ensure older people in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown have appropriate housing to suit their needs, said Fine Gael Councillor Eoin O’Driscoll.

Fine Gael Councillor O’Driscoll has welcomed news Minister for Older People Kieran O’Donnell has set up a working group in the Department of Housing to identify a list of actions to support increased delivery of housing for older people, including measures to support them to rightsize, where they wish to do so. It will complete its work by the end of next month.

Some areas the group will investigate will include:

• Flexibility on planning rules to allow for a home to be adapted or extended to include a separate self-contained kitchen and living quarters to suit the changing needs of an older person.
• Asking lenders to look at bridging finance for older people to rightsize where they would not normally be approved for a mortgage but want to buy a more suitable home for their needs before the sale of their existing home has concluded.
• Mandate local authorities to find suitable sites for housing specifically designed for older adults, ensuring accessible options within local communities, including brownfield sites.

Councillor O’Driscoll said: “Irish people are living longer and we want to make it easier for people to continue to live at home as they grow older, including adapting their existing homes. But we also know that this may not always be the older person’s preferred option and we need to look at ways of helping people to rightsize if this is their choice.

ENDS

27 Vacant Property Refurbishment grant applications have been approved in <County>, which has brought more homes back into residential use, Fine Gael Councillor Eoin O’Driscoll (Stillorgan) has said.

Councillor O’Driscoll said that the grant is supporting people across Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council to bring these vacant and derelict properties back into use as homes.

“The Vacant Property Refurbishment grant was introduced to help bring derelict properties back to life as affordable homes. So far in 2025, €880,000 in grants have been drawn down in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. A total of €5,449,158 has been issued on completion of works in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown since the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant was launched in 2022.

“We can see the number of grants being paid out continuing to rise significantly each quarter as works on properties are completed. It’s fantastic to see so many people in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown availing of this grant.

“27 applications have been approved in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown and I hope to see a continued increase in approved applications throughout 2025.

“Across the country, €112.5 million has been paid out since the grant was launched in July 2022, showing the importance of the scheme.

“The grant helps repurpose the buildings we already have, so we are boosting available accommodation whilst also rejuvenating our towns and urban centres.

“Fine Gael is committed to helping more people in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown own their own home and increasing supply is key to achieving that. The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant helps bring buildings back into use and revitalises our communities.

ENDS

“I am strongly opposed to the proposed tourist tax on hotel guests in Dublin.

“Irish tourism is experiencing a difficult period. Local Authorities should be spending their time identifying ways to attract more tourists and support local businesses not penalise them.

“We should not forget that tourists already contribute significant revenue to the State. We already tax their spending here through VAT and significant Alcohol Products Tax.

“The proposed measure would discourage tourists from Dublin and place further pressure on our hotels, which are already dealing with significant cost pressures.

“I am in local politics to support our local businesses. I want to see more tourists in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, staying in our great hotels, eating in our wonderful restaurants and buying in our shops.

“The proposed tourist tax is bad for tourism, bad for business and bad for Dublin”.

Following queries from Cllr. Eoin O’Driscoll, at the March Full Council meeting of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, officials confirmed that two new dog wardens will be appointed in the Council area.

According to Cllr. O’Driscoll, “The appointment of two additional dog wardens for Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown is a welcome decision by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.

“The Council has confirmed that there were no fines issues for dog fouling in 2024. This follows a number of years (2020-23) where only a single fine was issued annually. Unfortunately, this lack of fines does not reflect a lack of dog fouling in the county area but rather a lack of enforcement.

“Dog fouling is a serious issue. Not just in terms of litter but health and safety, particularly in parks used for play by children.

“It is very welcome that the Council are addressing this issue through the addition of two new dog wardens for the county and I look forward to more effective enforcement in the coming period.

At the February meeting of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Cllr. Eoin O’Driscoll called on the Council Executive to urgently pursue the reopening of Glenalbyn Swimming Pool. Subsequently, this call was backed by a number of Councillors from all sides of the Chamber.

Cllr. O’Driscoll said “It is clear, based on evidence presented by the Council Executive this evening, that community and club demand is simply not being met by existing, or planned, swimming pool provision within Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown.

“Glenalbyn Swimming Pool was closed down over a decade ago. The local population has increased significantly since then but the important local amenity has not been replaced.

“I have called Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council to pursue the re-opening of Glenalbyn Swimming Pool as an urgent priority. Failing its successful re-opening, a new site must be identified and plans progressed rapidly. Stillorgan needs a swimming pool.”