Mayor uses casting vote to decide to rezone Finnstown

MEMBERS of South Dublin County Council agreed to rezone lands at Finnstown Castle after a vote in the chamber on Monday, with Mayor Francis Timmons casting the deciding vote, breaking the tie and leading to 20 votes to19.

The motion to retain Finnstown Castle’s Open Space zoning was not carried, rezoning the land to residential and allowing housing development.

Prior to the vote, several councillors called on their colleagues to save the land and vote in favour of the motion, including Councillor Liona O’Toole, who has been at the front line of protests voicing her concern over the rezoning.

At this week’s meeting, Councillor O’Toole told the chamber:

“We all recognise the need for housing, and we must look at the lands that we have already agreed to zone as part of this exercise for residential development, alongside spaces we need to retain to support those growing communities.

“Good planning means providing housing alongside green space for recreation, biodiversity, and places that contribute to people’s health and well-being.”

Councillor Vicki Casserly, who had also been working hard to retain the existing zoning of the land, referred to the importance of the lands at Finnstown Castle in relation to Lucan’s heritage.

“Finnstown Castle is not just another piece of land identified for development; it is part of Lucan’s heritage. I’ve grown up there; it is our landscape and part of its identity. It has mature trees, biodiversity, and green spaces. These are valuable assets that, once they’re lost, can’t be replaced.

“We all recognise the need to deliver housing within our own families and beyond, and this isn’t just about planning.”

One “very important positive outcome” from this meeting was the unanimous decision to protect lands at St Edmondsbury, which saw Councillors across the board agree to ensure it is not rezoned.  As the meeting concluded, Councillor O’Toole thanked her colleagues and SDCC’s Senior Planner, Hazel Craigie, for their support, saying:

“No shock that I’m shocked at one or two of the outcomes, but look, that’s the way it works. I’ve been in this chamber for nearly 13 years, and I understand you win some, you lose some.

“I want to thank everyone outside the chambers and the members of the public who played their role through the democratic process with your submissions and with peaceful walks. I just want to commend them on it. I don’t know what’s going to happen after today; we will wait and see.”

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme