Updates
Engagements with DCC to date
Following completion of the Village Ideas, in August 2024, SAMRA approached the Dublin City Lord Mayor at the time, James Geoghegan, who is now a local TD for the area.
Deputy Geoghegan welcomed the initiative taken and suggested that rather than take the 12 key projects forward SAMRA should concentrate on a number of priority projects and bring them forward to the attention of Dublin City Council.
SAMRA engaged with Grafton Architects and a leading firm of quantity surveyors to work up four key priority projects to the next stage of detail and costings.
A meeting was then facilitated in November 2024 with the leadership team of Dublin City Council including its CEO Richard Shakespeare and senior officials. Following a presentation by Grafton Architects and discussion with SAMRA the feedback was very positive, not only for the priority projects, but for the Village Ideas as a whole. A particular comment was made that it was refreshing to see communities come forward with such positive ideas as opposed to Dublin City Council imposing ideas. Dublin City Council undertook to study the ideas documented in the presentation and to revert to SAMRA with their views and next steps.
In April 2025 a further meeting was held with the Dublin City Council leadership team and some area specialists including Architects and Engineers. At this meeting Dublin City Council indicated that it was prepared to take forward the project to significantly enhance the northeast side of the Sandymount Green.
SAMRA sees this very much as a positive endorsement of the Village Ideas initiative and is confident this will be the first of many of the village ideas which will be realised.
Sandymount Village Green Enhancement
The project to enhance the north-east side of the Sandymount Village Green is being realised by Dublin City Council.
Initial designs have been developed by Dublin City Council and it undertook a non statutory community engagement programme in December 2025 and January 2026. The response from the community was very enthusiastic.
It is understood that Dublin City Council will progress the project to a Part 8 Planning Application in the coming months, and if approved, will then develop the design and costings later in the year.
Community Engagement
In April 2025 SAMRA applied to the Dublin Waste to Energy Community Gain Liaison Committee for funding for a significant community engagement programme to capture the community’s views and ideas. This was approved in December 2025. This website is central to the engagement programme together with a public presentation by Grafton Architects.
In January 2026 SAMRA started work on preparing for this engagement which was scheduled to be launched at its AGM in April 2026.
The purpose of this engagement is to generate a conversation with the community and gather feedback in relation to the Village Ideas with a view to sharing this with Dublin City Council, who will ultimately be responsible for bringing them to life.
Small Moves, Big Impacts
SAMRA has actively engaged with local Councillors with a view to securing funding for these initiatives. Again, the proposals have been welcomed. Councillors are taking proposals forward to Dublin City Council with a view to accessing the Councillors discretionary fund. SAMRA anticipates a very positive reception. SAMRA is also seeking other funding opportunities such as private funding and other community-based funds to advance these initiatives.
Possible Additional Parking Spaces
SAMRA has examined the potential for additional street parking around the village, primarily in regard to the extent of the potential to reduce the amount of double yellow lines, and has made formal representations to DCC for their consideration.