At the most recent North West Area Committee meeting on September 17, local councillors backed the proposal from residents.
However, some councillors and local residents objected to the closure, arguing that the laneway serves as an important shortcut to bus stops.
A section of the laneway is already closed, but the plan now is to extinguish the public right of way that runs for about 50 metres between Glasnevin Avenue to Beneavin Park.
Councillors who supported closing the lane cited safety concerns for those living near it.
Fianna Fáil councillor Keith Connolly said there are ongoing issues with anti-social behaviour, drug-dealing, and individuals loitering in the laneway, which is directly surrounded by homes.
The petition from residents also raised complaints about harassment, defecation, littering and rubbish being set on fire.
“To close the laneway won’t cause significant disruption. For those living beside it, it will just mean an extra few minutes’ walk for people who use it as a shortcut,” he said.
“The laws regarding extinguishing a right of way are very clearly defined. The council displayed a notice, giving people several weeks to submit their observations.
“They went above and beyond by conducting a door-to-door survey, which is more than they were required to do,” he added.
The laneway linking Glasnevin Avenue to Beneavin Park in north Dublin
However, some council members, including People Before Profit’s Conor Reddy, do not support the closure of the laneway.
He expressed concerns about how the arguments for closure were presented to them by management.
“There were discrepancies between how residents described the consultation process and how management portrayed it to us,” he said.
“Management agreed that four garda reports over four years regarding the laneway is not a significant amount of anti-social behaviour.
“Different people have different tolerances; young people hanging around in a lane might really annoy one person, while others might find it perfectly acceptable,” he added.
Cllr Reddy suggested alternative measures such as installing CCTV cameras, adding height barriers, or improving public lighting, but lamented that these options were not “being explored”.
Dublin City Council published findings indicating that twelve objections were received from residents of Glasnevin Avenue and Beneavin regarding the closure of the laneway.
Of these twelve objections, one oral hearing was requested, attended by three residents.
The summary from the oral hearing noted that the level of anti-social behaviour detailed in the original submission was “exaggerated and nuisance”, and that such behaviour occurred as frequently in other parts of the local area and “was not confined to the lane”.
Other concerns raised included the right of way being a key pedestrian link to amenities, which will become increasingly important when the proposed Bus Connects changes are implemented to improve access to public transport.
Further issues discussed included who would have access to the lane if the public right of way is extinguished and who would hold the key.
In July this year, a Dublin City Council official surveyed a total of 117 households, including 41 on Glasnevin Avenue and 76 houses in Beneavin Park.
Out of the households surveyed, 58 did not respond due to various factors, including not answering the door, refusing to participate in the survey, or being vacant properties.
Each resident was visited twice at different times in an attempt to gather as many responses as possible. Several households indicated their neighbours were away on summer holidays.
Of the respondents, 33 households were in favour of the lane closure, while 18 were opposed. Seven households said it was not applicable to them as they do not use the laneway.
A spokesperson for Dublin City Council said: “A total of 117 households were surveyed between the hours of 2.30pm and 6.30pm. A second attempt was made for any household that did not answer on the first occasion.”
They added that alternative measures such as CCTV, improved lighting and increased community policing “were all considered”.
A “final decision” has yet to be made at City Council, but all appropriate steps will be taken to “monitor and mitigate the impact of the closure” should the final decision be to close off the laneway.
