Over 80 cruise ships are booked to visit Dun Laoghaire next year, according to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.
The local authority also confirmed that it will finalise its harbour masterplan next year.
Adopting its balanced draft budget for 2025, it said that it would be investing €281.2m across a wide range of supports and services for residents, businesses, and visitors.
“This budget aligns with our corporate goals in housing, climate action, and economic development to create an attractive, inclusive, and accessible county,” it said.
A total of 81 cruise ships are booked in for 2025, as part of a number of measures outlined in the draft budget.
Frank Curran, Chief Executive, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council said that the “ expansionary budget will contribute to making Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown a vibrant county that is appealing to live, work, and visit”.
“The implementation of the Housing Delivery Action Plan 2022-2026 will continue in 2025 with over 600 homes expected to be delivered during the year and background work will commence on the next County Development Plan,”he said.
“In addition, we will also complete the Old Conna local area plan( LAP), Kiltiernan-Glenamuck LAP, Rathmichael LAP, Dublin Eastern Bypass Study and studies to inform a review of the Sandyford Urban Framework Plan,”he said.
“Funding has also been increased for business area promotion grants which is vital to help our businesses and drive footfall to our towns and villages”,”he said.
Key highlights of the budget includes no proposed increases to parking charges, housing rents, cemetery charges, or fees at recycling centres and in addition the maximum permitted reduction of 15% has been applied to the local property tax rate.
The budget has also been increased in various areas such as housing maintenance, road maintenance, tourism, economic development, parks, libraries, heritage, and sports.
There are increases in the budget for business promotion grants, ratepayers' support grants, economic development, and tourism to enhance support for businesses and increase footfall in towns and villages.
On climate action, the local authority said there will be a €100,000 increase in contribution to fund the Climate Action Plan and associated services provided by partners CODEMA, to ensure the objectives set out under the Climate Action Plan 2024 – 2029 are realised.
The targets of the new plan are for a 50% improvement in the council’s energy efficiency and a 51% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030.
There will also be a €100,000 contribution toward the development of a Circular Economy Hub in Dún Laoghaire in partnership with the Rediscovery Centre.
