Council removes proposal to rename park named after former president of Israel

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A proposal to rename a Dublin park which is named after a former president of Israel has been removed from the Dublin City Council's agenda.

Herzog Park, in Rathgar, was named after Belfast-born and Dublin-raised Chaim Herzog in 1995.

Councillors were due to vote on a motion to change the park's name on Monday, but it was withdrawn after the council's chief advised of an error in the renaming process.

The renaming bid received national and international criticism, with the Taoiseach (Irish PM) Micheál Martin describing the proposal as "overtly divisive and wrong".

The chief executive of the council Richard Shakespeare had previously explained that regulations that would allow councillors to rename the park have not yet been enacted.

Irish broadcaster RTÉ reported that at Monday's meeting, Dublin Lord Mayor Ray McAdam said a commissioned report on the process that was taken in naming it was not legally sound and there was no legal basis for the proposal, therefore it should not be voted on.

McAdam added he was "annoyed, frustrated and fed-up" this had happened.

It comes after the Irish government had urged the council to reconsider the proposal.

Who was Chaim Herzog?

Chaim Herzog has dark, greying hair, swept back from his head and a light moustache. He is wearing a light grey suit jacket, white shirt and striped tie and is sitting in front of an old BBC microphone — Chaim Herzog, the sixth president of Israel, was born in Belfast in 1918 [BBC]

Chaim Herzog was born in Belfast in 1918 but his family eventually emigrated to the Middle East.

He held a number of positions in the newly-created state of Israel in 1948, including ambassador to the United Nations.

He served as president of Israel from 1983 to 1993.

What happened at the council meeting?

The council's Chief Executive Richard Shakespeare reiterated his apology for administrative oversights in relation to the report on renaming the park.

Mr Shakespeare said he took full responsibility for the error, and that he had "failed miserably", despite priding himself on getting the basics right.

He said he was made aware of the issue on Saturday night after being contacted by an official in the Department of Housing and Local Government who questioned the proposal's legality.

After checking, Mr Shakespeare said the council had "walked ourselves into a legal problem".

A decision to move the proposal by McAdam to a council committee, due to meet later this month, was accepted 35 to 25 with one abstention.

A drone shot of Herzog Park in south Dublin taken at dusk. There are multiple tennis courts, as well as a large sports court in the foreground of the picture. — A drone shot of Herzog Park in south Dublin [Reuters]

No 'political pressure' to withdraw

Over the weekend the taoiseach said the proposal should be "withdrawn in its entirety".

"The proposal is a denial of our history... and will without any doubt be seen as anti-Semitic," the Fianna Fáil leader said.

"Our Irish Jewish community's contribution to our country's evolution in its many forms should always be cherished and generously acknowledged."

Tánaiste (Irish deputy prime minister) Simon Harris said he completely opposes plans to rename the park.

"It is wrong. We are an inclusive republic," he said on social media.

"This proposal is offensive to that principle."

The office of the current Israel President, Isaac Herzog, who is Chaim Herzog's song, expressed concern over the plans, and said the renaming of the park would be "shameful and disgraceful".

However, Mr Shakespeare said he did not make or receive calls from national political figures or any of their advisers.

"No political pressure hard, soft, or otherwise was brought to bear," he said.

Councillors spoke of their concerns and confusion at Monday's meeting.

Councillor Colm O'Rourke of Fine Gael said he understood why the Jewish community may see it as an attack, and said it was right the proposal does not proceed if it was not legally sound.

Sinn Féin's Dáithí Doolan said he wanted the renaming to remain on the agenda, for Herzog to be removed and replaced with "someone from the Jewish community we can all be celebrate and be proud of".

Councillor Daryl Barron, from Fianna Fáil, said the Jewish community had been hurt because of the "fiasco".

Labour Councillor Darragh Moriarty said he called an overreach by both the taoiseach and tánaiste were "outrageous".

What are the issues around renaming the park?

An agreement by members of the council's Commemorations and Naming Committee last July recommended to the full council the removal of the Herzog name from the park.

It also agreed for a consultation process to be undertaken to determine appropriate new names for the parks.

A previous statement from Mr Shakespeare said the authority to change a placename is contained within Part 8 of the Local Government Act 2001.

He said this involves the adoption by resolution of a proposal to substitute a new placename by elected members, the holding of a public consultation and a secret ballot of qualified electors, should the proposal be approved.

"While the provisions of the act were commenced in 2019, the regulations required to govern the process for a secret ballot are not yet in place," he explained.

"The report to the elected members does not take account of the correct statutory procedure and is missing information for a valid resolution to be adopted."

The picture shows a blue plaque saying that Chaim Herozog, the president of Israel from 1983 to 1993, was born here — In 2014, a blue plaque marking Chaim Herzog's north Belfast birthplace was taken down over concern for those who lived near it [BBC]

In 2014, a blue plaque marking Chaim Herzog's north Belfast birthplace was taken down out of concern for staff and residents living in adjoining premises.

Anti-Israeli graffiti was daubed on the building, objects thrown, and an attempt made to remove the plaque.