The Lord Mayor of Dublin has issued an apology to the Jewish community and residents of Rathgar following controversy surrounding proposals to rename Herzog Park in south Dublin.
At a monthly meeting of Dublin City Council, Councillor Ray McAdam said the apology was being made after a motion from the South East Area Committee highlighted failures in how the process was handled.
The motion noted that while administrative errors had already been acknowledged internally by the council’s executive, no formal apology had been extended to the Jewish community or to the wider public impacted by the issue.
The controversy dates back to November, when a proposal to rename Herzog Park appeared on the council’s agenda following an agreement by the Commemorations and Naming Committee earlier in the year. The move sparked significant backlash both in Ireland and internationally.
Among those to raise concerns was Israeli President Isaac Herzog, while members of the Jewish community strongly objected to the proposed name change.
Days later, in early December, Dublin City Council removed the proposal from its agenda before any vote could take place. Councillors were advised the plan was not legally sound, as the relevant national legislation governing place-name changes had not been fully commenced.
Herzog Park was named in 1995 after Chaim Herzog, who served as Israel’s sixth president between 1983 and 1993 and was born in Belfast before being raised in Dublin.
Herzog Park, Orwell Rd, Rathgar, Dublin 6, Dublin. Source, Google Maps
Separately, the Chief Executive of Dublin City Council also apologised for what was described as an administrative oversight that derailed plans for a vote on a motion to de-name the park. The issue had been due to be discussed at a council meeting but was ultimately withdrawn amid the legal concerns.
The controversy prompted political reaction at national level, with Tánaiste Simon Harris describing the proposal as “ill-conceived.”
In his apology, the Lord Mayor acknowledged “the flawed manner and administrative failures” in how the situation was handled, as the council seeks to draw a line under the issue following months of criticism.
