Question: Councillor D. Smith “To ask the Chief Executive can the trees which have been vandalised on the boundary between Castlegrange Heights and the playing fields be replaced as these were forming a very attractive boundary for the road?”
Reply: Provision for the replacement of these trees was made in the tree planting programme for this year’s tree planting season. These trees will be planted over the next 3-4 weeks.
Next week, Councillors will be debating the next phase of the County Development Plan 2017 – 2023.
I have a number of motions for debate and decision, chiefly I am working to achieve a firm commitment in the next county development plan for a public bike scheme. I am seeking to include the following new objective in the next County Development Plan:
“Provide for a public bike rental scheme at appropriate locations, including stations and other public transport interchanges, which would operate in a complimentary manner to the existing public bike scheme in Dublin City Centre”
With Fingal the fastest growing region in the country and with towns such as Swords expected to grow to small city status, it is vital we plan head for the kind of internal transport model we want as a community. The Minister for Transport has decided that the solution to the transport deficit in Swords and along the M1 corridor is the delivery of New Metro North This is a welcome decision and in particular for the first time, Metro North was rigorously tested against other options including LUAS, Heavy Rail and Rapid Bus. In order to meet the capacity needed to make Metro North viable, we need to be able to deliver commuters to the service from surrounding areas. Park and Ride facilities will be needed but for many people, a more convenient and environmentally friendly way of travelling would be a short distance by bike.
At the moment, Swords is so big, that many people living on the outskirts of the town need to drive to the village or to the Pavilions, clogging up our town, causing traffic congestion and nuisance parking in surrounding estates. Further effort into providing a public bike scheme, as an extension to the Dublin City bike scheme, needs to happen in Fingal and this needs to be included in the County Development Plan.
I am asking all residents in Swords, Donabate, Portrane and the wider Fingal area to voice their support for my Motion and add your voice to the call for a public bike scheme for Fingal.
This afternoon I spent a short time with the former Clery’s workers who were demonstrating outside the Department of Enterprise and Innovation. The Clery’s workers have been campaigning for 24 weeks for a change in the law to ensure that other workers never have to endure the same appalling treatment. My Union SIPTU has continued to offer a voice to these workers and this campaign and the your support is needed now, as it was when the iconic store. I will continue to lobby the Ministers within the Labour Party to build on the work already done in order to strengthen workers rights in this area.
The Northside people covered the reaction to the Local Property Tax debate in Fingal County Council which took place last week. The Labour Paty proposed a 10% reduction, as opposed to a full 15% reduction in order to realise an extra €1.8 million for housing, homeless services and adaptation. A modest amount in the overall scheme of things but it would have made a big difference to a small number of vulnerable people.
http://www.dublinpeople.ie/article.php?id=5337&l=100
Working with Brendan Ryan TD, we are continuing to press the Council for the long overdue taking in charge of the Thornleigh Estate in Swords. I have copied below the latest response I have received from the Council on this matter.
Question: Councillor D. Smith – Thornleigh Taking in Charge
“To ask the Chief Executive for an update on the taking in charge of Thornleigh Estate and does the Chief Executive expect this process to be concluded within the Calendar year 2015?”
Reply:
The Project Supervisor for the bond holder has advised that the CCTV survey on the drainage networks has been completed. The survey has revealed that the foul network requires power jetting to dislodge detritus in the pipework. There is also evidence of surface water infiltration into the foul network which is being further investigated by the appointed consulting engineers in order to identify and remediate any broken seals or pipes. Once the sub-surface services have been dealt with identification of surface defects can be initiated and any necessary remediation
commenced.
There is a concurrent process underway with the Liquidator in order to have the open spaces taken in charge and this is at an advanced stage. It is not possible at this stage to give a definite timeline on the completion of these works.