233 Social and Affordable Houses and Apartments

Monday, December 15, 2008


With most experts estimating the empty housing stock in Ireland at over 100,000 and rising one would expect our housing agencies and local authorities to tap into this to provide for their needs. This is especially so in Dublin 15 where the stock of empty units is so much higher than the national average.

In spite of all this the Government' housing agency NABCO have just been signed contracts to construct 234 Social and Affordable Houses on a site provided by Fingal County Council at Tyrrelstown Road (on left of the new road to Clonee). The value of the contract is €55.5 million - an average of €237,000 per unit excluding the site cost. It's quite possible that once completed these houses and apartments will be more expensive than many in the locality. Fingal County Council have loaned NABCO some €39m for the project.

Read more...

Local Update

Wednesday, November 19, 2008


Clonsilla Road One-Way System: The Council are still dragging their heels on the opening of the one way system. Indications are that Fingal intend to appoint consultants to once more ‘look into it’ with the possibility of installing a bus gate so that only buses can use it two-ways. This seems surprising given how few buses use the road anymore.

Aldemere – Mount Symon Green Space: The Council have promised to examine this area with a view to installing bollards or other appropriate boundary treatments in response to complaints of cars being driven across the open space.

New Park At Beechpark Ready By Spring 2009: The Park behind Clonsilla Railway Station has now been substantially completed to include two new pitches, a new play facility, perimeter paths and car parking. Landscaping and tree planting will take place this winter with a view to opening to the public in Spring/Summer 2009.

Portersgate –Hansfield Road Parking Scheme: The Council say that the proposed parking scheme at Clonsilla Station and Portersgate will still be put to tender by the end of this year with work commencing in the spring. I am concerned that cut backs in expenditure could significantly delay the project. There is also a real need to roll out the scheme to address the problem of commuter parking in neighbouring estates and roads and this should be done now. We will continue to make representations to the Council on this.

Read more...

Council bin service rejected by residents

Saturday, November 8, 2008


The 650 residents of the Fernleigh and Annfield estates in Carpenterstown have recently turned their backs on the waste disposal services of Fingal County Council and signed up with a private refuse collector – City Bin Co. Ltd. The deal which is worth over €120,000 per annum to the private operator has lead to some recriminations among local residents following the recent withdrawal from the estate by the county council.

The chairperson of the board of directors of the Fernleigh Management Company Ltd., Cathal O’Donoghue told Community Voice that the decision to change was made after much discussion by the board and following a detailed tendering process.

“We took the view that there were too many bins in the estate between green, black and brown bins and this also gave rise to hygiene issues,” he said “We also looked at the charge for the service and with the introduction of the new fixed annual charge on top of the cost of bin tags we felt that the county council service was too dear.”

Community Voice has seen the minutes of the annual general meeting of the management company at which the decision to move to a private operator was taken. A total of 25 residents out of a possible 650 attended the meeting.

At the meeting the board of directors which comprises the chairperson Mr. O’Donoghue and Mr. Don Hoban, advised members about the new annual charge and the introduction of brown bins into the estate. They said they were “concerned about this new system as it will increase charges for all owners and there will be 652 extra bins in the development which there is no room for.”

The management agents for the estate advised the meeting that they had received a number of views and letters from owners opposing the new system being proposed by the board. However after discussion the meeting agreed by 14 votes to 9 to enter into a contract with City Bin Company at an annual cost of €185 per dwelling, to be paid through the annual management fee.

A number of individual residents subsequently contacted Fingal County Council seeking a continuation of the local authority service. Initially the council wrote to residents offering to continue to collect their waste. However after subsequent legal advice they withdrew the offer and took back all bins previously supplied to residents.

According to a spokesperson for the county council, “although we would be happy to continue providing a waste management service to residents in Annfield and Fernleigh we have received legal advice confirming that the estates are private and therefore the Council are no longer entitled to provide a waste management service without the consent of the management company.

“For this reason all residents in those estates can now only avail of the service being offered by their management company through the managing agent and pay any charges which apply as directed by their managing agent. Fingal County Council has no involvement whatsoever in this arrangement,” said the spokesperson.

One issue raised by a couple of residents is the question of waivers for those unable to pay their refuse charges. Such waivers are available to users of the county council service but are generally not offered by private operators. However according to Mr. O’Donoghue, “my understanding is that a waiver agreement is available from City Bin Company.” However a spokesperson for City Bin Company has confirmed to Community Voice that it does not operate a waiver scheme.

The matter has been raised by local Fine Gael candidate Kieran Dennison who is seeking a council seat in next year’s local elections.

He has called on the council “to admit they’ve got it wrong on the bin charges and to introduce a fairer pricing system. At a conservative estimate the loss to the council of these two estates alone will be at least €150,000 per year. The Council simply cannot afford to lose this sort of revenue at a time when their income is already under pressure from a severe reduction in development levies and the 6.93% cut in Government funding in the Budget,” he said.

Read more...

St. Mochtas School Extension Gets Go Ahead

Wednesday, November 5, 2008


At long last the Department of Education has agreed to allow the 16 classroom extension go to planning and tender as soon as possible.

St. Mochta’s had agreed to go from 2 streams to 4 streams to help solve the shortfall in school places so it would have been a terrible betrayal if the extension was not approved. While I welcome the news, the extension should include a community and sport facility similar to that in other schools in the area. Clonsilla Village needs a proper Community Centre. The recent Clonsilla Urban Strategy (Section 8.4) acknowledges the limitations of the two small halls in the village and that “Schools and community can combine to provide the necessary physical infrastructure”. This surely is an opportunity for the Council to live up to its own plan.

Read more...

Aldi Development Rejected

Thursday, October 23, 2008


The planning appeal for an Aldi Store on the Clonsilla Road, has been turned down by An Board Pleanála (ABP). Last October Fingal Council planners rejected the Aldi Store, 4 shops, 238 car park spaces and 60 three and four storey apartments on the 3.5ac. site. Fine Gael opposed the development as did many who attended our public meeting on the proposal. In its decision the Bord cited Aldi’s failure to meet the objectives of the Councils Clonsilla Urban Strategy, its lack of integration with adjoining areas and possibly setting a precedent for similar disorderly development in this centrally located site. Aldi are reported to have paid over €11 million for this site so it’s likely that they will return with a new scheme.

On a previous mailing I alerted you to a Planning Application for a 280 vehicle Temporary Park and Ride Facility behind the Funeral Home and Filling Station. This has also been rejected by the council planners as an invalid application. Your local Fine Gael Team will keep you updated on these and other planning matters as they arise.

Read more...

New Secondary School Sanctioned

Monday, October 20, 2008


The Minister for Education has also confirmed that a new secondary school to serve the Castleknock and Clonsilla areas will open in September 2009. Details are not yet available. It will be a community college operated by Dublin County VEC (just like Castleknock Community College). The school’s permanent home will be in Porterstown/Kellystown. In June, the council designated this land for a reserved school site.

One of the reasons Fine Gael supported the controversial rezoning was because there was no land locally for these badly needed schools. The Socialists, Labour and the Greens voted against so I expect to hear them furiously welcoming this news and desperately trying get back onside with the local community.

Read more...

Hunters Run/Pace Avenue /Pheasant Run Car Park

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Information Evening Upstairs in the Paddocks from 7.30pm to 9.30pm on Wednesday 29th October.

Fingal County Council has produced a draft proposal for the open space at Littlepace Park . The proposal will divide the green with a car park to accommodate some 95 vehicles to be accessed via The Park, Hunters Run. New football fields are to be provided along with ancillary footpaths and railings. There will be more detailed maps at our information evening so please feel free to come along and air your views on this and any other issues you may have.

Read more...

Clonsilla Urban Strategy Report

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Information evening Upstairs in the Clonsilla Inn on Tuesday October 21st from 7.30pm.

Fingal County Council has published their Clonsilla Urban Strategy - a blueprint for the future development of Clonsilla Village and Environs. Some 50 submissions were made by individuals and organizations including Fine Gael. The report along with associated maps and drawings can be seen at our information evening.

In general the Strategy Report has been welcomed. It requires that development is low-rise in keeping with the current village’s character. There is a link up with the canal and Kellystown via the new village centre which will ‘make the village’ if done properly. Of particular interest to residents will be the 5 major development sites the Council identifies in the village.

There are also some outstanding issues which are not addressed for example there is no mention is made of St Mochta’s school with a view to redevelop it and to provide a recreation centre alongside it.

The small school site beside St. Mary’s Church is not included but will be needed if there is to be more housing in the area.

The Lynam site at the Link Road opposite the filling station is not included. This has been the subject a number of planning applications and it's only a matter of time before an other application is submitted. It should be central to any strategy that seeks to preserve the unique character of this end of Clonsilla

The development objective (and also of Kellystown) of replacing the level crossing with a new bridge is not mentioned. Any further development in the village will have to address this issue first.

Read more...

Dublin Bus changes to Clonee/Ongar Routes

Thursday, October 2, 2008


Dublin Bus is considering changes to bus routes in the Clonee/Ongar area. These include a new peak-period direct bus from Ongar (the 139), re-routing all 70 buses to serve Littlepace and then travel directly to town along the N3. An inbound bus lane along the N3 from Clonee to Blanchardstown has been agreed by the council. The council is also due to decide shortly on plans for bus lanes along the Blakestown Way which if approved may reopen the prospect of the Bus Gate to Huntstown Wood via Bramblefield. Fine Gael is opposed to this.


Dunboyne Rail Spur: Progress is being made on the Dunboyne rail spur which is expected to open in 2010. Stations will be located at Pace (near Dunboyne where there will be a large park ‘n’ride), Dunboyne and Hansfield to the south of Ongar. These trains will run to Docklands. Planning has already been submitted for the Hansfield Station. Detailed drawings, etc. can be accessed, at http://www.fingalcoco.ie/Planning/PlanningSearch (ref no F08A/0518)

Read more...

N3 Noise Maps

Wednesday, September 24, 2008


There was an excellent response to my circular on the noise maps in August. Each County Council is obliged under the EU Noise Pollution Directive to draw up these maps and after a public consultation process set out in detail the actions to be taken to reduce noise and the time frame for delivery

Over 50 submissions were made on the Action Plan to and the majority of these submissions were made by residents along the N3. These can be viewed at noisemaps@fingalcoco.ie
The final version of the plan must be produced by Fingal County Council by 18th October 2008 and submitted for approval to the Environmental Protection Agency.

According to the Council a noise monitoring network is currently being established throughout the county to validate the noise maps and this will be in operation by the end of December 2008. Under the EU Directive a local action plan for the N3 must to be produced between October 2009 and October 2010. The plan must specify a timeline setting out in detail the actions to be taken to reduce noise and the time frame for delivery.

It would seem it is open to the Council to determine what that delivery timeline will be and this is what is so disconcerting. The Council of course does not have to wait until the end of this process. The problems of the N3 have been identified and action should be taken now. Fingal and the National Roads Authority (NRA) should co-fund the construction of a wall or buffalo timber acoustic fence along the boundary between with N3 as has been done along the M50. As an infrastructural investment it should not be subject to budgetary constraints especially since it would benefit the health of so many families in the immediate area and indeed the quality of life of all Clonee.

Read more...

Furious Backpeddling on Kellystown

Friday, September 12, 2008

In recent weeks a leaflet has been circulated by the Labour Party (Joan Burton TD and Cllr Michael O’Donovan, the Mayor of Fingal) regarding Kellystown. This leaflet is very misleading. In the leaflet, it is claimed that ‘in response to a question from Michael O’Donovan, the County Manager gave an explicit commitment that no houses would be built until the primary and post-primary schools were open’. In fact, a legally binding condition (Objective KN9) was written into the Kellystown Variation from day one and was at the core of the proposal, a proposal which Mayor O’Donovan ultimately voted against ! This would have been well known to Mayor O’Donovan and indeed anyone who read the documents or attended any of the local public meetings.

It is also stated that the ‘The Labour Party tabled a number of important amendments so that any Kellystown development could only go ahead when new public transport facilities were in place. These amendments were voted down by Fianna Fail and Fine Gael.’ Again this is very misleading. Indeed, two of the six Labour councillors* did not vote for the motion to which the leaflet refers. Rather, it was agreed that the Local Area Plan (LAP) would include ‘a programme for the phasing of construction of residential and commercial development in tandem with the delivery of transport, recreational, community and education infrastructure’ (Objective KN7). Moreover, Cllr Hamill (Labour) withdrew her motion calling for Metro West and Porterstown Train Station to be in place in advance of any development (Motion 16)* and a motion on bus services for the new development (Motion 19) was actually ruled out of order by the Mayor Michael O’Donovan* who also ruled out of order a motion calling for the school sites to be acquired by compulsory purchase order (Motion 2)*

Kellystown was a very divisive issue for our community. On balance, I decided that it was a good deal for the community. I fully respect that others do not share that view but do not think that any of us should respect politicians who misrepresent the facts and try to claim credit for something they actually opposed.


* Don’t know who to believe? You can watch the meeting on-line at http://www.fingalcoco.public-i.tv/site/. Of particular interest, Labour Mayor, Cllr Michael O’Donovan rules out of order a motion calling for a CPO on the school sites (1hr28), a motion on bus services for the new development (1hr29) and confirms the withdrawal of Cllr Hamill’s motion linking the development to Metro West (1hr34). Labour Councillors Kelleher and Maguire abstain on the ‘Labour transport motions’ (2hr29)

Read more...

Click Here for N3 Noise Map Submission

Monday, September 8, 2008

Click on header for my submission on the N3 Noise Maps and for other submissions see here

Read more...

Roads Update

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Other Local News:

• Fingal County Council agreed unanimously to approve the Porterstown Link Road Scheme. This involves the westward extension of the Diswellstown from the Woodbrook roundabout to access the new primary school (under construction) and the newly designated secondary school site. It also involves realigning the Porterstown Road (the road with St. Mochta’s school and the halting site) and linking it to the roundabout. This will allow more drivers to avoid the level crossings, allow access the new school sites, provide a new shorter route from the Diswellstown area to the new school and St. Mochta’s School and will link the Diswellstown Road and Luttrellstown Road (the road with Porterstown Church on it). Traffic studies have shown that this will result in a reduction in traffic on the Diswellstown and Clonsilla Roads and bypass the very slow rail crossing at Clonsilla Bridge

• As part of the scheme, a new pedestrian crossing will be provided opposite the Courtyard apartments in Clonsilla. The dangerous junction at the gates of Luttrellstown Castle (near Clonsilla station) will be realigned.

• Later in the year, the Council will publish proposals to reopen the one-way system on Clonsilla Road to two-way traffic. It has also been decided to replace the disused bus lane alongside PowerCity and Renault garage providing an extra lane for cars and to replace the roundabout at the top of ‘Fire Station Road’ with a signalised junction.

Read more...

The Porterstown Link Road

Wednesday, August 27, 2008



Note: this road is now open and there have been some delays at the traffic lights. At my request the lights were tweaked this morning (April 19th) and will be kept under review for the next few weeks. 

The original plans were for the roundabout to remain. However, given that a secondary school and possibly two primary schools will be accessed from the junction, it was decided that traffic lights would provide more safety for pedestrians.

The old Porterstown road will now be closed to vehicular traffic at the railway crossing so all traffic between the new road and the Clonsilla road will have to travel over the Dr. Troy Bridge.

The junction of the Luttrellstown road and the Lucan/Clonsilla road at the main gates to luttrellstown Castle will be changed to give priority to Luttrellstown/Lucan traffic and effectively making the road to the Clonsilla rail crossing a side road.
 
The County Council at it’s meeting in July adopted and approved the scheme for the construction of the Porterstown Link Road from the Diswellstown Road Roundabout to the Luttrellstown Road at it’s existing junction with the Porterstown Road. This new road will help reduce traffic flows on the Clonsilla road as N4/N3 traffic from Lucan seek to avoid delays at the Clonsilla level crossing.
The Scheme also includes

(a) the construction of a new road from Diswellstown Road Roundabout to Porterstown Road together with grass verges, pedestrian footpaths and cycletracks;

(b) construction of a new road between Diswellstown Roundabout and Luttrellstown Road to the Porterstown Road at a point approximately 150 metres south of the existing Diswellstown Roundabout
/

Read more...

Kellystown Variation (Rezoning)

Wednesday, August 13, 2008


As you may know, Fingal County Council has voted by 12 to 10 in favour of the variation to rezone the Kellystown lands. Four of the seven councillors from Dublin 15 supported the variation.

The Kellystown Variation, as adopted by the Council, provides for

• 60 acres of residential zoned land along the railway line
• 79 acres of amenity and parkland along the Luttrellstown Road
• 7 acres for a suburban centre (mixed-use development)
• Reserved sites for one secondary school, two primary schools, a community/sports centre, a graveyard and new grounds for St Mochta’s FC

It is a legally binding requirement of the variation that no residential development may take place until the secondary, first primary school, community/recreation centre, distributor road and the new canal and railing way bridge at Clonsilla are up and running (Objective KN9)

Prior to any residential development taking place, the Council must also agree and vote on a Local Area Plan (LAP) which will deal with issues such as housing design and density and public transport provision for the new development (Objective KN7)

As I am not a member of the Council, I did not have a vote on this issue. However, my local Fine Gael colleague Cllr. Eithne Loftus voted in favour for the following reasons:

1. To secure the much needed school sites, parkland and facilities for the community
2. Because 248 of the 282 submissions made by members of public supported the variation
3. The opponents of the variation were unable to come up with a viable alternative proposal to secure these amenities for the public
4. To secure, for the first time, a genuine publicly owned greenbelt which will stretch from Shackelton’s Gardens in Clonsilla to the grounds of Castleknock Hurling Football Club near the M50 providing a barrier to further development between Castleknock and Clonsilla and the Liffey Valley and Luttrellstown Demesne to the south
5. The eventual development of the lands along the railway is inevitable due to their proximity to the railway and the new powers given by the government to the Dublin Transport Authority to overrule the zoning decisions of councillors

There will be no residential development on these lands for a very long time. However, Leo Varadkar TD and I will put maximum pressure on the government to acquire the newly reserved school sites and to now proceed with their development without further delay.

If I am elected to the Council, I will use my influence and that of my party to ensure that improved train services, the long-promised train station at Porterstown, the graveyard and parkland is delivered in phases alongside the residential development when the Local Area Plan (LAP) for Kellystown comes up for discussion. This integrated planning approach was used in Adamstown and Hansfield and should be used in Kellystown as well. I will also do my best to ensure that the development that is permitted is well-designed and appropriate for a suburban area such as Dublin 15. I will be in contact with you to invite you to discuss the LAP with me as soon as a draft is prepared by the Council.

Read more...

96 New Houses Proposed For Hollystown

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

A planning application has been lodged for 96 houses in the Hollystown Rural Village area. It is proposed to construct 96 two and three storey houses comprising 12 four bedroom detached houses, 8 three bedroom semi-detached houses, 64 four bedroom semi-detached houses and 12 three bedroom terraced houses. The development will be accessed from the Hollystown Road and will have a pedestrian access on to the Rathoath Road. It is also proposed to include a single storey crèche as part of the development.

The plans can be viewed in the council’s offices at the Blanchardstown Centre on weekdays between 9.30am and 3.30pm and on the council’s website: http://www.fingalcoco.ie/LivingInFingal/Planning/PlanningSearch/

The reference number is F08A/0913. If you wish to make an observation or objection with respect to this development, you must do so in writing to Fingal County Council, Grove Road, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15 no later than Friday, August 22nd. You must include the €20 fee.

Read more...

Pedestrianisation of Old Hansfield Road

Tuesday, August 5, 2008


Read more...

‘Mulhuddart/Clonsilla area shortchanged in Council Annual Works Plan – Dennison’

Friday, June 20, 2008

Dublin West Fine Gael Representative Kieran Dennison has hit out at the poor deal the Mulhuddart Area has received from the 2008 Council Works Programme.

Two thirds of the package worth €3.9m will be spent in Castleknock and only one third in the Mulhuddart electoral area. Mr. Dennison, who has just been appointed one of the party’s local representatives in the area, says he “felt that local Councillors had failed the Mulhuddart Ward and had some explaining to do”.

Of the 26 Special Roads Contribution Schemes totalling €1.1million, only 4 are in Mulhuddart with a spend of €135,000. Castleknock will benefit from 18 footpath improvement schemes as against 11 for the Mulhuddart Electoral Area. Similarly, 2 of the 3 new pedestrian crossings will be provided in the Castleknock area along with 7 of the 10 new lighting projects. Of the 9 Flood Relief projects only 2 will be in Mulhuddart.

Under the Parks Program the Council will spend €183,000 in Castleknock on improvements to open spaces such as railings, footpaths and lighting and provision of new playgrounds leaving a measly €50,000 for all of Mulhuddart, Clonsilla, Ongar, Tyrrellstown and Clonee.

Kieran Dennison asked “where were the FF and left wing Mulhuddart Councillors when this largesse was being handed out”. He noted that a Castleknock Councillor was quoted in a recent issue of Community Voice as “being very pleased with the programme as it contains a large number of projects that I have sought funding for”. He said that “while the roads and footpaths in Castleknock were getting higher and higher from resurfacing, residents in Mulhuddart had to settle for broken pavements and endure gridlock from outdated signalling at traffic lights. Meanwhile another €100,000 is being allocated to ‘look into’ changing the wasteful one way system on the Clonsilla Road

At €3.9 million the Castleknock/Mulhuddart area received the lowest allocation from the total of €13.3 million the Council will spend on the Scheme in its Local Areas. This is in spite of the fact that the area generates the greater proportion of Fingal’s income. In a parting shot Dennison added “It seems that areas with a Fine Gael Councillor such as Castleknock, Malahide and Swords are getting much better representation, perhaps it’s time Mulhuddart had one as well”.

Read more...

Weavers Walk Planning Application

Thursday, June 12, 2008


A planning application (Ref F08A/0642) for a Temporary Park and Ride Facility has been submitted to Fingal County Council. Located behind the Funeral Home and Filling Station, it will be accessed through the narrow Weavers Walk opposite the Clonsilla Link Road. The facility will accommodate 280 cars, almost twice the size of the car park at Coolmine.

This is a private venture and will do nothing to alleviate the chaotic parking in the vicinity of Clonsilla Rail Station. Most commuters will continue to avail of free parking in nearby estates and roads. In fact it is likely to make things worse as hundreds more cars descend on the Clonsilla Road in the mornings and queue up to get in. Those unable to find space will simply dump their vehicles wherever is most convenient before running for the Train. As well as the congestion and pollution, there will be the usual problems with litter and vandalism just like Coolmine.

The facility is to be a temporary one and presumably will be built on eventually so it’s likely those using the park will seek to continue parking elsewhere in the area.

On Monday Fingal County Council publishes its long awaited Clonsilla Urban Centre Strategy. This report will suggest that a park & ride facility “would attract further extraneous traffic and degrade the Village”. I hope the planners will take this into account when making their decision.
Incidentally the report has labelled the site as “Opportunity Site 2” with potential for 48 residential units comprising 18 x 2 bed apartments, 27 x 3 bed houses and 3 x 4 bed houses.

You may make your own views known to the council’s planning officials, by means of a written observation. This is a simple letter giving your name, your address, the file number and your views on the proposed development. It must be received by the council no later than Thursday June 26th and a €20 planning fee must be included for it to be valid.

Read more...

Councillors Angry Over Impact Of Transport Authority

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Fianna Fail and Green’s New Dublin Transportation Authority Aims To Maximise High Density Development 1 km along Railway and Metro West. From The Irish Times.

Councillors angry over impact of transport authority

THE New Dublin Transportation Authority (DTA), due to start work in January 2009, will have the power to veto planning applications, direct local authority spending and instruct authorities to compulsorily purchase land, Dublin City councillors have been told.

Councillors reacted angrily yesterday to a report from the city’s director of traffic, Michael Phillips, about the impact of the DTA on the council’s powers, and said the DTA was seeking to interfere unduly in council business without giving councillors adequate representation.
Councillors will not be represented on the board of the DTA. Two councillors from the Dublin Regional Authority will be represented on an advisory council to the DTA. However, councillors from the four Dublin local authorities will be vying for these positions.

Mr Phillips told councillors the DTA would be able to stop the council from granting planning permission if it felt the objectives of the DTA would be compromised.
The DTA would also be able to make amendments to the city development plan.
Currently, only councillors can amend the development plan.
The DTA could tell the council where to site bus stops, cycling facilities or parking within the city.

It could also direct the council to compulsorily purchase lands and carry out works, and will be able to step in and carry out work if the council fails to do so.
This could mean that if the DTA decided a quality bus corridor was to be created, the council could be ordered to acquire people’s front gardens, Tim O’Sullivan, executive manager in the council’s traffic department, said.

The DTA will also have an input into the council’s finances, and will be able to direct the council as to how it must spend revenue collected from such sources as parking meters.

Fine Gael were the only major party to vote against this legislation in the Dail.

Read more...

Dennison calls on council to publish Noise Maps for N3

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

As required by the EU noise regulation, the council has to produce noise maps for the N3. This is a major issue for residents in Clonee (Littlepace, Hunters Run, Pheasant Run, Swallowbrook and Bramblefields) and some parts of Mulhuddart. For some time now they have been pressurizing the Council to install Noise Barriers along this busy and very noisy highway.

The EU Directive (2002/49/EC) identifies for the first time noise as a significant pollutant that, as well as annoyance, can cause health problems. The directive compels Dublin local authorities to produce noise maps by 30th June 2007.

The main purpose of mapping is to evaluate the size of population affected by noise issues adjacent to major roads, rail and industrial sources. These maps must be lodged with the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) for publication on their website. As a follow up to this a Noise Action Plan must be drawn up by 18th July 2008.

As part of the Action Plan the Directive mandates that members of the Public must:

  • be consulted on action plan proposals
  • be given opportunity to participate in preparation/review of action plans
  • have results of participation taken into account
  • be kept informed of decisions taken

Dublin City Council has already put some of their noise maps for the Dublin South-Central area on the EPA website (http://www.epa.ie/downloads/advice/ea/).

Sadly as yet there has not been a cheep from Fingal County Council on the issue. No Maps, no Action Plans and no Sound Barriers for the N3. Not good enough.

Read more...

The Blanchardstown Centre

Thursday, April 17, 2008



Blanchardstown is a major Town within the Dublin Metropolitan Area and will continue to be developed as the largest urban settlement in the County and as a social, cultural and local tourism centre. The lands that comprise the Town Centre total 35 hectares.  Green Property has transformed the original greenfield out of town site into the thriving, bustling Town Centre that it is today. The company project managed the zoning, planning, infrastructure, and construction of the entire development.

Today the Town Centre includes 1.25 million sq. ft. of retail and retail warehousing, 250,000 sq.ft. of offices, cinemas, Draiocht theatre, Fingal County Council library, Crowne Plaza hotel and residential. A masterplan has been agreed with all relevant statutory bodies that map out a potential future development pipeline in excess of 1.5 million sq. ft.
The Blanchardstown Centre Website

Read more...

About Kieran

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Kieran Dennison is a member of Fingal County Council. Councillor Dennison represents the Mulhuddart Ward of Dublin West which includes Laraghcon, Clonsilla, Clonee, Ongar, Mulhuddart, Tyrrelstown, Hollystown, and the Ward.

He was elected in 2009 for an area where his party, Fine Gael, had been unsuccessful since 1985 and he did it in style taking the second of five seats on his first attempt. He was re-elected in 2014.

He is self employed with a degrees in Agricultural Science and Economics from UCD and in Marketing from the Marketing Institute of Ireland. 

Councillor Dennison is chairperson of the Economic Development and Tourism Strategic Policy Committee and also Chairperson of the Fingal Joint Policing Committee. He is also a member of the Corporate Policy Group, the council's governing body.

Councillor Dennison was elected Mayor of Fingal in 2013. In his previous roles he served as Chairperson  Environment Strategic Policy Committee overseeing water, sanitation and environmental services for the county. He served as chairperson of the Castleknock/Mulhuddart Local Area Committee, one of county's three operational areas. Kieran is a member of the:

  • Fingal Development Board
  • Fingal Joint Policing Committee
  • Regional Health Forum for Dublin and the North East
  • Dublin Airport Stakeholders Forum
  • Fingal County Heritage Forum
  • Hansfield SDZ Steering Group
  • Fingal and South Dublin Liffey Valley Management Advisory Committee
Outside his council work Kieran is chairperson of the board of the Blanchardstown Area Partnership which manages the Local Employment Service and the Local Community Development Programme for the 110,000 residents of Dublin 15.

Kieran is a director of the county’s enterprise and business support agency, the Fingal County Enterprise Board. 
 
Councillor Dennison works closely with Dr. Leo Varadkar T.D. and Gay Mitchell MEP to ensure the best possible representation for the people of Dublin West, locally, nationally and in Europe.

Email: kierandennison@gmail.com
Phone: +353 87 2595949
Twitter, Facebook

    About Fingal County Council

    Fingal County Council was set up in 1994 as the Local Authority for North County Dublin serving a population of approximately 273,000 people and the urban centres of Greater Blanchardstown, Swords and the towns and areas of Balbriggan, Skerries, Rush, Lusk, Donabate, Portrane, Malahide, Portmarnock, Howth, Sutton and Baldoyle, part of Santry and the rural villages and hinterland of North County Dublin.
    Fingal has 24 elected Councillors, a staff of approximately 1,400, and an Annual Revenue Budget in the region of €220m. Fingal County Council owns and manages five thousand of hectares of public open space across the County along with a number of important historic heritage properties including Skerries Mills, Ardgillan Demesne, Malahide Demesne, Newbridge House, Swords Castle, St. Catherine’s Park Lucan and Santry Demesne.
    • The population of Fingal was 239,813 at the last Census (2006). This was a 22% increase from the 2002 census, compared to a national increase of 8%. Fingal's growth rate between 2002 and 2006 has been unprecedented in the history of the State.
    • By population, Fingal is the second largest county in Ireland and the fourth largest local government area. Nearly 6% of the country's population now live in Fingal.
    Fingal is a food rich area encompassing horticultural, farming and fishing. It is Ireland’s foremost horticultural area, employing approximately 970 people with a total farmgate value in the region of €81m. Its produces 14.5% of national potato output, 47% of field vegetable output and 37% of protected fruits, vegetables and nursery plants. There are 600 farmers in Fingal farming an estimated 25,000ha, of those 180 are involved in tillage (12,000ha), there are approximately 70 herds cows / cattle and 80 flocks of sheep. Two of Ireland’s leading fishing ports, Skerries and Howth, are located along Fingal’s 88kms of Dublin Bay Coastline, with daily landings of fish and shellfish. There is also a plethora of artisan/speciality food producer, restaurants and food retailers in the area.

    Read more...

    Right Click

    Blog Archive

    Search Site

      © Blogger template The Professional Template II by Ourblogtemplates.com 2009

    Back to TOP