Royal Canal Green Way Survey

Published on May 8, 2012 in Blog, Environment, Planning and Transport. 0 Comments

 

08/05/12

Fingal County Council are currently undertaking a public consultation on the use of the Royal Canal – the Royal Canal Green Way Study. The study is being undertaken to examine a range of potential uses of the Royal Canal covering amenity, environment and use as a cycleway.

The closing date for submissions is 25th May.

This study gives Dublin 15 residents an opportunity to have a say on how we want to see the Royal Canal used over the next years. The Canal is a significant resource, be it for walking, cycling or fishing. The opening up of the entire Canal to cruisers means that it now also has tourism potential, which should be encouraged.

Like any ecosystem, the Canal has a delicate balance and it is up to us to choose where this balance lies.  The Canal pathway could be successfully used for transport, by upgrading it to a cycleway. However, this might reduce its potential use for walking and have some environmental effect. Decisions taken now will have a long term impact, which is why it is important that there is substantial public input into the study.

Full details on how to make a submission are included in the link above. If you don’t have time to make a full submission yourself, get in touch with me and I can include your views in the submission from the Dublin West Green Party.

New investment in pedestrian and cycle facilities in Fingal

Published on April 19, 2012 in Blog, Cycling and Transport. 0 Comments

18/04/12

Yesterday, the Department of Transport announced that funding has been made available for a range of new pedestrian and cycle crossings and footpaths throughout Fingal. Within Dublin 15, €1 million is also to be provided to finance improvements on the N3 interchange at Mulhuddart. The announcement came as part of a €11.4 million package of transport infrastructure projects across the Greater Dublin Area.

I am pleased to see that Minister Varadkar is continuing the policies initiated by the Green Party in rebalancing transport spending in favour of public transport, cycling and pedestrians. While a modern roads network is crucial, for too long other forms of transport were ignored. This has changed in recent years and Minister Varadkar should be congratulated for not rowing back on this.

Other elements of the package relevant to Dublin 15 commuters who travel in and out of the city centre include €2 million to resurface bus and cycle lanes with the Dublin City Council boundary.

Initiatives like the Cycle to Work Scheme and Dublin Bikes have significantly increased the number of people cycling to work. It is important that the Government continues to support all commuters and enhance transport safety.

Government must act on Mahon Report recommendations on conflict of interest in planning decisions

Published on March 26, 2012 in Blog and Planning. 0 Comments

 

After the drama of the Mahon Reports conclusions about individuals, attention is starting to turn to its recommendations about how to fight corruption in our political system. Chapter 18 of the Report contains recommendations on 8 separate areas: planning; conflicts of interest; political finance; lobbying; bribery; corruption in office; money laundering; asset confiscation; as well as other miscellaneous measures.

Local government and planning are two issues I’ve always been passionate about. Residents across Dublin 15 have suffered as a result of poorly thought out planning decisions, passed by Fingal County Council. As such, I’m particularly interested in some of the recommendations proposed to address conflicts of interests amongst county councillors during the planning process.

The Mahon Report identifies conflict of interest as when an individual who can exercise public power may potentially benefit from the way that power is exercised. The Report was critical of a current member of Fingal County Council, Cllr Anne Devitt, for voting on a planning matter when she had been paid for professional services by one of the parties involved, describing it as “entirely inappropriate” (Chapter 7 – p 1934).

The Report recommends that those seeking to get planning permission for their land should indicate if they have made a donation of more than €55 to any councillor on the local authority which will be deciding on their planning application. Further, where a councillor makes either an oral or written intervention about a particular planning request, this should be noted on the file of that planning application.

The Report also states that councillors should have to declare on an ad hoc basis, any interest that might be seen to influence them in the conduct of their public duties.

In my view, it is simply not acceptable that councillors should be able to vote on decisions when they themselves have gained, or have the potential to gain, from that decision. All the handwringing of politicians and commentators will mean nothing if the lessons from the tribunal process are not learnt.

The Government have an obligation to go through the 231 pages of the ‘Recommendations’ chapter of the Mahon Report, and identify how they plan to respond to each one. And where they decide to take no action, they need to give a reason justifying this.

Link to Fiscal Compact Treaty

Published on March 6, 2012 in Blog, Europe and Politics. 0 Comments

 

For those of you interested, here is a link to the Fiscal Compact Treaty, which we shall be voting upon in a referendum in the next few months.

It’s actually a much more readable document than any of the EU Treaties which have been put before us.

The Green Party will be holding a special convention to decide our position, once we know the date of the referendum.

Fingal County Council should make Fiscal Compact Treaty available on its website

Published on March 6, 2012 in Blog, Europe and Politics. 0 Comments

 

Now that we know that a referendum will happen in the next few months, I have written to the Fingal County Manager, asking him to place a link to the text of the Fiscal Compact Treaty on the Fingal County Council website.

 

In previous referenda on Europe, public understanding of the issues involved has been hampered by a lack of information and the complexity of the Treaties. On this occasion, the Fiscal Compact Treaty is a short and reasonably readable document. While a referendum commission will be set up to aid in the public information campaign, this does not usually operate until the 3-4 weeks of the actual campaign. I am eager to see the Irish public having access to the information prior to this, to allow them real time for consideration.

 

As the Fingal County Council website is one that is significantly used by residents across the Dublin West and Dublin North constituencies, I am requesting that a link to the text is placed on the website. This would allow the document be immediately accessed by thousands of voters, at no expense.

 

Fingal County Council has a deserved reputation for innovation. I would strongly encourage the County Manager to support and implement this small measure, which has the potential to allow thousands of voters properly inform themselves about the Fiscal Compact Treaty. I will be putting up a similar link on this website and my Facebook page.

Kilmartin LAP needs serve needs for Tyrrelstown and Hollystown residents

Published on February 2, 2012 in Development Plan, Planning and Tyrrelstown. 0 Comments

Green Party Dublin West representative, Roderic O’Gorman has called on Fingal County Council to ensure that the existing needs of residents of Tyrrelstown and Hollystown are met through the Kilmartin Local Area Plan (LAP). He was speaking as he made his submission to the public consultation on the LAP.

“Tyrrelstown and Hollystown have seen huge growth in the last ten years, but this has not been matched by the provision of necessary infrastructure. Permanent school and community facilities are only being provided now, over ten years after the Tyrrelstown was first opened”, stated Roderic O’Gorman.

“The Kilmartin LAP offers an opportunity for Fingal County Council to address some of the infrastructure deficit in these communities. It also could allow Hollystown to be joined to Tyrrelstown, with provision for footpaths and cycle-paths to link significant infrastructure such as schools, community centres and commercial centres. Public transport will also be needed to serve any new residential developments. Consideration should be given to extending the 40D route through the Kilmartin lands and onto Hollystown”.

“While I feel Fingal County Council made a mistake in zoning new land at Tyrrelstown for residential purposes in the recent County Development Plan, the Kilmartin LAP offers a chance to plan for the wider Tyrrelstown area in a long term, structured way. I look forward to seeing the first draft once it is published by the Council, and commenting on it”, concluded Roderic O’Gorman.

Ends

Swords needs to be ‘reunified’ by the Constituency Commission

Published on January 10, 2012 in Blog and Politics. 0 Comments Tags: .

 

Today is the deadline for submissions to the Constituency Commission on the redraw of Dail and Euro constituency boundaries, following the 2010 Census.

In my submission I am advising that the village of Swords should no longer be divided between Dublin North and Dublin West. Having campaigned in Swords in the two national elections this year, I am acutely aware of the concerns that residents of the smaller Dublin West section of the town. The voters I met felt completely isolated from the wider constituency, having no real connection to the Dublin 15 side. Politicians from Dublin 15 are not recognised, when compared to the usual politicians who have represented the area.

Section 6.(2)(e) of the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2009 state that “there shall be regard to geographic considerations” by the Constituency Commission in the making of its decision. In light of this, I’ve urge the Constituency Commission to ensure that Swords village is reunited in either Dublin West, Dublin North or whatever new constituency arrangement is reached after the review.

National Transport Authority responds to my letter regarding the Porterstown level crossing

Published on December 5, 2011 in Carpenterstown and Transport. 0 Comments

Over recent months, there has been some speculation over the future of the level crossing at Porterstown. In particular, concerns have been raised regarding whether if it is closed, provision will be made for pedestrian access along the Porterstown Road. This is particularly important for parents bringing their children to and from St. Mochta’s National School.

I recently contacted the National Transport Authority (NTA) to find out what their plans for the level crossing are. They have confirmed to me that they are looking at the possibility of closing the Porterstown crossing, in conjunction with Irish Rail and Fingal County Council (see link below). Such an action would be statutory process. However, they also stated that if a final decision was made to close the level crossing, “ … consideration will be given to the provision of appropriate, alternative pedestrian and cycle facilities”.

I am pleased to see that the NTA are open to the need to keep some level of pedestrian access along the Porterstown Road, even if it is closed to vehicular traffic. The route along the Porterstown Road is the safest for the many parents who bring their children from estates like Luttrelstown or Riverwood on foot to school at St. Mochta’s. I will work to make sure that any change to the status of the level crossing will not impact negatively on these parents.

NTA – Porterstown