Policies for Dublin West

Planning & Environment

- Work on a new five year Fingal County Development Plan is already taking place. I will fight to ensure that the interests of Dublin 15 residents are put ahead of big developers and that our green belts are protected.

- Enhance the use of the Royal Canal through increasing footpath and cycle use as a green route to link D 15 with the rest of the city.

- Increase co-operation between the various local authorities that cover the Liffey Valley in order to achieve a high level of protection for the river with the long term aim of creating a Liffey Valley National Park.

Anti-Social Behaviour

- I will pressure Fingal CC to use new legislation to be introduced by the Minister for the Environment to force landlords to maintain their rented properties and which will tackle noise pollutions such as noisy neighbours

- Work with the community policing forum to highlight to the Gardai when crime or anti-social behaviour is being experienced in particular estates or neighbourhoods

Protecting Local Jobs

- I believe that Fingal CC should use the new income from the tax on second homes to fund reductions in commercial rates for small & medium sized enterprises to reduce costs and protect jobs.

- I will seek to have a business officer appointed to Fingal CC and see the Council take a more active role in promoting employment.

Community Facilities

- Myself and the former Green Party councillors worked to ensure that Fingal CC continued to provide allotments, such as the new site at Tyrrelstown. I will continue seek the provision of increased land for allotments in the Dublin 15 area.

- I will lobby for the inclusion of provision for youth cafes in the new development plan.

- I believe that the Council should make the provision of playgrounds mandatory in all new estates.

Safe Routes to School

- Step 1: Amend the new Fingal County Development Plan to include a requirement for a safe route to school scheme for every school in Dublin 15

- Step 2: Bring together parents, teachers, the Gardai and Fingal County Council to plan a safe route to school strategy for each school.

- Step 3: Improve pedestrian crossings, cycle lanes and footpaths in the vicinity of schools

- Step 4: Reduce speed limits and introduce a ban on heavy goods vehicles around school districts

- Step 5: Ensure the provision of bike sheds in schools so students have a safe place to park their bicycles

Transport

- I will pressure Dublin Bus to undertake a complete review of its routes across the city. Bus routes should serve a limited number of areas and then go directly into the city. Existing routes like the 37 & 39 are expected to service too great an area.

- Fingal CC needs to spend as much time and money supporting major public transport projects in Dublin 15 (Metro West, Navan line) as it does on projects around Swords (Metro North etc).

- Improve pedestrian facilities, upgrade footpaths and create more pedestrian crossings. Address parking on footpaths or uneven curbs where these cause a difficult for the elderly or those with disabilities.

Cycling & Pedestrians

- Give cyclists representation on Fingal County Council’s Transportation Strategic Policy Committee.

- Bring Fingal County Council and cyclists together to draw up a ‘Safe Cycling Strategy’ for Dublin 15. This will allow cyclists engage with the Council to identify black-spots for cyclists and the remedial works which need to be undertaken on these.

- Employ a Cycling Officer for Fingal County Council, like in Dublin City Council – to oversee that the planning and engineering of roads considers the needs of cyclists.

- Undertake a review of the safety of existing cycle lanes, particularly where they intersect with roads or where they abruptly finish.

- Ensure the upkeep of the margins of roads in places where cycle lanes are not provided

- Examine junctions to see where Advanced Stop Lines (ASL’s) would be beneficial for cyclists

- Investigate the feasibility of developing a cycle path along the banks of the Royal Canal to provide a safe route for cyclists linking them to much of the north inner city.

- Improve bike parking facilities at locations like train stations, major bus stops, Blanchardstown Library, and local shopping centres.