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Report on Litter Management in Artane/Whitehall

Here is the report issued to the North Central Area Committee for March 2010:

A key objective of the Area office is to ensure a consistently high standard of cleanliness throughout the area and to promote and encourage prevention, reuse and recycling of waste and the management of litter.  

To facilitate the achievement of litter preservation and control, the Area office works closely with the Waste Management Division, and the Area has its own locally managed designated resources.

Proposals for Additional Masts on Supervalu, Lorcan Avenue

Meteor Mobile Communications Ltd. have applied for planning permission to erect three additional masts on the roof of SuperValu on Lorcan Avenue. Two of the masts will be enclosed in flag poles, another will be a dish on top of a flag pole. The poorly worded application states:

“For the attachment of 2 no. 8m flagpoles (with 1 no. antenna enclosed in each) and 1no. pole mounted dished to the rooftop together with associated equipment, timber cladding and cabinets as part of their 2G network and their new 3G broadband network.”

If you would like to object to this proposal, send your objections to: The Principal Planning Officer, Planning Department, Dublin City Council, Civic Offices, Wood Quay, Dublin 8. You must state your reasons for objection, indicate that you are objecting to plan number: 2313/09 and you must submit €20 with your objection. The objection must be submitted before 19th March. You will receive an acknowledgement from Dublin City Council. Keep this acknowledgement in case there is an appeal to An Bórd Pleanála.

Speech to Labour Party Conference on SR Technics and Social Welfare

28th March 2009

For many people this recession brings real fear. Will they face a pay cut? Will they lose their job? Or worse still, will they lose their family home. But for others that fear has turned into a sickening reality.

SR Technics is one of many companies that is closing its doors. But in North Dublin, SR Technics is more than just a company. It is an entire industry. And many believe the government has not done enough to save these jobs.

But it's not just those that worked directly for SR Technics that have lost out. I met one man in Coolock that was a self-employed, skilled tradesman, with a long term contract with SR Technics. He too has lost his job.

After a delay of nine weeks he finally received a social welfare payment of €100 to top up the €300 his wife earns working in the local shop.

This couple have children, an income of €1,600 per month and a mortgage of €1,800 per month. They face a tough battle to save their family home.

If the mother in this family wasn't working, social welfare would pay the interest on their mortgage. But because she earns €300 per week, they get no such help. This family is being penalised for their hard work.

Labour would scrap this perverse rule that discourages families from working.

But this is the legacy of Fianna Fáil. This is the legacy of Bertie Ahern. This is the legacy of Brian Cowen. This is the legacy that Labour, under Eamon Gilmore, must end.

Speech to Labour Party Conference on Dublin Bus cuts and removal of No. 3 Bus from Larkhill

28th March 2009

Last year Dublin Bus made an operating loss of €31 million. That's just over €3 million more than the pension that Michael Fingleton will receive.

Last year there was a spike in the price of oil, which won't be repeated this year, so last year's loss was a once off loss.

If you look at the service that Dublin Bus provides from a financial point of view, we know that by investing in public transport, we improve the efficiency of Dublin, we improve the footfall into the city centre, and improve the way that business works in our city. So, financially we must support Dublin Bus.

But there is also a social side. In my own area of Larkhill, there is a large elderly population. Dublin Bus is exploring the option of removing the No. 3 bus from this estaste, or else seriously curtailing it. That will have a huge negative impact on many people's lives and cut many elderly people off from the city centre.

Updated Information on Closure of Lane at back of Shanvarna Road and Shanrath Road

19th March 2009

At Thursday’s meeting of the North West Area Committee (19th March), the Area Manager informed the local councillors that if the public right-of-way is removed from the lane, the owners of the grassed area in the lane would then be entitled to apply for planning permission to build on that piece of land. If the public right of way remains in the lane, the owners of that patch of land are not entitled to build on their land as the land is designated “public open space”. However, if the lane is closed to the public, the land will no longer be public open space, and could be built on. Removing the public right-of-way does not mean that the owners of the grassed area will definitely seek to build on the site, but it would be a possibility.

As a result of this new information, the local councillors have agreed to defer this decision so that the residents can be informed of the new information. We will consider the lane closure again at our next meeting on April 23rd. In my opinion, this is a decision for the residents of Shanvarna Road and Shanrath Road, so if you feel strongly about this issue, let me know what you think. You can ring me or text me on 087 908 0409, or email me at andrewmontague@eircom.net.

Flooding Report in Shanard, Shanliss and Shanowen

13th March 2008

Dublin City Council have produced a report into the flooding in Dublin last August. I’m publishing the section of the report dealing with Shanard, Shanliss and Shanowen:

Shanard Road Flooding

Approximately 8 houses on Shanard Road were directly affected by the flooding on August 9th 2008, from no.12-26. These houses are at a low level, relative to the road, and once the road flooded, the houses were quickly inundated. Residents also reported that rainwater flowed overland from Shanliss Road, which is at a higher level than Shanard Road, and gathered at the local low point in front of these houses.

Following the flooding, approximately 1,130m of the drainage network in the area was camera surveyed. Drainage Division are currently pressure cleaning the drainage network in the area.

The camera survey and subsequent pressure cleaning revealed that there is a significant problem with scale in the pipelines in this area. Scale occurs when minerals, which are naturally occurring in the soil, are dissolved, seep through joints in the pipes, and solidify within the pipe. It forms a hard, concrete-like deposit, which can then act as an obstruction, reducing the flow capacity of the pipeline.

Scale is not easily removed by pressure cleaning, and more aggressive methods are just as likely to damage the pipeline as clear the scale. The cleaning programme is ongoing at present, and will continue until the pipelines are completely clear.

The pipeline on Shanard Road has been completely cleared, along with a section on Shanowen Avenue. This should afford a considerable level of protection in any extreme rainfall event in the immediate future, carrying storm water away from the vulnerable low lying area to overland flow on Shanowen Avenue. For information, gullies on the affected roads were cleaned in March 2008, and again in August & September 2008 as a precaution.

Improvement Measures 

At present Drainage Division are studying possible measures to improve the capacity of the drainage network in the area. Increasing the capacity would allow the drainage network to accommodate more extreme storms than at present, reducing the likelihood of future property flooding.

• In addition to works on Shanard Road/Shanowen Avenue, a significant pressure cleaning programme will also take place on Shanliss Road, Shanowen Grove and Shanowen Road. This should increase the capacity of the drainage network on Shanliss Road, and reduce the amount of overland flow reaching Shanard Road in an extreme rainfall event.
• An abandoned overflow sewer on Shanard Road is being investigated. It may be possible to carry out works to restore this line to service, depending on the condition of the pipeline, its capacity, whether it has been cut-off/excavated, and whether it discharges at a suitable point.
• Should the overflow be returned to service, the extra capacity provided can be exploited by installing additional gullies.
• Drainage Division are examining the possibility of installing a ramp at the junction of Shanliss Road / Shanard Road to divert flow overland, away from Shanard Road, and will liaise with the Roads and Traffic Dept.

Drainage Division will continue to monitor the operation of the drainage network during extreme weather events in the area.

Shock Kilmardinny Decision

10th March 2009

An Bord Pleanála have given permission for the development of 48 apartments, 5 retail/office units, a training centre, a restaurant and a pub with an associated beer garden on the site of the Kilmardinny. The buildings will be up to four storeys in height.

This decision comes after years of campaigning by the local community against this development. It is particularly disappointing that An Bord Pleanála should back this proposal after Dublin City Council refused planning permission, and the board’s own inspector considered the proposal to be poor quality.

Ballymun Whitehall Area Partnership

23rd February 2009

Planning for our Future Recovery

17 February 2009

The current economic crisis is having a devastating impact on families and communities. Every day brings more news of financial scandals, dodgy deals or major job losses. This situation will continue until we develop a credible Recovery Plan to give confidence back to communities, to families, to investors and employers.

This plan must have key principles at its core:

• Fairness - those on the lowest incomes should not be expected to pay for the mistakes of our financial elites
• Accountability - those that cheated and abused our financial system should pay a price (up to and including prison). They should not be waved off with a golden handshake and a bulging pension package
• Maximise Employment - we must do everything in our power to keep people off the dole and restore our economic competitiveness. Recent experience teaches us the disastrous social consequences of mass unemployment.
• Imagination - we must use our ingenuity and creativity to dig ourselves out of this mess. In lieu of layoffs one company has offered three years unpaid leave to any of their workers that wanted to take a sabbatical. Why can't we apply this across the board in the public service?
• Sustainability - the issue of climate change hasn't gone away. However, this economic crisis provides us with an opportunity to tackle our reliance on imported oil and gas. By investing now in wind and wave energy, and by developing a programme of insulation for our older homes, we can create jobs and help sustain our long term development
• Community - investment in communities is most important in times of crisis. We must continue the regeneration of Ballymun and get the regeneration plans off the ground across Dublin in places such as O'Devaney Gardens and St. Michael's House.

Planning Application for Additional Masts on Supervalu, Lorcan Avenue

19th February 2009