Press Release – O’Gorman welcomes confirmation on opening of Tyrrelstown allotments – renews call for more allotments to be provided in Dublin 15

Roderic at the entrance to the first phase of the new allotments at Tyrrelstown

13/04/09

Green Party Castleknock ward candidate, Roderic O’Gorman has welcomed the news that the new Fingal County Council allotments in Tyrrelstown will open in the next two months, but has also renewed his call for more allotments to be provided in the area.

“I had a question put to the County Manager at the April meeting of the Council regarding when the new allotments at Tyrrelstown will be open. The Manager has stated that the only works left to be completed is an ESB connection and that he anticipates this will be completed within two months”, stated Roderic O’Gorman.

“While this is positive news, it is disappointing that the new Tyrrelstown lands will only make a small dent in the overall waiting list for allotments in Dublin 15. Many of those who will get plots in Tyrrelstown are current allotment holders who have to move from the Cappogue site which has to close. As such, Tyrrelstown will only result in about 100 people on the waiting list getting allotments. Considering the last time I asked, there were over 300 people on the list, it looks like a lot of people are going to be left disappointed”.

“The Council originally intended to open a second phase at Tyrrelstown which would have provided more sites, but they now state that they will not do this because of budgetary constraints. While I realise that Fingal, along with local authorities across the country are facing financial pressure, I think that hitting the allotment budget is a false economy. I am regularly being asked by residents across Dublin 15 about the availability of allotments. Many people, including those recently unemployed, are looking at allotments as a means of growing their own food, saving money and having a healthy activity”.

“Recently, some private allotments have started up in Clonsilla. While I welcome any moves to increase the availability of allotments in Dublin 15, I do believe that it is essential that Fingal increases the number of sites that it provides. This is an issue that the Green Party have fought hard for on Fingal County Council and I will continue to press the County Manager on this if I am elected to the Council in June”, concluded Roderic O’Gorman.

Ends

Further Information
Roderic O’Gorman: 087 417 9777
www.rodericogorman.com
www.getgrowing.ie

FINGAL COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING

WEDNESDAY 15TH APRIL 2009

ITEM NO. 12 – Tyrrlestown allotments

Question: Councillor J. Corr
“To ask the Manager when the new allotments at Tyrrelstown will be open, how many of these are reserved for current allotment holders vacating other sites in Dublin 15, what is the current waiting list for allotments in the Dublin 15 area and how many allotments could be provided in the second phase at Tyrrelstown?”

Reply:
The construction works have been completed with the exception of the electricity supply. We have engaged the ESB to carry out these works and we anticipate completion within the next two months.

All those who vacated allotments in Cappogue will be accommodated in the new development and approximately 100 allotments will be allocated to those on the waiting list.

There are no plans to construct a second phase at this location due to current budgetary constraints.

Press Release – O’Gorman welcomes Get Ireland Growing campaign

05/04/09

Green Party Castleknock ward candidate, Roderic O’Gorman has welcomed the launch of the Get Ireland Growing campaign by the Green Party. The campaign is designed to encourage people to grow their own food, whether at home, in allotments, in community gardens or at school.

“With the Get Ireland Growing campaign, the Green Party is encouraging people to grow their own food. This can be done in local authority or private allotments, community and school gardens, along with encouraging people to grow food at home”, stated Roderic O’Gorman.

Press Release – O’Gorman calls on Council to immediately begin work on second phase of Tyrrelstown allotments

Roderic at the entrance to the first phase of the new allotments at Tyrrelstown

29/12/08

Green Party Castleknock ward candidate, Roderic O’Gorman, has called on Fingal County Council to immediately begin work on the second phase of the new allotment facility it is developing near Tyrrelstown. He made the call after the Council revealed that the current demand for allotments in the Dublin 15 area is already greater than the number of new allotments that will be provided in the first phase.

“I am calling on Fingal County Council to immediately start work on the second phase of the new land that is being provided for allotments near Tyrrelstown. I recently had a question put to the County Manager and in his response he stated that there are currently 365 persons on the waiting list to get allotments in the Dublin 15 area. The first phase of the new allotments in Tyrrelstown will only supply 250 places. Obviously, this means that there will be at least 115 persons who will be left disappointed at this time”, stated Roderic O’Gorman

“Since there is very clearly a significant demand for allotments within the Dublin 15 area, I think it is obvious that the Council should immediately commence with opening up the second phase of the allotments at Tyrrelstown. Currently there are workers on the first phase, fencing off the area, tilling the ground and laying in basic facilities. Surely it makes a lot more sense to prepare the second phase of the allotments now, rather than letting the workers leave and then calling them back in a few months time”.

“More and more people are looking to allotments as a way of providing themselves with healthy home grown food, particularly as much of the new housing built across Dublin 15 over the last 10 years does not have private gardens. Over the last year I have been contacted by a number of local people who are seeking to get an allotment. While I welcome the fact that Fingal County Council have created this new facility for allotment holders at Tyrrelstown, the Council must further demonstrate its commitment by beginning work on the second phase and making it available as soon as possible”.

“Myself and my Green Party colleagues on Fingal County Council have continuously highlighted the need to supply allotments. Indeed, it was a Green Party motion that reversed the policy the Council had adopted two years ago where it was no longer taking names onto the waiting list for allotments. We will continue to push this issue so that anyone living in Dublin 15 who wants to avail of an allotment will be able to do so”, concluded Roderic O’Gorman.

Ends

Further Information
Roderic O’Gorman: 087 417 9777

COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING

MONDAY, 8th December, 2008

ITEM NO. 9

ALLOTMENT WAITING LIST

Question: Councillor D. Healy

“To ask the Manager what is the current size of the waiting list for allotments in the Dublin 15 area and whether, in light of the large number of applicants, he will consider developing the second phase of the new allotments at Tyrrelstown/Powerstown?”

Reply:

There are currently 365 persons on the waiting list for allotments in the Dublin 15 area. Phase One of the new allotment scheme at Powerstown will provide for approximately 250 allotments.

Following the allocation of allotments in Phase 1, the waiting list will be further examined and consideration, if necessary, can be then be given to the provision of a second phase.