Discussing canal with Deirdre and Noel Spain of Royal Canal Amenity Group

Myself, Simon Herbert and Deirdre De Burca at Coolmine Station after the clean-up

19/04/09

Green Party Castleknock ward candidate Roderic O’Gorman and Mulhuddart ward candidate, Simon Herbert, have thanked Dublin 15 residents for their support of the Green Party clean up of the Royal Canal between the 12th Lock and Clonsilla Train Station. About 20 volunteers joined in the clean-up on Saturday afternoon, along with Dublin European Election candidate, Deirdre De Burca.

“We had about 20 volunteers out with us today, cleaning the Royal Canal all the way from the 12th Lock bar down to Clonsilla Station. We shifted about 15 sack loads of rubbish – mostly cans and bottles, along with various other items of waste, including at least one dead rat! It’s such a shame that a small minority of people treat the canal in this way. If I’m elected to Fingal County Council in June I intend to work to ensure that the canal and the surrounding area is developed in a way that allows more people to enjoy it”, stated Roderic O’Gorman.

The clean-up in Dublin 15 was part of a serious that the Green Party were organising along the Royal Canal. Local election candidates Gary Fitzgerald in Cabra-Glasnevin and David Geary in North Inner City also had teams working on their sections of the canal.

“As we worked our way along the bank, we met lots of people out walking and enjoying the fantastic day. All were really positive about the clean-up that the local Green Party organised, which was part of An Taisce’s National Spring Clean. We would like to thank Fingal County Council for arranging to pick up the rubbish from us at Coolmine Station”, stated Simon Herbert.

The Dublin West Green Party and local volunteers were joined in the clean-up by Dublin European Election candidate for the Green Party, Senator Deirdre De Burca.

“I really enjoyed getting involved in today’s clean-up. Like the rest of Dublin’s waterways, the Royal Canal is a real resource. It provides a green route all the way from Dublin City centre to the Shannon. It has real potential for tourism as well as being a fantastic leisure amenity for walkers and cyclists”, stated Deirdre De Burca.

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Further Information
Roderic O’Gorman: 087 417 9777
Simon Herbert: 086 381 8865
Deirdre De Burca: 086 806 1450

Next Saturday (18th April) myself and Simon Herbert (Green candidate in Mulhuddart ward) are taking a break from campaigning to lead a clean up along the Royal Canal as part of National Spring Clean.

We are meeting in two groups – Simon’s group will be meeting at Clonsilla Station and my group will be meeting at Castleknock Train Station. We will be cleaning the area around the two stations, then we will be working along the bank of the Canal and meeting at Coolmine Station.

The clean-up kicks off at 2 PM. Do come and join us. The Royal Canal is a real resource for Dublin 15, but unfortunately it is often littered. Myself and Simon are inviting people from across Dublin 15 to help us give this stretch of the canal a good cleaning

Aftermath of burnt out car, St Mochtas estate, Coolmine

Over the last two years, I have been dealing with the issue of abandoned cars across Dublin 15. I have recently written to the Minister for the Environment, John Gormley TD, to ask him to consider amending the law in order to allow local authorities greater freedom to deal with removing abandoned cars.

Last week a car was abandoned in St Mochta’s estate in Coolmine. When the Council were notified, they had to go through a long process to notify the former owner of the car. Unfortunately, this long time period meant that the car was burnt out. At this stage, the Council was able to move the burnt out car immediately.

It strikes me as completely ridiculous that it is easier to get a burnt out car removed, than getting the same car removed before it gets burnt out. The Council state the reason for this is that on occasions where they have removed an abandoned car without the owner’s consent and then disposed of it, they have been successfully sued by the car’s owner.

In light of this, I have written to the Minister for the Environment to consider amending the Waste Management Act to allow the local authority more flexibility in disposing of abandoned cars. When cars are burnt out, they create a major hazard, both while on fire and the resulting debris. Fingal and other county councils should have to power to move quickly when abandoned cars are reported to them and not have one hand tied behind their back by the legislation.

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.

“Growing your own food has a range of benefits. It saves money, it gives people access to healthy food, it is better for the environment and it is an enjoyable activity. As part of the campaign, the Green Party has set up a website – www.getgrowing.ie – to give people information and resources on how to start growing their own food”.

The Get Ireland Growing campaign follows on from the Incredible Edibles campaign that was launched by the Minister for Food, Trevor Sargent TD. This campaign saw seed packs being sent to schools across the country to encourage children to learn to grow their own vegetables.

“One of the key issues I am highlighting as part of this campaign is the need for more council allotments in Dublin 15. I am regularly contacted by people who are looking for allotments from the Council, but who have been left on long waiting lists”.

“In Fingal, the Green Party councillors were successful in reopening the waiting list for allotments and also in securing more land for allotments. In Dublin 15, we now have new land for allotments in Tyrrelstown which will open soon. However, there are still more people on the waiting list and the Council should prioritize identifying land for these people. In particular, the Council should quickly move to open the second phase of the new Tyrrelstown allotments”, concluded Roderic O’Gorman.

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Further Information
Roderic O’Gorman: 087 417 9777

'Kissing-gates' at Laverna Way

While I was canvassing door-to-door in Laverna recently a number of residents raised concerns with me about increases in anti-social behaviour and a lack of Garda presence in the area. In particular, the problem of gangs gathering and drinking at the gates between Laevena Way and Bramley Green was highlighted.

I have raised these issues with the Gardai in Blanchardstown and the Superintendent has referred the issues to the Neighbourhood Policing Unit – see the response below.

Garda Response - Anti-social behaviour in Laverna

29/03/09

Green Party Castleknock ward candidate, Roderic O’Gorman, has called for a 3 storey height limit on any future development in Blanchardstown. The proposal was made as part of his submission to Fingal County Council on the Blanchardstown Village Development Strategy.

“I have urged Fingal County Council to implement a 3 storey height limit on any future developments in the Blanchardstown Village area. We have seen over the last two years attempts by developers to get permission for high rise developments in the centre of Castleknock and Clonsilla villages. While it is unlikely that any major developments will take place in the next year or two, there are locations such as the Superquinn site that builders may in the future wish to develop intensively. It is vital therefore that we insert a height limit of 3 storey’s in the development strategy so developers never get permission to put high rise in the centre of Blanchardstown village”, Roderic O’Gorman.

The submission from the Dublin West Green Party included a number of other points also.

“I have called for the actual area covered by the Development Strategy survey to be extended to include the Castleknock Road down as far as Castleknock Train Station and also Roselawn Shopping Centre. We feel it is important that these important local public transport interchanges and neighbourhood shopping area should be included”.

“We also propose that the Strategy should include proposals to develop the Tolka Valley Park and the Royal Canal as community resources. These amenities have the potential to be used for the benefit of pedestrians and cyclists and the Strategy should outline how they can be safely linked. As they also provide very important wildlife corridors, the Strategy should include proposals to protect the natural heritage and to encourage appreciation by the local population of the natural environment and the importance of protecting biodiversity”, concluded Roderic O’Gorman.

Green Party submission – Blanchardstown Village Development Strategy

Litter at Coolmine Woods

Recently residents in the Coolmine area have highlighted to me their concerns about the large amount of litter in Coolmine Woods and along the laneway linking the Clonsilla Road to the Snugborough Road. I visited the area and there are a large amount of beer cans and bottles, paper and plastic litter lying among the trees and behind the wall beside the bus stop.

The Coolmine Woods are now much more open since the Council cut back much of the undergrowth. While this makes the route safer to travel, it has also revealed the large amount of litter that collects in the area.

I have raised this issue with Fingal County Council and I look forward to them removing the litter in question.

Roderic O'Gorman at Rushbrook-Roselawn Road laneway

Green Party Castleknock ward candidate, Roderic O’Gorman has welcomed the clarification by Fingal County Council regarding the opening and closing time of the gates on the Rushbrook – Roselawn laneway. He was speaking after some residents had raised concerns that the gates were no longer being locked at night as agreed with local residents.

“Recently, residents in Rushbrook raised concerns with me that the gates on the Rushbrook – Roselawn laneway were not being locked at night as was agreed with Fingal County Council. I have raised the issue with the Council and they have confirmed to me that a security company have been engaged by the Transportation Department to open and close the gates at 7:00AM and 10:00PM daily”, stated Roderic O’Gorman.

“I am pleased that Fingal County Council has provided this certainty for those living in the area. While the laneway is a useful shortcut, it is essential that it is not used for anti-social behaviour. The continuation of the night-time locking is vital to ensure security for the residents of those houses adjoining the laneway”, concluded Roderic O’Gorman.

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Further Information
Roderic O’Gorman: 087 417 9777

15/03/09

Green Party Castleknock ward candidate, Roderic O’Gorman has called on Fingal County Council to install safety railings separating estate green spaces from busy roads.

“I’m calling on Fingal County Council to install safety railings at the roundabout on the Carpenterstown Road outside the Carpenter Pub, to separate the road from Burnell Park and also along the Diswellstown Road to separate the road from the Luttrellstown Glade and Luttrellstown Grove estates”, stated Roderic O’Gorman.

“The lack of safety railings has been a consistent concern for residents of these estates, particularly as there are a large number of young children living locally and both roads are notorious for speeding”.

“I recently had a question raised at a Fingal CC meeting regarding these two locations. The County Manager has stated that there are no plans to work on these under the current Transport Works plan for 2009. However, I will continue to pressure the Council on this issue as it not acceptable to leave young children at risk in this way”, concluded Roderic O’Gorman.

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Further Information
Roderic O’Gorman: 087 417 9777

FINGAL COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING
MONDAY 9TH MARCH 2009

ITEM 11

RAILINGS – BURNELL PARK & LUTTRELLSTOWN GLADE/GROVE

Question: Councillor J. Corr

“To ask the Manager whether the Council will consider erecting railings at the south-west side of the roundabout on the Carpenterstown Road outside the Carpenter Pub, to separate the road from Burnell Park and along the south side of the Diswellstown Road to separate the road from the Luttrellstown Glade and Luttrellstown Grove estates in the interest of public safety?”

Reply:

The railings provided at Burnell Park were provided by the developers of the estate as part of the boundary treatment between the estate and the Diswellstown Road. No provision is included in current Works Programmes to extend the railings around the turning circle bordering the Carpenterstown Road.

No provision is included in the 2009 Transportation Works Programme to provide safety railings at Luttrellstown Glade and Luttrellstown Grove adjacent to the Diswellstown Road. These areas will be listed for examination and further consideration when future Works Programmes are being drawn up.

08/02/09

Green Party Castleknock ward candidate, Roderic O’Gorman has called on Fingal County Council to swiftly draft and publish traffic calming measures for the Diswellstown Road. He was speaking in response to a letter from the Council’s Transportation Department in which it was confirmed that the final details for the traffic calming scheme had not yet been finalised.

“I’m pleased that the Council can confirm some aspects of the new traffic calming plan, such as traffic lights at the Riverwood Road roundabout and at the roundabout outside St. Patricks National School. The Council also confirmed that it will be implementing traffic calming on the Diswellstown Road, the Luttrellstown Road, Rugged Lane and Somerton Lane”.

“I have written to the Council and urged them to put speed ramps in place on the Diswellstown Road. The traffic monitors that were placed there in the run up to the 2007 General Election have proved to be completely ineffective – indeed many people feel that they actually encouraging speeding by boy-racers. Ramps are the one mechanism that will act to immediately slow down speeding cars”.

“Parents in estates such as Luttrellstown and Riverwood are deeply worried about the speeds that are being achieved on the Diswellstown Road at all time of the day and night. The opening up of the link to the Porterstown Road may well exacerbate this situation. As such, I am calling on the Council to swiftly draw up the traffic calming plan for the area so that it can be put on public display so local residents can give their opinion on the matter”.

“I would also suggest that the Council look at putting ramps on the roads into some of the estates along the Diswellstown Road. Residents on roads like Luttrellstown Way have told me about numerous incidents of speeding and crashes within the estate itself. Since the Council are going to be undertaking works in the area, it makes sense to examine if ramps would be effective in reducing speed and preventing accidents in the surrounding areas,” concluded Roderic O’Gorman

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Further Information
Roderic O’Gorman: 087 417 9777

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