Thanks to everyone for following my blog. I’ve now moved it over to http://rodericogorman.com so if you’re following by feed reader etc. please head over there to keep up to date with my work and campaign.

The campaign is heating up now and I’m in with a shot of getting a seat on Fingal County Council but it will be a battle. If you’d like to lend a hand on the campaign trail you’re more then welcome. Just leave a comment or send me an email.

Roderic

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.

Narrow Foothpath at Granard Bridge - Blanchardstown

As someone who lives in Blanchardstown and gets the train from Castleknock every day, I think the footpath leading from the junction of the Roselawn Road and the Castleknock Road up the humpback bridge to the station is far too narrow. Obviously this is an extremely busy area for pedestrians, with commuters from Blanchardstown going to and from Castleknock Station.

In reality, there is only enough space for one person to walk on this section of the footpath. When two people meet, one is forced out onto the road in order to pass. Obviously, this creates a major danger for pedestrians and also for passing cars and cyclists. Added to this, visibility at this point is limited due to extremely bad lighting and the fact that cars and bicycles often cross the crest of the humpback bridge quickly.

I think it’s really important that Fingal County Council investigate means of improving safety at what is a very busy stretch of footpath. I was looking up the minutes of old Fingal County Council meetings and this issue was raised as far back as 2002. It’s time the Council took action to remedy a dangerous situation.

Good news.

Further to my request to the Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Michael O’Donovan last week, calling on him to reconvene the Liffey Valley Advisory Committee which hasn’t met for the last 5 Years! (see here), the Mayor has emailed me and stated that he hopes to hold a meeting of the Committee in January.

Im delighted about this because, as I said in my press release, there are a range of important issues that have to be addressed about the Liffey Valley area (flooding in Strawberry Beds, possible Metro West bridge, extending the SAAO) and I think these need to be tackled on a cross county basis.

I look forward to hearing about the issues that the Committee will be addressing at its January meeting – maybe they might even be able to find the minutes from their last meeting in 2003 which are still missing!!

Text of Mayor of Fingals reply to me:

Roderic, a chara

Cllr Michael O’Donovan

14/07/08

Green Party Dublin 15 representative, Roderic O’Gorman has branded as disappointing the decision of Fingal County Council to support the Kellystown rezoning without incorporating a Green Party amendment which would have insured that public transport was in place before any new houses were built. He was speaking after the motion to rezone the Kellystown lands was passed on a 12-10 vote.

“During the public consultation process on the rezoning, I and the Green Party undertook to support the variation, so long as proper conditions were inserted regarding the delivery of public transport infrastructure. Indeed, the stated intention of the rezoning motion was to “consolidate development around planned public transport facilities”. In order to secure the objective of sustainable planning based around ungraded public transport facilities, the Green Party proposed a sensible amendment stating that either the Metro West or the upgrade of the Maynooth line should be completed before any residential building began on the lands. This would not in any way have delayed the school building”, stated Roderic O’Gorman.

“I was deeply disappointed when Gilbert Power, on behalf of the Council Management Team, refused to accept this reasonable amendment, stating that it would make it impossible for a local area plan for the Kellystown lands to take place. How can the Council management reasonably argue on one hand that the core purpose of this rezoning is to make residential land available in conjunction with public transport, and then on the other hand reject attempts to have that very public transport mentioned as part of the variation? It simply doesn’t make sense”.

The Green Party amendment on public transport was supported by the Green Party councillors and others including Dublin 15 councillors Peggy Hamil, Michael O’Donovan and Ruth Coppinger. Among the Dublin 15 councillors who voted against the public transport amendment were Eithne Loftus, Mags Murray, Brenda Clifford and Margaret Richardson.

“I had made a commitment to residents that the Green Party would support the scheme in the event of the concerns, expressed to me by local people about providing public transport before the houses were built were addressed. As this was not done, the Green councillors reluctantly voted against the variation”.

“While I welcome the fact that land will now be available for schools, it is deeply disappointing that the Council management and a majority of the councillors were not prepared to push for strong guarantees regarding public transport. However, there will be another opportunity to push this issues again a local area plan is being drawn up for Kellystown. At that stage, myself and the Green councillors will fight hard to ensure that proper provision for public transport is written into the LAP”, concluded Roderic O’Gorman.

Ends

Further Information
Roderic O’Gorman: 087 417 9777
rodericogorman@gmail.com

13/07/08

Green Party Dublin 15 representative, Roderic O’Gorman has called on Fingal County Council to make more €4 bin-tags, for the smaller 140 litre black bins, to be made available in shops in Dublin 15.

“Some residents in the Dublin 15 area have been onto me saying that it’s very difficult to get the € 4 bin-tags for the smaller 140 litre black-bins. Most shops in Dublin 15 only seem to stock € 8 tags. The small black-bin was introduced specifically for people living alone or small families who didn’t produce as much waste as others. As such, it’s disappointing to see that these people are having obstacles placed in their way, particularly as they are making the effort to cut down on their waste”, stated Roderic O’Gorman.

“I have contacted Fingal County Council on this issue and while they point that it is possible to buy these tags at the cash-desk in the Fingal offices in Blanchardstown or online, this isn’t convenient for everyone and in reality, these tags should be as available in shops as the normal € 8 tags. However, the Council also assure me that a number of shops across Dublin 15 have recently put in orders for quantities of the € 4 bin-tag”, concluded Roderic O’Gorman.

Ends

Further Information
Roderic O’Gorman: 087 417 9777
rodericogorman@gmail.com

02/05/08

Dublin 15 representative, Roderic O’Gorman has welcomed plans by Fingal County Council to set aside new land for allotments on the Powerstown Road, near Tyrrelstown.

“I welcome this move by Fingal County Council to provide new allotment space for Dublin 15 residents within the Dublin 15 area. The existing allotments in Cappoge have to be moved due to development in that area. Initially, the Council were proposing that allotment holders would be relocated as far away as The Naul, but thankfully a much more suitable local alternative has been found on Council property off the Powerstown Road, near Tyrrelstown”, stated Roderic O’Gorman.

“Fingal County Council has a long waiting list for allotment spaces. Indeed, two years ago the Council took a decision to close the waiting list, but was forced to reopen it and engage in a search for new land as a result of a Green Party motion tabled by Cllr David Healy. On behalf of the Dublin West Green Party, I had suggested that some of the land around Abbotstown could be used as a site for allotments. However, the proposed Tyrrelstown site looks ample, with an initial 250 individual allotments and the possibility of up to 100 more if demand increases”.

“I see allotments as being important in areas like Dublin 15 where the huge growth in apartments means that many homeowners no longer have a garden to themselves. As such, allotments give them the opportunity to exercise their green fingers. However allotments also have a practical benefit in that those who grow their own food will be able to some extent to avoid the dramatic food inflation that has occurred over the last year”, concluded Roderic O’Gorman.

Ends

Further Information
Roderic O’Gorman: 087 417 9777
rodericogorman@gmail.com

05/04/08

Green Party Dublin 15 representative, Roderic O’Gorman has called on Fingal County Council to undertake repairs to the swings in the playground at Riverwood, Dublin 15.

“Residents in the Riverwood area have contacted me to complain that the swings in the playground beside Riverwood Chase have been ripped down. I visited the playground and indeed the swings have been removed and other acts of minor vandalism have occurred”, stated Roderic O’Gorman.

“I have contacted Fingal County Council and raised the issue with them. They have informed me that they are currently awaiting delivery of a new set of swings and when these arrive, the repairs will be undertaken”.

“The Riverwood playground is one of a very small number of neighbourhood playgrounds in the D 15 area. It is vital that community facilities like this are maintained to the highest standard. I’m calling on Fingal County Council to act quickly to resolve this problem”, concluded Roderic O’Gorman.

Ends

Further Information
Roderic O’Gorman: 087 417 9777

Green Party Dublin 15 Representative, Roderic O’Gorman has welcomed the launch of ‘Teenspace’ – The National Recreational Policy for Young People, by the Minister for Children, Brendan Smith TD.

“Teenspace offers a new start for youth recreation policy in this country. Over the last two year, one of the most common complaints I’ve heard on the doorsteps is that there simply aren’t enough facilities for teenagers in Dublin 15, and those that do exist are either always full up or too expensive to access”.

“The Government is now working to tackle these problems on a number of levels. Practical support will be provided, such as the new toolkit for creating youth cafes which is currently being devised. Children’s Services Committees will be formed in each local authority area to coordinate the work of the various state agencies. Perhaps most importantly, the National Development Plan guarantees the money to fully implement the various commitments”, stated Roderic O’Gorman.

“At local authority level, planners now need to demand that community buildings that can be used by youth groups are required as part of planning permission when new residential areas are being built. In existing communities, the Council must undertake an audit of what space is available and how accessible it is. Where the required space is not available, the money available under the National Development Plan must be drawn down rapidly so the Teenspace policy can be fully implemented”.

Increases in anti-social behaviour and abuse of alcohol by young people in Dublin 15 can be traced back to boredom. While extra policing and tighter licensing laws will go some way to tackling these problems, providing young people in our community with positive resources has to be the key priority. I believe the Teenspace Policy and the other measures being implemented by the Government will go a long way to achieving this”, concluded Roderic O’Gorman.

Ends

Read the full Programme for Government here.