Category — Roadworks
Local News
Don’t forget deadline to register
Don’t forget deadline to register to vote before 18th May 2009. If you require a voting registration form, please contact me and I will be happy to post one to you.
Care & Repair
The Care & Repair Programme was established to assist older people to carry out necessary small repairs and improvements to their homes, enabling them to live independently in the community in increased comfort and safety.
In order to meet the needs of older people, Care and Repair provides a range of practical repair and care services including:
- Small repairs service
- Home Visiting/Befriending Service
- Daily Contact Service
- Trades Referral Service
- Quote Check Service
- Working with other local voluntary groups in establishing a Care & Repair Service
Care & Repair is funded by Irish Life Plc. For more information Lo-Call: 1890 369 369
Home energy saving scheme
This scheme provides grants to homeowners who improve the energy efficiency of their home in order to reduce energy use and costs as well as greenhouse gas emissions. The scheme is open to owners of existing houses built before 2006. Measures currently eligible under this scheme are roof insulation, wall insulation, high efficiency boilers and heating control upgrades. There is also a grant for households who choose to get a Building Energy Rating (BER) assessment before and after the works are completed. For details on the scheme go to www.sei.ie/hes to download the application form.
Extra Chorus charge
It has been brought to my attention that Chorus are adding an extra €3 to your bill if you chose not to pay by direct debit or pay through the post office for instance. Not everyone has a bank account or in a position to set up a direct debit. I contacted Chorus to query this charge and they are allowed to charge this fee under Section 48 and 49 of the Customer Protection Act. I will take this up with the Oireachtas members as this seems somewhat discriminatory and I fail to see how it can be justified.
Dental services for to people with special needs
People with special needs, whether adult or child, are eligible to avail of the services provided by the HSE, i.e. immediate access to emergency care & early access to routine care. Every effort is made to ensure that clients do not have to wait unduly for these services and all waiting lists are reviewed and prioritised regularly.
The Principal Dental Surgeons co-ordinate the service and have dentists employed who are qualified to deliver routine care including cleaning, extractions and fillings to people with special needs. Referrals are accepted from Intellectual Disability Service Providers, parents/carer’s, GP’s, and private Dentists etc
Dental care for adults with special needs using General Anaesthetic
The School of Dentistry has a weekly theatre session in Cork University Hospital to deal with the waiting list for both adults and children. The service is provided to all clients residing in Cork City and County and will be delivered by the PCCC Dentist.
The HSE is currently in the process of reconfiguring Dental Theatre Services, in order to make provision for theatre time, to enhance and increase the level of routine dental care to adults with Special Needs who require anaesthesia. In the interim, adults with special needs will continue to avail of emergency General Anaesthetic dental services from the Dental School & Hospital in Cork. I believe that a decision in relation to same is due this April and I know many people will watch with interest.
Missing Persons Amber Alert
The go-ahead has been given for the establishment of an “amber alert” system for missing persons. This will be a challenging task and it will require the support of a whole range of governmental agencies, NGOs, the media as well as the support of the public.
I welcome the recommendation to establish such an alert system for missing children I hope that the Gardaí will receive the necessary support from all concerned to put an alert system in place. More details can be found at www.gsinsp.ie
Interest rate cuts to be passed to Council Mortgage holders
All interest rate decreases to date apart from the most recent announcement by the ECB have been passed onto mortgage holders. The last change took place on 1st March 2009 when the variable interest rate was cut from 3.5% to 3%.
Cork County Council adjusts the interest rates when notified by the Housing Finance Agency. The most recent decrease announced by the ECB will be implemented once notification of the new rate and implementation date is received from the housing authority.
Social housing
The 2009 social housing allocation is estimated to be €35m representing a 33% reduction on 2008. There is no provision for new housing in 2009. This allocation is seriously inadequate and at least the same figure as 2008 €52m should be allocated.
The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has requested all local authorities to submit applications for short term loans arising out of the reductions in allocations. The Council is seeking authorisation to borrow €41m to fund the shortfall for the Social Housing programme 2009 and if the sanction does not come through the Council will have its hands tied and many people will continue to be placed in very difficult situations.
Exemption from development contributions
Under the Development Contribution scheme, individuals who qualify under the Disabled, Mobility or Elderly scheme are given an exemption from development contributions. The scheme provides a 100% reduction in development contributions for the first 60sq. metres of extensions to private dwellings including new builds.
Cork airport parking charges
The car parking charges at Cork airport are more expensive than at Dublin airport and the matter will be brought to the attention of the Dublin airport Authority for consideration.
Rochestown Road Traffic Calming update
The Area Engineer is in discussions with Bus Eireann in relation to relocating bus stops. The contract for the Safety Audit will be awarded and public lighting will be upgraded where needed. Work has started i.e. bus stop at Landsborough and footpaths will be improved and bus stop facilities would be installed.
Work will begin at the Douglas Court end of the Rochestown road. €400k from the Department of Transport will be spent on overlay of the western part of the Rochestown road and some footpath work during 2009, with the remainder of the money being spent over two years. The pedestrian crossings will be in the vicinity of the bus stops. With regard to the water main, this project is to be put out to tender, then a decision will be made.
Douglas
Residents of St Patricks Terrace Douglas West have asked for appropriate provision for car parking. The Area Engineer said a facility for residents parking will be taken into account.
I have requested that the lighting at the Fingerpost Roundabout be upgraded. The Lighting Engineer will examine the area.
Council has been requested that some type of cleanup of the Famine graveyard at Carr’s Hill be arranged just to make it presentable for the service on 17th May 2009. The Area Engineer will report back at the April meeting to confirm if funding is available.
Rochestown
The public open space area in Wainsfort has a turning circle which is being blocked by vehicles. It is a turning circle and not a permanent parking space. I have requested the Gardai to contact the Area Office about the problem as residents do not want any encouragement for anti social behaviour.
Council has confirmed that pot-holes from the Fingerpost Roundabout to Wainsfort in Rochestown will soon be filled.
Road markings at Upper Belmont, Rochestown are very bad. Health and Safety issues have delayed work but Council has assured they will be resolved.
Grange
I have requested the Council to provide footpaths to Ardfield in Grange. An application was made for funding and €60k was received and work will be completed by end of summer/early autumn.
Carrigaline
I have requested the Lighting Engineer to activate the Public Lighting at the new roundabout on the Ballea road, near the soccer club and he will see if the lights for the roundabout can be activated separately from those serving the private road.
The Council are to upgrade the footpaths in Ard Na Rí, Carrigaline. There will not be a large number of footpaths repaired this year but Ard Na Rí is on the schedule of works.
The Bus stop at the Mount Rivers entrance on Church Hill is to be moved but there is an open drainage channel which reduces road width at this location. This open channel is to be replaced with a piped drain and it is planned for during the summer.
Passage
€130k grant has been allocated for footpaths for Passage West. The County Manager is to decide if Council can provide the required additional funding.
Council has written to the Property Capital section for details on the plans for the former tennis club grounds in Passage West.
The sign for Passage West is in the wrong place and the Engineer is examining if it can be moved as it is part of the signage programme.
Budget
During my canvas over the last number of weeks and meeting people from all walks of life, I am mindful of comments made to me regarding the state of the country at the moment and the confusion and worry for the future. In order that people may make an informed analysis of Fine Gael, who has a completely different approach to solving Ireland’s economic crisis, the following are Fine Gael’s proposals to get us out of the current mess. I examined the Labour Web site but couldn’t find any proposals from their side.
| Fine Gael | Fianna Fáil | |
| Jobs | Promoting and protecting employment at the centre of our budget strategy:
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Accepts that unemployment will rise to 15% next year (520,000 on the live register)
|
| Fairness and Middle Income Families | No increases in tax rates for average (60k) familiesEmphasis on:
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Emphasis on taxes for young, middle income families:
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| Tax vs. Spending | Emphasis on savings on day-to-today spending (55%) over tax increases (45%) | Emphasis on tax hikes (62%) over savings on day-to-today spending (38%) (2009-11) |
| Reform vs. Blunt Cuts | New budgeting system to drive efficiencies and reduce bureaucracy:
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Cuts in entitlements and at the front-line – not making the system more efficient
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| Keeping National Debt Down | Eliminate the deficit quickly to restore confidence
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Too slow in restoring the public finances back to health
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| The Banking Crisis | Fine Gael wants the banks, the professional investors who funded them and developers to take care of their own mess. The tax-payer should only invest in “good banks” that lend to small businesses. | Fianna Fáil wants the tax-payer to pick up the tab for €90 billion dodgy developer debts, € 30 billion of which relate to overseas property |
Next Area Roads meeting
I have the following items on the Agenda of the next Area Roads meeting on 20th April:
- That the Engineer report on safety issues affecting residents exiting from Fort Hill and the crèche in Moneygourney.
- That the Engineer installs a pedestrian crossing at St Columbas Church.
- That the Engineer comment on the standard of footpaths and road surface in Grange Park and identify a solution to stop rat running through the estate.
- That the Engineer looks at the feasibility of installing footpaths/traffic calming at Scart Cross from the bus stop to College Corinthians.
- That the Engineer examine solutions for alleviating parking congestion and install 2 ramps on Inchvale Road which were sanctioned 5 years ago.
- That the Engineer provides a safer pedestrian crossing at the South Link R610 roundabout.
- That the Engineer examines the feasibility of further traffic calming on Monastery Road.
- That the Engineer installs a safe pedestrian crossing on Donnybrook Hill in the vicinity of Hillcourt.
April 16, 2009 1 Comment
CLARKES’S HILL/MARYBOROUGH HILL
Further to numerous representations by me over the past four years and more recently in relation to a revised road widening scheme for above I now wish to advise Council are currently re examing the proposal. In the earlier scheme (for which we received Part 8 planning) there were cycle tracks throughout. The redesigned scheme will reduce or eliminating these cycle tracks. The amount of Compulsary Purchase Orders and therefore the cost of the proposal will be reduced given the current economic climate.
- It is intended to develop the section between Maryborough Hill and Mount Oval.
- Construction would take approx 2/3 years depending on finance and other matters.
- Traffic Study of Douglas/Rochestown will commence shortly.
- Development plans for lower Clarke’s Hill will be postponed pending results of Study
- Council hope to publish Part 8 for revised scheme in early Summer 2009.
- When Part 8 is adopted Council will improve facilities for the bus in the area.
- There is a Department of Transport grant of 100,000 towards the proposal for 2009
However, I have to advise that within the past two weeks Council was informed that it is not allowed to embark on any new non national road projects until a review by the Government of its existing financial commitments is completed, having regard to the current difficult economic situation. This embargo even applies to projects which have already been approved for funding such as the 400,000 traffic calming scheme on the Rochestown Road, the proposed western relief road for Carrigaline and the Green Routes serving Douglas and Carrigaline.
The fact that this proposal was first mooted in 2005 and hasn’t moved forward is highly regrettable and deeply unsatisfactory and points to inefficiencies in the system at local level.. Residential planning continued to be granted in the area. Development charges continued to be gathered. Delayed action, coupled with the current crisis in funding, may mean that this project is once again at a snails pace.
Be assured that I will continue to voice concerns and highlight the urgent necessity for progress on the matter.
March 18, 2009 No Comments
UPDATE ON ROCHESTOWN ROAD TRAFFIC CALMING SCHEME
UPDATE ON ROCHESTOWN ROAD TRAFFIC CALMING SCHEME.
Dear Resident,
Following my numerous representations to Council Officials and (County Manager) over the past 18 months for action on the above, the Senior Engineer for road design presented draft drawings for a traffic calming scheme for Rochestown Road from the entrance to Douglas Court Shopping Centre to St. Patrick’s Church Roundabout which had been prepared following a survey. The scheme incorporates the following:
- Approval needed from Bus Eireann for minor change to a Bus Top
- Safety Audit to be carried out shortly.
- Cycle lane on both sides
- Right turn lanes at all estate entrances
- New footpath on the Southern side to Newenham Drive.
- Work will be done in phases starting at the Douglas end
- Improved pedestrian crossing
- If approved Part 8 planning application put on display in locality for six weeks
- Public will then have 2 weeks to make submissions.
- Useful suggestions will be incorporated into new draft
- New draft presented to councillors and presented to Full Council for approval
However, Council has been informed in past two weeks not to embark on any new non national road projects until a review by the Government of its existing financial commitments is completed due to the current economic situation, despite approval for 400,000 euros for this scheme being made earlier this year.
Please note also:
- Work from Wainsfort to the Church Roundabout will be further delayed as Council has proposals for the laying of a water main from Rochestown Inn towards Wainsfort which is going to tender.
- I have urged that a further phase from the Church Roundabout to the R/ Inn needs to go to design immediately particularly in view of long delays in presenting current phase.
- I have forwarded photographs to the officials/ Manager of the current state of sections of the road and strongly urged them to at least overlay these sections in the interim.
- I have also, following complaints, contacted the Gardai and appropriate personnel in relation to traffic turning right (illegally) at entrance to Douglas Court Shopping Centre seeking action on same.
Be assured that I will continue to drive this issue until satisfactorily completed and if I can help with any other matter please do not hesitate to contact me. Kind regards.
March 17, 2009 No Comments
FG calls for uninsured vehicles to be impounded
One third of penalty points issued given to drivers without a driving licence
FG calls for uninsured vehicles to be impounded
As Gardaí prepare a motoring crackdown for St Patrick’s Day, Fine Gael has revealed that one third of drivers who receive penalty points for breaking the law do not have a valid driving licence, including almost every single driver stopped for having no insurance.
According to official Road Safety Authority (RSA) figures, a staggering 188,581 of the total of 608,324 current penalty points could not be enforced. Almost 100% of all penalty points for driving without insurance were issued to drivers without a valid driving licence. Most worrying of all is the fact that a quarter of drivers who received penalty points for their role in a fatal or serious accident did not have a valid licence. These shocking figures confirm that thousands of motorists are driving around without a driving licence.
Other RSA figures reveal a clear link between unlicensed drivers and the most serious offences, including driving without insurance and fatal accidents.
Current powers are simply too weak to clamp down on the growing problem of unlicensed drivers. For a start, Gardaí should get new powers to impound uninsured vehicles, with the vehicles only being returned on proof of insurance.
Fine Gael will also put down amendments to the Road Traffic & Transport Bill when it comes before the Dáil in a few weeks’ time. We cannot tolerate a situation where a third of all penalty points are literally not worth the paper they are written on, because the driving licence in question does not even exist.
March 15, 2009 No Comments
Rochestown Road Traffic Calming and Clarke’s Hill update
After months of haggling I managed to get the Design for Traffic Calming on the Rochestown Road on the agenda of the Area Roads and will post the minutes of same when they arrive in due course.
In a nutshell the design (which in fact was ready I understand in Dec. 2006) was duly shown to us. The design is from the entrance to the Douglas Court Shopping Centre to Rochestown Rise. It is proposed to have cycling lanes, footpaths, central road markings, dedicated bus lay by, and traffic lights at the top entrance to Maryborough Estate.
Subsequently, the Senior Engineer informed us that currently there are plans to lay the second phase of a watermain from Rochestown Inn to Wainsfort and that this may hold a portion of the work up. They also have to decide how the project is to be funded. The design will be put before Council soon and should be going out for public consultation following that. I have also placed this matter on the April Agenda to keep the pressure up.
In relation to the upgrading of Clarkes Hill (and footpaths etc), I have placed this matter on the Agenda for the March Area Roads Meeting and you can be assured I am vigorously pursuing this matter also. I regret that both these issues have taken so long to progress and find it highly regrettable and incomprehensible that these matters have taken so long to come before us despite numerous representation, debates, e-mails phone calls etc and badly reflects on the local government system.
I trust that this update in informative for you.
Regards Deirdre
March 7, 2009 No Comments
Update re: Carrigaline Area Roads Committee Meeting Feb 16th 2009
Carrigaline Area Roads Committee – 16th February 2009
Update on Public Lighting Capital Programme 2005 – 2008
Carrigaline Area 1. 2008 Public Lighting Contract.
I am pleased to announce that Cork County Council has gone to tender on a contract of nine separate public lighting schemes. The tender process has been completed and the Council expects to be able to award the contract in the very near future. This contract includes four separate schemes in the Carrigaline Electoral Area.
R611, Kilmoney Road to Pipers Cross
R851,ballycurreen Road
L-2460,adjacent to Alderbrook Estate
Carrigaloe Ferry to Monkstown.
If funding is available, the same procedure will be repeated for a second bundle of schemes to complete the current Capital Programme. The second Public Lighting Contract consists of 13 separate schemes. This contract includes four schemes in the Carrigaline Electoral Area.
Killumney Road,Tuairin Glas to An Caislean
R613, Church Road
L2454, Lehenaghmore road at Doughcloyne
South of Scairt Cross to Housing Estates
Individual Schemes
2. Monastery Road. ( These Lights have been erected).
3. Barry’s Road ( This scheme is under way).
4. Ballea Road.
This scheme has been awarded directly to ESB Contracts. The Civil works will be done by the Carrigaline Area Office depending on whether money will be available for the scheme.
Timber pole schemes.
All timber pole scheme contracts are awarded directly to ESB contracts as currently they are the only contractor trained to work on network wires. These schemes are ongoing.
Rochestown L2472, Coach Hill ( Order given to ESB. 3 no. 150W on new wooden poles. Residents’ objections have prevented installation)
Lehenaghmore L2454,( Lehenaghmore road, phase 1)
Scairt Cross L2462,
February 18, 2009 No Comments
Update re: Traffic Calming Rochestown Road
Dear Constituent, Hereunder you will find copy of letter sent to the County Engineer in relation to the long awaited Scheme for Rochestown Road. I am putting real pressure on Council for Action. Feel free to post a comment below if you want to register your opinion. I will continue to update …..
Dear Noel, Further to my motion of Monday last in connection with the laying of the Water Main phase two Rochestown Inn to Wainsfort I wish to reiterate that I am very concerned at the long delay in delivering the Traffic Scheme for the Rochestown Road Belgard Downs to Rochestown Rise.
You will no doubt be aware that I have raised this matter continually over the past two to three years. Finally last year I was informed that works could not begin (despite the design having been completed over 18 months earlier) as there was a water main to be installed (Phase two) from the Rochestown Inn to Wainsfort. Despite my raising the issue continually over the previous months I was only informed last year that a scheme had been drawn up for the watermain but the roads officials werent aware of it. I have serious concerns at this situation it seems incredible that in all the times I raised the matter and despite the fact that the design had long been completed no one could inform me that the true situation was that no work would be done pending the phase two installation of the watermain. I have to say that this falls far short of the appropriate standard from council and highly regrettable.
On last Monday I was informed that there was now some doubt about the completion of the Phase two of the Watermain due to the economic downturn and a decision wouldnt be made until the Spring. This again delays work on the Traffic Scheme on the Rochestown Road and such a delay is totally unacceptable to me and to the residents pedestrian and motorists who use the Rochestown Road many times a day. I have asked Engineers to at least proceed with resurfacing works (please examine yourself and you will agree the condition of the road is well below standard. John Forde Area Engineer recently met with Residents of Rochestown Rise and myself to discuss the installation of a median or other traffic calming to ensure the safety of residents and many children to the Bus Stops at the entrance to their estate. John made a sugesstion which was acceptable to the residents but he needed to discuss with John Lapthorne and his officials.
I have again spoken to the Residents and I urge you to proceed with the scheme Belgard Downs to Rochestown Rise forthwith. In fact, I would strongly urge you to design another phase to the scheme from Rochestown Rise to Rochestown Inn. Many houses find it extremely difficult to exit their houses due to the volume and speed of traffic. At the very least a footpath needs to be installed immediately from Rochestown Rise to meet the footpath by the entrance to Maryborough Estate to ensure pedestrian safety.
I am aware that over 1M in developments charges were levied on a Developer in Rochestown and to my knowledge if these monies were not committed (if not spent) the money would be returned. These mones must fund improvements long overdue in the Area. I would like a full breakdown of how the money has been spent and allocated. I am also urging you to immediately carryout upgrading works from Clarkes Hill via Garryduff, Moneygourney to meet Maryborough Hill as footpaths need to be installed here and road widening and in particular the bad ‘blind’ corner between Moneygourney and Maryborough Hill need urgent action before a serious accident occurs.
In short I wish to make the strongest representation to you and your fellow officials for the following:
Footpath installed immediately from Rochestown Rise to Maryborough on the Rochestown Road .
Proceed with the traffic calming and resurfacing on the Rochestown Road (Preferrably from the Fingerpost Roundabout to Rochestown Rise)
Initiate a design for traffic calming from the Rochestown Rise to Rochestown Inn
Commence some immediate road widening and foootpath installation and upgrading of junctions on Clarkes Hill.
I would appreciate an urgent response to this letter.
Many thanks,
Regards,
Deirdre
January 24, 2009 1 Comment