NORTH WALL MATTERS – APRIL 2012

24th May, 2012

Update from Councillor Ray McAdam working with Paschal Donohoe TD

CHOICE BASED HOUSING LETTINGS – NORTH EAST INNER CITY

The Dublin Central Area Committee approved a pilot scheme for choice based lettings in the allocation of housing in the North Wall area. The introduction of this scheme will empower people to make decisions over where they live. It should also help to reduce the amount of anti-social behaviour in the area. Choice based lettings will allow a certain amount of choice to applicants who maybe on lower points and would not be reached under the present allocations scheme. A new procedure will now be put in place for this system of choice based allocations. If you would like more information on how this procedure will work, please contact me via my mobile at 086 847 1720 or by email at raymcadam@gmail.com.

LUAS / O2 RELATED ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR

Residents living along the LUAS line are continuing to experience problems with anti-social behaviour from those attending gigs and concerts at the o2. Particular problems that have been experienced include alcohol-induced anti-social behaviour. Although Gardai from Store Street have been stationed along the LUAS line for concerts and events at the o2, these problems continue to persist. A more long-term solution needs to be arrived at so that residents living along the LUAS line can live their lives in peace and quiet. Therefore, I have asked the Superintendent in Store Street to facilitate a meeting for local residents and his team so that more effective proposals can be implemented and these problems tackled. I’ll keep residents updated with a progress report on this matter in future newsletters.

GULLY CLEANING

I continue to liaise with the Drainage Division of Dublin City Council to ensure there is a regular programme of shore and gully cleaning in the North Wall area. Recent streets that have had shores cleaned include:
• SEVILLE PLACE: cleaned on November 25th: 48 of 53 cleaned
• CANON LILLIS AVENUE: cleaned on December 6th: 16 of 17 cleaned
• COBURG PLACE: cleaned on December 1st: 10 of 10 cleaned
• ORIEL STREET UPPER: cleaned on December 3rd: 16 of 18 cleaned
• FIRST AVENUE: cleaned on January 19th: 6 of 6 cleaned
• FOURTH AVENUE: cleaned on December 7th: 4 of 4 cleaned
If you are not satisfied with the quality of shore and gully cleaning on your street, please let me know and I’ll arrange to have these shores cleaned.

TRAFFIC RELATED ISSUES

The Traffic Advisory Group of Dublin City Council recently examined a number of requests from residents in the North Wall area seeking the installation of traffic lights and speed ramps. Proposals to have speed ramps installed at the junction of Oriel Street Lower and Canon Lillis Avenue as well as at the junction of Seville Place and Oriel Street Upper were turned down by the Traffic Group. It was determined that the criteria for installing ramps was not met in respect of the volume of traffic and speed of vehicles at both junctions. At my request however, the speed ramps on Oriel Street Upper and Lower will be re-surfaced as quickly as possible. The introduction of traffic lights at these junctions was also rejected, as the volumes of traffic and pedestrians were below the threshold necessary for lights to be installed. I have asked the Traffic Advisory Group to review this decision and when further information is available, I’ll provide the details to local residents.

WEED SPRAYING PROGRAMME

Throughout the past number of weeks, I have been liaising with the Public Domain Office of Dublin City Council to ensure this year’s weed removal programme starts early, given how mild our winter has been. Officials have informed me that two complete sprays will be carried out across the North Wall area during the coming months. The first spray is due to commence next week with the second weed spraying expected to take place from around August 1st next. However, these dates are very much weather dependent. Dublin Central is scheduled to be the first of the five administration areas in the city to be sprayed.

DUBLIN CITY NEIGHBOURHOOD COMPETITION

The Dublin City Neighbourhoods Competition is an annual competition for communities, schools and businesses in the city organised by Dublin City Council. It is an Area based competition with categories judged initially before being selected to go forward to the citywide competition. The closing date for receipt of nominations is FRIDAY MAY 4TH. Should you be involved in a residents’ association or group and would be interested in taking part in the competition, application forms or further information can be got be contacting the City Council on 222 5315.

CITY COUNCIL RESPONSE TO 2011 FLOODING

After three reports and numerous Council meetings, I believe the response by Dublin City Council to the severe flooding that occurred last October as being woeful. The Drainage Division presented a briefing to the Central Area Committee, which I chair, last month. Despite repeated assurances that this would be a comprehensive report outlining the measures required to reduce the risk of flooding in at risk areas of Dublin Central, the briefing contained precious little new information. No engineering solutions for at risk areas like North Wall were provided, no information about steps householders could take to secure their home was included and no explanation was given for what caused the flooding of certain parts of the city. As Chairman of the Dublin Central Area Committee, I was not prepared to accept such a report and therefore requested the Drainage Division to provide answers to my questions at the forthcoming meeting of the Area Committee. I’ll be in touch with residents following the publication of this information.

ILLEGAL DUMPING

The problem of illegal dumping of rubbish continues across the North Wall area and the wider Inner City. However, Dublin City Council has been working to address the problem. Litter Wardens have, since the start of the year, issued 152 fines, with nearly 1500 dumped bags being removed of which officials seeking evidence of those responsible searched more than 1400. Since the City Council’s exit from the Kerbside Bin Collection, 43 of the 110 former waste management staff have been transferred to street cleaning duties to assist with tackling the problem of illegal dumping.

RAY McADAM ADVICE CENTRES

Over recent weeks, I have been holding advice clinics across the North Inner City. Since my election to the City Council, I have tried to be as accessible to you as possible. I hope that you will find my regular clinics of use. Please take the opportunity to come along and highlight with me any issue of particular concern to you. My next advice centres will be held on MONDAY APRIL 16th IN THE LARKIN UNEMPLOYMENT CENTRE on North Strand Road from 7.15pm and MONDAY APRIL 23rd in the SEAN O’CASEY CENTRE, EAST WALL from 7pm. If you need to speak to me about an urgent issue, please call me on 086 847 1720.