Clonliffe Road and District Local Update
FITZGIBBON STREET GARDA STATION
Much concern has been expressed regarding the future of Fitzgibbon Street Garda Station. I have sought information from the Minister for Justice in the Senate on a number of occasions. Officers based in Fitzgibbon Street will be temporarily replaced to Mountjoy Station when refurbishment works start in Fitzgibbon Street. Despite repeated efforts to establish when these works will start or for how long they will continue, Minister Ahern has failed to answer these enquiries. I want to assure you that I will continue to seek this information from the Government and An Garda Siochana and keep you updated when those details are available. Both Councillor McAdam and I will continue to campaign for the speedy re-opening of Fitzgibbon Street Garda station.
CROKE PARK PUBLIC FORUM
The liaison committee has been in place since 2007, where local residents, Councillors, An Garda Siochana, local businesses, Croke Park and Dublin City Council have all been represented. Its aim was to facilitate an assessment of the influence of Croke upon the local community, identify achievable improvements within the area and to maintain a constructive dialogue between the relevant stakeholders regarding life in close proximity to the stadium. The committee at its last meeting determined that it had largely met its initial aims and objectives and had therefore served its purpose. The Liaison Committee has now been dissolved and it is hoped a public forum will be established to that the entire local community can raise various issues with Croke Park, the City Council and An Garda Siochana. I have been in discussions with representatives from Croke Park who have informed me that a Community Liaison Officer will be in place shortly. It is vital that this forum meet soon and Councillor McAdam and I are raising this point with Dublin City Council and Croke Park.
STREET MAINTENANCE
Over the past number of weeks, I have received numerous calls from residents regarding the poor state of footpaths and roads surface in the area. Councillor Ray McAdam and I have followed up with the City Council to ensure all potholes on Russell Avenue and Distillery Road are filled in as soon as possible. We also have been seeking to have footpaths repaired given that some of them have been very dangerous. Particular problems have been highlighted on Whitworth Terrace, Fitzroy Avenue and Clonliffe Avenue. Let me assure you that Ray and I will continue to follow up with the City Council on your behalf until these paths are improved. If the footpaths on your street is in a poor condition, please contact either one of us on 618 3689 and we will seek action from the Council.
DERELICT PROPERTIES
Unfortunately there are too many properties in a state of disrepair across the city. This is an ever-increasing problem and the Clonliffe Road area is no exception. A number of local residents have spoken to me about their concerns with the derelict nature of some local properties. In response to these concerns, I have followed up with the Derelict Sites Section of the City Council to investigate whether these buildings are actually derelict. It is important to know that should the Council classify a property as legally derelict, the owners of these properties can become liable to large fines. Recent strong action from the City Council in relation to derelict properties in Phibsborough is welcome but more must be done.
WEEDING CONTRACT
Dublin City Council recently advertised for tenders for the 2010 weeding contract. A company was selected and the proposed method of spraying the weeds was with quad motorbikes travelling along the footpath. Although vehicles are permitted to travel on footpaths for maintenance and repair, concern was expressed about health and safety, in the unlikely event of an accident taking place. Unfortunately, this resulted in a delay in the contract being started. Following an assessment of the safety concerns, it was agreed to go ahead with the weed spraying programme from August 1st in the Clonliffe Road area. Councillor Ray McAdam has been pushing this issue with the Council for some time. Both Ray and I are delighted that a start date has been agreed and that work will start shortly.
DRAFT DUBLIN CITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2011 – 2017
City Councillors will be soon voting on proposals to amend the Draft City Development Plan that are based on submissions received from the public. That public consultation ended in March, with Councillors receiving a report from the Manager outlining the various ideas put forward you. These issues will be debated and voted by your Councillor throughout July. Any material amendments adopted the City Council will then go back out to public consultation for your review across September and October. This Draft Development Plan contains the guidelines upon which all future planning applications will be judged against. If you have any views as to what should be contained in the Draft Plan, please do not hesitate to contact either myself or Councillor McAdam.