ARD CUAN RESPITE HOUSE – FIGHTING THE CLOSURE
The Ard Cuan respite centre on the Old Cabra Road provides care for 84 families, among them young children and elderly parents in need of regular professional care. The centre has provided people with Down Syndrome and intellectual disabilities with a break away from home for more than 15 years as well as other essential care facilities. Families received two weeks notice of the intended closure of this centre. This is completely unacceptable. I have raised this issue in the Seanad where I sought a commitment from the Minister for Health that the HSE and the Daughters of Charity would work together to maintain these services. I hope that by the time you read this that we have been successful in stopping this closure and I will continue to do all I can to support the families who depend on this centre.
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. A number of issues affecting the Navan Road community regarding rezoning have arisen.
Councillor Mary O’Shea and I have indicated that we will not be supporting the City Manager’s recommendation to rezone some Dominican Convent lands for residential use. This is because enough zoned land is already available in the district to meet existing and future residential needs. Issues such as these will be debated and voted by your Councillors 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 O’Shea.
NEW TESCO SUPERSTORE
An Bord Pleanala recently upheld the decision of the City Council to grant planning permission for a new two storey Tesco Superstore. Despite awarding permission, An Bord Pleanala has attached twenty-seven various planning conditions that must be implemented prior to and during construction and when the store is officially open for business. Councillor Mary O’Shea and I have written to Tesco seeking an update as to when it hopes to start work on the site and when the store is due to open. We will keep you updated when this information is available.
MEDICAL PRIMARY CARE CENTRE IN ST JOSEPH’S SCHOOL ON THE NAVAN ROAD
At a recent public meeting in St Joseph’s school on the Navan Road it was announced that a planning application would soon be lodged to build a medical primary care centre at this site. This would contain a 3 storey building consisting of approximately 3,500 square metres of medical facilities. The plan is to locate up to 6 GPs at this site and also provide additional services such as social workers, dentists and a pharmacy. If done properly this development could considerably improve the medical and social services available to the local community. Please contact me with your views on this matter.
De PAUL SWIMMING POOL – NAVAN ROAD
I attended a number of public meetings in relation to the future of the DePaul swimming pool. The Daughters of Charity have highlighted the level of funding required to renovate the facility so that it can be re-opened providing the local community with a much need facility. I have written to the Dormant Accounts Fund Board asking that it would consider providing support the DePaul Pool. I have also raised the issue in the Oireachtas with the Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism. I will continue to do what I can to ensure the DePaul swimming pool is re-opened.
LOCAL BUS SERVICES
Local services are set to be changed following the announcement by Dublin Bus that it was altering its service routes. The 37, 38, 38A, 39, 39A and 70 are all set to have changes to their routes. It is intended that all services will operate to St. Stephen’s Green or beyond. The 39X will be replaced by a high frequency direct 39A to UCD Belfield. There will now be a 37 service directly to Wilton Terrace, Leeson Street. The 39A will be merged into the Number 10. It is proposed there will be a new Number 70 which will see the old 70, 70A, 70B and 70X services amalgamated into this new route, running from Dunboyne into the City Centre. Dublin Bus is planning to host some consultation meetings over the summer prior to the changes being introduced. I will keep you updated on developments