CABRA COMMUNITY UPDATE 02/13

6th February, 2013

DO YOU LIVE IN A HOME PRONE TO FLOODING?

The Revenue Commissioners have advised me that home-owners should take account of flooding risk when completing their property tax return. Residents should include this risk and an inability to get insurance cover when completing their self-assessment. The Chairperson of the Revenue Commissioners confirmed that this value should be used in calculating the amount of property tax you may be liable to. I have requested that the Revenue Commissioners communicate this in their information campaign. This confirmation follows my raising this issue repeatedly on behalf of local residents.

 

Too many homes in Cabra have been flooded. Insurance companies have since refused to provide insurance cover for some of these homes. This has caused huge hardship for many residents and I am constantly raising this issue with different agencies. I am also aware that the new property tax will cause further hardship for many. A major concern of mine has been that homeowners unable to get home insurance would face the same tax bill as properties with no flooding risk.  This would be clearly unfair and I have raised this with the Minister for Finance, the Department of Finance and in the Dáil. I will continue to raise this vital matter.

 

PROGRESS REPORT ON FLOOD ALLEVIATION MEASURES

Dublin City Council has been exploring possible options of increasing the drainage capacity in the ‘Christ the King’ district in conjunction with the Rail Procurement Agency (RPA). Given the continued risk of flooding in this area, the City Council has been liaising with the RPA to see whether it is possible to construct a new drain along Dowth Avenue that will connect with the proposed RPA works along the old Broadstone line for the new LUAS. A number of outstanding issues have yet to be addressed before any definitive agreement is reached. Councillor Mary O’Shea and I will keep you updated of progress in respect of these proposals.

 

Concern remains about the continued gathering of water in the swales recently constructed on Drumcliffe and Killala greens. The filter drains installed underneath the swales are working but water has been gathering following heavy rainfall. Drainage Engineers inform me that this situation will improve across the coming months. However, should this problem persist into the spring, the Drainage Division will liaise with the Landscape Contractor to re-examine the problem.

 

INVESTING IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY

Dublin City Council will undertake a programme of public realm improvement works across the Cabra district in the coming weeks. The focus will be on upgrades to street lighting, repairing damaged footpaths as well as the installation of new traffic calming measures. Among the measures to take place are:

  • Replacement of existing street lighting along the railway bridge on Broombridge Road
  • Upgrade of all public lighting along both shopping stretches of Fassaugh Avenue
  • Upgrade the road surface along Broombridge Road
  • €650,000 has been allocated to the repair of damaged footpaths across Cabra
  • New traffic islands, anti-skid road surface & traffic markings to be installed along Fassaugh Avenue as part of the Cabra Safety Initiative

 

I am also continuing to raise the need to deliver a new school building for Gaelscoil Bharra. This in included in the Government’s School Building Programme and I want to see this delievered as soon as possible. Let me assure you that both Councillor Mary O’Shea and I will keep you updated of progress made in respect of advancing these essential improvement works for the Cabra area.

 

FASSAUGH AVENUE STATUE

Local residents have spoken to both myself and Councillor Mary O’Shea about having repair works carried out on the Statue at the Fassaugh Avenue roundabout. I understand, from information supplied to me by the City Council that has turned out to be bigger job than initially envisaged. The cross will be replaced and a specialist company have been employed to carry some electrical work on the statue as well. Council officials expect that this work will be completed shortly.