Cllr RUAIRI

MC GINLEY

SUMMER NEWSLETTER

e-mail: ruairi.mcginley@dublincity.ie | Tel: 086-8301111 m

CONTENTSLMCE Report

Grant Schemes

Transport Upgrades

Crumlin SOS

Drimnagh Smarter Travel

D12 DMAP launch

Allotments

Pearse Park Childcare Facility

May Day Festival

Bushy Park Graffiti

e-mail: ruairi.mcginley@dublincity.ie | Tel: 086-8301111 m

146 Sundrive Road Crumlin

Village Inn Lisle Road Crumlin

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Your local Fine Gael team - Working For You

Cllr. Ruairi McGinley Catherine Byrne TD Gay Mitchell MEP Cllr. Colm BrophyPh: 086 830 1111 Ph: 618 3083 Ph: 496 1940 Ph: 414 9015pu

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WEEKLY ADVICE CLINICS Tuesday evening

THE REPORT OF THE LMCE MAKES PROPOSALS ON HOW ECONOMIC RENEWAL AND EMPLOYMENT GROWTH IN THE CITY CAN BE BETTER PROMOTED BY A RANGE OF AGENCIES INCLUDING DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL…

Lord Mayor’s Commission on Employment Cllr Ruairi McGinley has been the convenor of the working group on Employment on the Lord Mayor’s Commission on Employment which examined how Dublin City Council can facilitate growth in the economy by protecting existing employment and creating new job opportunities.

Recommendations have been put forward under the interlinked themes of Dublin city a Working city, a Learning city, a Creative city, an Open city, a Global city and a Liveable city with three key outcomes being announced as follows:

The LMCE has successfully joined forces with Tipperary Institute to secure 20 places for Dublin in an exciting project CESBEM (Competence Enhancement in Sustainable Building Through European Mobility) II, which is a european funded project under the Lifelong Learning, Leonardo Da Vinci (People in the Labour Market) Programme.

The LMCE has liaised with Ulster Bank who will partner with Dublin City Council to provide a dedicated Business Support Programme for new Start Up businesses in Dublin. The Programme includes a €10m fund to support Start Up enterprises, current account and ancillary services,

business planning and mentoring aids and other aspects of start up assistance as appropriate to the individual business.

Following work by the LMCE a study is now being carried out to identify the location of vacant commercial properties in the entire City Centre area initially along the Quays and Thomas Street. It is intended to database that information and match vacant units with persons or groups in the cultural and artistic arena seeking temporary premises. This would have the dual effect of uplifting areas with high vacancy levels while giving emerging cultural groups access to high visibility shop fronts.

Cllr Ruairi McGinley is pleased that report deals with the number one political issue of our times which is job creation and dealing with the current severe levels of unemployment.

For further details visit: www.dublincity.ie

Cllr Ruairi McGinley Congratulating Lord Mayor Cllr Gerry Breen & Deputy Lord Mayor Cllr Edie Wynne

Cllr Ruairi McGinley at playground in Harold’s Cross Park

CLLR RUAIRI MCGINLEY IS A MEMBER OF THE FOLLOWING BODIES:- Dublin City Council- South Central Area committee- South Central Joint Policing Committee- Finance Strategic Policy Committee- Economic Planning and Dev Strategic Policy Committee- Budget Consultative committee- Dublin Regional Authority- Dublin 12 Local Drugs Task Force- Director of Our Ladys Hospital for Sick Children Crumlin- Drimnagh Integrated Area Plan Commitee

Gay Mitchell MEP, Dora Bracken & Cllr Ruairi McGinley at presentation of cheque to Irish Cancer Society in the KCR House.

ALLOTMENTSAn implementation group, with representatives from Dublin City Council, the VEC and the Crumlin Allotment Group, have developed an allotment at a site in the grounds of Pearse College, Clogher Road. The initial allocation of approximately 100 individual allotments took place early in 2010 and all plots are now fully booked with most under cultivation this summer.

PEARSE PARK CHILDCARE FACILITYWorks to construct a childcare facility at the site formally occupied by the caretaker’s bungalow in Pearse Park, Crumlin commenced on 8th June and are expected to be completed by the end of 2010. This childcare facility which has been years in planning is finally taking shape

MAY DAY FESTIVALThe Crumlin Area Office, the Parks and Landscape Division and the Events Section assisted the Harold’s Cross Village Community Council in organising an inaugural and successful May Day Festival in Harold’s Cross Park on Sunday, 2nd May.

BUSHY PARK GRAFFITIItem 182. Councillor Ruairi McGinleyThat the Area Manager report to this Committee on steps to eradicate graffiti in Bushy Park, Terenure.

Order: I have now been informed by Bernard Brady, the South Central Area Senior Executive Parks Superintendent that the “Graffiti in Bushy Park will be removed with the next 6 weeks.”

Tel: 086-8301111 e-mail: ruairi.mcginley@dublincity.ie

TRANSPORT UPGRADESThe Rathfarnham Road QBC works which are at consultation stage until October 2010 aims to reduce bus travel times for bus users in Terenure and Harolds Cross in particular. Works will include an envirmental upgrade at Terenure junction as well as incorporation of Real Time Passenger Information,Traffic Light Priority and SCATS traffic control system.

There are a range of works proposed for Rathdown Avenue and Rathdown Park which aim to improve residental access during Bushy Park busy periods. This area has proved problematical due to high number of cars associated with park users.

GRANT SCHEMES REOPENED FOR NEW APPLICATIONS Grant schemes which had been closed for new applications since July 2009 have been reopened for new applications which is welcome news for older people and people with disabilities according to Cllr Ruairi McGINLEY

Dublin City Council currently administers three home grant schemes as follows;

1. The Housing Adaptation Grant Scheme The Housing Adaptation Grant Scheme assists in the provision and adaptation of accommodation to meet the needs of people with a disability. This replaces the Disabled Persons Grant scheme, and is subject to means testing and the maximum grant is €30,000, which will cover 95% of the approved costs for applicants whose gross household income is less than €30,000 per annum, tapering to 30% for applicants with gross household incomes of up to €65,000 per annum.

2. The Mobility Aids Grant The Mobility Aids Grant is available to cover basic works to address mobility problems, primarily, associated with ageing. The works include grab-rails, access ramps, level access showers and stair lifts. The grant is subject to means testing and the maximum grant is €6,000 which will cover 100% of the approved costs for applicants whose gross household income is up to €30,000 per annum.

3. The Housing Aid for Older People Scheme The Housing Aid for Older People Scheme is available to assist older people (60 years and above) living in poor housing conditions to have necessary repairs or improvements carried out. This grant is for owner occupiers only. The grant is subject to means testing and the maximum grant is €10,500 which will cover 100% of the approved costs for applicants whose gross household income is up to €30,000 per annum, tapering to 30% for applicants with gross household incomes of up to €65,000 per annum.

The Home Grants Section of Dublin City Council has not been accepting new grant applications under any of the relevant grant schemes due to the enormous increase in the number of applications submitted in the period January 2009 to July 2009 which lead to the closure of the scheme The current status of our grant scheme is that we have over 1200 grant applications at hand to a value of €10million where the applicant has been given grant aid approval in writing to carry out the work at their home but have not yet initiated the proposed work. All of these applicants have received a letter in writing to ascertain if they want to continue with the proposed works at their home. In many cases people are choosing not to go ahead with this work if it is not absolutely essential to their needs.

It is now clear that in light of the number of grant applications currently to hand that have been given approval but where no work is being done, that we should re-open the Grant Scheme in order to use our budget allocation to facilitate those who are most in need of receiving this grant aid. We intend therefore to open the scheme to new applicants from July 5th 2010. It may be necessary to limit the time for receipt of grant applications to a period of 3 months. However, in light of experience this can be reviewed. DCC will advertise the reopening of the scheme in the press, our area offices, libraries and the City Council website.

Damien Nolan, Cllr Ruairi McGinley, Lorraine McNicholas, Paul Flanagan & Siobhán Barron.

Cllr Ruairi McGinley with members of Crumlin SOS (Save our Swimming Pool)

Cllr Colm Brophy, Catherine Byrne TD, Cllr Ruairi McGinley, Cllr Clare Byrne & friends at recent Dog Racing Night in Harold’s Cross.

Cllr Colm Brophy, Catherine Byrne TD, James Reilly TD & Cllr Ruairi McGinley at recent Fair Care meeting in Drimnagh.

CRUMLIN SOS COMMITTEECllr Ruairi McGinley has been actively working with Crumlin SOS committee chaired by Gerry McGuigan since November 2009 seeking to ensure that the pool remains open. The future of the pool for the reminder of 2010 has recently been secured following a strong campaign.

Pool hours are:Public SwimsMon 11am-12pm – This swim caters to the needs of older adults. During this (3euro) time they can have a relaxed swim for without any excessive noise or disturbing behaviour.

Thurs 12pm-12.45pm – This swim is a free early lunch time swim for passport for leisure cardholders and those that are unemployed. We include a lane for those who wish to swim lengths.

Pearse Park Pool has public hours from 10.30-12.30pm on Saturday mornings. This session caters to everyone for example .young people, adults and families.  Tickets cost (€4.50) adult, (€2.20) children and €10 per Family.

DUBLIN 12 DMAP DISABILITY MAINSTREAM ACCESS PROJECT LAUNCHDeputising for the Lord Mayor Cllr Ruairi McGinley attended official launch of Dublin 12 DMAP Disability Mainstream Access Project launch of Strategies to Promote and Encourage Participation of People with Disabilities at St. Agnes’ Parish Hall.

This report which sets out that 12.5% of population have a disability and that this is heavily age related with 40% of people over 65 having a disability. The report makes recommendations covering matters such as a practical checklist for participation in social and recreational activities,sending information notes to Disability Allowance recipients in Dublin 12 , public information programmes, audit of community buildings in Dublin 12 and policies to improve access to public transport.

Cllr McGinley welcomed the report and hoped it will provide a strong impetus to efforts to improve quality of life for people with disabilities.

DRIMNAGH SMARTER TRAVELSmarter Travel is a Department of Transport initiative that seeks to change how we think about travel. It is about choosing to walk, cycle or take public transport instead of the car for getting to work, school and college or for shopping or leisure journeys. A Smarter Travel Area is a neighbourhood where the whole community including schools, sports and leisure clubs, businesses, shop owners etc work together with the local authority and other agencies to pro actively encourage people to travel sustainably. In other words to walk, cycle or take public transport instead. Smarter Travel Areas works towards a reduction in car usage.

Drimnagh has been selected because it is relatively close to Dublin city and has a vibrant community which has been actively involved in the preparation of the Drimnagh Intergrated Area Plan

This project will work with residents , employers and schools. Workplaces primarily Crumlin Childrens Hospital will complete Workplace Travel Plans. Travel routes for cyclists and walkers will be improved. Public transport mainly buses and Luas will be improved. Amenity use of Lansdowne Valley and Grand Canal will be increased.