Stoneybatter Matters – May 2023

GRANGEGORMAN BRING CENTRE – Not going anywhere!

A quick update on the saga surrounding the future of the Grangegorman Bring Centre. On foot of my emergency motion in January and again last week, which were agreed unanimously the Waste Section of Dublin City Council has now adopted the position that it will not vacate the existing Bring Centre until a replacement site within the boundaries of the Grangegorman campus has been identified and developed. I welcome this change in approach by the Council and those Councillors who have backed me in trying to keep the Bring Centre now. I’ll now follow up with the Grangegorman Agency to ensure that we keep our recycling service local here in Dublin 7.

STONEYBATTER WEEDING PROGRAMME

As Chair of the Dublin Central Area Committee, I have been liaising with the local Public Domain crew to ensure we have an effective weeding programme in place this spring in our area. Over the coming weeks, crews will be removing weeds along Arbour Place, Finn Street, Kirwan Street, Norseman Place, Oxmantown Road, Paul Street, St. Mary’s Terrace, Sitric Road, Viking Road and Viking Place. New machinery has been purchased in order to improve the effectiveness of weeding this year. If your street is not included on this list and you feel it should be, please get in touch with me by email at RayMcAdam@gmail.com.

STONEYBATTER POLICING MATTERS – Increasing visible patrols

The issue of community policing has been raised with me a lot in recent weeks. Keeping our streets safe and secure is a major priority for us, both locally and nationally. I recently met with local senior Garda officers to outline the concerns raised with us and to underscore the need for increased community police patrols. The Superintendent in the Bridewell committed to delivering these patrols in order to reassure you and your family that a Garda presence will be much more visible. I would welcome very much your feedback on this as I will be having a follow up with the Gardai before the end of May.

OXMANTOWN ROAD SPEED SURVEYS – The results are in!

In 2018, I sought your input into proposals to help reduce traffic speeds along Oxmantown Road. That consultative process resulted in the City Council installing two build-outs, thereby chicaning the street. As part of that process, I indicated that further speed surveys would be carried out to assess their effectiveness and monitor the speed of vehicles using Oxmantown Road. As your local Councillor, I arranged for the Transportation Department to carry out further speed surveys and these happened in February last. The headline result of the survey is that while speeds have dropped from an average of 58km/hr in 2017/18 they are still significantly above the 30km/hr speed limit at 41km/hr. Of the vehicles counted during the speed survey along Oxmantown Road, 71.4% were travelling in excess of the speed limit for the street. Therefore, I have asked the Transportation Department to examine what more can be done. As and when those proposals are shared with me, I will circulate them to every home along Oxmantown Road to secure your feedback and support. Please get in touch with me if you have any questions or queries on this issue, email me at RayMcAdam@gmail.com.

KIRWAN STREET MATTERS

The Dublin Central Area Committee supported my recent emergency motion calling on the Parks Department to plant trees along Kirwan Street, thereby replacing the recently removed ones. I expect this planting to be completed shortly. Separately, I have been liaising with the Transportation Department of Dublin City Council and the Gardai to tackle a recent problem where cars are being driven up Kirwan Street in the wrong direction. A number of householders have been in touch with me about this worrying development. Residents are understandably worried about the potential for an accident, and I am working to sure action is taken quickly to address the situation.

IS YOUR CHILD GOING TO COLLEGE THIS SEPTEMBER? The Grant Scheme is open!

SUSI is now open to receive applications for the 2023/24 academic year. If you are applying there are a number of important changes to the SUSI Grant Scheme this year that were announced by Minister Paschal Donohoe as part of Budget 2023. These changes include:

The key dates to remember for applicants are:

If you have any questions or indeed require assistance in completing the application process, please contact me by text on 086 – 847 1720 or by email at RayMcAdam@gmail.com.

DUBLIN NORTH CENTRAL GARDA YOUTH AWARDS 2023

Nominations are now open for the annual Dublin North Central Garda Youth Awards. The awards celebrate outstanding young people between 13 and 21 years of age and recognise the good work being done by young people throughout the communities of the North Inner City. All nominees and group members should be between 13 and 21 years of age on December 31st, 2022, and the Dublin North Central Garda Division covers Mountjoy, Fitzgibbon Street, Bridewell and Store Street Garda Stations. TEXT me on 086 – 847 1720 for an application form. The Closing date for entries is Friday, 2nd June 2023.

IMPLEMENTING PUBLIC REALM CAPEL STREET PROGRAMME

Both the Transportation and the Parks departments, in conjunction with City Recovery, are working together on the proposals for the interim Capel Street plan. A final review is underway with a tender for the first section (between Ryder’s Row and Mary Street) expected to be issue early May and starting on the ground mid to late June. Once these proposals have been finalised, I will share that information with you.

SMITHFIELD SQUARE HORSE FAIR

Recently we have seen some unauthorised attempts to hold Horse Fairs in Smithfield. Only last Saturday, some 200+ horse traders turned up in Smithfield Square in breach of the agreed protocols with the City Council and the Gardai. Following the violence that occurred in 2011, the Council alongside Revenue, the Gardai and the Department of Social Protection has put in place procedures whereby only two supported Horse Fairs are permitted every year – in March and September. It appears there are those who refuse to comply with the market trading rules that govern the Horse Fair. As a result, the City Council and the Gardai are reviewing what occurred last week and will decide on appropriate next steps. I am very clear in supporting the Council- backed Fairs in March and September. Many Markets residents have been in touch with me this week on the matter. The City Council is completing a deep clean of the Square following last week’s event.

KEEPING YOU UPDATED ON THE O’DEAVNEY GARDENS REDEVELOPMENT

Three meetings of the Community Consultative Forum have been held to date, the most recent of which was last Tuesday. The focus of the Forum meetings has been on securing updates from HML Contractors on the various aspects of the Enabling Works contract and the timeframe for the beginning of the main construction contract. Despite Irish Water confirming the location for new water and drainage infrastructure, the important technical information has yet to be provided, therefore slowing progress on site. Another issue that has featured prominently in Forum discussions is the need to manage safe pedestrian access across the O’Devaney lands during the construction phase. As co-Chair of the Forum, I have now arranged for the City Council to undertake a review of all vehicular and pedestrian traffic between the North Circular Road entrance to O’Devaney and into Montpelier Gardens. The key objective is to establish what level of truck movement is anticipated and the current levels of cross road pedestrian movements. The review will determine mitigation measures will be put in place and Dublin City Council will work with the developer to ensure they are implemented, thereby ensuring the safety of all road users and the local community. If you’d like to receive further detailed updates on the redevelopment of O’Devaney Gardens, please email me at RayMcAdam@gmail.com.

OPW DRAFT PARKING STRATEGY FOR THE PHOENIX PARK

The Office of Public Works (OPW) has published, following significant consultation, a draft Parking Strategy for the Phoenix Park. The Phoenix Park is a national amenity much loved both by people in and outside Dublin. The Draft Parking Strategy seeks to protect and conserve the Phoenix Park, while enabling appropriate access and use by both Dubliners and visitors. The draft Parking Strategy contains twenty-four recommendations. Some of proposals include:

You can still have your say on the draft Parking Strategy for the Phoenix Park which is available online at www.phoenixpark.ie. A survey is available for you to complete with the deadline for your feedback is May 22^nd next.