#NorthWall Matters – October 2023

SPENCER PLACE APARTMENTS

Dublin City Council is currently finalising the purchase of 33 apartments in Spencer Place North. The Housing intends allocating these homes through the scheme of Choice Based Lettings. There will be a mixture of 1- and 2-bedrooms apartments, including eleven one-bedroom apartments and 22 two-bedroom apartments. These homes will be advertised in the coming weeks on www.dublincity.ie/residential. You can now apply for any home advertised under Choice Based Lettings at https://www.dublincity.ie/residential/housing/i-am-looking-home/choice-based-lettings. If you are interested in putting your name forward for these new homes in Spencer Place, WhatsApp me on 086 847 1720 with your Name, Address, and Housing Reference Number, so that I can help you with your application.

COMMUNITY GRANTS & TOM CLARKE/EAST LINK BRIDGE FUND 2023

I am pleased to report that many local groups and residents’ associations have been successful in securing funding through the Community Grants programme and the Tom Clarke / East Link Bridge Fund 2023. More than €2,000 has been awarded in small community grants. €33,000 has been allocated groups through the Tom Clarke Bridge Fund, including the Five Lamps Arts Festival, Sheriff YC, North Wall CDP, North Inner City Side by Side, ASESP, East Wall Pigeon Racing Club and the IFSC Taekwon-do Club. Thank you for all you do in our community.

CITY COUNCIL ESTATE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY 2022 – 2027

Since 2019, Dublin City Council has been reviewing its Estate Management strategy in order to prevent and reduce anti-social and criminal behaviour in our housing complexes and estates. Last month, the new draft strategy was presented to the Policing Committee, which I am a member of. The overall objective is to provide safe and peaceful neighbourhoods for Dublin City Council tenants, and their neighbours, to reside and work in. The Council will aim to prevent and reduce incidences of anti-social behaviour in affected communities where citizens are negatively affected. A key consequence for tenants, or members of their household, being involved in anti-social and criminal behaviour is the possible refusal of Dublin City Council to allocate alternative housing, refuse application to purchase, refusal an application to succeed a tenancy, refusal for HAP, etc. Developing our estate management capacity is critical to ensuring that the City Council meets our objectives of providing safe neighbourhoods, reducing opposition to new public housing developments, supporting areas that have or will be regenerated over the coming years, and ensuring the Council sustains what is working well.

MAKING USE OF THE FORMER CTC BUILDING

The Former St Laurence O’Toole Community Training Centre ceased operating in February 2020 and the premises reverted back to Dublin City Council. As YOUR local Councillor, I have been engaging and meeting with local groups in recent months to see what alternative uses can be found for the building. While the Council is examining the potential for homes to be provided there, I believe we need to provide expanded community facilities in the building for those families already living in the North Wall. For example, as a recent meeting with Councillors and DCC officials I strongly argued that former CTC Building could be used for a mix of childcare and pre-school education services, space to deliver Sports & Recreation QQI courses as well as use for Seniors’ Social Groups in the area. These would be three types of uses that would benefit all ages in the community, between childcare provision, early learning initiatives, older people programmes and educational and training initiatives for others. If you support this approach and agree with me, please email RayMcAdam@gmail.com with your views so that I can keep arguing on behalf of Sheriff Street and the North Wall community.

BETTER MAINTENANCE & CLEANING WORKS ON MARINER’S PORT

After meeting with members of Sheriff YC about ongoing maintenance issues with the all-weather pitch next to the club house on Commons Street, I have been working with the Local Area Office to clean up the area and undertake some improvement works. Firstly,  I have requested that the whole length of Mariner’s Port, from the walkway adjacent to Sheriff YC clubhouse down to the new all-weather pitch outside the Recreation Centre is deep cleaned and weeds removed, and all rubbish cleared. Secondly, I want the wooden fencing around the perimeter of the all-weather pitch to be replaced as it is breaking up. I highlighted these matters at the October meeting of the Dublin Central Area Committee, and I expect to report further progress in the coming days.

RODENT PROBLEM GETTING WORSE

When I recently called to homes along Coburg Place and Lower Oriel Street, residents and householders expressed concern about the volume of rats and mice in the area. One householder used the word, ‘invasion’! It appears that this increase in rodents has coincided with works on the adjacent CIE site. I understand these works relate to upgrading signalling department offices, storage and yard facilities. Nevertheless, I have contacted Irish Rail and am raising the issue with Dublin City Council requesting that the area in question be baited, so that this issue can be nipped in the bud and effectively tackled. If you have seen rats or mice in your home or garden, please WhatsApp me on 086 847 1720 so that I follow up further with Irish Rail and the City Council.

HALLOWEEN 2023

Dublin City Council and the Gardai have been working closely to finalise a plan for Halloween. Our local plan will focus on:

• Minimising anti-social behaviour and prevent bonfires.
• Organising a programme of Halloween community events
• Promoting a safe, family-friendly Halloween.

If you come across materials that could be used for illegal bonfires, please contact Litter.Central@dublincity.ie or phone 01 222 5302.

THE BIG SCREAM HALLOWEEN COMMUNITY FESTIVAL

Planning is well underway for a series of Halloween themed community activities across the North-East Inner City, including Sheriff Street. Funding is being provided through the North-East Inner City Initiative, established by former Taoiseach, Enda Kenny to support this year’s Big Scream Festival. This year’s five-day festival will launch on 25th October. Highlights of this year’s Big Scream Festival in Dublin’s north east inner city include a haunted house in D-Light Studios, guided ghost walks with ‘real’ ghosts, a surprise movie matinee in the Seán O’Casey Theatre, themed parties for senior citizen, a Monster Children’s Party in Mountjoy Square Park and a Family Fun Day in the newly renovated Diamond Park. On 31 October, the week-long festival will culminate with a Halloween Carnival on Seán McDermott Street where there will be a sensory hour for children with additional needs.  There will also be a funfair on Sheriff Street and a choo-choo road train will bring families along the Royal Canal Greenway where fire entertainers and spooky figures will perform. The cultural programme will feature walking tours as well as illustrated talks, drama and music in Charleville Mall Library with a focus on Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The emphasis of the festival is on making Halloween a safe celebration for every family in the area. Further details are available at www.BigScream.ie.

BUDGET 2024 – PUTTING MORE MONEY IN YOUR POCKET!

Budget 2024 contained a €1.2 billion Cost of Living supports package. This involved nine separate payments being between November 2023 and January 2024. These payments introduced by Minister Paschal Donohoe will support our pensioners, carers, people with disabilities and families over the coming months. I have prepared a short timetable listing when these payments are expected to be made: