North Wall Matters – April 2024

COMMONS STREET ALL-WEATHER PITCH TO BE UPGRADED – McADAM DELIVERS!

Over the last twelve months, I have been working City Council officials and Sheriff YC to upgrade the all-weather pitch on Commons Street. I can now confirm that Dublin City Council will be replacing the surface of the all-weather pitch this summer, likely to be in August or early September. A contractor is set to be appointed in the next week or two and when I have confirmation of the exact timing of works, I will share this information with you and members of Sheriff YC. As the club continues to grow and the demand for playing pitches and facilities in the North Inner City increases, as YOUR local Councillor, I will continue to work with Sheriff YC and others to deliver the infrastructure we need to support the football stars of tomorrow. We saw how well the Sheriff YC U9s and U13s did in the Blackpool Cup over Easter, and I want to ensure they have all the opportunities they can secure through sport in the years ahead! I am also engaging with City Council officials to ensure that St. Laurence O’Toole’s National School and St. Laurence O’Toole’s C.B.S. have priority use on both all-weather pitches during school time.

NORTH WALL CTC BUILDING – KEEPING YOU INFORMED!

As YOUR local Councillor and Chair of the Council’s Planning Committee, I know how important providing affordable childcare is for families. That’s why I have been working with Council officials to see how, through the planning process, we can ensure more childcare facilities are available. We also, in my view, need to utilise Council owned buildings currently lying idle that could be used for childcare and early learning initiatives. On Sheriff Street, we have the North Wall CTC building, which I am determined to see once again used by families and communities of the North Wall for early years childcare and education, training programmes to assist parents of children with neurodiverse needs; dedicated space for senior citizens in the area. At this month’s City Council meeting, I demanded of the Chief Executive that he get rid of any alternative plans for the building. The Chief Executive responded to my demands indicating that his officials have committed to the North East Inner City (NEIC) Programme Implementation Board to review vacant properties within the area for consideration as suitable properties for Childcare provision, including the North Wall CTC building. As YOUR local Councillor, I have been working for the last three years on the Docklands Community Council, with Mark Fay, North Wall Community Rep continually raising the need for the CTC building to be used for primarily childcare purposes. I am committed to making this happen and will work to keep you updated on developments in respect of this important Sheriff Street facility.

NORTH WALL ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE

The North Wall Festival Committee organised an absolutely brilliant St. Patrick’s Day parade on March 15^th. It was full of colour, excitement and lots of fun with the Parade being supported by the Garda Band and the Masamba Sambe school. Thanks to everyone involved for their work in delivering a fantastic community event.

SPENCER DOCK

Dublin City Council’s Housing Department in consultation with local residents have completed a deep clean of the five blocks in Spencer Dock.

NORTH WALL LIONS RUGBY CLUB

The NEIC Initiative, established by Fine Gael in Government is supporting Rugby Development Officer, Jack Nelson, who has started a pop-up rugby club in the North East Inner City. This takes place every Friday, between 3pm and 4pm. Boys and Girls are welcome to take part and it is open to kids aged between 7 and 12. The after-school rugby club is taking place in the St. Laurence O’Toole Recreation Centre.

SHERIFF STREET ROADS IMPROVEMENT WORKS

As YOUR local Councillor, I have been working with officials to secure funding to enable the Roads Maintenance Department to complete much needed repairs to the roads surface along Sheriff Street. I can now confirm that €51,200 has been allocated towards the cost of upgrading various parts of the road surface along Sheriff Street, on foot of my work on the matter. A contractor will be selected across the summer with the actual works to take place in the second half of 2024.

WEED REMOVAL WORKS 2024

Last summer, too many streets across North Wall and the North Inner City resembled country meadows due to the growth of weeds. I have been repeatedly urging Dublin City Council to spray weeds, much earlier in the year annually. I am pleased to report that New Way Spray to kill the weeds beginning on April 15th next. Further sprays will be carried out in June, August and October. The Central Area Office of Dublin City Council has secured a new Weedhex machine that will also enable further weeding to take place.

TACKLING ILLEGAL USE OF E-BIKES, SCRAMBLERS AND E-SCOOTERS

The Gardai, over the last six weeks, have successfully targeted the illegal use of motorbikes and scramblers, as part of new legislation introduced by the Government. The Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 has enabled the Gardai to seize 11 scrambler bikes, 2 E-Scooters, 10 Electric Bikes, 2 stolen High-Powered Motorbikes, and one Quad Bike. Some of the vehicles seized were being used to transport drugs as well as being used to commit dangerous driving and anti-social behaviour. These targeted operations are being led by Garda officers focused on effectively tackling criminality associated with the use of the machines. The Assistant Garda Commissioner with responsibility for Dublin has reassured me that this initiative will continue across the spring and into the summer in order to remove these vehicles involved with either criminal activity or dangerous driving. For more information on the Garda activity in respect of this problem, please get in touch with me at RayMcAdam@gmail.com.

SHAMROCK TERRACE RECYCLING FACILITY – FUTURE SECURED!

Many householders across the area have been in touch with me again in recent days expressing concern about the Shamrock Terrace Recycling Centre, amid further rumours of its possible downgrading. On foot of these concerns, I wrote to Derek Kelly, DCC Executive Manager – Environment & Climate Change requesting “a clear and unequivocal statement from Waste Management that the Shamrock Terrace recycling centre is not under an threat of closure or downgrading and that Dublin City Council intends to maximise the level of services that can be provided at this facility going forward and that the staff located there would be DCC employees.” I am pleased to report that Mr. Kelly has confirmed in writing that “Waste Management Services have no plans to close, or downgrade in any way the services currently on offer at Shamrock Terrace Recycling Centre.” I obviously, much welcome this confirmation and I am pleased to provide this certainty to you. While officials consider potential actions to enhance existing services, I wanted, as YOUR local Councillor to get your views as to how you think Dublin City Council can further improve service levels at the Shamrock Terrace facility. So, I’d welcome your thoughts on the existing hours of operation, are there other services you would like to see provided, how we can encourage more households use the facility or any other suggestion you may have. Please email me at RayMcAdam@gmail.com your thoughts.

HSE ROLLS OUT MEASLES MMR VACCINE CATCH-UP PROGRAMME

As YOUR local Councillor and member of the HSE Regional Health Forum, I recently sought specific information from HSE officials about developing an awareness campaign against the threat posed by measles to children and young adults in particular. This week, I was pleased to be provided with details of the HSE’s new MMR vaccine catch up programme. Given how highly infectious measles is and can be an acute and serious infection, the only protection against it is vaccination. Two doses of MMR vaccine are needed and if a child or young adult is not fully protected then MMR vaccines can be obtained from your GP or HSE Vaccination Clinic, details of which are available here – https://www2.hse.ie/services/mmr-vaccine/vaccination-clinics/. The campaign focuses on delivering the MMR vaccine to key groups, who may have missed their vaccines in the past, including children, young adults and health and care workers. For more information, check out my dedicated information page on http://www.RayMcAdam.com.

DECISIONS ARE MADE BY THOSE WHO SHOW UP!

Finally, with elections later this year, I am working to ensure local residents are registered to vote so that they can fully exercise their democratic right in those elections and vote for candidates active on the ground. You can register to vote here – https://www.electoralcommission.ie/referendums/check-the-register/. Remember, decisions are made by those who turn up. Make sure you are registered to vote and have the opportunity to have your say on who represents the North Wall on Dublin City Council over the next five years.