Tag Archives: Blanchardstown

Local Issues

Good News for Blanchardstown Women’s Refuge

Deputy Joan Burton, Labour Party TD for Dublin West, has welcomed the news that the Blanchardstown Women’s Refuge has received written confirmation from the HSE of the funding allocation for the project of over €1mn euro for capital and fitting costs.

The tendering and planning process is on target and should allow construction of the Refuge to begin in April, with an expected 12 -15 month building period.

Deputy Burton said, “I have been involved in this project from the very beginning and as Chair of the Steering Committee for the Refuge I have, along with other local representatives, lobbied for the refuge over the past seven years. This project will have a major impact on some of the most vulnerable members of our community.”

“I am delighted that the project has now received written confirmation of the funding promised by the HSE and that the tendering and planning process is on to target to allow construction begin within the next month. We now have a real prospect of this much needed facility opening it’s doors in the summer of 2008, which is really good news for families in Dublin West.”


Education, Local Issues

Burton Welcomes More Resources for Dublin West Primary Schools

Speaking on an Adjournment Debate last Thursday the 22nd of February, Deputy Burton said:

The announcement by the Department of Education that a number of primary schools in Dublin West are to get additional language support teachers is extremely welcome even if it comes more than halfway through the school year.

Deputy Joan Burton raised the issue of additional Language Support and other supports required for all children at primary level in Dublin West by way of special short debate in the Dail (an adjournment debate Thursday 22nd February, 2007).

Dublin West has seen an unprecedented population growth over the last five years. The recent Census confirmed that it’s the fastest growing area in the country. Consequently, the demand for new schools, school places and specialist resources for children with specific learning support needs is at an all time high.

Parents worry constantly in Dublin 15, whether it is Blanchardstown, Castleknock, Mulhuddart, Clonee, if their child will get a place in primary school. Once the coveted primary school place is acquired, another set of worries arises. Large class sizes, temporary school buildings and huge under-resourcing for the specific needs of pupils, both Irish and newcomer children.

Three primary schools in Dublin West have more than 80% international class enrolments. Long established primary schools, some more than 100 years old such as the local parish school in Blanchardstown, Clonsilla and Castleknock have 40%+ of international children, particularly at junior infants to first class.

There are schools in Dublin West with 42+ nationalities attending the school. The level of English of pupils attending these schools is limited and in some cases non-existent. We have been lucky in Dublin West to have outstanding principals and teachers who together with their parents, Boards of Management and Patrons have done their best to cope in an extremely challenging situation.

Although additional support was promised long before Christmas to me by the Secretary General of the Department of Education, this week’s announcement will hopefully ease the pressure.

Extra teachers will allow language support, provide for language enrichment and team teaching for mixed classes. It will allow classes to be split into smaller groups. The smaller groups will significantly help Irish children and those from an English language environment to proceed at their level of skill. Obviously, it will also allow non-Irish children without English specific language coaching.

Reduced class numbers with increased language support are the key requirements for ensuring success in Education. It takes more than 2 years to acquire fluency in English and I hope the Minister will clarify if the 2 year cap on English language support is also being lifted.

I am particularly anxious that Irish born children who have special needs in respect of teaching support for factors such as dyslexia, speech therapy requirements are not overlooked. The Minister should publish fully what additional teachers are being appointed to each school and what the class sizes and enrolments are. I have already asked for this but been told that the Department won’t have the information available for some time.

It’s obvious that there is a crying need for early start and pre-school education in schools in Dublin West which are experiencing such phenomenal growth and expansion. This is needed for Irish and international children.

The Minister has had her head in the sand about what has been happening in Dublin West and developing areas with the explosion in educational requirements. It’s not good enough for this government to have a policy of encouraging immigrant labour for low wage jobs and then to ignore the additional educational, health and other requirements that such newcomers and their children will require. That is not fair to local people and their children but it is also deeply dishonest towards the newcomers.

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Local Issues, Uncategorized

Only 10% of New Buses for Dublin West

100 New Buses for Dublin!! This has been announced at least 10 times by Government. But now Deputy Burton Labour TD for Dublin West has been told that only 10% of the buses will go to areas such as Blanchardstown, Castleknock, Clonsilla and Clonee in Dublin West.

At a meeting this week, Dublin Bus revealed to Deputy Burton that they will only be getting 10 new buses for the Dublin 15 area. Dublin Bus originally hoped for 28 more buses to develop the Blanchardstown route.

Deputy Burton said, “Despite Blanchardstown having the longest journey times in the city, with record journeys of over 3 hours for the 8 mile journey from Ongar, only 10% of the new allocation of 100 buses is being put on the route. With so many thousands of new homes people are desperate for more buses and trains. Just 10 buses, when the Government talks in Billions every day, is very disappointing

There is better news on the promised review of bus services for Dublin 15.

Dublin Bus have told Deputy Burton that the first stage of the review of bus services and routes in Dublin 15 has been completed. They hope to complete the second stage of consultation in March and to begin re-designing the bus routes and bus schedules in April. Deputy Burton said that at that time she hopes that Dublin Bus will consult particularly with the public who use the service

Dublin Bus are proposing to offer much more express services straight from areas such as Littlepace and Ongar to the city centre and to review the routes of all existing services.

This follows a public meeting on Transport organized by Deputy Joan Burton last November when the Divisional Manager of Dublin Bus Declan Murray promised a sweeping review of the entire local service for the Dublin 15 area.

While we welcome the review of existing routes and hope that it will bring a substantial improvement in the service as promised by Dublin Bus, it’s extremely disappointing that Blanchardstown has not been given a high priority in the allocation of the new buses” said Deputy Burton.

“I want to thank all the individuals and families who participated in the Labour Party survey and questionnaire on buses and trains we have passed the details to Dublin Bus and Irish Rail and I know that they’ve been very useful in giving feedback to the transport companies on their services”

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Local Issues

Connolly Hospital Denied €2mn for MRI Scanner and Vital Radiological Equipment While Bertie Spends €184mn on National Development Plan

Speaking on the Health Bill 2006 being debated in the Dail on Wednesday the 24th of January, Joan Burton TD for Dublin West said:

“This week the Government launched to an incredible fanfare of publicity a €184billion plan for capital and current expenditure over the period of the next National Development Plan 2007 – 2013.”

Although the Government can spend €184billion, it appears that nobody in government can get around to spending less than €2mn on an MRI scanner for Connolly hospital in Blanchardstown. Connolly Hospital which serves the Dublin 15 area and the population of the Dunboyne, Finglas and Meath areas is the only major Dublin teaching hospital without an MRI scanner and various other vital pieces of modern radiology equipment.

Patients in Connolly hospital in need of MRI and other high level diagnosis particularly for trauma injuries and orthopaedic conditions must be ambulanced from Blanchardstown to either Beaumont or the Mater. These hospitals are 5 miles away in heavy city traffic including crossing the M50 roundabout at Blanchardstown, a return journey which takes at least 2 hours but often much longer traffic conditions being what they are.

The cost of sending patients out has to be borne by Connolly not to mention the inefficiency of having standard procedures carried out at remote locations from the Connolly hospital.

It beggars belief that a government which can commit to €184bn in a National Development Plan cannot get its act together over spending of less than €2mn. In many ways the National Development Plan can only be made meaningful when broken down into its component parts and how it will affect individual families, patients and hospitals. When examined in this way the plan is deeply disappointing, particularly for the hard working staff of Connolly hospital.

Why has Connolly hospital been left in the cold? The upgrade of vital radiological equipment was confidently promised 8-9 years ago when the phase 1 of the reconstruction of the hospital was being promised by government. It was to be a key part of phase 2. It has never happened and now people are losing hope that it ever will. A new factor has entered the equation and this is the instruction of the Minister for Health Mary Harney that a private hospital is to constructed on the grounds of Blanchardstown Public Hospital lands. It would appear that these essential improvements in equipment to Blanchardstown are being long fingered and postponed while the private hospital initiative is under active consideration.

“Whether or not a private hospital is built in Blanchardstown, the public hospital needs and requires radiology equipment now. It is unbelievable that one of Irelands largest new towns, bigger than Waterford or Limerick should be without such a modern day essential piece of equipment.”

“I am taking the opportunity of todays debate to demand an answer from government as to why Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown should be left behind. This government built phase 1 of the hospital reconstruction almost 5 years behind schedule. Only just before Christmas did they begin to rehabilitate the old hospital wing. Patients are still in outdated old buildings in the grounds 10 years after we were promised a new hospital. It’s not good enough”.

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Employment & Economy, Local Issues

BLANCHARDSTOWN TO LOSE 230 JOBS TO OVERSEAS

Today’s news that Creative Labs in the Ballycoolin Industrial Estate Blanchardstown is to outsource 230 jobs to overseas is a major blow both to employees and the area in general, following the anticipated loss of hundreds of jobs at the nearby Xerox plant.

There have been rumours for some time of downsizing at the factory but it had been hoped that the majority of jobs would be maintained. However, today the company confirmed that 230 jobs are to go.

First and foremost therefore my sympathies are with these employees. No time is good to hear that you are losing your job, but immediately before Christmas is particularly cruel.

I would appeal to Enterprise Minister Micheal Martin to intervene with the company to see if these jobs can be maintained in Ireland rather than transferred overseas.

This follows the major job review underway at Xerox which may result in hundreds of jobs being lost. West Dublin, and indeed the country in general, cannot afford to haemorrhage electronic or other jobs on this scale.

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Education, Local Issues, Uncategorized

Bitter Harvest of Failure to Provide Adequate Numbers of Community Gardai in Dublin 15

The 10 year failure by the Fianna Fail PD government to provide an adequate number of community based Gardai for areas such as Dublin 15 is now reaping a bitter harvest. Deputy Joan Burton said that for the 10 years of this government she has had a constant dialogue both with Minister Mc Dowell and his pre-decessor, “Zero Tolerance” Minister O’Donohue in regard to significantly increasing the number of community police for the Dublin 15 area.

Unfortunately neither Minister seems able to understand the key role that good quality community policing in the long term would have for areas in Dublin 15, particularly those estates troubled by a small number of people involved in crime and anti social behaviour.

Ten years ago, some of the ten to fifteen year olds who were causing trouble and strife both for their own families, and for their neighbous, were not subject to any kind of regular follow up and sanction by community based Gardai. Instead very often they went untouched. Small wonder that ten years later some of these young children are members of criminal gangs and worse. who are causing such mayhem in the Dublin area.

The special divisions of the Gardai dealing with serious crime, drugs and gun crime are extremely important. However, they are of limited use unless matched by adequate Community Gardai. During the five years of Minister McDowells term, the number of Community Guards in Dublin 15 has stayed relatively static at under 21 whereas the population has increased enormously.

Add to this the fact that the number of industries and number of shops in the area have also increased with even the opening of Farmleigh adding to the burden of responsibility and policing that the Gardai have to carry in Dublin 15.

Deputy Burton said, “When I was a Minister of State, representing the Dublin 15 area, I helped to get the new Garda station at Blanchardstown built. One of the key aims of that was to provide suitable facilities for significant amounts of community based policing, that is Gardai allocated to the area for 2-3 years, getting to know a neighbourhood in depth, getting to know the kids who are real trouble and helping to deter kids who could be persuaded out of trouble. Another key role for Community Gardai is to liaise with families so that good parenting reduces the number of children who get into trouble with the law.”

“Unfortunately the Minister has largely turned a deaf ear to this demand and some of the dreadful deaths we have witnessed in Dublin and in Ireland this year are unfortunately a testament.”

“My sympathy goes out to all of the families who are bereaved this Christmas and who have lost children and loved ones in this current spate of violence. Ireland has faced up to other significant problems such as unemployment. I believe that with good political leadership and a focus on community policing, we can also tackle the current crime epidemic. We must also work with parents to ensure that children get strong support from their parents and that they go to school and as far as possible stay on at school.”

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Local Issues, Transport

TRAFFIC CHAOS IN DUBLIN WEST

A new level of commuting hell was reached this morning for Dublin West Residents as a crash on the Lucan exit of the M50 around 6.20am caused complete traffic gridlock for thousands of commuters.
Buses which left Harristown Terminal on time arrived 1 and a half hours late to start their journeys into town from Ongar. The 39B which was due to leave Ongar at 8.35 didn’t leave its first stop until 10.05.

However there was no joy for those buses which did manage to leave from Ongar, the 815 bus from Ongar got stuck in traffic hell in the Blanchardstown area and didn’t leave the Blanchardstown Town Centre until after 10am. The total journey time of this bus into the city centre was OVER THREE HOURS.

Deputy Burton said, “Three hours for an 8 mile bus journey is totally unprecedented in this country. The government has to recognise the scale of the crisis in transport that is happening around Dublin as suburban towns expand rapidly without transport infrastructure being put in place.”

“Commuters from Dublin West are at their wits end. Any minor crash or obstruction anwhere along the M50 gurantees them a morning of hell, whether they take public transport or drive to work in their own cars”.

“The 39 route and other local services are supposed to be served by a Quality Corridor just like the no 46A to help public transport commuters beat the traffic but it is really a fantasy QBC as it uses a dedicated bus lane for only 22% of its route.”

“This crisis of journey times cannot be allowed to continue. Dublin 15 needs an immediate and complete review of transport services. More direct buses to town are needed tomorrow to prevent a re-occurrence of the almost 2 hour tour de Dublin West that bus commuters experienced this morning.

“A real dedicated QBC that allows buses to move regardless of traffic conditions has to put in place immediately. Dublin West also needs local bus services to serve railway stations and the town centre and more dedicated services for the high growth housing areas such as Littlepace, Ongar and Castaheany.”

“Electrification of the Maynooth line and the development of the interconnector at Spencer Dock must be prioritised to allow Dublin 15 commuters regular and short journeys into the city centre from their homes.

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Local Issues

Plans For New Direct Access To Connolly Hospital From Navan Road

The National Roads Authority has told Deputy Burton that as part of the M50 upgrade, there will be a new access road to Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown directly from the Navan Road (the N3).

The NRA told Deputy Burton that:

“The capacity of the M50/N3 junction will be significantly increased as part of the M50Upgrade..It is acknowledged that access to the James Connolly Memorial Hospital will need to be provided from the N3 as part of the upgrade scheme. There is a provision in the PPP contract to provide a connection between the enhanced N3 with a new access road and bridge being proposed by the hospital authorities”.

Deputy Burton said, “I welcome this announcement. Currently, patients and their families coming from the wider area via the Navan Road have to go around the world to get to the hospital. I particularly welcome the fact that this development will cut journey times for ambulances in emergency situations going to and from the hospital.”

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Local Issues

POSITIVE NEWS FOR PATIENTS OF UNIT 3, CONNOLLY HOSPITAL

Deputy Burton has welcomed the news that patients and staff of Unit 3, Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown will be staying together when they are moved from Unit 3 in January 2007.

The lands on which Unit 3, part of the elderly care section of the hospital, are currently located were sold to a developer in1999 and are to be handed over on the 1st of January, 2007. Refurbishment of the new permanent accommodation for the patients of Unit 3 will not be completed by next January, and so they will have to move to temporary accommodation.

While the location for the temporary accommodation has not yet been confirmed, hospital management have confirmed to relatives of patients in Unit 3 that it will be within the hospital campus.

Deputy Burton said, “This is positive news for concerned relatives of patients in Unit 3, Connolly hospital who are facing a big upheaval in January. I am calling again on the Minister to confirm the location of the temporary accommodation at the earliest possible time to allow patients and relatives peace of mind to start planning for the move.”

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Local Issues, Uncategorized

NEW POLICING COMMITTEE NEEDS SPECIFIC DUBLIN 15 FOCUS

Speaking after the first meeting of the new Fingal Policing Committee, Deputy Joan Burton TD, Labour Party Dail Representative to the Committee, said that the formation of local policing committees was long overdue.

She welcomed the formation of the committee at its first meeting last Friday morning in Blanchardstown.

“There are a number of issues that the committee needs to address as a matter of urgency. Firstly given the population and the level of crime, including gangland crime and murder being experienced in the Dublin 15 area, the policing committee should have a specific focus and subcommittee dedicated to policing issues in the Dublin 15 area. Dublin 15 is seriously underserved in terms of community policing and we want dialogue with Garda management to ensure that local communities, particularly in those parts of Dublin 15 where there is a serious crime problem perpetrated by a small minority, get a visible policing presence. We want the Gardai working on the beat in local communities so that people feel safe in their own neighbourhood.”

“At the meeting I specifically raised with the Gardai and Fingal Council management policing arrangements in relation to the forthcoming Halloween season. I have asked Fingal County Council to arrange special junk collections, particularly in areas of local authority housing so as to ensure that junk ranging from mattresses to tyres currently lying in back gardens and lanes is not used for bonfires.”

“Dublin City Council carry out regular junk collections. Fingal did junk collections until recent years. Bearing in mind that not everyone can get to Coolmine Recycling Facility it would make a lot of sense to re-instate skip collections particularly in estates where bonfires are a regular feature of Halloween.”

“Finally I was disappointed that although the Minister’s guidelines for the joint policing committees specifically mention that all political parties should be included, that Councillor Felix Gallagher was unable to secure a nomination from his fellow Councillors. Personally I think all interested Councillors, TD’s and Senators should be invited and encouraged to join the policing committee.”

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