New slipway for Fountainstown beach

More than a decade ago a very bad storm washed away the slipway that allowed access over all the stones down onto Fountainstown beach. Since then I along with others have been fighting for funding to re-instate it. This beach is very popular yet for all that time anyone less than fully able bodied was denied access to the sand and the water.
Today we were informed by Council that work will begin on the new slipway by the end of the month and will be complete in 5-6 weeks. Contracts have been awarded for €153,000 to provide the slip, rock armour and railing. The original plan to provide a whole new sea wall would have cost €500,000 which is obviously not available but I am delighted that the basic infrastructure of the slipway will soon be back in place. Like so many others, I look forward to getting down onto that beach again!

Gaming arcade appeal date

An application for a gaming arcade in Carrigaline town centre was recently rejected by the district court. However the appeal by the applicants will be heard next Tuesday 4th Oct, so if you’re interested in this issue, do go along

Draft pay parking proposals for Carrigaline

Draft bye-laws for park parking along the main street and adjacent streets has now been published for Carrigaline town. Council hopes to bring this back before the councillors for voting by November so it will be very important that residents and businesses take the time to read these proposals and to comment on them before we vote.Residents in the effected areas will have to purchase annual permits. A full day car park is also proposed for the “circus field” to facilitae people who work in the town and this is proposed to be at a charge of €3 per day, while the hourly rate on the street would be an average of 80 cent to €1 depending on which part of town your parking, with a 20 cent charge for the first 10 mins.
All views and opinions should be addressed to Peter O’Donoughue, Senior Executive Engineer, Roads Dept., Co Hall, Cork

Additional funding for winter salt supplies

I very much welcome the Government’s announcement today that increased funding will be available to Cork County Council this winter to help prepare for the expected harsh weather. Salt supplies are of course an essential element in trying to make road conditions safer and while the Council has already set up a community salt depot as a pilot project in a number of areas arising from the experience of last winter, nonetheless we clearly need additional supplies. I expect details to be made available by Council management shorthly.

Carrigaline Tidy Towns success

Hearty congratulations to the Carrigaline Tidy Towns committee who achieved a bronze medal in this year’s awards. Its the towns first ever award and all the more impressive when one considers the caliber of the competitors. The hard work and determination of this small group is second to none and we all benefit from their hard work.

Robbing posters

Most normal people will be amazed that some strange folk actually rob election posters in order to re-erect them after the election, thereby hoping fines of €150 per poster will be imposed on the candidate. One of mine has already been re-erected illegally by someone who had to bring a ladder to the location to push the poster high up the pole! I can assure you that it will be removed immediately but I would ask the offenders not to be so silly. I would also ask everybody else to please let me know if any re-occurance occurs as I know all my posters have been removed within the time limit and if any re-appear it is malicious. Likewise do let me know if any posters suddenly appear dumped in ditches etc.
I thank you sincerely for your assistance.

Thank you

May I thank the people of Cork South Central who honoured me with their vote in this election, and who ensured that although we didn’t win the second seat we did comfortably retain one seat. May I also sincerely thank the team of election workers who campaigned by my side for so many weeks in all weathers.

FF has still learnt nothing!

The spin doctors are still in control as a FF TD announces in the first week of the election that suddenly €1.5m has been found for the Carrigaline relief road project!

I believe this road project is vital for the town and have fought for years despite some local objections to secure funding for it. Yet repeatedly we have been told no money was available. I would be delighted if this funding promise was true but I just can’t believe it because we suddenly see this announcement from a FF politician just 21 days from the election.

Do they still take us for fools? FF is renowned for empty and insulting election promises and its clear that they haven’t changed. They still think they can fool people. They are still trying to mislead the people into voting for them.!

This same FF TD opposed this road plan at every opportunity when he was a councillor and didn’t even attend the final council meeting when a decision on it had to be made. Yet now he wants you to believe not only that the money has been found but that he welcomes it!

People deserve better than this old style FF politics but FF are not capable of changing because they have learnt nothing!.

Ireland needs more women in politics

Far too few women are contesting this election and this is being raised with me on
the canvass. People are questioning the ability of our political system
to accurately reflect the needs of society when 86% of the population were under-
represented. Only 14% of the last Dail were women.

If 86% of all our TDs were women, then men would be entitled to feel
disenfranchised. We should all be concerned when this imbalance is
allowed to continue.

It is essential for a properly working democracy that all aspects of our community
are represented. Women are great listeners and communicators; they are at the heart
of the community, but they are not at the heart of politics, and that is politics’ loss

Reduction in minimum wage

In a shameful last act on the last day of a shameful government, today FF has cut the minimum wage.
This was announced in their budget last December and is being brought into effect today although they know that Labour has declared that if in government in 3 weeks times it will be re-instated. Even FG agree that this is a savage and un-necessary cut that will achieve no savings for the exchequer.
Losing €40 per week is very harsh for someone on the minimum wage. So determined were FF to attack this minimum payment that they went to the expense of taking out adverts in the newspapers informing empolyers of the reduction. And all this at a time when their own retiring party politicians are in line for massive pensions and scrappage settlements!