D’fhreastail mé inniu ar cruinniú eagraithe ag Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge, mar chuid den feachtas toghchánaíochta An Ghaeilge & Do Vóta atá ar mbun acu.
Cé nach raibh mé ullmhaithe (bhíos ann mar ionadaí do Trevor Sargent), do bhaineas taithneamh as an díospóireacht.  Bhí gach páirtí ann seachas an PD.  D’fhoghlaim mé cúpla rudaí súimiúil.  Mar shampla, deacrachtaí le caighdeán Gaeilge na múinteóirí bunscoile.  Do leag Eamon Ó Cuiv béim ar Gaeilge a bheith á úsáid sna naoílanna, rud nár rith liom roimh seo.  Bheinn i dteangmháil le Fingal County Childcare Committee ar an ceist seo.

I bhfírinne, ní thuigim cén fáth nach bhfuil torthaí in-fheicthe ag teacht ón Acht Teangan.  Do cheapas go mbeadh deireadh ar na comharthaí aonteangacha, (is cinnte, na comharthaí le fo-scríobhinní beaga Gaeilge) cheana.  Ach tá siad fós á chur suas, (ag Comhairle Contae Fhine Gall san áireamh). Níor phléadh an ceist seo.

Mar ceist deireanach, d’iarradh orainn cén fáth nach raibh Gaeilge so-feicthe ar suíomhanna idirlín na páirtithe.  Thug me leithscéal ar son na Glasaigh.  Ach tá rud aisteach faoin suíomh ‘s againne.  Téann www.greenparty.ie chuig an suíomh "/en" ach tá leagan Gaeilge ag "/ga" cé nach bhfuil aon nasc chuige ar an príomhleathnach!  Níl leagan iomlán Gaeilge ann, ach nach cheart an méid a bhfuil againn a nochtadh?

Is an suíomh seo?  Seo an céad píosa uaim as Gaeilge.  Beidh níos mó, go h-áirithe má iarraíonn léitheóirí uaim.  (Agus cinnte, fáiltím roimh ceartucháin gramadaí srl !)

Mar focail scoir, b’éigean dom a rá gur thathnaíonn modh oibre an fheachtais liom go mór – tuairimí agus argóintí pobail na Gaeilge a bhailiú le chéile, iad a phlé agus a éagrú, agus ansin forógra a chur chuig na n-iarrthóirí agus an pobal i gcoitinne.  Creidim go mór sna modhanna oibre rannpháirteacha mar seo.

Fingal County Council have refused permission for the construction of a two-storey house on the oil tank compound.

Fingal County Council have issued a comprehensive refusal for the following four reasons:

Reason    
The proposed development is located in an area designated in the current Fingal County Development Plan under use zoning objective RS, to provide for residential development and to protect and improve residential amenity. Having regard to the restricted nature of the subject site, it is considered that the proposed development would contravene materially this objective, by reason of its layout and proximity to the roadside and rear boundaries. The proposed development would therefore be visually obtrusive, would appear as over-development out of keeping with the established form and character of development in the vicinity, would be unacceptable from a public safety perspective and would seriously injure the amenity of property in the vicinity of the site in a manner that would be contrary to the above zoning objective and to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

Reason    
Having regard to the zoning objective for the area which seeks ‘to provide for residential development and to protect and improve residential amenity’, it is considered that a dwelling at the proposed location would be visually obtrusive when viewed surrounding dwellings and would seriously injure the amenities of the area by reason loss of outlook for the dwellings to the north. The proposed development would therefore be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

Reason    
The proposed development would materially contravene the provision in the Fingal County Development Plan, 2005 requiring that all houses should have an area of private open space behind the building line of not less than 48 sq. (exclusive of car parking area) to provide for an adequate level of residential amenity. (Objective 0S029). The proposed development would not provide private amenity space to development plan standards for the new dwelling. Furthermore, the proposed development would have inadequate rear garden depth as required under Objective OSO31. The proposed development would therefore materially contravene the Development Plan zoning objective of the area ‘to protect and improve residential amenity in established residential areas’.

Reason    
The proposed development is substandard by reason of lack of adequate carparking provision which would result in on-street parking and tend to create serious traffic congestion and traffic hazard within the vicinity. This would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

The applicants have 4 weeks within which to appeal.  If they do appeal, observations can be made to An Bord Pleanála for €50.  I would recommend a collective observation including all of the €20 submissions made to the County Council.

The Cultivate Centre in Temple Bar is running a six-week series of lectures on climate change.
Details at http://www.sustainable.ie/cultivate/learning/climate_change.htm

Green Party Councillor David Healy has welcomed An Bord Pleanála’s
decision to refuse permission for a construction waste recycling centre
adjacent to houses in Baldoyle and Donaghmede.  

The application for 24 Baldoyle Industrial Estate was to be run in
addition to an existing facility at 21A Baldoyle Industrial Estate.  
An  Bord Pleanála refused the application for three reasons:

1.    Having regard to the zoning objective for the area in which the
site is located, namely, “to facilitate opportunities for science and
technology based employment” which objective is considered reasonable
and having regard also to Local Objective 4 for Baldoyle, namely, “to
formulate and implement a strategy for the densification and an
environmental improvement scheme for Baldoyle Industrial Estate” which
objective is also considered reasonable, it is considered that the
nature and scale of the proposed development would conflict with those
objectives and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable
development of the area.

2.    Having regard to the nature and scale of the proposed development
and its proximate location to residential and recreational land uses,
it is considered that the proposed development, both in itself and in
conjunction with an associated similar development in the immediate
vicinity would seriously injure the amenities of property in the
vicinity, the amenities of the area and would be prejudicial to public
health.  The proposed development would, therefore, be contrary to the
proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

3.    Having regard to the predicted traffic flows likely to be
generated by the proposed development and to the constricted HGV
vehicular parking and circulation areas on site it is considered that
the proposed development would result in on street parking with the
industrial estate and would tend to create serious traffic congestion
there.

The applicants already run an unauthorised waste recycling centre at
21A Baldoyle Industrial Estate.  Fingal  County Council, in response to
a request by a local resident has issued a certificate under section 5
of the Planning Act that it is unauthorised.  However, the Council is
unwilling to take enforcement action because the waste company claims
to have been operating for over 5 years.

Commenting on the decision, Cllr. Healy said:
“This waste processing operation is a nuisance to both local residents
and adjacent businesses in this busy industrial estate.  Now that An
Bord Pleanála has refused permission to expand it, I call on the
developers to move out of the industrial estate and leave local people
in peace.  I will continue to press Fingal County Council to take
enforcement action for breaches of the planning laws.”

An Bord Pleanála’s decision is here.
The Inspector’s Report on which An Bord Pleanála’s decision is based is here.
The section 5 certificate that the existing operation is unauthorised is below.
{mosimage}

The Audit of the Council’s 2005 accounts is starting.  I’m posting this because it may be of interest to campaign groups and public interest organisations.
14th February, 2007

TO EACH MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL

RE: COMMENCEMENT OF AUDIT

Dear Councillor,

I wish to advise you of commencement of the Audit of the accounts of Fingal County Council for the financial year ended on the 31st day of December, 2005.  The audit of accounts will be commenced by Mr. Patrick Guiney, Local Government Auditor on the 27th  February 2007 at 9.30 a.m. at the offices of Fingal County Council, County Hall, Swords.

This notice is issued for the purpose of complying with the statutory requirements.  It will not be necessary for you to attend the opening of the audit.

Yours faithfully,

P. Keane,
Head of  Finance.

Following  the Sunday Tribune and Construct Ireland‘s recent publication of an SEI study showing that 98% of the houses surveyed were in breach of the building regulations, Trevor Sargent asked Bertie Ahern questions in the Dáil on the lack of enforcement of building regulations.   I’m posting the transcript because of it’s relevance to the energy standards in Fingal.  It would be funny if it wasn’t so depressing.

   Mr. Sargent: In recent weeks quite a number of people have visited my clinics to complain about the fact that they are living in houses built to a standard that leaves them quite cold and having to use a lot of gas, electric and open fires.  I said I would raise the question with the Taoiseach and I have many examples.  
  A man in Balbriggan occupies one of eight apartments, all of which use whatever heating can be found because it is constantly cold there.  Residents from Ballymun tell me they have moved into brand new houses which are not just cold but damp with mould growing on the walls.  Their children are getting sick and the dwellings are generally badly built.  
  Given the number of people waking up to cold houses, especially in this weather, is the Taoiseach going to take action at the failure to meet building standards?  Last Sunday’s Sunday Tribune stated 98% of houses built in this country fail to meet the Government’s minimum standards on insulation and heat loss.  One wonders whether the Fianna Fáil tent at the Galway races is better insulated than some of these houses.

   Mr. O’Donoghue: We have solar panels.

   Mr. Sargent: It is interesting to hear the expertise from beside the Taoiseach on the front bench.  Why has there not been a single prosecution under this Government for the massive failure to implement its own minimum insulation standards for house building?  As far as the Department of the Environment and Local Government is aware there has not been a prosecution of any builder, architect or engineer.  The Government has no facts on what local authorities are doing in this regard.  Will the Taoiseach apologise to the people of this country forced to live in housing that is not built to the standard set down by his Government?  Does he agree that houses should be insulated to a far higher standard and what will he do about the implementation of Part L of the building regulations?

   The Taoiseach: It was – 3° Celsius at 9 a.m. today, anyone in substandard housing will be in great difficulty and we all wish to see the situation improved in such circumstances.  Having said that, legislation, such as the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill and several other Bills we have had here in the last 20 years, have all sought to improve building insulation standards and I think standards have improved dramatically, particularly in local authority houses.

   Mr. Sargent: I am talking about enforcement.

   The Taoiseach: The implementation of existing legislation and related prosecutions are matters for the local authorities.  This is not something that relates to central Government.  There is a new EU energy directive and a Building Control Bill that Deputy Quinn asked me to complete and these will further improve standards of insulation.

   Mr. Quinn: The Taoiseach relaxed the standards by a further two years.

   The Taoiseach: They will improve standards of insulation.  Resources have been made available in recent years to help local authorities with old people’s homes, with insulation grants and energy efficiency grants.  Perhaps the Deputy is suggesting this is not enough.

   Mr. Sargent: I am not alone in suggesting that is not enough.

   Mr. Cuffe: The figure of 2% is a bit low.

   The Taoiseach: In fairness, as I understand, the standard of building regulations in this country is high.

   Mr. Sargent: A 98% failure represents a dreadful record.

   The Taoiseach: The standard of most houses built in this country in the past 20 years—–

   Mr. Cuffe: They do not comply.

   Mr. Boyle: We do not even know if they do.

   The Taoiseach: They are built to high standards.  Older houses—–

   Mr. Sargent: They are new.

   Ms Burton: New houses.

   An Ceann Comhairle: Who is the leader of the Green Party?

   The Taoiseach: There are four of them.

   Mr. Sargent: I believe the Ceann Comhairle knows.

   Mr. D. Ahern: Joint leadership.

   Ms Lynch: It is a collective.

   An Ceann Comhairle: Allow the Taoiseach without interruption.

   The Taoiseach: There are four of them.

   Mr. D. Ahern: That is a touchy subject.

   Mr. Sargent: Deputy Dermot Ahern wants to be leader.

  (Interruptions).

   The Taoiseach: If Deputy Sargent is asking me to enforce the existing regulations, he should note it is a matter for the local authority.  If he is saying the existing regulations are not sufficiently strong, that is another matter.  To the best of my knowledge, the only legislative change I know in the area of energy efficiency was put in place by the European Union.

   Ms Lynch: What about an inspectorate?

   The Taoiseach: We have not implemented it.  The local authorities are responsible for inspecting in each area.

   Ms Lynch: There are two for the whole city of Cork.

   Mr. Sargent: I am sorry to say that response was absolutely pathetic.  Not only did not we not receive an apology for the failure or an acknowledgement that 98% is an absolutely abject failure in terms of the flouting of energy rules—–

   Mr. Roche: That is not true.

   The Taoiseach: Ninety-eight percent of what?

   Mr. Boyle: New homes.

   Mr. Sargent: New homes under Part L.  These are the Taoiseach’s own standards.

   Mr. Boyle: It is appalling that in the past ten years—–

   Mr. N. Dempsey: Who measured that?

   The Taoiseach: That is not factual.

  (Interruptions).

   Mr. Boyle: A State agency.

   Mr. Sargent: If the Taoiseach does his homework, he will certainly find that, according to Sustainable Energy Ireland, he is not complying.
  The street credibility of the Taoiseach and Government is not great on energy performance.  The energy performance directive should have been implemented in January 2006 but the Government has said it wants more time, until 2009.  There has been much lobbying by the hollow block manufactures and construction industry to try to ensure that feet are dragged for as long as possible to prevent compliance with the standards.

   Mr. Roche: That is not true.

   Mr. Sargent: Meanwhile, local authorities – it seems the Taoiseach does not even know what they are doing—–

   Mr. Roche: Prove it.

   Mr. Sargent: Fingal, Wicklow and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown county councils are exceeding the Government’s minimum standards, with which it is not even complying, and insisting that there be higher standards because of the need for energy insulation in addressing climate change, quality of life, the cost of living and many other issues.  Given the Taoiseach’s record, which is appalling, and his belief that circumstances should be better—–

   An Ceann Comhairle: The Deputy’s time has concluded.

   Mr. Sargent: It is important that the Taoiseach answer—–

   Mr. Roche: Facts are important also.

   Mr. Sargent: —–why the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government is saying to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council that the Department’s own system should be introduced in January 2007 as it provides a better basis for expressing the required performance of buildings and that Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council’s proposed targets are quite onerous.  It is suggesting one should not go there.
  If the Taoiseach is actually asking local authorities not to install proper energy insulation, he has got some answering to do.

   Mr. Roche: It is not what we are saying.

   Mr. Sargent: Not only are people freezing in their homes and not only will climate change cost this country dearly, the Taoiseach is seeking to prevent local authorities from improving the standards.  He must answer for this.  Why is he preventing the introduction of higher standards by local authorities?

   Mr. Gormley: It is disgraceful.

   Mr. Roche: The same authorities made a mess of the register.

   The Taoiseach: There are building standards and legislation, and the legislation should be implemented.  If people want to go beyond that, it is another matter.

   Mr. Sargent: Why not?

   The Taoiseach: Local authorities are the bodies that arbitrate in these matters in their own areas and they cannot be stopped.  It is a function—–

   Mr. Sargent: The Department is trying to stop them.

   The Taoiseach: I am not coming in here to answer for Fingal, Kerry or Wexford county councils.

   Mr. Gormley: The Taoiseach should answer for himself.

   The Taoiseach: There are standards and they should be implemented.

   An Ceann Comhairle: Allow the Taoiseach without interruption.

  (Interruptions).

   Mr. Roche: Let the truth seep through.

   The Taoiseach: Deputy Sargent should raise a question with the line Minister.

   An Ceann Comhairle: Allow the Taoiseach without interruption.

   Mr. Roche: Deputy Sargent should stick to the truth for a change.

   An Ceann Comhairle: I ask the Minister to allow the Taoiseach without interruption.

   Mr. Sargent: The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government—–

   Mr. Roche: The Deputy is deliberately misleading the House.

  (Interruptions).

   An Ceann Comhairle: Please, Deputy Sargent.  The Deputy should control the three Members around him also.

   Mr. Sargent: I have good reason to be angry.

   Mr. Boyle: He is jumping out of his seat.

   Mr. Roche: They are the same crowd that made a mess of the register of electors.

   The Taoiseach: I do not want to argue unnecessarily with Deputy Sargent but he knows himself that it is nonsense to quote figures such as the statistic that 98% of houses in the State are cold or below standard.  He knows it is not factual.

   Mr. Sargent: It is the truth.

   The Taoiseach: It is not the truth.

   An Ceann Comhairle: The Taoiseach without interruption.

   The Taoiseach: It is entirely—–

   Mr. Cuffe: The Taoiseach should read the report.

   The Taoiseach: Did the Deputy write that himself?

   Mr. Sargent: I did not write it myself.

   The Taoiseach: He should not be showing me authority facts.

   Mr. Cuffe: The truth hurts.

   The Taoiseach: If Deputy Sargent is saying 98% of the new houses built in this country are in breach of the existing guidelines, it is not true.

   Mr. Sargent: That is the result of a study.

   Mr. Gormley: It is true.

   The Taoiseach: It is another study of ten houses picked by the Deputy himself.

   An Ceann Comhairle: I ask Deputy Sargent to be quiet.  He had his opportunity and he went well over the time allotted to him.  He cannot take up the Taoiseach’s time also.  This is a democratic Assembly and the Taoiseach is entitled to be heard.

   The Taoiseach: Every time we check a figure thrown up by Deputy Sargent, we find it has no basis, is not factual and does not stand up in any area of the city.

   Ms Lynch: Who did the Taoiseach ask?

   The Taoiseach: Both local authorities and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government bear this out.  When we check the figures to determine their basis, there is never a basis.

  (Interruptions).

   Mr. Roche: The Deputy should be very careful.

   An Ceann Comhairle: I ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Roche, to allow the Taoiseach without interruption.

   The Taoiseach: There are standards and legislation and local authorities arbitrate on these and carry out the inspections.  I concede that the standards and specifications of the local authorities are very high.  When people seek mortgages, clearings or valuation certificates, the issues in question are checked.  The standards are high but not so high in some of the old properties.
  The Government has given money for both senior citizens’ accommodation and local authority accommodation to improve the standards.  We have given money to Energy Ireland and have invested considerable resources to make the grants available.  If in the new European directive there are even higher standards, I concede we should move on them.

   Mr. Cuffe: The Taoiseach’s Minister is saying "No".

   Mr. Roche: The Deputy should tell the truth.

   Mr. Gormley: The Minister said it.

   Mr. Sargent: It was the Minister.

   Mr. Roche: The Deputy is making it up.

   The Taoiseach: The Deputy should not be saying 98% of all new houses in the State are insufficient in this regard – it is nonsense.

  (Interruptions).

   Mr. Roche: That is the crowd that made a mess of the register of electors.

   An Ceann Comhairle: That concludes Leaders’ Questions.  We will move on to questions to the Taoiseach.

   Mr. O’Donoghue: Gulliver’s travels

Fingal County Council is developing a green procurement policy. This policy, which arises from a Green Party motion, will include a full range of environmental and social considerations. The Environment Strategic Policy Committee recently approved the draft policy for circulation within the Council.   Some more information and the draft policy are below.

Cllr. David Healy, who chairs the Committee and is a General Election
candidate for Dublin North East, pointed out that the issue of green
procurement enjoyed cross-party support within the Council and had also
been enthusiastically welcomed by Council officials. He is optimistic
that the policy will be formally adopted by the monthly Council meeting
in April.

The draft policy covers a wide range of issues including greenhouse gas
emissions, worker’s rights, animal welfare, recycling, sustainable
timber procurement, packaging, toxic materials, energy efficiency,
vehicles, organic food, etc. When the policy is finally adopted, the
Council will include these conditions in its purchasing and contracting
decisions.

Cllr Healy said: "Public authority spending constitutes about 15 per
cent of GDP in the EU. This means their purchasing decisions can often
determine the way relevant markets operate. By including green
considerations in its purchasing policies, Fingal County Council will
stimulate demand for cleaner greener production. It will also be
providing a better service to citizens and often strengthening the
local economy."

The Council has, following another Green motion, joined ICLEI, the
International Council on Local Environmental Initiatives. ICLEI, in
cooperation with the European Commission, has been assisting local
authorities throughout Europe in developing and implementing green
procurement policies. Fingal County Council officials have benefited
from ICLEI’s advice in drafting the policy.

The draft policy is here.

I’m putting links to radio and television interviews on this post.
Discussion on RTE’s Tonight with Vincent Browne in February 2006 in relation to the Strategic Infrastructure Bill.

Discussion on NEAR FM’s Between the Lines in January 2007 in relation to policing in Northern Ireland.

The Party’s Transport Policy was launched recently.  It is a strong and comprehensive document.  Some of the interesting points:

• The Baldoyle to Ballymun light rail/metro link is included (along with other light rail lines in Dublin Cork and Galway).
• Climate change is a core concern of the policy.
• There is a detailed cycling section which draws heavily from the work of the Dublin Cycling Campaign and
• The policy recognises the induced traffic phenomenon, which means that building roads to reduce congestion fails.

The policy is here (pdf format)

The Environment Department of the Council has commissioned a study into Burrow Beach because of recent erosion of the dunes and the beach. (http://www.fingalcoco.ie/minutes/meeting_doc.aspx?id=4256)  The Water Services Department of the Council has been involved in a major study of flooding risks in Dublin.  Erosion is addressed in this only insofar as it affects flooding risks.  There will be a report on this study to the full Council on 12th February.