Motion I’m submitting to a forthcoming Council meeting:
That in light of the risks to other road users posed by poor visibility from Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV), the Mayor and Chief Executive liaise with the other three local authorities in the Dublin Area with a view to agreeing to introduce a common Direct Vision Standard and HGV Safety Permit system similar to that being introduced in London.
At the monthly Council meeting on Monday 13th May, I succeeded in having greenway links from Kinsealy a) to Portmarnock, b) to Kettle’s Lane and c) to Balgriffin/Belmayne included in the Kinsealy Local Area Plan.
Importantly, my motion on phasing resulted in a decision that the greenway from Kinsealy to Old Portmarnock/R124 (which will give access to Portmarnock railway station) be included with a timeframe of including it in the 2020 Capital Programme and submitting the planning application for it in 2021. Continue reading
Having received the Chief Executive’s report on the public consultation on the draft LAP, I am not happy with the lack of progress on connecting Kinsealy to neighbouring areas especially to Portmarnock railway station and I’m proposing the following four amendments to the Plan:
Motion 1
That in response to recommendations received, including from the Department of Housing Planning and Local Government, the LAP be amended to include the following in section 11:
The full segregated cycle and pedestrian link to Old Portmarnock/ R124 to provide access to Portmarnock train station shall be provided as part of the first phase of further development under the Kinsealy Local Area Plan.
My brief response to the consultation on a draft Fingal Climate Action Plan focussed on the importance of a more detailed public participation process for taking climate action to achieve the 40% reduction in emissions which is a target we signed up to in the Covenant of Mayors . I advocate a major focus by Fingal County Council on actions to reduce transport emissions, as transport is the largest emission sector and one for which Fingal has significant influence.
The submission: Meeting the commitment to the Covenant of Mayors through a process of public participation
This will be coming back to the Council for final decision in either April or May.
At today’s Oral Hearing into the proposed sewage treatment plant, I am making this presentation focusing on the water quality aspects of the proposal. I have recently become aware of the important biodiversity along the sewer route at Ballymun and I am glad to have the opportunity to include the Ballymun Wildlife Group’s Report on Biodiversity at Northpoint in my submission.
A South Fingal Transport Study has been carried out for the Council. (This is in fulfilment of an objective in the County Development Plan which specified the Study would include public consultation; unfortunately the public consultation hasn’t happened.)
The Study contains strong recommendations about prioritising walking, cycling and public transport in the area, and will be discussed at a Planning and Strategic Infrastructure Policy Committee meeting on Monday 28th.
As a member of the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly, I was involved in drafting the Green Party submission to the consultation on the draft Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy. The submission is quite brief and contains recommendations in the following areas: