LEO VARADKAR TD WEST , , , , UPDATE , Ashtown & Navan Road. WINTER

2013/14

HOSPICE TO OPEN IN 2014 €1 million in funding has been but the fabulous new buildings services from the building. We all itself. I think it is something we can provided in the HSE service plan were funded mainly by charitable know somebody who had to use the all support. donations. A lot of this money to allow the staged opening of St services of a hospice towards the end I am grateful to Dr James Reilly and was raised locally at events big Francis Hospice, to fit out and open of their life. This is a very difficult time the HSE for finding some money in and small. The level of community some of its in-patient beds in 2014. for them and for their families. Hospice their budget for St Francis Hospice. commitment to this project has The hospice is located adjacent to and palliative care allows people to I know this was not easy given the been phenomenal. Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown. pass on with dignity and in relative high volume of savings that have The land was provided free-of- The hospice is currently providing comfort whether it is in their own be found from the health spend charge by the last government day care services and home care home, in a hospital or in the hospice in 2014. SCHOOL BUILDING CONTINUES APACE Dublin West is one of the youngest secondary school next door. In the new constituencies in the country. While year, work will begin on an extension and some parts are very settled, others are sports hall for Castleknock Community relatively new and have a large number of College. All of these new schools have young families with young children. Under been built to a very high standard in terms Fianna Fail and the Greens, investment in of building quality, natural light, use of school buildings did not keep up with the space and equipment. level of housing growth they permitted. The downside of this focus on new schools Poor planning and misplaced priorities left is that older schools in need of renovation some children having to attend emergency or refurbishment sometimes get left schools which were established in a rush. behind. In order to alleviate this, the The current government has a very Government is setting aside €70 million different approach and even though for works to existing schools. €28 million money is now much tighter, school will be paid to primary schools to cover building in rapidly developing areas the cost of minor works and repairs with € has been given priority. Luttrellstown a further 40 million for ‘summer works’ Community College recently moved in 2014. Funding from the Summer Works into its fabulous new buildings off the Scheme will allow schools to carry out Porterstown Road and in Blanchardstown, small and medium scale building works Scoil Bhride Boys and Girls have taken such as gas, electrical and mechanical Minister for Transport, Leo Varadkar and Mayor of , Kieran Dennison open the new Mulhuddart Interchange. It has reduced congestion and improved access occupancy of their new school buildings works, roof and window upgrades, structural improvements, and works that to the . Separately, work is being carried out on the N3 equipped with new school halls and all- between Clonee and Mulhuddart to install a new low noise surface and erect will improve and upgrade existing school weather pitches. New schools are also sound and security barriers for residents of the Littlepace and Castaheany areas. under construction in Hansfield not far buildings. It is up to schools to identify the most urgently required projects. Each from some other relatively new schools planning permission from Fingal halls, a breakfast club/parent room school can apply for one small scale in Ongar and Clonee such as Colaiste County Council for a rebuild. It will for the senior school, four new ball project and will be responsible for the Pobail Setanta, St Benedict’s and involve the demolition of existing courts, and hard and soft play areas. It completion of those works. Castaheany Educate Together. Two buildings and their replacement with is hoped that funding for this can be new primary schools have been built in Separately, St Patrick’s National a new two storey development. There secured as part of the next round of with advanced plans for a School in has received will be 36 classrooms, two school capital ‘stimulus’ funding.

VARADKAR - Working for You in Dáil Éireann DUBLIN WEST UPDATE

• €58K FOR MULHUDDART ALL-WEATHER My Department and IPB insurance are making a grant of €58,000 to renovate and improve the All-Weather pitch including floodlights at the Mulhuddart Community Centre. It will be a great facility for the area. • CORDUFF HEALTH CENTRE DELAYED The long-awaited primary care centre in Corduff is facing a further delay. A few months ago, granted planning permission for the new centre but this has since been appealed to An Bord Pleanála. An Bord Pleanála will now have to decide whether to agree with the council’s decision, overturn it or amend it. It is still expected that work will begin on the ground in 2014. • SPORTS CAMPUS – FULL SPEED AHEAD Work has intensified on new facilities at the in Abbotstown, Blanchardstown. Last summer An Taoiseach officially opened Sports HQ which joined existing facilities on the campus such as the National Aquatic Centre, the Institute of Sport and FAI Headquarters. Since then, training facilities have been opened for use by equestrian athletes, pentathlon and gymnastics. The facilities have already been used by Olympic medallist Cian O’Connor and Olympians like Natalya Coyle. Already a world record side-saddle jump has been made. The pavilion and multi-sport all-weather pitches are now finished and are open for use by clubs, provincial and national teams. The GAA and FAI are likely to begin work on their own training centres in 2014. And in the Budget, it was announced that funding would be provided for the National Indoor Arena. This is the missing key-stone in ’s sporting infrastructure as so many of our upcoming and HANSFIELD TRAIN STATION finest athletes have to travel abroad for this sort of facility. It has full Minister Varadkar at the official opening of the new train station in Hansfield. planning permission and work should begin towards the end of 2014. The station serves residents in Ongar, Hansfield and Clonee. It is proving popular We are very fortunate to have such a fabulous facility on our doorstep. and initial passenger figures have exceeded expectations. Dublin City Council has granted planning permission for a new station for the Ashington/Royal It’s worth a visit. Canal Avenue but this is now on appeal to An Bord Pleanala. GATHERING - THANK YOU A sincere thank you to everyone destinations and there was strong who organised a Gathering in growth from Britain and Europe as 2013! Over 5,000 Gatherings of well. The outlook for 2014 is also all sorts were held all over the good with ferry companies and country including family gatherings, airlines putting on new services to alumni events, matches, concerts, cope with expected demand. festivals and fairs. About 250,000 The Gathering was about much people came to Ireland to attend a more than tourism. It was also about Gathering helping to contribute to strengthening connections with the a 7% increase in visits to Ireland Irish abroad and building community during 2013. Big events included the pride. Tourism contributes a lot to our Flight Fest, St Patrick’s Day People’s economy with about 180,000 jobs Parade, Riverdance Festival, New dependant on tourism. The number Among the Gatherings held in Peregrine’s Gathering, the Igbo Year’s Eve festival and Rebel Week of people working in the sector has and Dublin 7 were the National Convention and the in Cork. It was a record year from risen by almost 20,000 since the Strawberry Fair, St Oliver Plunkett’s/ Underwater Hockey game in the North America and other long-haul change of government in 2011. Eoghan Ruadh Gathering, St National Aquatic Centre.

Visit Leo Varadkar’s Website at www.leovaradkar.ie for more information on local news..... MINISTER LEO VARADKAR TD

TYRRELSTOWN PARK

LOCAL GOVERNMENT Leo with Henry Minogue, area representative for Castleknock. Henry said: Leo and Fine Gael Area representative Maria Mc Grail in Tyrrelstown “It has been a busy and rewarding few months engaging with the public and voluntary organisations. Local Government needs to ensure that these organisations Community Centre before meeting the cricket club and visiting the new are supported in every way possible. The level of commitment and the generosity of public park. Paths have been laid in the new 80 acre park and it is now open time that so many people in our community give to these groups is astonishing. to walkers and runners. Pitches will be ready next year. I had the pleasure of supporting the Castleknock Hurling and Football Club as a main sponsor for their recent ‘Strictly Dancing Experience’ fundraising event,” - Henry Minogue is an Area Representative for Castleknock/Blanchardstown

FETAC PRESENTATIONS

Ministers Varadkar and Burton presenting FETAC qualifications to learners at the Blanchardstown Community Training Centre.

EU TRANSPORT COUNCIL CONSTITUENCY Leo pictured with Philip O’Callaghan and Senator Eamonn Coghlan outside the constituency office in Ongar. Philip teaches locally in Colaiste Pobail Setanta and is a Fine Gael area representative. The office is open most week days. Tel (01) 640 3133.

ST. CATHERINE’S PARK Work is well underway on a major upgrade of St Catherine’s Park which will include a BMX track, playground, fishing lake, a dog run, new paths,

Ireland held the European Presidency for the first half of 2013 with Minister benches and picnic tables, public toilets and improved car parking. The Varadkar chairing the council of Transport Ministers. Among the things agreed park, which is located close to Laraghcon between Westmanstown and during the Irish Presidency were the Trans-European Network for Transport (TEN-T Lucan Village, is a great amenity for residents of Dublin 15, and Regulation) which sets the context for future investment in transport infrastructure, the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) and (CEF) and Maritime Labour Convention. Lucan. Nevertheless, many people have yet to visit the park. Consider Substantial progress was also made on the Roadworthiness Directive on vehicle doing so, next spring or summer, when all the work is complete. standards and work commenced on revised Air Passenger Rights, Railway reform and the Clean Power Directive. At a higher level, An Taoiseach secured a deal on the EU budget and Minister Coveney on the reform of the Common Agriculture Policy. Visit Leo Varadkar’s Website at www.leovaradkar.ie for more information on local news..... New Year Message 2014 Grounds for Hope

As the Government enters into the businesses and individuals, we • Consumer confidence up nor any reason to engage in self- second half of its term of office, and are starting to see some positive • Airport and Port activity congratulation. We spent the first we enter into another New Year, results: increasing two years stabilising the economy this might be a good time to look • Unemployment down to • Ghost Estates mostly and rebuilding Ireland’s reputation. back on 2013, and to look forward 12.6% from a peak of 15% resolved We need to spend the next two to our prospects for 2014. Times • 58,000 more people at work • Free GP visits for under-sixes securing the gains we have made, have been very tough in Ireland than a year ago • Mortgage arrears starting to restoring our prosperity and making since the bubble burst in 2008 and • Bailout programme ended on fall for the first time sure that everyone shares in the we entered a deep recession. The December 15th • Primary budget surplus upturn when it comes. This will new Fine Gael-Labour Government • Tourism: visits up 7% in the expected in 2014 take careful management and will came to office in 2011. Since then year of The Gathering and • National Debt: Will start to involve some hard choices in the we have had to make a lot of more jobs in the sector fall in 2014 relative to GDP year ahead. But we are up to the very tough and often unpopular • Construction resumes – These are real and positive signs job and I am more confident now decisions in order to stabilise our schools, , Newlands, of a recovery taking hold. But we than I have been for a long time economy and lay the foundations housing are still very vulnerable to any that Ireland’s future is bright. for recovery. But, as a result of the • Exports strong surprises or shocks. Certainly, the sacrifices made by Irish families, • Property Prices recovering Government has no cause to relax,

Your Fine Gael team working with Minister Varadkar as follows:

MINISTER LEO VARADKAR LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport’ 44 Kildare Street, Dublin 2. ASHTOWN/NAVAN ROAD Phone: 01 604 1082 David Rouse Constituency Office: 37A Main Street, Ongar, Dublin 15. Email: [email protected] Phone: 01 640 3133 Phone: 086 3350 951 Email: [email protected] Website: www.leovaradkar.ie CASTLEKNOCK Ted Leddy SENATOR EAMONN COGHLAN Email: [email protected] Seanad Éireann, House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. Phone: 087 3276 630 Email: [email protected] Website: www.finegael.ie/our-people/senators/eamonn-coghlan Phone: 01 618 3027 Henry Minogue Email: [email protected] CLLR KIERAN DENNISON, MAYOR OF FINGAL Phone: 087 1800 400 Kieran represents the Mulhuddart Electoral Area which includes Clonsilla, Clonee, Ongar, Corduff, Hartstown, Huntstown and . MULHUDDART 37A, Main Street, Ongar, Dublin 15 Email: [email protected] | Website: www.kierandennison.com Maria Mc Grail Phone: 087 259 5949 Email: [email protected] Phone: 086 3350 951 CLLR EITHNE LOFTUS Eithne represents Castleknock and Blanchardstown on the council. Philip O’Callaghan Deerpark Avenue, Castleknock, Dublin 15. Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Phone: 083 1717 400 Phone: 087 622 3419

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