Sligo County Council Annual Report 2007 Contents Introduction by Cathaoirleach 2 Introduction by County Manager 3 Council Members / Map of Electoral Area 4-5 Strategic Policy Committee Members 6 Housing, Corporate and Emergency Services Directorate 7 Housing and Building 8 Communications Office 13 Corporate Services 15 Accessibility Activities 2007 17 Sligo County Library 18 Civil Defence 23 Sligo Fire Authority 24 Infrastructural Services Directorate 27 Road Transportation and Safety 28 Rural Water Programme 33 Health and Safety 40 Planning, Enforcement and Heritage Directorate 41 Planning 42 Sligo Heritage Office 44 Building Control and Enforcement 46 Directorate of Community, Enterprise and The Arts 49 Environmental Services 50 Arts Service 56 RAPID Programme 59 Burial Grounds 61 Tourism Facilities 62 Community Smoke Alarm Scheme 62 Sligo County Development Board 63 Sligo County Council LED Peace II Task Force 64 Play and Recreation 65 Cross Border Seaside Towns Initiative 65 Sligo Volunteer Centre 66 Tidy Towns 67 Pride of Place 67 Urban and Village Renewal 68 Details of Conferences 69 Finance Department 71 Income & Expenditure Account Statement 71 Balance Sheet 72 Motor Tax 73 Service Indicators 72 Sligo County Council Photocopying prohibited by law. All rights reserved. No part of this Comhairle Chontae Shligigh publication may be copied, reproduced or transmitted in any form or County Hall, Riverside, Sligo, Ireland by any means without the permission of Sligo County Council. T: +353 (0)71 9111 111 F: +353 (0)71 914 1119 Photography: Sligo County Council, James Connolly E: [email protected] Design: JDK Design :: 071 912 0905 W: www.sligococo.ie Customer Services t: 071 9111 111 e: [email protected] 1 Introduction by Cathaoirleach Sligo County Council has a pivotal role to play in the promotion of Sligo as a key centre for economic growth. The partnership approach which has characterised our work in this area will continue to be a major factor as we seek to maximise the potential of our ‘Gateway’ status under the National Spatial Strategy. INVESTMENT As a member of Sligo County Council’s Strategic Policy Committee on Economic Development and Planning, I firmly believe that the IDA can work with the Sligo Local Authorities and the Sligo Chamber of Commerce to attract investment and jobs to Sligo and the northwest. TRANSPORT Sligo is a major transportation node in the northwest, and the Inner Relief Road is the main artery for north-south traffic. The opening of the Inner relief Road conveyed a positive message that Sligo Local Authorities could plan and deliver major infrastructural projects, and in the current year I hope to see tangible progress on other major roads projects, including the N4 and N15, the Western Distributor Road and the Eastern Garavoge River Bridge. I also see the upgrading of the N16 Border Corridor route between Sligo and Dundalk as an urgent priority. We have seen a series of milestones in terms of the peace process, and I think it is imperative that we progress to the next level and ensure that we invest in the border area. The current trend in tourism is towards short term breaks rather than long holidays, and this is a market we should actively target. WATER SERVICES In terms of water and waste water services, Sligo Local Authorities have invested significant resources into delivering major infrastructure throughout the county. A new Water Treatment Plant is being constructed at Kilsellagh, and our Rural Water programme is arguably the most progressive in the country, with €1.9m allocated to the programme in 2007. The delivery of a quality water supply to our consumers is one of the most important function of a Local Authority. Sligo County Council has made a substantial investment in our water supply infrastructure throughout the county to ensure households are provided with a supply that meets the strict EU criteria. The Sligo Local Authorities are finalising plans for a ‘Water Conservation’ campaign, which will involve engaging with schools, businesses, farmers and private individuals to ensure water is not wasted through inefficient use or leakage. For people being served by metered supplies, they can make significant savings in their bills by reducing their consumption. COMMUNITY During my term as Cathaoirleach I have had the privilege of meeting numerous community volunteers who are the unsung heroes in our society. Sligo County Council works closely with local groups to prepare and progress local initiatives, from Area Plans, Amenity Schemes and a range of community and environmental schemes. I look forward to continuing this work on behalf of the people of County Sligo in 2008. Councillor Seamus Kilgannon Cathaoirleach 2 Sligo County Council Annual Report 2007 Introduction by County Manager 2007 was a busy and productive year for Sligo County Council with a number of major projects progressed or delivered across our many service areas. WATER SERVICES INVESTMENT PROGRAMME One of the most significant investments this Council has made in recent years is through the Water Services Programme, which has seen the provision of a quality water supply to households all over the county. In the last year almost €200 million has been invested in this programme, which has seen the completion of fifty two schemes serving over eighteen hundred households. WATER CONSERVATION Water conservation is one of the most challenging issues facing our society. We each use on average 150 litres of clean treated water every day, and a running tap can use up to 10 litres of water a minute. This is an area where each and every one of us can play a part, and our Water Services Department will be working closely with the business, farming and educational sector to devise and implement measures to monitor and preserve this scarce resource. BRIDGE PROGRAMME While our major capital programme has seen the delivery of water and waste water schemes, road projects and housing programmes, there is a raft of excellent work being delivered in other areas that do not attract the same notice. For instance, our bridge repair and maintenance programme has seen the careful restoration of some of Sligo’s oldest bridges, and over the last five years improvements have been carried out to twenty five bridges, involving an expenditure of €1.7million. In 2008 I hope to see work advanced on the Eastern Garavoge River Bridge. The new bridge and approach roads will provide a new high-quality, single-carriageway Urban Distributor Road link on the Eastern side of Sligo City. It will provide for the ongoing commercial, residential, recreational and social development of communities in the East of the City, on both the North and South sides of the Garavoge River INFRASTRUCTURE One of our main responsibilities as a Local Authority is to plan and deliver high quality transport and service infrastructure to meet future demands of the commercial and private sector. Businesses and people want to be where there is a wide range of infrastructure and facilities. In this context Sligo is very well positioned as a key centre for economic growth in the northwest, and the construction of major infrastructural projects sends a positive message to existing and potential enterprises that the Local Authorities will deliver for Sligo. Hubert Kearns Sligo County Manager Customer Services t: 071 9111 111 e: [email protected] 3 Council Members Sligo/Drumcliffe Area Elected Members Cllr. Veronica Cawley Cllr. Patsy Barry Cllr. Ita Fox Labour Elected 2004 Fianna Fáil Elected 1999 Fine Gael Elected 1985 St. Martin, Grange, Colgagh, Calry, Co. Sligo Rathbraughan, Sligo Co. Sligo (071) 9144932 / 0872077704 (071) 9170267 / 0876494723 (071) 9163168 / 087 2727588 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Cllr. Jude Devins Cllr. Joe Leonard Cllr. Seamus Kilgannon Fianna Fáil Elected 2004 Fine Gael Elected 1985 Fianna Fáil Elected 2004 25 Beechwood Court, Cloonaghbawn, Ballinful, Co. Sligo 81 Rathedmond Estate, Sligo Ballytivnan, Sligo (071) 9163443 / 9163548 (071) 9162695 / 087 2021566 (087) 9733773 086 8243121 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Sligo/Strandhill Area Elected Members Cllr. Declan Bree Cllr. Albert Higgins Cllr. Jim McGarry Labour Elected 1974 Fianna Fáil 1974 Labour Elected 1991 1 High Street, Sligo Carraroe, Sligo Oakfield, (071) 9145490 / 087 2470802 (071) 9160129 Sligo [email protected] 0876772049 (071) 9161515 / 086 6007575 www.declanbree.com [email protected] [email protected] Cllr. Deirdre Healy McGowan Cllr. Tony McLoughlin Cllr. Sean MacManus Fianna Fáil Elected 2004 Fine Gael Elected 1974 Sinn Féin Elected 1999 Breeogue, Knocknahur, ‘Beechlawn’, Barnasraghy, Sligo Sinn Fein Constituency Office, Co. Sligo (071) 9160768 Teach Coen/Mac Manus, (071) 9168604 / 087 9968248 087 6633587 16 Upper John St., Sligo [email protected] [email protected] (071) 9161460 / 086 8198456 [email protected] Cllr. Imelda Henry Fine Gael Elected 2004 Blue Lagoon, Riverside, Sligo 087 8177777 [email protected] Dromore West Area Elected Members Cllr. Mary Barrett Cllr. Paul Conmy Cllr. Joseph Queenan Fine Gael Elected 1991 Fine Gael Elected 1991 Fianna Fáil Elected 1999 ‘Derk House’, Meenaun, Lacknaslieva, Dromard, Co. Sligo Culleens, Co. Sligo Enniscrone, Co. Sligo (071) 9166753 / 086 8102738 (096) 36499 / 086 8406330 (096) 36449 / 087 6214422 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 4 Sligo County Council Annual Report 2007 Council Members / Map of Electoral Area Ballymote Area Elected Members Cllr. Martin Baker Cllr. Pat McGrath Cllr. Gerry Murray Fianna Fáil Elected 2004 Fine Gael Elected 2004 Fine Gael Elected 1991 2 Ardkeerin, Riverstown, Co. Sligo Ardnaglass, Ballymote, Calterane, (071) 9127472 / 9165650 Co. Sligo Gurteen, Co. Sligo 086 1608334 (071) 9183225 / 087 6702792 (071) 9182016 / 087 6862147 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Cllr. Gerard Mullaney Cllr. John Sherlock Fine Gael Elected 2004 Fianna Fáil Elected 2004 Highwood, Kilmactranny, Boyle, Knox Park, Ballisodare, Co.