Issued by Cllr Dermot Looney www.dermotlooney.com 085-7089955 [email protected] September 2009 Issue Incorporating Greenhills Labour & Dublin 12 News Now, Let’s Build A Real Alternative: COUNCILLOR DERMOT LOONEY I would like to say a sincere thank you to the hundreds of local people who placed their trust in me in the local elections on June 5th. With 2,329 first preference votes I was elected to South Dublin County Council for the fourth of six seats in the ‘Tallaght Central’ electoral area. The Labour Party achieved three seats out of six in this area, a victory made all the more spectacular by the fact that all three candidates were run- ning for the first time. As the youngest candidate in the field, election seemed an unlikely prospect when I started my campaign over a year before polling day. But we set out from the start to engage the community in our campaign. We knocked on more doors, dropped of these issues inside. more information leaflets, talked to Inside more local residents and got more I want you to get involved in ensuring Victory on St. Peter’s School Site local people involved than any other a community-led response in the The dangerous ‘lake’ at the rear of St campaign. tough times ahead. Please contact me Peter’s School on Limekiln Road has been at the details on the top right of this drained and remedial works have been However, this is just the end of the page with your ideas, questions and made to the site on foot of pressure beginning. comments. Better yet, why not join from Cllr Dermot Looney. More on Pg 2. the local Labour team to build the Too many of our political representa- real alternative for our community? Hotel Scam Slammed tives seem to disappear between Cllr Dermot Looney has called for the elections. For me, though, this is Thank you for the trust you have closure of two Tallaght hotels posing as where the real work starts. My elec- placed in me. Throughout my cam- apartment blocks. The hotels, built by tion is a mandate for change on the paign I was uncompromising in stand- troubled developer Liam Carroll, are in Council and in our community. ing up for working people, the elderly breach of planning law. More on Pg 3. and the excluded. Now I’m carrying I have already been involved in a those politics to the County Council. Ashleaf Plans Thrown Out number of initiatives at Council level Plans for a 5-story redevelopment of the and in making representations on Go raibh míle maith agaibh, Ashleaf Shopping Centre have been rejected by An Bord Pleanála, to the behalf of local communities and resi- relief of local residents. More on Pg 3. dents; you can read more about some Dermot Dermot Looney is working with Pat Rabbitte TD and the local Labour ream to ensure a real alternative for... GREENHILLS - TALLAGHT - TEMPLEOGUE - PERRYSTOWN - WALKINSTOWN Local News for Our Area action based on the Council’s warnings our DUBLIN 12 campaign secured,” noted Cllr Looney. “It is worth noting that the school itself was not connected to these problems and St Peter’s Site Victory Cllr Dermot Looney celebrating with support- Cllr Dermot Looney has welcomed news did all it could to ensure remedial works ers at the election count in the NBA, Tallaght that the building site at the rear of St were carried out. Vigilant residents on /Beechfield and other parts of the coun- Peter’s School on Limekiln Road has been Limekiln Rd and Temple Manor who ty. One of the most significant walkways cleaned up, with the vast “lake” of rain- pushed the issue are to be congratulated in Dublin 12 is Keadeen Walkway in water gathered in the basement and foun- on their victory, but we now need to Greenpark, which acts as a pedestrian dations being drained and covered in. ensure the appropriate development of this site in the coming months and years.” route for hundreds of people each day. “I am pushing for an adequate cleaning “Ensuring the clean up of this dangerous regime for Keadeen Walkway and the site was one of my highest priorities dur- Lane Cleaning removal of weeds,” noted Cllr Looney. “I ing the recent election campaign. After encourage all local residents who spot lit- months of pushing on the issue and work- Cllr Dermot Looney has made several rep- ter, dumping or other problems in their ing with local residents, the developer - resentations to ensure the clean up of laneways to report it to me immediately Promster Developments - finally took laneways in Greenpark, Greenhills, Limekiln, Perrystown, Cherryfield so I can raise the matter as a priority.” DUBLIN 6w Looney Supports Spawell Workers Cllr Dermot Looney joined picketing workers from the bar and nightclub at the Spawell on August 18th and 26th to offer his full support and solidarity - and that of the Labour Party. The derelict site of the former McHugh’s Shopping Centre, which has remained vacant since 2003 “The conduct of CB Taverns, who took ures in recent weeks to attempt to recov- over the bar lease only a year ago, has McHugh’s Site Update er this site for the Greenhills community,” been truly appalling in this matter,” Cllr 6 years on, and the derelict former site of said Cllr Looney. Looney said. “When the bar was closed, the McHugh’s Shopping Centre on St workers were owed two full weeks James’ Road continues to be the major “In the short term, I have made an wages, wages for another 3 day week and issue for residents of Greenhills and enforcement complaint as to the use of holiday pay. They are also owed answers Limekiln. After a campaign launched by the site for storing building material and as to how the company dealt with its final Dermot Looney last year, the site was vehicles. I have also sought to have the few weeks and what the future has in eventually entered onto the Derelict Sites appropriate development of the site store.” Register by the Council and the developer, included as a ‘Specific Local Objective’ of Sean McHugh, was fined for breaches of the County’s Development Plan and have “I’ve written to the company to demand planning enforcement regulations. The asked Council officials to prepare a report the immediate payment of outstanding Council are now pursuing the developer on a Compulsory Purchase Order or other wages to the workers - some of whom through the courts following his refusal to mechanisms to take over the site. Winning have been been there for more than 25 pay a levy issued for the dereliction. won’t come easy in this campaign - but years - and am in contact with the MAN- with the togetherness of local residents, DATE trade union who are representing “I have embarked on a number of meas- we will succeed,” noted Cllr Looney. the 32 affected workers.” Wilderwood Pathway Cllr Dermot Looney has raised the need to repair the path in the green area beside Wilderwood Grove. “Recent con- struction meant that the path was put out of use. It has still not been resurfaced and the area is more rubble than path- way. We must ensure its immediate repair for residents in Kennington and Cllr Dermot Looney joined with picketing work- Wilderwood and students in St McDara’s ers outside the Spawell complex, Templeogue who use it on a daily basis.” DEVELOPMENT PLAN UPDATE - CLLR DERMOT LOONEY: We are now entering a critical stage in the County’s Development Plan proce in South Dublin until 2016. Councillors have submitted various amendments to the draft plan. I have submitted 13 motions, including s (Greenhills), the Burmah Garage site (Wellington Lane), a neighbourhood park for Citywest, a community centre for Cherryfield/Beec 12. The Councillors will meet a number of times in September to amend the plan before it goes back out for public consultation. Pleas St James’ Rd Upgrade Roadworks on St James’ Rd in recent DUBLIN 24 weeks have caused disruption to motorists and pedestrians in Greenhills Estate. The Hotel Scam Slammed roadworks include the repair of parking bays, the replacement of ramps and traf- Developer Liam Carroll has been in the fic roundabouts and work on some foot- news for much of the summer, but little paths. has been mentioned of his most desper- ate plan yet - the illegal use of two Cllr Dermot Looney pic- “I don’t believe residents have been suffi- hotels at Tallaght Town Centre for per- manent dwellings. Rooms at the Glashaus tured with canvassers in ciently informed as to the disruption Limekiln Green caused or the timescale of the works,” and Tallaght Cross Hotels, which closed said Cllr Dermot Looney. “However, I’m due to lack of business, are now being glad to see a number of ramps being rented out as bedsits. “While some may No to Water Tax Plans replaced and footpaths being repaired find the idea of a luxury hotel room as their permanent accommodation appeal- given my frequent representations on Cllr Dermot Looney has said that the ing, the fact remains that this is a serious these over the past 18 months. I will con- Labour Party will lead a campaign planning breach,” Cllr Dermot Looney tinue to monitor to ensure appropriate against the introduction of domestic said. clean up works are carried out.” water charges at all levels. Cllr Looney was speaking on foot of the "An Bord “These rooms are not suitable for perma- Snip Nua" report and Commission on nent accommodation; they are without Ashleaf Plans Rejected Taxation, both commissioned by the any cooking facilities bar a microwave, Plans to develop a 5-storey complex at the government, which advocate a water and have no kitchen sinks or washing or site of the Ashleaf Shopping Centre were tax.