TAOISEACH LEO VARADKAR TD DUBLIN WEST Update SPRING 2019 Technological University Dublin @ Blanchardstown is born BLUE STAR PROGRAMME On the 1st of January, the new Rainbow Government. As an institution, it Technological University for Dublin has enabled more young people from Dublin came into existence. It is Ireland’s 15 to go to college than ever before and eighth university and our first technological has increasingly succeeded in attracting university. There are also plans to develop a students from other parts of Ireland and technological university in the south-east of overseas. There are also very successful the country and in Munster once the ITs in collaborations with local industry and it has those areas meet the qualifying criteria. become a real asset in attracting jobs and investment to the area. With over 28,000 students, it is now the largest higher educational institution in I strongly believe that education is the great the State with three main campuses; the leveller and the great provider of opportunity former DIT Grangegorman, IT Tallaght especially to young people. That’s why and our own IT Blanchardstown. Each we will invest a record amount of money, campus will continue to develop and €11 billion, in education this year including expand with government funding earmarked investment in universities, schools and for new buildings and infrastructure. special needs. I am really pleased that I Blanchardstown has been a huge success have been able to harness your support since it began twenty years ago as a in me to enable me to work from within Regional Technical College (RTC). The plans Government to ensure that Dublin West has to establish it were first announced by then benefitted so much from this investment. Minister Austin Currie in John Bruton’s Pupils from Castleknock ETNS visited Government Buildings for the National Launch of the Blue Star Programme, which raises awareness of the European Union TYRRELSTOWN ETNS Resources for Local Gardai increased Community policing and In addition, Commissioner Harris law and order are high on has decided to bring more civilian my priority list for Dublin staff in to An Garda Siochána West and nationwide. I want thus freeing up even more Gardaí to reduce crime and the fear for frontline and outdoor policing of crime in our community. I duties. was very pleased to attend the graduation of 800 new Gardaí in Templemore in November. Garda numbers This brings the total number 2015 -2018 of Gardaí in the country back Dec 2015 159 up to 14,000, the highest in TAOISEACH GREETS many years. The size of the Dec 2016 146 POPE FRANCIS force will grow to 15,000 by Nov 2017 154 2021 with further recruitment Dec 2018 163 Taoiseach greets Pope Francis on his visit to Emer Currie with Taoiseach on a recent visit to Tyrrelstown ETNS pictured planned this year and next. Ireland and Dublin West last August. Pope with Principal Tim Stapelton and vice Principal Emma McCabe Francis said mass in the Phoenix Park and stayed overnight in the nunciature of the Navan Road Funding from Government Sports Capital Grants for resubmitted applications Summer Works Scheme 2019 Tyrrelstown GAA Hartstown Community School New windows Purchase Replacement Equipment & Goalpost €5,000 Scoil Mhuire JNS – Blakestown Major improvements €77K capital funding for local youth projects Grant Amount Corduff Sports Centre St Catherine’s Infant School Major improvements Mulhuddart Community Youth Project €30,113 Revamp of synthetic pitch €150,000 Huntstown Youth Project €10,000 Mulhuddart Community Centre €60,600 allocated locally from dormant funds Pitch Lighting and Netting Upgrade € 20,600 Blanchardstown Computer Clubhouse €9,989 Fingal Local Sports Partnerships for Community Blanchardstown Youth Service €20,000 Sports and Physical Activity Hubs (CSPAH) in Tyrrelstown/Mulhuddart St. John Bosco Youth Centre Youth Workers €7,184 €700,000 funding for digital Library services in Fingal Blanchardstown is one of the 10 libraries to benefit VARADKAR - Working for you in Dáil Éireann LVaradkar_Nstlr_Jan19_rev 23.1.18_rev.indd 1 23/01/2019 16:27 TAOISEACH LEO VARADKAR TD DUBLIN WEST Update Site for new secondary school in New Stroke Unit in Castleknock is secured Connolly Hospital The Department of Education has signed Currently, there is no non-fee paying school officially opened agreement to purchase a six acre school in Castleknock, east of the M50, an area site to accommodate new state-of-the-art which has a rising population due to new It was a privilege to officially open the new Stoke Unit buildings for the Edmund Rice Trust School housing developments. The new ERST at Connolly Hospital. The health service is almost always (ERST) in Castleknock. The site is located school is already operating from temporary in the news for the wrong reasons such as overcrowding in close to St Brigid’s GAA on the former premises in Blanchardstown. I believe, once Emergency Departments or the fact that far too many people Phoenix Park Racecourse. The site will fully established, it will become a school of wait far too long for the operation they need or the specialist cost approximately €20 million to purchase choice in the area. The next steps involve consultant they need to see. We should never deny that these and service but I believe this is a necessary legal transfer of the land and an application problems exist nor the suffering they cause. At the same time, investment for the Castleknock area. for planning permission. I want to thank the we should allow some space to acknowledge some good things There is huge demand for Castleknock Department of Education, Minister McHugh, that are happening in our health services. People are living Community College and Luttrellstown Fingal County Council, the School’s Board of longer and healthier lives than ever before, more people now Community College, and Mount Sackville Management and the Parents Association survive cancer than die from it and survival rates from heart and St Vincent’s Castleknock College are for bringing us to this point. attack and life expectancy for people with illnesses like CF are also over-subscribed. improving all the time. We are now investing much more in mental health and suicide rates have fallen to below the EU average. All children under 6, all severely disabled children and HARTSTOWN COMMUNITY SCHOOL children with cancer, adults over 70 and carers now have free St Luke’s NS GP care along with those on low incomes. Prescription charges are being reduced again from March for people with medical & Tyrrelstown cards and those who don’t. More than 200 hospital beds were added to the system in 2018 with another 200 planned for Educate Together 2019. There are thousands of extra staff with more to come. The structural flaws in the new school Most patients now wait less than six months for operations buildings required temporary closure so that like hip and knee replacements, cataract surgeries, varicose assessments and safety works could be veins and angiograms. This did not happen by accident. It carried out. I know this caused enormous happened because of good policies and strategies, funding disruption for parents, staff and pupils. The from Government to implement these, for new treatments and Taoiseach welcomes Hartstown schools have now been made safe and are the hard work and professionalism of health service staff. Community School 6th year politics class occupied once more. I am working closely to Leinster House with Joan Burton TD Stroke is one of those success stories. Due to the development with the Department of Education and the of new treatments like thrombolysis and thrombectomy and the schools to make sure that major works are development of stroke units across the country, more people carried out during the summer holidays to survive stroke than ever before and endure reduced disability. New St Mochta’s National remediate any flaws in the buildings. I want to thank all the people who work in our stroke services for working with Government to achieve this and achieve more School - Clonsilla in the future. The first phase, including 16 classrooms, will include the removal of the prefabs The next major development on the Connolly Hospital campus 5 Special Education Teacher (SET) rooms, (18 classrooms) and the ground works will be the opening of the new Children’s Unit later this year. PE hall, library and administration wing (yard space, ball courts, set down area It is a satellite centre of the New Children’s Hospital and will is complete and occupied. Phase 2 is etc). I want to thank the staff, board, provide urgent care, specialist out-patient clinics and dental due for completion in the spring. This parents, residents and pupils for their surgery for children living in West Dublin, Meath and North will include the 16 additional classrooms patience. It’s been a huge job to build Kildare. and 5 additional Special Education a state-of-the-art new school while Teacher (SET) rooms. Phase 3 is due for operating an existing one on the same NEW STROKE UNIT completion this summer. This final phase site at the same time. CONNOLLY HOSPITAL L-R Emer Currie, Minister Joe McHugh, Taoiseach and Vivienne Bourke (Principal Safer Access to Mary Mother St Luke’s) along with BOM & Parent of Hope - Clonee representatives The construction of the long TYRRELSTOWN’S PARKRUN awaited walkway from the Littlepace Shopping Centre into the school yard has finally been completed. This will improve safety for parents dropping off or collecting their children from school. All the disused prefabricated buildings have also been removed and the site reinstated. Well done to everyone who was involved in making it happen.