8th February 2021 3,000 FIRST TIME BUYERS IN DUBLIN Tallaght Stone Centre headstones crafted for all cemeteries TO BENEFIT FROM NEW AFFORDABLE Tel: (01) 462 6200 Fax: (01) 462 6209 email: [email protected] web: tallaghtstonecentre.ie HOUSING SCHEME The Minister for Housing can’t afford to do that help 3,000 couples, more achievable. It is has published his new because they either individuals or families based on the fact that plan for delivering can’t get a mortgage caught in that rental there are planning affordable housing. as they can’t save for trap. It involves the permissions for over Local T.D. Emer a deposit, or they can’t State taking a stake of 40,000 units in Dublin Higgins, who sits on the find a home locally that up to 30% in any new alone but that the Housing Committee, is in their price range. build home subject to building of these homes has explained what this regional price caps, and isn’t happening fast means to prospective The nub of the problem means a buyer takes enough,” explained first time buyers. is: affordability and out a 70% mortgage Emer Higgins. Our Comprehensive Services Include: supply. And, that’s after that. ♦ headstones ♦ inscriptions ♦ renovations ♦ chippings “Many young people why I’m pleased that “This scheme is about ♦ re-lettering ♦ counter tops ♦ house names ♦ granite estate signs and couples are paying the ‘Housing For All’ From the buyer’s incentivising building upwards on €1,500 rent plan aims to bridge perspective there’s for existing planning in places like Lucan for the affordability gap no charge on that 30% permissions on a large Belgard Road, Tallaght, Dublin 24. a two-bed apartment, and boost supply,” said for the first 5 years scale to boost supply when they would much Deputy Emer Higgins. and there’s no onus as quickly as possible. prefer to be paying a to pay off the 30% €75m, 2% of the overall €1,000 mortgage for a “The Shared Equity until the house is sold, Housing Budget, has home they will actually Scheme, which was so it’s an attractive been put aside to cover own. published in this new proposition that makes 3,000 homes. Bill, is an affordability buying your own home However, many of them measure that should more affordable and I think this is a really positive development and I hope that many young people, couples and families from Lucan, Clondalkin, Rathcoole, Newcastle, Saggart, Tallaght, Citywest and Palmerstown will benefit from this,” concluded Emer Higgins, local T.D. See pages 10 to 17 for Newsgroup Education & Training Feature DO YOU HAVE A QUERY WHICH RELATES TO: LITIGATION FAMILY LAW ● Personal Injury Claims / ● Divorce ● P.I.A.B. ● Judicial Seperation ● Debt Collection ● Seperation Agreements / ● Medical Negligence ● Maintenance Applications BALLYOWEN CASTLE, BALLYOWEN SHOPPING CENTRE, LUCAN, CO. DUBLIN. CALL 01 - 6105 185 OR 01 6760 555 02 www.newsgroup.ie EXTEND FUEL ALLOWANCE TO THOSE ON PUP TD for Dublin South West in the State received the people have to have been initial discretionary COVID fallen behind on bills and are out of work because Seán Crowe has called on Pandemic Unemployment unemployed for at least fund of €5 million to help we can do it here too. “This of the pandemic. “I hope the Government to support Payment. That’s 475,000 15 months before they can households with utility debt motion is about supporting that the Government will a Sinn Féin motion that people who have lost their apply for financial support and arrears, something that struggling families. see some sense, and do the would extend the fuel job and lost their income with their heating costs. St. Vincent de Paul have right thing by these workers allowance to those on PUP from being let go from This means that workers flagged as a cause for alarm The proposals are aimed at and their families. We need support payments, saying work. who lost their jobs over as we emerge from the those most in need and are to do much more to support that, with the restrictions the course of the pandemic pandemic. Other countries targeted in order to support workers and families across set to continue for weeks “Many are struggling to and who are still on the have set up similar funds households where jobs have the state during these to come, one shouldn’t be afford basics like heating Pandemic Unemployment to help families who have been lost and workers who unprecedented times.” forced to choose between their homes. This is totally Payment are excluded having a warm home or wrong and unacceptable. from these vital financial having something to eat. The Government must supports. INDEED CAREER COACH PROGRAMME change this policy to Bernard Dunne pictured Teachta Crowe said: “COVID support these workers who “Sinn Féin have put down at the launch of the new has seen household finances are now struggling through a Dáil motion that would ‘Indeed Career Coach’ and budgets stretched no fault of their own. “No change this so that PUP programme which aims to the limit as jobs and one should be forced to recipients would be eligible to tackle the core issues business have suffered due choose between having for the Fuel Allowance. high-performance amateur to the necessary restrictions a warm home or having “The Sinn Féin motion athletes encounter when put in place to prevent the something to eat but that would also put in place a transitioning to life after spread of the virus. “Last is happening in homes right double payment of the Fuel elite sport. week, over 475,000 people across the state. “Currently, Allowance for two weeks in February. Under current Over the coming year, Published by: Newsgroup, Unit 3 Floor 2 St. Dominics public health guidelines, Indeed is committed to Shopping Centre, St. Dominics Road, Tallaght, Dublin, D24 we’re all being told to stay helping hundreds of Irish HK49. at home for much more of high-performance amateur Titles: Tallaght News, Clondalkin News, Lucan News and the day than usual. As a athletes, current and Rathcoole & Saggart News result, many workers and retired, unleash their Distributed by: Local Post Co. Printed by: Meath Chronicle families are seeing their talent by providing them Contact Details: energy and heating bills with the career tools and Website www.newsgroup.ie Email: [email protected] sky rocket. People need supports needed to plan Founder: John Russell support in covering these for a professional career Advertising: Anthony Russell [email protected] costs in these extraordinary beyond sport. For more Administration: Sarah Brooks [email protected] times. “Lastly, the information on Indeed motion also calls on the Career Coach please visit: Pic Credit INPHO/Morgan Treacy Government to establish an www.indeedcareercoach.ie www.newsgroup.ie 03 04 www.newsgroup.ie COUNCILLOR DEMANDS A LOCAL AREA PLAN FOR RATHCOOLE Local Councillor, Shirley Cllr. O’Hara no one is looking Fortunestown in Citywest, Cllr. O’Hara, South Dublin to a vote, because I didn’t Manager’s report. O’Hara, has formally at these plans holistically, but Rathcoole, which is also County Council stated that believe that the requested a Local Area and instead Rathcoole is a developing village, does the County Development residents I The next step from my Plan be developed for being developed in a piece- not. Plan is an appropriate policy represent perspective will be Rathcoole. Despite the meal way, which is creating context for Rathcoole, and would be to table a motion Council Management traffic chaos and putting I know we’re getting ready pointed out that the current happy to ask that the stating that this was not pressure on the local to do the next Development Development Plan does not with next County necessary, Cllr. O’Hara schools. Plan and I know that zoning include Rathcoole as an the Development pushed her motion to a vote for Rathcoole will be area that requires a Local Plan includes which was supported by her “In my view, the way included in that, but I don’t Area Plan. a Local Area fellow Councillors in the Rathcoole is being think that’s good enough to Plan for Clondalkin, Newcastle and developed is not sustainable have to rely on the County “There’s a lot of anger in Rathcoole,” Rathcoole area. and it’s not good planning. Development Plan to decide Rathcoole about how their concluded None is looking at all the how this village grows. village has been developed Cllr. O’Hara. There are currently multiple planning applications in and creating a Local Area planning applications Rathcoole holistically. A I think we need a vision for Plan would at least give and approved planning Local Area Plan is something how Rathcoole should be locals the opportunity permissions in Rathcoole residents have been asking developed; because right to help shape a vision ranging from Stoney Lane for quite some time and I now it’s being developed in for the development of all the way up to Broadfield. agree that it’s the best way a piece-meal way, which is Rathcoole and provide Plans even include a to plan for the future of creating traffic chaos and better transparency around controversial large-scale Rathcoole,” explained Cllr. putting pressure on the local the strategy for building of housing proposal by the O’Hara. “Newcastle has schools,” said Cllr. Shirley homes in the area. That’s Council itself. According to an Area Plan and so does O’Hara. In its response to why I pushed my motion NCBI CALLS FOR VOLUNTEERS TO BECOME PART OF THE ‘CONNECTION NETWORK’ National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI) is looking for volunteers across the country to join its Connection Network service.