Having met with residents in estates on the Kilcullen Road, Naas, I raised the issue of poor visibility entering on to the road during the recent meeting of Naas Municipal District council. I raised the motion that the entrance/exit to the estates on the new Kilcullen Road, as recently redesigned, be re-marked to facilitate proper visibility for cars exiting those estates. The current alignment of signs and markings at these estates on the Kilcullen Road are dangerous. I’ve sought the council to make the necessary safety improvements which I welcome. At the meeting, the council acknowledged that some road markings and signage still had to be installed at these entrances. Furthermore, a full road safety audit would be undertaken once the works are completed which would encompass entering and exiting from the estates.
Author Archives: James Lawless
Public Meeting on Crime in Kilteel
I chaired a really interesting and interactive meeting on Crime Prevention in Kilteel Hall on 28th January 2016. Guest speakers Jim Brady and Colin Connolly spoke about their personal experiences with burglary and crime. Jim is an ex-member of Defence Forces and had some great advice on avoiding burglary. Colin is crime prevention officer with the IFA and spoke about his Theft Stop initiative and gave some interesting advice on how to ‘mark’ your property. Rural crime has never been as great a concern as is now, and it is an issue which needs to be addressed and discussed frequently especially with our all time low Garda numbers here in Kildare.
Derelict Sites Task Force Established
I’m delighted that my proposal has been accepted for the creation of a derelict sites task force which will seek to tackle the derelict buildings across Co. Kildare with a view to rendering them suitable for residential and commercial use. The Derelict Building Task Force will examine and work with the council to restore the empty buildings in Kildare.
I pushed for this at the recent recent county council meeting and am delighted to be spearheading the project. I have had many people contact me regarding housing and the lack of available housing. I am determined we make better use of the buildings we already have. I believe this task force has the potential to bring more business to our main streets. It is also imperative to tackle the eyesores that are left behind in so many areas causing frustration to areas and detracting from the local environment.
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Shop Front & Town Centre Improvement Grant Scheme Open
I am delighted to welcome the council’s Shop Front & Town Centre Improvement Grant Scheme which will be rolled out now in 2016. The purpose of this simple yet innovative scheme is to improve the appearance of shop fronts and other retail and commercial properties in our towns around Co. Kildare. As we’re all well aware, town centre businesses have faced huge pressures in recent years to stay open. With more attractive town centres, we can help encourage business back in to our towns. This scheme is a welcome step towards this objective. The scheme is open to all existing businesses in towns throughout Co. Kildare.
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Update on Flood Relief Plans of Morell and Painstown Rivers Sought
At the recent meeting of Naas Municipal District council, I asked for updates on the flood relief plans at Killeenmore. This follows from flooding of the Morell and Painstown rivers several times over the previous months and on a regular basis for the past several winters. This is a matter I’ve been raising for years now. We need a comprehensive flood relief plan for Killeenmore and indeed all effected areas along the Morell river. Repeated flooding has gone on far too long now and residents are continuously distressed.
The council responded to the matter saying it has submitted its report to the Office of Public Works. The report addresses the feasibility design and costs of such a flood relief plan for the area. The council confirmed that a meeting is planned with the OPW in the next 3 weeks to progress the matter. I asked the council to update local members at the February council meeting of Naas Municipal District.