Author Archives: James Lawless

Social Housing Announcement for Craddockstown, Naas

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Sample of recent KCC social housing built in Sallins.

Sample of recent KCC social housing built in Sallins.

Welcome news with the announcement from the Department of the Environment that 75 local authority houses have been given the go ahead in Craddockstown, Naas. This funding announcement follows on from my council motion in September seeking clarity from the Department regarding funding for social housing in Kildare. I am delighted that funding for local authority housing in Naas has been announced today. The 75 new units will ease the social housing wait times for families who have had to endure extremely long wait times, in difficult circumstances, for housing.

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Cllr Lawless Outlines FF Plan to Tackle Rural Crime in Kildare

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James Lawless 2015 600sqI’ve always been outspoken on the serious issue of crime across Kildare North and how it has affected our communities and have looked at ways to stem that. On a national level as part of our policy proposals for the upcoming General Election, Fianna Fáil is prepared to take immediate and bold action to tackle the growing crime wave hitting rural Ireland. The party will put in place a seven point plan which will seek to address the crime epidemic in rural Ireland and ensure communities can live in security and without fear. As we’re all too well aware, rural Kildare has suffered considerably in this current crime wave.

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Cllr Lawless Holds Public Meeting on Childcare

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L-R: Cllr Paul Ward, Robert Troy TD, Cllr James Lawless

L-R: Cllr Paul Ward, Robert Troy TD, Cllr James Lawless

I hosted a public meeting on childcare in the Westgrove Hotel, Clane on Tuesday 29th September 2015. At the busy meeting I was joined by Fianna Fáil spokesman on Childcare Robert Troy T.D. I opened the meeting by discussing the costs and lack of available places for children when their parents are looking for affordable childcare solutions in Kildare North. As a mortgage payer with a young family I have experienced first-hand the difficulties in trying to earn a living while paying child minding fees. I understand the difficulties in juggling work, commuting all the while paying for child care and a mortgage.

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Dedicated Homeless Helpline for Kildare Welcome

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L-R: Pat Doyle, Managin Director of Peter McVerry Trust, Cllr James Lawless, and Andrew Considine, President of Naas Rotary Club

L-R: Pat Doyle, Managin Director of Peter McVerry Trust, Cllr James Lawless, and Andrew Considine, President of Naas Rotary Club

It is very much welcome that an out of hours information and advice service for County Kildare is now available, operated by the Peter McVerry Trust on behalf of Kildare County Council. Due to a housing crisis we need to offer more help to people who find themselves without a place to stay. This out of hour’s advice service, operated by the experienced Peter McVerry Trust is a welcomed addition to the support services available to homeless people in Kildare.

I have recently met with Pat Doyle, Managing Director of the Peter McVerry Trust who explained to me the services and support the Trust offer. I have full confidence that this partnership will be a success and be of some support to homeless individuals in Kildare. I also want to commend the assistance, effort and fundraising that went into this project from the Naas Rotary Club.

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Sallins Bypass and M7 Upgrade Latest (September 2015)

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M7 Upgrade Sallins BypassThe announcement of capital funding for the long awaited Sallins by-pass and M7 upgrade projects is welcome. Having campaigned strenuously for years on this issue, these road projects will bring a dramatic improvement to the lives of people living in Sallins and travelling through as well as the thousands who use the M7 everyday. A by-pass for Sallins was first talked about in the late 1990s. After many stop-start attempts at the much needed project, I welcome the announcement today of funding for this. However, as we’ve seen many times before, we won’t be sure until the actual roadworks under way. The Government had already stalled this project at the start of the year.

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