I am hosting a public meeting on Childcare to discuss the challenges, costs, and solutions of providing safe, secure and affordable arrangements for working parents. I will be joined on the night by Robert Troy T.D. Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Children. I would delighted if you can join me in the Westgrove Hotel, Clane on Tuesday 29th September at 8pm.
I have put forward a motion calling for Kildare County Council to consider a scheme whereby rates concessions be granted to retail main street properties where upstairs floors are used for residential use. I think concession rates for those living in the upstairs of main street properties would encourage more people to live on our main streets and breathe some life back into town centres, particularly Naas town, if we were to encourage people to convert vacant space into residential space.
I grew up above a shop myself where my father had a local business so I know the concept well. I believe this type of scheme may also contribute to the housing crisis by freeing up vacant space for residential accommodation in central locations. Ultimately the response from the Council was disappointing. Whilst the council could consider it, the scheme would have to be approved by the Minister for Local Government and no Minister since 1970 has approved any council rates schemes.
I have questioned the council to confirm whether finance has been received yet from central Government for the construction of social housing in the Naas Municipal District and if so, what plans exist. There is a lack of urgency in the social housing need in Kildare. In our county we have the third highest social housing waiting list, only behind Dublin and Cork. Many months ago Minister Alan Kelly repeatedly announced grandiose plans that each local authority would be allocated funds to deal with the housing crisis that has taken over the country. The council did confirm to me that work has begun and vacant and private properties have been purchased for the purpose of social housing. Separately I have called for a meeting with the Director of Housing to discuss the plans for the Naas area. I will continue to work with my council colleagues to make sure the work to alleviate the social housing crisis in being carried out in a timely manner.
Cllr Lawless with Mayor of Omaha Jean Stohert
It was an honour and privilege to spend time in Omaha, Nebraska representing Naas in my role as Mayor for the past few days for their “sister cities” 50 years event. Naas is a sister city with Omaha and there are groups on both sides dedicated to developing and deepening relationships in the areas of business, tourism, sport, culture and education. This twining of the two towns has proven very successful for the local economies and tourism for a number of years now.
Tuesday 22nd September 2015 is a sad day for Kildare commuters, and indeed commuters from across the Greater Dublin Area. Minister Paschal Donohue has axed the plans for the DART Underground project which would see the Kildare commuter line directly connected to the city centre via an underground line from Heuston to Pearse. Despite evidence based research indicating that it would be of major benefit to the economy in the Greater Dublin Area, the Government have allowed the project to lapse which had already passed design and planning stages (at a cost of €40m).
It marks a depressing absence of vision to hear the Government announce that the DART Underground project will not proceed as currently designed. The project offers enormous benefits for commuters and businesses across the entire Greater Dublin Area. The decision made by Fine Gael and Labour means that opportunity will now be lost.