On being elected I was determined that funds collected from the local property tax (LPT) must be spent locally and not redirected back to national government. At council level, we have made allocations around the district with significant grants being made to Tidy Towns and residents association groups across the Naas district. The LPT monies are also being targeted at playgrounds in Kill, Sallins and Caragh, undergrounding of cables on Naas main street and support for the Naas-Sallins greenway. I have also brought forward various road projects for attention and tried to get a balance according to geography and where the need was greatest.
Author Archives: James Lawless
Cautious Welcome for Phoenix Park Tunnel
The Phoenix Park tunnel works is a positive step but it is not a panacea. Whilst I will always welcome investment in the railway, the Phoenix Park tunnel is not the holy grail many hold it out to be. It does have the definite benefit of connecting the two major rail routes across the country for the first time in a hundred years. On the flip side it does little to get Kildare line commuters into the south part of the city where most of them want to go. Services using the park tunnel will terminate at Connolly and the journey time is not necessarily better than the current LUAS link option.
Heritage Week 2015 in Kildare
Heritage Week 2015 commences on Saturday 22nd August and runs until Sunday 30th August. This year is packed full of exciting events all across the county all of which celebrate Kildare’s rich and varied heritage. The list of events include walks talks and exhibitions celebrating Kildare rich and varied heritage and everyone is invited to get involved. Heritage Week is part of a European Wide initiative with the express aims of fostering awareness of Ireland’s built, natural and cultural heritage, thereby encouraging its conservation and preservation and increasing interest in our shared heritage. The theme of National Heritage Week this year is “From mill to forge, from mind to hand – discovering Ireland’s industrial past”. Kildare has a rich industrial past, including our close connection to railways, equine activities, as well as our varied market and industrial towns. The list of events taking place in Kildare can be found here.
Kilcock Community Men’s Shed
Cllr James Lawless, Cllr Paul Ward and Mayor of Kildare Brendan Weld attending the Kilcock Mens Sheds Opening
I was delighted to attend the official opening of the Kilcock Community Men’s Shed this afternoon with my colleague Councillor Paul Ward and the Mayor of Kildare, Cllr. Brendan Weld. Between singing, dancing, plenty of refreshments, an impressive array of tools and machines and a flourishing vegetable garden, the Men of the Kilcock Shed have really been busy this past twelve months and they have built a shed to be proud of!
Roadworks To Begin Outside Sallins National School
Site of road works set to commence during the school summer holidays
Road works are set to commence surrounding Sallins National School in the coming weeks after I had arranged for these needed repairs to take place.
The road works will focus on the speed bumps outside of the National School which will be repaired as well as road resurfacing and potholes being filled in. The badly needed works are set to take place in the next few weeks to coincide with the summer holidays to minimise the delays to parents and kids going to school.