Work on the Sallins Road roundabout has now started. I flagged this up when it was planned last year (see comments below). The work will involve making all the approaches to the roundabout two lanes and it will increase the flow through the roundabout helping to relieve congestion on the Monread and Sallins roads. I have discussed the traffic management plan with the District Engineer and whilst there may be some minor disruptions, the plan is to keep the roundabout open at all times throughout the work. The works will run on for a number of weeks, and probably last into the Autumn or later.
Category Archives: Naas
Five Garda Recruits for Kildare Simply Not Enough
It was announced recently that 5 new garda recruits were to be allocated to Kildare. The latest figures made available to Fianna Fáil’s justice spokesperson Niall Collins shows there were 300 gardaí attached to Kildare in February this year, down from 324 in April 2011. The loss of 24 gardaí to police our communities cannot be undone with an additional 5 garda recruits.
It is extremely important that Garda recruitment and the training of new officers is continuing but I think the Government needs to ramp up its efforts in this regard. The strength of the garda force nationally is now around 12,500 and there are a further 1,498 officers eligible to retire this year. This would leave the force at a seriously diminished level.
Final Street Lights from Naas to Sallins Installed
I was delighted to see earlier this week street lights being installed on the Sallins Road at the M7 motorway bridge. These lights now mean that the entire route from Naas to Sallins is fully lit. I had this raised as a motion at council level when first elected to have lights placed along this final dark stretch of road. As a resident of Sallins I know how beneficial these lights will be to other locals who use the bridge, particularly when the winter evenings arrive. It will make a great difference to the many, many people who cross that bridge on foot, bike or buggy during the shorter evenings. You can now travel from the centre of Naas to the centre of Sallins with street lights along the full route.
Lighting on the Sallins-Naas Motorway Crossing
Work in progress on the Sallins Naas motorway crossing lights
I am delighted to see lighting being erected on the Sallins-Naas Motorway crossing, having campaigned for these lights for many years. This was the very first issue I raised at my first meeting of Kildare County Council following my election to the council.
It will make a great difference to the many, many people who cross that bridge on foot, bike or buggy during the shorter evenings
Mortgage Rate Cuts Needed as Deadline Looms
Michael McGrath TD with Cllr James Lawless
I’ve echoed calls from the Fianna Fáil finance spokesperson Michael McGrath TD for banks to introduce meaningful cuts to their standard variable mortgage interest rates ahead of the 1st July deadline issued by the Minister for Finance. The exorbitant rates charged on standard variable rate mortgages is something Fianna Fáil has been highlighting for months now. I also had a motion passed about this at the party’s Ard Fheis in April.
With only a few days left to the 1st July deadline, the response so far from the banks to Minister Noonan’s request for lower rates has been nothing short of pitiful. The likelihood now is that some minimal changes will be announced in the next few days in the hope the cry for lower rates will go away.