Domestic Bin Collections

From Monday January 16th 2012, after more 140 years, Dublin City Council will no longer be responsible for collecting domestic rubbish in the city.

Over the past few months I strenuously opposed DCC’s withdrawal from the domestic bin collection service but unfortunately the majority Labour/Fine Geal Councillors supported the City Manager’s plan.

I again raised my concerns with the City Manager on Monday this week and in response the Manager arranged to make information available today on the DCC website HERE.

I hope this information provides you with the information you need about your bin collections but if it doesn’t and you have any other questions please drop me an email and I will be happy to try to help.

Mary.
Click HERE for later updates on this matter.

Bin Collections

As and from next Monday 16th Jan 2012 Dublin City Council will no longer collect household rubbish in Dublin City. Dublin City Council, under the control of Labour and Fine Geal, awarded the contract for domestic bin collections to Greyhound.

I objected at City Council to Dublin City Council withdrawing from the collection of household rubbish in the City.

Under the new contract householders should receive a letter from Greyhound this week advising them of the new arrangements for their bin collections. Greyhound will be responsible for collection of green, grey and brown bins as well as tagged bags.

Greyhound will require householders to pay in advance for their bin collections. Greyhound has agreed to honour the waivers that were already in place with Dublin City Council so Households that were approved for a bin waiver in 2011 will continue to get the a waiver on the standing charge. There is no obligation on Greyhound to accept or grant any new waiver applications. Greyhound will require all customers to clear any arrears owing to Dublin City Council and will require customers to pay in advance for their collection service.

The City Manager has agreed to provide a detailed explanation of the new arrangements for bin collection over the next few days, when he does I will post them to my website.

Mary.
Click HERE for later updates on this matter.

Capuchin Day Center

It was great that Pat Kenny used his radio programme on December 14, 2011 to highlight the great work done by Br Kevin, Teresa and all the staff and volunteers at the Capuchin Day Center on Bow Street. The work they do is truly inspirational. They feed approximately 600 people a day and give out over 1000 food parcels every Wednesday. Many of the people coming to the day center are homeless but increasingly there are also people attending who just can’t make ends meet. It has been a real honour for me to help Br Kevin and I was truly flattered that he wanted me to participate in the discussion on the show and raise the issues I have been raising for him at City Council. You can listen to the show on RTE by clicking HERE but most importantly you can make a donation to Br Kevin by clicking on www.homeless.ie. 

Mary.

DCC Flooding Update

Since the flooding on the 24^th of October I have been following up with Dublin City Council regarding specific flooding events in our area.  At the DCC Engineering Strategic Policy Meeting held on December 15^th I addressed the issue and the RTE 1 news covered some of my comments.  You can watch the full meeting by clicking HERE. It was a long meeting but you can skip to my comments by using the index (1:47) or read my initial contribution below.

Areas in Dublin Central have been repeatedly flooded over the past decade dating from the Tolka flooding in 2002, 2005 and more recently 2008, 2009 and now again in 2011.

Accepting that the Manager says that no location in the city is free from flood risk and that the report identifies a minimum of 142 locations that were flooded on the 24^th of October I find the report to be too high level, too strategic and all to vague. It is significantly lacking in detail, solutions and timelines for action.

I have specific questions about East Wall, Glendhu park, Ashington, Cabra west, Cabra East, Phibsborough, Drumcondra, Glasnevin, East Wall, Ballybough, North Strand.  I have put those questions directly on email, I have raised those issues as questions to the City Manager,  I have put questions to area committee and city council meetings for written reply. 

The reports I have received are high-level and strategic in nature.   I have received replies that don't convey to me or residents that any real progress is being made.  At its worse I would consider the replies to have been a waste of what we are told are limited resources.

This forum of the SPC is not suitable for addressing local issues.  

The city council is refining its message on what it cannot do.  It cannot meet with residents. It cannot provide sandbags. It cannot solve the problem. The network is inadequate,insufficient resources are available,  it is the OPW, the DoE or some other bodies responsiblity etc.  More than anything, no pun intended, the overall effect of this approach is leaving me with a sinking feeling.

Over €120million has been spent over the last decade, the Tolka.  Another €100million will be made over the next decade. While this is less it is still very welcome and every effort must be made to ensure that Dublin City gets its fair share of those funds.

From a homeowners perspective in Dublin City today they do not feel that DCC is being responsive.   Clearly our approach is not working and we need to recognise this and address it.  Clearly there is a plethora of organisations dedicated to protect funding streams and hopefully the Government that has promised much change and greater efficiencies and economies will maybe take this issue of flooding and streamline the various organisations and channel all flooding and drainage activities in one body.

Dublin City Council has significant resources when it comes to long term strategic flooding and drainage expertise however we need to bridge the gap between that strategic long-term approach and the  real life events of ordinary homeowners and business owners in the city. 

We  have to do something to move DCC from appearing  like it is hiding behind big words, dense reports , legislation and convoluted procedures and instead move to establish a clear channel of communications between the city council and residents and business owners. 

Dublin City Council is the planning authority. Dublin City Council is the drainage provider.  Dublin City Council must take the lead on this issue. Dublin City Council needs to take action to establish a Dublin City Flood Forum now.

Finally, I wish to propose to this SPC that dealing with these matters at the SPC is wholly inappropriate and we should call on DCC to establish without any further delay Dublin City Flooding Forum.    DCC should make an application for funding for a Dublin City flooding fund immediately.

Fully accepting that mother nature will always have the power to overwhelm our efforts we need to be more proactive and the City Council needs to take a partnership approach with home and business owners in the city to protect their properties.

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Whitehall Garda Station Closure

The decision by the Justice Minister Alan Shatter to close Whitehall Garda Station makes no sense and will be a big loss to the communities of Drumcondra and Glasnevin. 

Minister Shatter confirmed that he is shutting down Whitehall Garda station without any consultation with the local community or elected representatives.  Whitehall Garda Station is the only Garda Station on the main road between Dublin City Center and Belfast and it is often the first point of contact for visitors from Dublin Airport.  Whitehall serves a highly concentrated urban residential and commercial area.  There are more than 17 Schools and more than 20 licensed premises in an area with 1,000s of homes, three public parks and 100’s of commercial units.  Whitehall district is very busy. 

At a recent meeting of the Dublin Central Joint Policing Committee, of which I am Chair, Gardai outlined how the 35 Gardai in Whitehall using a combination of good old fashioned policing and special operations were succeeding to address 100s of crimes relating to burglary, public order and drugs offences.   The closure of Whitehall Garda Station makes no sense, economically or socially and is a major concern for the local community. 

At the next meeting of the Dublin Central Joint Policing Committee I will seek cross-party support for a motion calling on the Minister for Justice to reverse this crazy decision and to engage with the local representatives on this issue.

Mary.

All Hallows Watermains

On the 1st November, works will start in the All Hallows water network on Griffith Avenue. There will be water shut off for approximately 10 hours between 8am to 7pm for some properties in the area. All those affected by water shut offs will receive a notification hand delivered 2 days before the water shut off. There is alo-call information line, 1890 88 24 10 (Monday - Friday 9am-5pm) and there is also a 24 hour line, 01 685 67 61. In addition, regular updates on where and when work is taking place are available here: www.watermainsrehab.com. All the best, Mary.

Dublin Bus Network Review

Following my representations on behalf of constituents, Dublin Bus informs me that it has revised its proposals for the Finglas East, Glasnevin and Drumcondra phase of Network Direct. The finalised details are now live on the Dublin Bus website and can be found by HERE.

Some of the key revisions include: 1) Route 13/a will be combined into a Route 13 which will serve Griffith Avenue; 2) Route 83 will serve The Dublin Airport Logistics Park, Tolka Estate and will operate down Church Street and onto The Quays; 3) Route 19a will be renamed Route 9. All the best, Mary.

Green Bin Easter Monday

Please note that any Green Bin collection due on Mon 25th April (Easter Monday) will take place on Sat 23rd instead. All other collections as normal. See www.greenbin.ie.

For opening times of Bring Centres and Recycling Centres, click HERE. For more information contact DCC Cabra Area Office on (01) 2227400. All the best, Mary.

Tai Chai in Cabra

Senior Citizens, why not try out Tai Chi. These are gentle non-impact exercise classes which will improve flexibility and good health. Sample Class next Tuesday, 19th April at St Finbarrs GAA Club. All seniors welcome. For more information please contact Cabra Community Development Project on 085-1519972. Grand stretch in the evening, Mary.

Graduates, Snr Developers

Asset Control, a global provider of data technology for financial institutions, is to create 50 new jobs in Dublin with the expansion of its financial technology operation. Opportunities open to a mix of graduates and senior developers. Click HERE for more on the announcement. 

The company will shortly post specific opportunities HERE (none showing at present), but in the meantime get ahead of the queue by calling their Human Resources department at +31 (0)512 389 100 or emailing your CV to careers@asset-control.com. 

Best of luck, Mary.

Dublin Port Masterplan

Dublin Port Company has commenced a wide-ranging public consultation process to devise a Masterplan for the long-term development of Dublin Port. Click HERE to read the masterplan.

Dublin Port welcomes submissions from interested parties during the consultation process leading to the development of the Masterplan. The consultation period will run until end May.

All the best, Mary.

LinkedIn Dublin

LinkedIn, the most popular professional network across the globe, is to create 100 new jobs in Dublin. Click HERE for more on the announcement. To search for opportunities at LinkedIn click HERE and search under jobs in Ireland. Best of luck, Mary.

Eastpoint Jobs Fair

Following the huge success of EastPoint’s inaugural Jobs Fair in 2010, the second annual event is now taking place tomorrow, 25th March 2011. Recruitment agencies will also be onsite recruiting for one of the largest online companies in the world. The majority of roles are full time permanent with a small number of fixed term contract positions available. Also in attendance will be leading educational institutions and professional bodies offering post-grad courses and professional qualifications. Click HERE for all the info and best of luck, Mary.

Opportunities at 3

Irish mobile operator 3 plans to create 50 new positions to support continuing growth and investment. For more on the announcement click HERE. To apply click HERE. 


Also in the news are Insurance brokers First Ireland. They have announced plans to create 15 sales jobs over the next 12 months. Click HERE to apply. 


All the best, Mary.

St Patricks Day Operations

Chief Superintendent Pat Leahy has confirmed that there is a substantial Garda Operation in place for St Patricks Day. A pro-active approach is being adopted to ensure a fun and peaceful celebration on O'Connell Street and in the City Center in general. The Gardai have agreement with business owners that "off licences" in the city center will not open until after 4pm and Gardai will be actively confiscating alcohol on the streets. Lets hope the rain and snow holds off and the sun shines on the parade.

Have a Happy St Patrick's Day, Mary.

Summer jobs on Dollyer

Dublin City Council is currently inviting applications for Lifeguard on Dollymount Beach and for relief attendants for Swimming Pools and Leisure Centres. Suitably qualified persons who wish to be considered for inclusion on a panel from which vacancies may be filled will find further information on qualifications/experience required, job specification and standard job application form HERE. Completed application forms should be submitted not later than 5.00 p.m. on Friday 18th March 2011.

Bord Bia Marketing Fellowship

UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, in partnership with Bord Bia, has announced a third intake to the Bord Bia Marketing Fellowship.

This intensive 12-month action learning programme gives successful candidates the combined opportunity to gain hands-on experience working with some of Ireland’s most respected food companies and also gain a postgraduate qualification. Participants’ time will be split between working in foreign locations, supported by Bord Bia, and studying for an MSc in Marketing Practice at UCD Smurfit School.

This is a fully-funded programme, including all tuition fees, and participants will receive a bursary to the value of €22,800.

Applications are welcome from all graduates with a minimum of 2 years work experience. Some placements will require fluency in a second language (French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Polish, Korean or Chinese).

For more information please click on www.smurfitschool.ie/bordbia


The closing date for receipt of applications is 09.00 on Monday 14th March.

Opportunities at Google

It's great to see Google committing to buy more property in Dublin and to further recruitment. Click HERE for more on the announcement. 

The Fianna Fail government has taken on board genuine criticism in recent times but it is worth reflecting on some of the positives to come out of this period too. Investments by Google, Facebook and Intel are perfect examples of how government policy substantially improved employment opportunities in Ireland. And I'd be seriously worried about any CEO's appetite for Foreign Direct Investment should Sinn Fein get to influence future government policy. Remember this is the party which proposes a high tax environment and has shown deep scepticism about European integration. All of which is especially relevant in constituencies like Dublin Central where the final seat will ultimately determine if Sinn Fein get to hold the balance of power at a national level.

Either way, if you have multi-lingual skills then click HERE for opportunities at Google. For a wide range of other opportunities, click HERE. I recall making a similar first step in business over 15 years ago, so you never know. 

All the best, Mary!

Dublin’s Historic Houses

If you want to get a better appreciation of Dublin's historic homes, please read the following letter I received from the Irish Georgian Society today.

The Irish Georgian Society and Dublin City Council are partnering to present a 12-week lunchtime lecture series in March, April and May 2011.

A team of leading conservation experts, a number of them from Dublin City Council’s Heritage and Conservation Offices, have been assembled to deliver a lunchtime lecture series on the understanding and care of Dublin’s period houses.

Aimed at those with an interest in Dublin’s historic houses, the series will examine all periods and types of houses, from the modest Edwardian artisan dwellings to the substantial red bricks of the Victorian suburbs and the fine townhouses of our Georgian city squares. The lecture series will provide an appreciation of the significance of every aspect of Dublin’s historic houses and practical information on their card, conservation and maintenance. The lectures will be of particular interest to owners of Dublin’s many Protected Structures and buildings located within Architectural Conservation Areas but also the many non-protected traditionally built Dublin period houses.

A certificate of attendance will be issued to those who attend all the lectures. The lectures are approved for structured CPD by the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland (12 points) and Engineers Ireland.

Lectures, which will start on Wednesday 2nd March 2011 (from 1pm to 2pm) and continue for 12 weeks, and will take place in the Helen Roe Theatre, RSAI, 63 Merrion Square, Dublin 2.

It is possible to attend all, one or as many of the lectures as you wish. The lectures are priced at €10 which you may pay at the door or book in advance for a special price of €100for all 12 lectures (half price for fulltime students with card). To book contact the Irish Georgian Society, 74 Merrion Square, D.2 (tel: 01 6767053/email: info@igs.ie/ web:http://www.igs.ie/)

Hope that some of you might be interested in attending. It would be greatly appreciated if you could forward information on the lecture series to any residents within your area who you think may be interested in attending.

Kind regards, Emmeline.

Emmeline Henderson
IGS Assistant Director & Conservation Manger
Irish Georgian Society
74 Merrion Square
Dublin 2
Tel: 01 6767053

Day 18

Attended the launch of Fianna Fail's manifesto, REAL PLAN, BETTER FUTURE. Its a plan well worth supporting. Hugh Lane Gallery was a good venue for the launch (and not just because it's in Dublin Central :-) After that back canvassing in Drumcondra and Cabra followed by RTE Drive Time debate in Smithfield with my fellow candidates. Back home for a bite to eat then off to City Council for monthly meeting.