Water Services

Minister Phil Hogan

On November 4th 2013 Dublin City Councillors unanimously backed a Fiánna Fáil motion on the water crisis facing the capital. The motion called for the Environment Minister and executives from Irish Water to come before the City Council to outline their plans for a new water source and other infrastructure improvements required to secure the water supply in Dublin City.

Today the Chief Executive Officer of Irish Water informed Dublin City Councillors that Irish Water is unable to brief elected representatives on the “arrangements” to transition essential water services from Local Authorities to Irish Water. The Chief Executive also indicated that he is awaiting the Minister’s publication of the primary legislation (Water Services Bill 2) to clarify the roles and responsibilities of Irish water.

The lack of clarity and transparency around Irish Water is extremely concerning. It is totally unacceptable that less than five weeks from the proposed transition of water services from Dublin City Council to Irish Water not even Irish Water, the super quango set-up to manage water services, has clarity on its roles and responsibilities.

The 2014 budget for water services in Dublin City alone is more than €130million. It is unbelievable that public spend of this magnitude would be managed in such a slipshod manner. It is imperative that the Minister acknowledges the enormity of his proposal to transfer water services from local authorities to Irish Water and postpones the transition date until all stakeholders have had a chance to review the legislation and put in place robust and adequate plans.

The Minister needs to recognise that at any time Dublin City uses 99% of all the water it produces and with a spare capacity of just 1% the slightest mishap can disrupt supply. Security of supply is always at greatest risk during winter months. Dublin City has already suffered two water restrictions this year, we cannot afford another.

It would be reckless to try to proceed with the transition of water services within such a short time frame and the Minister should postpone the transition until a proper project plan is in place and signed-off by all stakeholders. Mary

Christmas Tree Lighting

Dublin City Council will be turning on the lights on the O'Connell Street Christmas Tree on Sunday 24th November.  There will be free family friendly entertainment from 3.30pm with the lights actually being switched on at 6pm. There promises to be something for everyone with entertainment from the Army Band, Gospel Choirs and the Monica Loughman Ballet Group. For a copy of the Dublin Christmas Brochure click HERE.    Dublin City Council will also be trying to break Dublin’s 2011 record for the most Geansaí Nollaigs in one place. So if you come dressed in your favourite Christmas jumper and get yourself into the record books!!  Mary

May The Force Be With You

Star Wars, the movie, are holding open casting at Croke Park this weekend November 23 & 24th 2013. Calling all young actors and actresses ((men aged 19-23 and women aged 17-18)) to open casting for the Star Wars film. The Star Wars casting is scheduled to take place on Saturday 23 & Sunday 24th November from 11.00am to 3pm. The gates to the stadium will not open until 8am. Due to the forecast bad weather camping overnight will not be allowed so stay at home, get a good nights beauty sleep and get there early for 8am. The entry for the casting call will be from St Josephs Avenue off the Clonliffe Road. Descriptions of the characters they are looking for can be found HERE. For further information you can also contact Julianne Savage, Community & Public Relations Officer at Croke Park on 01 865 8607 or jsavage@crokepark.ie. Star Wars has a long tradition of casting new talent and it would be great if an unknown or known local talent was found this weekend in Croke Park. May the force be with you ! Mary

Molly Malone

At this morning’s meeting of Dublin City Council’s Public Art Advisory group north side Fine Geal and Labour Dublin City Councillors Breen and McLoughlin blocked the proposal to explore the possibility of moving the Molly Malone statue to Dublin’s north side street market on Moore Street.

The Molly Malone statue must be moved from its current location at the end of Grafton Street to allow for the new LUAS cross city line. Initially it was proposed that the statue would be put in storage until Cllr Mary Fitzptrick (FF) and Cllr Niall Ring (Ind), while working to protect the National Monument and street market on Moore Street, proposed the statue be re-located to Moore Street.

Moore Street has been a traditional street market for decades. Work has recently been undertaken to give the street a face lift and the relocation of the popular tourist attracting Molly Malone statue would have given the street a welcome boost.

Instead the statue will now remain in the Grafton Street area which is already benefiting from a €14million upgrade, popular tourist attractions Trinity College, Book of Kells, high-end retail shopping, the Phil Lynott statue, quality bars and restaurants. In addition, and in case all this is not enough, Dublin City Council is currently inviting submissions for new public art work for Grafton street with  €10,000's to spend!

For decades the north side of Dublin city has been neglected by Dublin City Council and so it is deeply disappointing that when a cost neutral opportunity to give a small lift to the north side arises it is blocked because of Fine Geal and Labour City Councillors own narrow political interests. Fine Geal and Labour City Councillors are so fearful of a resurgent Fianna Fail and increasing support for Independents they blocked  a good proposal,  that would have some real benefit to Moore Street,  purely because it was their competitions idea.  How depressing is that?  Mary

Water Restrictions

Dublin City Council will this evening lift the water restrictions that have been in place since 30th October 2013. Production at DCC's Ballymore Eustace Water Treatment Plant and improvements in storage of treated water reservoirs is allowing for the restrictions to be removed. Thanks to customers across the entire Dublin region for their patience during the period of water restrictions and through whose efforts a significant amount of water has been saved and our regional strategic storage has improved.  Unfortunately storage of treated water reservoirs is currently below the level it would normally be at this time of year. As is normal practice at this time of year DCC will be keeping reduced water pressure in place in the evenings over the coming weeks to gain additional treated water storage.  Water is Precious,Let’s conserve it!  Mary