- Monday, 23rd July, 8pm – Seabury Parish Centre, Malahide –
“This is an opportunity for the people of Malahide and surrounding communities to air their concerns about proposed changes to bus routes,” said local Fianna Fáil TD, Darragh O’Brien as he invited local residents to his public meeting on Bus Connects which takes place on Monday, 23rd July at 8pm in Seabury Parish Centre, Malahide.

“There has been much debate and discussion about the recent proposals to change and augment the Dublin Bus network, especially in the North County.

“This is the first in a series of meetings I, and the local Fianna Fáil organisation, will be hosting across North County Dublin. It’s imperative that people have their say.

“Both myself and Cllr. Eoghan O’Brien believe that we need to allow local people have their say on these proposed changes, and that’s why it’s essential that as many people as possible turn up on the night.

“On the night, we will go through the proposed changes, give our thoughts and opinions on the changes, and give space for local residents to give us their thoughts.

“In addition, we will be providing information and guidance to residents who wish to make formal submissions to the Bus Connects consultation. Submissions can be made by email to: consultations@nationaltransport.ie. Feedback from all our public meetings will be incorporated into our own submission. 

“Bus services in Dublin need improving; there is no point shying away from that fact, but they must be changed in consultation with the people directly affected – the commuters.

“Dublin Bus is an integral part of life in North Dublin. Whether you are going to work, school, the local shops or to the hospital, we rely on a quality bus network to keep us moving.

“We’re looking for a big crowd on the night to ensure that we, as your local public representatives, have the best picture of what the local community want and need from their bus service,” concluded O’Brien.

​

Key Points

1. Seabury services would be heavily reduced, would lose 42, 102, 32, and 142 routes. Only bus connection a Portmarnock-Swords route. Journeys to town now 281/D1/D.
2. 32 replaced with 60.
3. 42 replaced with D1/D. would not service Seabury or Portmarnock.
4. Portrane and Skerries losing direct routes to city.
5. 32x replaced with 381.
6. A lot of bus traffic going through Swords.
7. No mention of night services.
8. Portrane, Donabate, Skerries, Balbriggan, Rush, and Lusk would all lose direct/peak services to Dublin city centre.
9. Principle that connections would increase regularity thus speed of service does not hold up for Fingal as use of Port Tunnel and M1 is necessarily reduced.
10. Hugely popular 142 will no longer serve Malahide Village, Seabury, or Waterside - new routes duplicate the Swords Express 500 and 501 routes.
11. Some peak and direct routes from Fingal will require 2 changes. 33, 33x and 33d services to Customs House Quay served Fingal directly now require 280/A4/A (Portrane and Donabate) and 285/A4/A (Skerries and Balbriggan).

Current Routes

1. 32        Talbot Street to Malahide (every 20 -50 minutes)
   1.  Becoming the 60 more frequent and extending to the airport northbound.
2. 32x      Malahide to UCD (two return services).
   1. Becoming the 381 - same service.
3. 33        Lower Abbey Street to Balbriggan (half-hour to hourly).
   1. Gone. 285 connecting Swords with Balbriggan, A4 to Santry, then, A from Santry to city.
4. 33a     Swords to Skerries/Balbriggan (hourly).
   1. Improved service: 285  (every 30 minutes to Skerries, hourly to Balbriggan)
5. 33b     Swords to Portrane (every 40 minutes)
   1. 280 - same service.
6. 33d     Custom’s House Quay to Portrane (daily via Port Tunnel).
   1. Gone.
7. 33x      Custom’s House Quay to Skerries (half-hour peak only via PT).
   1. Gone.
8. 41        Lower Abbey Street to Swords Manor (20-30 minutes).
   1.  A4 and 282 connect with A at Santry – improved service (7 – 10 minutes)
9. 41c      Lower Abbey Street to Swords Manor (extra peak services)
   1. 382 Same service.
10. 41n     Westmoreland Street to Swords Manor (night service) – hourly to 4am.
    1. No mention of night services in proposals.
11. 42        Portmarnock to Talbot Street (20-30 minutes).
    1. D1 connecting with D in Clarehall. No Portmarnock or Seabury connection.
    2. Seabury loses service.
    3. 60 follows DART route into Talbot Street.
12. 42d     Portmarnock to DCU (daily)
    1. Gone. Train to Killester, A4 to DCU.
13. 42n     Talbot to Portmarnock Friday night service
    1. No mention.
14. 43        Talbot Street to Swords Business Park.
    1. Gone follow A/A2 route.
15. 102     Sutton to Dublin Airport (every 20 – 50 minutes)
    1. 60 replaces service but does not connect with Seabury.
16. 142     Portmarnock to UCD (every 10 minutes at Peak).
    1. Gone. Partially replaced by 382 and 384 (Swords to UCD via Port Tunnel); which do not service Waterside, Seabury, Malahide and Portmarnock

BusConnects Proposed Services

1. 60        Dublin Airport to City via Malahide (every 15 – 30 minutes) bypasses Seabury - no direct bus to town, loses airport bus as well.
2. 285     Swords to Balbriggan / Skerries (30 minutes) Direct bus services to north County Dublin; replaced with services to Swords/Clongriffin
3. 281     Portmarnock to Swords (20-25 minutes) – only Seabury service
4. 282     Swords area to Santry (radial and orbital hub). (8 minutes)
5. D1       Malahide to Clarehall (every 30 minutes)
6. Peak services
   1. 375     Clare Hall to Ringsend: 8 south7:00-8:00; 8 north16:30-18:00.
   2. 382     Swords to UCD; 3 south 7:00-8:00 and 2 north 17:00-17:30. (via port tunnel).
   3. 390     Baldoyle to Lower Abbey Street: “every 30 minutes for two hours”.
      1. Connects with 60.
   4. 381     Malahide to UCD (coast road via Portmarnock). 2 south and 2 north at peak.
   5. 384     Swords area to UCD 3 south and 2 north.

Costs and Delivery

1. Delivering all of the elements of BusConnects will cost over €1 billion. The exact cost is unclear, however.
2. Delivering BusConnects will take an unspecified amount of time.
3. “The exact time period dependent on the level of funding each year.”

The programme will involve a generous use of compulsory purchase of gardens and digging up trees and footpaths.

These proposals are not final. The NTA will be accepting public views from 16th July to 14th September and submissions should be made to consultations@nationaltransport.ie. The full proposal can be seen at www.busconnects.ie

Cllr Eoghan O'Brien and I intend on  holding a public meeting in Seabury Parish Centre on the 23rd July @8pm on the proposed changes to Dublin Bus, if you are free do come along, do please let any of your neighbours or friends know also. All are welcome.

New bill will help strengthen corporate governance & quality of life for
                     some 500,000 living in multi-unit developments 
Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Housing, Darragh O’Brien TD has today introduced a new bill in Dáil Éireann that is aimed at establishing an Ombudsman for Owner Management Companies (OMCs).
The Ombudsman will be based within the Property Services Regulatory Authority with an estimated running cost of €500,000 per annum. This body will help in training board members, assist in dispute reconciliation and make recommendations on the future development of the housing sector.
Deputy O’Brien stated, “A recent submission made by the Apartment Owners Network and the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland to the Oireachtas Committee on Housing, estimated that nearly 500,000 people live in multi-unit developments in Ireland.
“The majority of these developments are run by Owner Management Companies.
“I very much pay tribute to the volunteer efforts of those involved in an OMC, which is essential to maintaining a high standard of living for the residents in their complex. As it stands, the Department do not provide resources to assist with their work.
“These OMCs are governed by dense company law that many residents may not familiar with, must adhere to strict housing regulations and deal with the Department of Justices’ property rights.
“The Bill I have introduced today, if passed, will provide for the establishment of a new, central body focused on supporting the sector and advising those that lead these companies for the greater good of the development they live in.
“The core duties of the Ombudsman will include assisting with dispute resolution and the provision of both key training and advice services. It will also help develop updated policy in the area and highlight key issues of concern.
“It’s been promised that 35,000 new units will be built per annum up to the year 2040 and many of these, if built, will be run by such companies that will support. It is crucial that we are proactive in ensuring the highest level of governance is achieved and maintained.
“By introducing this Bill, we are proposing that an Ombudsman is formed to work for the half a million people living in apartment complexes and estates run by Owner Management Companies throughout the country,” O’Brien concluded.

​Local Fianna Fáil TD and Chair of the Ireland, Egypt Friendship Group, Darragh O’Brien has welcomed the formal ratification of Irelands Air Service Agreement with Egypt.
The agreement which was signed at draft stage in 2014 was yesterday formally ratified in Dáil Éireann.
O’Brien commented, “By ratifying this agreement, direct flights between Ireland and Egypt can begin operating but in particular Egypt Air will now be in the position to consider using Dublin Airport as an international hub for their airline.
“During my visit to Egypt’s capital, Cairo last year I met with the Aviation Minister to discuss the potential this formal agreement had for opening up job opportunities in Fingal.
“The ratification of this contract is a significant step forward to securing more routes and subsequently more jobs through Dublin Airport.
“I wish to acknowledge the work of both our Ceann Comhaire and the Egyptian Ambassador in moving this forward. I very much look forward to welcoming Egypt Air to the airport and engaging with them on what Fingal has to offer,” he concluded.

           Emergency ambulance services in Fingal must continue to be provided
​                                   by Swords and Blanchardstown crews
Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin Fingal, Darragh O’Brien has said that Government’s decision to finally support a motion raised by his party and debated in Dáil Éireann this month was needed for a long time.
The Deputy is optimistic that this cross party support will ensure the full retention of emergency services provided by Dublin Fire Brigade the North County.
O’Brien commented, “The almost 1,000 highly trained and skilled personnel working with Dublin Fire Brigade (DFB) has been providing essential ambulance services to Dubliners in the North County for the past 120 years.
“The Brigade provides immediate, lifesaving medical assistance to members of the public in need of treatment 24/7, 365 days a year. Thousands of families in Fingal, including my own, have had experience of being protected by the members of the DFB.
“The HSE’s proposal to remove the delivery of Dublin’s ambulance service from Dublin Fire Brigade and instead merge the service with the National Ambulance Service could have an adverse effect on safeguarding those in our community.
“Staff should be lauded for their ability to respond to thousands of emergency calls across the capital every year, not denigrated, to have funding withdrawn, or to have their service run down. 
“There should be 133 firefighters and paramedics as well as 36 officers on duty at all times maintaining front-line fire appliance. However, there is currently a deficit in staff and resources. We need at least another four ambulances within the service
“We need to send out a clear statement that the Dáil establishes policy and makes decisions on behalf of, and in the best interest of the people who elect us. I am pleased that Government have at last listened to opposition and have recognised the importance of this issue.
"It has been a pleasure for me over the past five years to work closely with both current and retired members of Dublin Fire Brigade. I hope we can move forward with an implementation plan with haste to ensure this service remains one of the best in Europe and that we further invest in the service.
He concluded, “Our motion, supported now by Government, reiterates our party’s firm commitment to the full retention of ambulance services provided by Dublin Fire Brigade across Dublin.”