Kinsealy - Malahide - Portmarnock - December 2016 Update

Please see below a summary of some of the issues that I and my colleague Cllr Eoghan O'Brien have been working on in our area over the last number of months.

SCHOOLS

As you will know we are committed to improving our existing schools and providing much needed additional facilities in our area. I have tabled a number of Parliamentary Questions to the Minister for Education & Skills Richard Bruton T.D. regarding the provision of a new secondary school for the Malahide & Portmarnock  area. Please see below the most recent response that I have received from Minister Bruton.

"Question: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the provision of a new secondary school for the Malahide and Portmarnock areas of County Dublin, as announced in November 2015; if he has identified locations for these proposed schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter."
  
"Reply: As the Deputy is aware the building project for the new post primary school to serve Malahide/Portmarnock is included in the 6 year construction programme that was announced last November and is listed to go to construction in 2019-21.
Officials in my Department are liaising with officials in Fingal County Council in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the identification and acquisition of a suitable location for the school.
The technical feasibility of an identified site option is currently being comprehensively assessed by officials from my Department in liaison with officials from the Council.
Due to commercial sensitivities relating to site acquisitions generally I am not in a position to provide further details at this time."

Please see below the response that I received to my Parliamentary Question seeking an update regarding the approval of stage 2B of the building project for St. Oliver Plunkett's National School.

"Question: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the approval of stage 2B for a St. Oliver Plunkett's National School, Malahide, Co. Dublin in order that this new school building project can proceed to tender stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. 
 
"Reply: The project referred to by the Deputy has recently been approved to proceed to Stage 3 which involves the tender competition for appointment of the building contractor. The school and its design team have been informed."

Please be assured that I will continue to follow this matter up with both Minister Bruton and the Department of Education & Skills.

TRANSPORT

Cllr O'Brien and I have been in regular contact with Irish Rail raising the concerns of local commuters regarding the number of available parking spaces at Portmarnock and Malahide train stations and we have been informed that a feasibility study, on increasing car park capacity at a number of train stations in North Dublin, is currently taking place.

The study is expected to be completed by the end of Quarter 1 in 2017, and I will be working hard to ensure that there is funding made available to Irish Rail to develop the additional capacity that is obviously needed.

Irish Rail have commenced works on installing a pedestrian bridge at the Back Road, Malahide. This will greatly improve pedestrian safety and access to Malahide Demesne. It is anticipated they will conclude by the first quarter of 2017.

Blackwood Lane - The installation of the much needed section of path is nearing completion on Blackwood Lane. Cllr. Eoghan O'Brien and I have long sought this extension to improve pedestrian safety and access in the area. We are delighted to see works nearing completion.

WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE

Irish Water has invested €500,000 to repair and replace 1km of collapsed and deficient sewers and the laying of 100m of a new water main along Dublin Road, Yellow Walls Road and Woodlawn.  The laying of a new gas main was also facilitated along Woodlawn. 
The water, wastewater and gas infrastructure was coordinated to take place at the one time to minimise the disruption to residents. The rehabilitation of the sewer will also assist in preventing future flood issues on Yellow Walls Road.

PATHS AND ROADS

After calling on Fingal County Council to allocate funds for the much needed repair works, we have been informed by Fingal County Council that the following areas  will be included for  consideration for the 2017 Programme of Works:
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The footpaths at St. Sylvester's Villas, Back Road, Malahide, particularly on the way to the proposed new footbridge.
The footpath outside St. Andrews National School, Church road, Malahide,.
The footpaths on Connolly Avenue.
The footpaths in Ard Na Mara. 
The Estuary Road surface between Swords and Seabury Estate
Resurfacing of the entrance to Inbhir Íde, Malahide

This is just a short summary of a number of matters that we are working on.