The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and Local Fingal TD, Darragh O’Brien has welcomed the news that Portmarnock’s Velvet Strand, Rush South Beach and Balcarrick Beach in Donabate have all been awarded a Blue Flag.
Commenting Minister O’Brien said, “The Blue Flag is an international award for beach excellence and is operating in Ireland by An Taisce, with support from my Department for 35 years now. The award is presented to beaches and marinas which have excellent water quality and which achieve high standards across a wide range of other criteria including environmental education, management of the environment, safety and other services.
“Winning a Blue Flag award is a collective effort with local authorities, An Taisce, local coastal communities and other volunteers on the ground all playing their part. There are many strong advocates for each of these beaches in our community over the past number of years and we know that these awards are a fantastic vote of confidence for both the residents and visitors who enjoy these beaches.
“My Department and indeed the wider Government is committed to supporting programmes such as the Blue Flag and Green Coast Award and to building on them to achieve positive changes in environmental behaviour countrywide,” he concluded.

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and local Fingal TD, Darragh O’Brien has welcomed the reduction in public transport fares for Fingal commuters from this week.
 
For the first time in 75 years fares are being reduced in an effort to help reduce the rising cost of living and to encourage more sustainable travel.
 
As of May 9th fares on Dublin Bus, Luas, Go Ahead Ireland and Irish Rail's DART and commuter services in the Greater Dublin Area will drop by 20% for the remainder of 2022.
 
Those aged between 19 and 23 will also receive a 50% reduction in fares on all subsidised public transport when they use an existing Student Leap card or a new Young Adult Leap card.
 
Commenting Minister O’Brien said, “Government are very conscious of the pressures on households at present as the cost of living continues to rise. The war in Ukraine is adding significantly to that burden and we know that people are feeling it. The reduction in fares from this week will go some way to easing some of the financial strain that households are experiencing.
 
“As TD for North Dublin I am fully aware of the importance of the train service to the local communities and that the stations at Balbriggan, Skerries, Rush/Lusk and Donabate continue to experience high demand. I have long advocated for the Dart+ Coastal North project and look forward to it progressing further this year. At the heart of the project is the need to increase passenger capacity and train frequency to cope with our increasing population here in Fingal.
 
“We hope that the reduction in public transport fares announced this week will also encourage more people to take the sustainable option and leave the car behind where possible,” he concluded.

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and Local TD, Darragh O’Brien has welcomed confirmation that an extension of St. Oliver Plunkett's National School in Balrothery, North County Dublin has received approval to go to tender.
Minister O’Brien convened a meeting between the Minister for Education Norma Foley and school Principal Mairead Murphy at which it was impressed upon the Minister the need for a new school building for the children of Balrothery.
Commenting Minister O’Brien said, “I was delighted to host today’s meeting and hear the positive news that St. Oliver Plunkett's National School, Balrothery can now proceed to tender.
“I think it is clear for all to see that this Government has put a significant focus, and made massive investment in Education over the past two very challenging years.
“In North County Dublin we have a number of new schools under construction, both national and secondary schools and having recently visited Balrothery national school it was very clear to me that it was in urgent need of a new school building.
“I’d like to commend Principal Murphy, Board of Management Chair Sheila Macken and Chair of Balrothery Community Council Kevin Tolan who have been strong advocates and indeed the wider Board of Management, teachers, parents and students who have campaigned for their new school.
“Having worked with the school on this issue for a number of years now I hope to see this project progress as a matter of urgency,” he concluded.

 
The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and Local Fingal TD, Darragh O’Brien, has welcomed the announcement that €3m in exceptional aid supports will be made available to the horticulture sector.
Minister O’Brien, who recently accompanied Minister for Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue on a number of engagements with growers in North County Dublin said the announcement was a recognition of the challenges facing the sector at present.
Commenting he said, “I was very glad to support this memo at Cabinet. I recently visited a number of growers in North County Dublin along with Minister McConalogue and its clear there are significant challenges facing the sector.
“The sector has seen a contraction in growers in recent months and it is considered that the current situation with the war in Ukraine imposes an existential challenge to the sector.
“There are 10 ‘High-wire’ protected glass house producers of tomatoes, cucumber and peppers impacted, and approx. 250 commercial field vegetable producers, 35 mushroom producers and 50 commercial apple producers nationally who are particularly impacted.
“WelGro Produce, one of only two commercial cucumber growers in Ireland are running a fantastic operation in Rush in North County Dublin. They explained very clearly the pressures they were facing and the challenges to the viability of their business. I am happy to hear that they will be now be eligible for exceptional aid supports.
It’s important, however, that we continue to protect the viability of all our growers. A fair return for primary producers is pivotal to the long-term survival of the industry. I want food producers here in Dublin Fingal to be protected,” he concluded.

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and local Fingal TD Darragh O’Brien has welcomed funding of €40,000 for St. Peter & Paul's Church, Balbriggan and €50,000 for Lambay Castle under the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage Historic Structures Fund.
 
Minister O’Brien, who recently visited St. Peter & Paul's Church, said the funding would go towards conservation and restoration works and would be pivotal to protecting the beautiful collection of stained glass windows.
 
The Church of St. Peter & Paul’s Balbriggan is known for its stained glass windows by Harry Clarke Studios and is home to two original stained-glass windows, the Visitation and The Widow’s Son, designed and created by Harry Clarke himself.
 
Commenting Minister O’Brien said, “I’m delighted to see these two local projects supported by my Department’s Historic Structures Fund. Both St. Peter & Paul’s Church and Lambay Castle are two fantastic offerings in North County Dublin and must be protected.
 
“This fund assists owners of heritage structures – including those on the local authorities’ Record of Protected Structures and those in Architectural Conservation Areas – to meet their obligations to care for their properties.
 
“The scheme provides assistance to a wide range of heritage structures. Nationally this year’s fund includes awards to historic bridges, castles, churches, mills, libraries, shopfronts, and an old forge, as well as to private houses.
 
“Schemes such as the Historic Structures Fund help to safeguard our rich built heritage, keeping many buildings in use and bringing many others back into use.
 
“There is an additional and welcome knock-on economic benefit of generating employment for heritage contractors and other skilled crafts and tradespeople across the country,” he concluded.

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and Local Fingal TD, Darragh O’Brien officially opened two Prosper Fingal facilities in North County Dublin, Ballustree Lodge in Rush and The Obelisk Day Service in Skerries.
 
Prosper Fingal provides services and supports to adults with an intellectual disability in North County Dublin. Today almost 500 individuals and their carers are supported by Prosper Group across County Fingal and County Meath.
 
Commenting Minister O’Brien said, “From speaking with staff, with service users and their families at both Ballustree Lodge and The Obelisk it was very clear to see that Prosper Fingal are very much excelling in their mission to ‘support each individual to live the life they choose, in the same way and same places as everybody else’.
 
“The day spent with them in both Rush and Skerries was one of the most joyful days and it was a real honour for me to be invited to officially open the services which were described by some family members as ‘home from home’.
 
“The entire team at Prosper Fingal are to be highly commended on what they have done, it’s hard work and efforts which have brought both of these projects to fruition, and I will continue to do everything I can to support them,” he concluded.