Killiskey Parish Ashford Summer Fair will take place on Saturday June 28^th 2008 in Nun’s Cross School, Ashford from 12 noon until 5pm.  There will be a BBQ, Strawberries & Cream, Crepes, Refreshments/Teas and Baron von Kuul’s Flavours of the World Ice Cream to enjoy.  Stalls include: Books, Plants,Cakes, Gifts, Tombola, Toys and a Raffle.  Children’s games also available.

A great day out for all the family!

A proposed development in Fitzwilliam Sqaure in Wicklow Town has been refused planning permission by Wicklow Town council. The planning application put forward by James Healy for the site at Phil Healy’s pub was for the demolition of the pub and a residence at the corner and its replacement with a 4 storey residential and commercial mixed use building. Included in the plans was 1 penthouse apartment, 4 1 Bed Apartments, and 5 2 bed apartments. The ground and first floor would have provided 1058 sq meters of retail and commercial premises.

The town council refused permission for the development for 4 reasons :

1. The proposed structure is not sympathetic to the established architectural heritage and character of Fitzwilliam Square and is visually unattractive and obtrusive.

2. The proposed development would constitute a serious negative impact on the amenity of the existing adjacent unit (Connolly’s Mans Shop)

3. The proposed development contravenes the Residential Development Density Objectives of the Wicklow Town Development Plan.

4. The proposed development would endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard due to its location at the junction of Fitzwilliam Sqaure/Church Street.

I wrote a submission to the town council objecting to the planning application and I am glad permission was not granted. I’ve never objected to any development in the town, but have shook my head in wonder at some of the developments which have been allowed to take place recently. The ugly building beside the tennis court housing xtravision is one example. The new building beside the St. Vincent de Paul shop at The Mall is another.

I said to myself that I couldn’t let this application go by without making my voice heard and I’m glad I did. I’ve often watched those “house in the country” type programmes and seen small towns and villages in England which look wonderful with shop fronts in keeping with the character of the town. An example of a good shopfront in Wicklow is “The Butler’s Pantry”. We need more development like this, rather than ugly looking structures like the one proposed for Fitzwilliam Square.

The applicant can appeal the town council decision to An Bord Pleanala of course, so the story might not be over but at least round 1 has been won for common sense!

RTE report the news that Dick Roche doesn’t believe there is any move to oust Bertie Ahern.

When asked if he belived that Ahern would be forced out of office within a year, Roche said : “Mr Ahern is made of very stout stuff and retains the support of the rank and file of the party.”

Well, that’s ok then isn’t it. Sorry Dick, but someone in Fianna Fail needs to speak with Bertie Ahern and tell him it’s time to go after he makes his speech in the US congress.

United Irelander says it better than I do, and I echo his sentiments. Fianna Fail are in government to serve the people of this country. Fianna Fail are not in government to “protect one of their own”. The office of Taoiseach is being dragged through the mud, an I’m extremely annoyed about this. I don’t care whether it’s “coming up on the doorstep” or not (as many councillors and FF party hacks keep saying), the issue is far bigger than that. Come to my doorstep and I’ll set any FF party member on my views about this.

The last RED C poll for the Business Post showed that half those surveyed did not trust the taoiseach to run the country after hearing his evidence to the Mahon Tribunal. That was a few weeks ago, I can only imagine the percentage has gone closer to 60 or 70% after Carruth’s evidence on Friday.

Ahern must go and he must go sooner rather than later.

Very sad news about the death of 71 year old Walter Hammond, an experienced hill walker,  who had been missing since Thursday after he failed to return from a walk in the Wicklow Mountains.  An extensive search and rescue operation was put in place when Gardai requested the assistance of the Glen of Imall and Dublin & Wicklow Mountain Rescue Team.  Members of other mountain rescue teams from around the country, civil defence, the coastguard and the air corps all took part in the operation also.

The Sunday Business Post reports some good news for bus commuters on the Wicklow to Dublin route. Bus Eireann has plans to install wi-fi on Wicklow buses  as well as Navan, Kildare and Drogheda. The internet access will be free and this should be an extra incentive for people to leave the car behind and make more productive use of travel time.

Another development from Bus Eireann is the installation of vehicle location systems on all routes. This will mean passengers can get real time information on bus times via displays at bus stations, online or by text message.

There is no mention yet of when the new timetables on the Wicklow route will be introduced. The local newspapers reported that there would be half hourly bus services running all the way to Dublin airport. The mooted start date for these was March but apparantly it is all dependant on the acquisition of new coaches. This bus commuter has his fingers crossed that the new timetables do come into effect as planned.

Cheering could be heard all over Wicklow as Brian Ormond announced that Robyn Kavanagh was through to the final of You’re a Star. The shock exit of Sharon Condon has left Robyn as the bookies clear favourite to win the competition but as tonights result shows, there ARE NO certainties. Robyn still needs your vote.

Help make a dream come true for this young lady from Wicklow. Pick up the phone and vote – the lines are open NOW…

1513 71 71 04

Text Star 4 to 53125

I’d suggest it is better to phone in a vote rather than text. You will know for sure that your vote has been counted if you dial the 1513 number.

There was a problem early on in the competition with text voting… See the Irish Times article at the link below

http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/breaking/2008/0129/breaking66.htm

The Register of Members Interests of Dail Eireann for 1^st January 2007 to 31^st December 2007 was released recently and here are the extracts for Wicklow’s 5 TDs. With thanks to Damien Mulley for highlighting the release of the register.

BEHAN, Joe  (Wicklow)

1. Occupational Income …….. Primary school principal (on leave of absence): St. Fergal’s S.N.S., Bray, Co. Wicklow.

Other Information Provided: Although I have been on leave of absence I understand there may be a small residual amount of salary payable to me for the period since 24/5/07.  My pension contributions are deducted from this residue.

2. Shares …………………….. Life Insurance & Investment Policy (joint names with my mother): Hibernian Life & Pensions, 60-63 Dawson St., Dublin 2: managed funds.

3. Directorships……………… Nil

4. Land ……………………… Nil

5. Gifts ……………………… Nil

6. Property and Service …….. Nil

7. Travel Facilities ………….. Nil

8. Remunerated Position ……. Nil

9. Contracts …………………. Nil

DOYLE, Andrew  (Wicklow)

1. Occupational Income …….. Farmer: Lickeen, Roundwood, Co. Wicklow.

2. Shares …………………….. Nil

3. Directorships……………… Nil

4. Land ……………………… Trooperstown, Roundwood, Co. Wicklow, circa. 82 acres: farmland 60 acres, woodland 22 acres.

5. Gifts ……………………… Nil

6. Property and Service …….. Nil

7. Travel Facilities ………….. Nil

8. Remunerated Position ……. Nil

9. Contracts …………………. Nil

MCMANUS, Liz  (Wicklow)

1. Occupational Income …….. Nil

2. Shares …………………….. Nil

3. Directorships……………… Nil

4. Land ……………………… Part share in building at 1 Carlton Tce., Bray, Co. Wicklow: medical surgery.

5. Gifts ……………………… Nil

6. Property and Service …….. Nil

7. Travel Facilities ………….. Nil

8. Remunerated Position ……. Nil

9. Contracts …………………. Nil

ROCHE, Dick  (Wicklow)

1. Occupational Income …….. Nil

2. Shares …………………….. Nil

3. Directorships……………… Nil

4. Land ……………………… Nil

5. Gifts ……………………… Nil

6. Property and Service …….. Nil

7. Travel Facilities ………….. Nil

8. Remunerated Position ……. Nil

9. Contracts …………………. Nil

TIMMINS, Billy  (Wicklow)

1. Occupational Income …….. Letting: (1) Rental property at 14 Mayfield, Kilkenny (see part 4, 50% owner), (2) Premises at Weaver Square known as Baltinglass Inn and accommodation over constituency office which is on leasehold; Army pension.

2. Shares …………………….. Nil

3. Directorships……………… Nil

4. Land ……………………… (1) Dwelling at Sruhaun, Baltinglass plus circa 16 acres: have house and farmland; (2) Dwelling at 14 Mayfield, Kells Road, Kilkenny: former family home joint ownership with wife, still mortgaged and for letting; (3) Premises at Weaver Square, Baltinglass: original family home and derelict property I purchased and have a mortgage for; (4) Office at Weaver Square, Baltinglass and accommodation: constituency office on leasehold; (6) 7% ownership of 27 acres of development land and potential development land at Bawnogues, Baltinglass: original family land purchased in 1926, received 7% share in 2006; (7) Apartment in Evian, France: for letting.

Other Information Provided: (3) now let as “Baltinglass Inn”.

5. Gifts ……………………… Nil

6. Property and Service …….. Nil

7. Travel Facilities ………….. Nil

8. Remunerated Position ……. Nil

9. Contracts …………………. Nil

-Statement from Liz McManus-

An Bord Pleanala have written to me to confirm that they have issued a Special Amenity Area Order for Bray Head. The Order has been granted on account of the “outstanding natural beauty of the area, its special recreational value, and the benefits for nature conservation”.

This Order is recognition of the amenity value of Bray Head. I warmly welcome this decision which comes as the culmination of a campaign to get an SAAO for Bray Head, which goes back nearly 20 years. As a member of Bray Town Council I proposed a SAAO in 1989. My proposal received support from the council, but it has taken until now, for the Order to be confirmed by An Bord Pleanala.

I would like to commend Bray Town Council for the work that they did in preparing the case for an SAAO

We have seen developmental pressure affecting Bray Head, but it is generally recognised that Bray Head is a natural amenity of great significance not only for the people of Bray and North Wicklow, but of the country as a whole.

-Statement Ends-

A comment on Robyn Kavanagh’s official website http://www.robynkavanagh.net this morning said that someone was posting nasty comments about other competitors in the competition on Youtube. The comment was subsequently deleted off Robyn’s website but checking Youtube it does appear that someone going by the name of “Wicklowbabe” is indeed playing a silly game by belittling the other competitors.

In response to one Sharon Condon video, Wicklowbabe says

“don’t give up your day job” and “crap, crap, crap”

A Leanne Moore video gets a response of

“your going home, your going home, your going home. thank god… i could not take much more of that singing. She should of went home last night, She is so so bad……………… Go on Robyn show them how its done.. the only real Singer in the computation.” (note: computation is the spelling mistake of Wicklowbabe, not me)

Another video of Leanne Moore at work with children in a creche gets the lovely comment of “spa”.

All I can say to Wicklowbabe is stop giving Wicklow people a bad name. You can give Robyn your support in a positive way and you don’t have to resort to childish tactics like this. All the competitors in the competition are doing the best they can and deserve their place on the stage as much as Robyn. Throwing insults at others is no way to help Robyn win the competition.

The results of the Wicklow Commuter survey which was undertaken by Wicklow County Council last year have been released and the findings probably won’t come as much of a surprise as the issues affecting Wicklow commuters are felt all over the country. In a nutshell, people are spending a lot of time travelling to and from work every day and would take a reduction in salary to work in their local area.

The survey took place over a 5 month period between June and October 2007. 1,056 responses were received from a combination of website submissions and forms which were handed out at train and dart stations and bus stops throughout the county. The county council undertook a media campaign in local newspapers and radio to encourage participation in the survey.

Some of the main findings of the survey include:

• The average distance travelled to work – 36.41 km.
• Average journey time to work – 64 minutes.
• 36% of respondents take between 1 and 1.5 hours to travel to work.
• 25% leave before 7.00 am in the morning.
• 49.1% travel by car.
• 81.9% would prefer to work in County Wicklow.
• 59.2% would work for less money if they could work locally.
• 82.6% of those who would work locally for less money would consider an income drop of 10% or less.
• 67.9% would change job sector to work locally.

The survey also highlighted that 56% of respondents work in office based service industry. This highlights the need (according to the council) for a planning policy that facilitates the development of high quality business parks. The council findings state that these office based service industries (e.g. financial services, IT) are transferable in terms of location. Whilst the council is making good efforts to promote County Wicklow as a location for new business, the current trend of manufacturing and service industry to locate their businesses in low cost economies, will make the task more difficult.

For more details on the survey see below