In a very welcome new development for the Sandymount and Ringsend areas, the City Council has published its draft strategy for HGVs following the opening of the Port Tunnel. The strategy will essentially ban all five-axle or more vehicles from entering the Sandymount, Irishtown and Ringsend area unless in possession of a special permit which must be applied for on each occasion that access is required. This will make it much easier for the Gardai to enforce. The draft Strategy is now open for public comment and is available on the Dublin City Council website (www.dublincity.ie).

Sinn Féin’s Dublin Spokesperson on the Environment, Councillor Daithí Doolan, has accused Council officials of being in breach of an agreement reached with City Councillors in regard to the Ringsend Wastewater Treatment Works. “City Council officials recently confirmed with me that no further extension to the plant would take place until the outstanding odour problems were fully dealt with. Yet Dublin City Council took out an advertisement in ‘The Irish Times’ calling for ‘expressions of interest for the proposed extension to the Ringsend Wastewater Treatment Works’, this stunt is nothing short of outrageous.” Cllr. Doolan called on Council officials to publicly withdraw the advertisement, shelve the plans for expansion and focus their energies on tackling the problems at hand.

South East Area Councillors have been reviewing the submissions on the Poolbeg Framework Plan and are expected to conclude this early in the New Year. In the recently-adopted City Council Budget special provision for major improvement works along the River Dodder and the commissioning of a Plan for the Tolka were included on foot of a proposal from Local Labour Councillor Dermot Lacey.

At the Area Committee meeting in November the Council agreed to install Cycle Parking racks in Sandymount Village.

On Monday December 12th a delegation from Star of the Sea School made a presentation at the South East Area Committee. The delegation outlined what improvements they wanted to see in the area and followed on from their very successful involvement in the Green Schools event. The proposal to invite the students was put forward by Councillor Dermot Lacey in consultation with the Principal Ms Candon and the Green Schools Co-ordinator Joan Finnerty.

Councillor Daithí Doolan has condemned the City Council’s inclusion of incineration in the new Waste Management Plan for the Dublin region. Speaking at a public meeting with residents in November, Cllr. Doolan said: “The only thing new about today’s plan is the date on the cover. Yet again we see officials making incineration its cornerstone. But it must be remembered that the City Development Plan, passed earlier this year, clearly excludes any incinerator for the Poolbeg Peninsula. Clearly the officials underestimate our resolve to see Dublin remaining incineration free. Residents here can be assured that they will have my ongoing active support in using every avenue open to us in opposing this incinerator.”

Councillor Wendy Hederman has proposed motions at City Council to have a local area plan prepared for Ballsbridge, “…so that any development that takes place will enhance the area and contribute positively to this famous suburb, as opposed to overpowering the existing streetscapes.” Hederman says: “I have had discussions with the City planners and with residents associations about inputting into the plans for the area.”

Cllr. Kevin Humphreys, Labour Party Group Leader Dublin City Council, says: “In proposing the Budget for 2006, Labour has continued to deliver on our promises under the Democratic Charter for change and building up on the successes of last year. We have secured a number of very important initiatives to deliver real and lasting benefits for Dubliners. Funding has been secured for out of office hours Planning Enforcement, additional funding for the building & upgrading of Playgrounds, 60% increase in the Budget for cleaning of graffiti, €100,000 anti-racist campaign, also €1.5m increase for maintenance and improvements to the flats .”