2nd Jan: Letter to An Taoiseach Enda Kenny RE: my entering into the selection process for senatorship.
10th Jan: Press release for Ashbourne Players' drama group (Production of John B. Keane's Sive in the pop up theatre on the High St.
13th Jan: Preparations to present full flooding report to the Councillors at the next Ashbourne MD meeting.
27th Jan: OPW has €0.5m for small flood relief schemes. I requested all data, results and associated costs for all proposals laid out by the consultants. This scheme appears to be a quick fix...
31 Jan: Dealing with Millbourne Residents' Association RE: planning application to make a through road to facilitate students travelling to and from the new school campus.
5th Feb: Rathlodge Residents Committee information evening regarding pyrite (pyrite remediation meeting).
7th Feb: Dealings with Irish Water RE: waste water problem in Westview/Bourneview, Ashbourne.
8th Feb: Footpaths in Broadmeadow green to be repaired, kerbstones to also be repaired. Reported on Fixmystreet.ie (where I regularly report issues to be dealt with). Also, no wheelchair access for certain residents in the estate due to no footpath dishing. Need to ensure contribution in sought for public lightinh, footpath and cycle lanes in Gormanstown.
8th Feb: Bus Eireann services. Major issues RE: pricing and timetable etc. Public transport is an issue in Ashbourne.
8th Feb: Roads - Balyybin, Huntgrove paths and St. Mary's school: improvements to be made here.
10th Feb: Devised a long list of things that needed to be done around the town (contact me for details). Examples ranging from: skatepark issues, to footpath issues, to lights and pedestian crossings, to discretionary funding application forms and so forth).
14th Feb: Dealt with flooding enquiry on the Swords road.
15th Feb: Local development review - including industry, greenspace provision, playground provision, infrastructure, lighting, buses, connectivity etc.
17th Feb: Letter to residents encouraging everyone to vote in the 2016 General Election. I have been canvassing a lot over the past couple of months.
21st Feb: Motion 1: to consider planting 20 native Irish species of tree to include 10 trees from the Pillo Hotel to the Rath Cross junction and 10 trees from the monument to the site of the old RIC barracks. Motion 2: to ask all Councillors to support a town twinning proposal with Corcubion in Galicia, Spain. Twinning will be based on similarities in culture, music, linguistics and trade.
22nd Feb: Plan to get a ride-on lawn mower for the Garden City and Residents Association.
23rd Feb: Intention to work with MCC on county strategic development plan, county marketing plan, tourism and also ensure that we are the point of contact when introduced to potential visitors (MCC and Ashbourne Chamber).
6th March: Ashbourne Linear Park plans. Works to be completed by 2018/2019. MCC appeal to the public for their input and to have their say about the linear park.
7th March: Council Chamber meeting 13:30.
7th March: Press release RE: additional funding of €140,000 for footpaths in Ashbourne MD.
12th March: Press release RE: twinning Ashbourne and Corcubion.
17th March: St. Patrick's Day Festival.
23rd March: Update on flooding strategy plan.
29th March: BOACC press release.
3rd April: Launch of the Streetscape Paint Scheme 2016
6th April: Greenspace submission report. Also, retail and marketing strategy.
12th April: Plan to provide playground in Kilmessan.
17th April: Report RE: traffic improvements and school road safety improvements around Ashbourne. Including: school cycling/walking initiatives, traffic warden positioning, road safety officer, signage, signalled crossings outside schools.
19th April: Meeting with Irish ambassador of Greece, Noel Kilkenny to discuss the ambassadorial role, the refugee crisis and the Greek economy.
21st April: JPC meeting - discussion RE burgularies down 45% but drink driving is up.
3rd May: Meeting with public and other Councillors in the area RE: public transport/Bus Eireann and Ashbourne.
4th May: Motion: calling on all Ashbourne District Councillors to support the writing of a letter to Bus Eireann and the TII to immediately revert back to using the old timetable due to serious failings in the service promised, resulting in untold distress to commuters, particularly those with disabilities.
5th May: Letter ti Chief Superintendant Cannon RE: number of complaints received since the completion of the street upgrade on Frederick St, Bridge St and Bachelor's Walk.
6th May: Buss issue press release - LMFM.
9th May: Council Chamber meeting 13:30
15th May: Letter to An Taoiseach Enda Kenny RE: support in consideration for a post selection to the Seanad.
23rd May: Letter to Regina Doherty RE: provisions for a taxi rank and disability parking in Ashbourne.
24th May: Letter to Deerpark residents assoc for their support RE: MCC purchasing lands to replace the works/storage depot at the rear of Deerpark. This is following a motion I submitted to the Council regarding the potential purchasing of lands west of Don/ash GAA club.
24th May: Econ/enterprise team and Ashbourne Chamber of Commerce meeting 9:30.
25th May: Enquiry into the number of disabled drivers there are in Meath in order to facilitate implementation of designated disabled parking spaces in and around Ashbourne.
30th May: Letter to Millbourne residents RE: update regarding the through road from R135 through Millbourne to the new school campus. Also, Press release RE: imporatnce of residents associations.
31st May: Plan RE: dog management and welfare including dog park, bins, enforcement of the law, basic training courses, socialisation groups and initiatives to improve public education and perception.
2nd June: Press reslease RE: Thornton's new 'pay by weight' scheme.
8th June: Motion 1: to MCC to retrofit LED lighting in all public lights in the town. Motion 2: In light of the new pay by weight scheme, I call on MCC to immediately consider purchasing a site in the Ashbourne area to facilitate a designated public recycling facility.
9th June: Letter to CBRE RE: permission to install 4 flag poles outside the MD building.
13th June: Working with local vet practice to produce stickers to go on the restricted breeds signs around the town to show children how to interact appropriately with dogs. Also, Council Chamber meeting Navan 13:30.
14th June: Press release RE: 1)Dog bins and waste 2)Disability parking 3)Fingal and MCC forum 4)Brexit: vote remain.
19th June: Report RE: Town Twinning with Corcubion.
22nd June: Press release RE: Discretionary funding.
23rd June: To-do list for Kilbride Tidy Towns.
14th June: Brexit press release issued.
4th July: Council Chamber meeting Navan 13:30
5th July: Letter to MCC RE: planning ref: AA151260 reaffirming the need for small industrial sized units within the Ashbourne area.
6th July: Pros and cons within the town. Necessary decisions need to be made to commence the transformation of Ashbourne. Also, press release RE: Dog waste initiative.
11th July: Ashbourne MD meeting in Ashbourne civic Offices, 9:30am
13th July: JPC meeting - new antisocial behaviour proposal.
19th July: Dealing with illegal dumping issue near St. Andrew's Athletics Club.
20th July: Council Chamber meeting Navan 10am
21st July: Email to Mairead McGuinness regarding severe erosion along Gormanston beach. Included in this email was the asking of her support of the town twinning initiative and to push our case for funding when we apply for it in September.
7th Aug: Dealing with requests for primary school places. Increasingly worrying issue as demand for school places increases as the town's young population continues to increase.
20th Sept: Call on Minister Ross (TII) to reopen the motorway project from Ashbourne to Derry. End of commuter delays and imroved traffic safety.
25th Sept: Letter of support for the building of a new runway at Dublin airport.
23rd Oct: Issues addressed RE: speed limits in estates. I called for motion to introduce special 30km speed limit signs. Also, AILG training: Module 5 Training National and Local Authority Emergency Planning in the Radisson Blu hotel, Sligo. Report available.
26th Oct: Pyrite on the High Street. Health and safety issues. Appeal for regular updates and progress reports throughout remediation.
31st Oct: Appeal to those responsible for making a decision within Meath County Council to not allow temporary retail outlets to open and trade (mainly on the run up the Christmas) due to an insistence on an annual commercial rate rather than having a monthly rate for such outlets defined as or deemed to be temporary to reverse this decision.
2nd Nov: Ask Transport/Planning dept to engage with local taxi firms and businesses to establsih a taxi rank on Broadmeadow Street. Also, following an RTA in Kilbride village, can we look at the feasibility of putting a roundabout at the junction to Wooton road, Ratoath road outside the church.
7th Nov: Ashbourne Schools Campus planning application AA140734 dispute RE: through road. Trying to come to some sort of solution with the developer. Also, Pain Scheme grant... letter to obtain grant assistance with the Ashbourne Tidy Towns to enhance areas specifically along the areas within the proposed linear park.
7th Nov: Waste water debate.
14th Nov: Bus representations.
18th Nov: Ashbourne MD update: positive changes to the town and surrounding areas over the next few months including: Milltown road upgrade, linear park, skate park and amphitheatre in development, new signalled traffic lights on Castle Street, speed reduction at Kilmoon Cross and in residential areas, Chambers Ireland awards and more.
19th Nov: More AILG training. Also, call for better road calming measures on Castle Street.
20th Dec: Irish Water, Navan 10am
21st Nov: seeking update on new ramps for Alderbrook.
23rd Nov: Email to Garden City and Residents Association commending them for all of their hard work and I offered ideas for 2017.
26th Nov: District Chair article including progress made in 2016 and plans for 2017.
30th Nov: Motion 1: To install two ramps adjacent to the parking area outside the playground gate on Castle St. Motion 2: To provide proper pedestrian crossing facilities at the Thomas Ashe roundabout on Castle Street.
4th Dec: Calling on TII to install CCTV at all bus stops.
5th Dec: Letter to Minister Coffey RE: pyrite and submission to NSAI regarding same issue.
9th Dec: Primatestown and Kilmoon Cross update. Also, pressrelease RE: commuter traffic delays equivalent to one day per month!
10th Dec: Breakdown of Discretionary Fund 2016. Also, seeking to install CCTV cameras onto certain approach roads in the town.
17th Dec: Broadmeadow river management meeting to be hend Jan 31st. Revitalisation scheme.
