Haggardstown and Blackrock deserve bigger share of capital investment
More especially infrastructure is not up to requirements to serve the growing population and to add insult to injury a lot of the funds and taxes generated from development and other sources in the area have gone to other parts of the county to fund development.
This in a nutshell was the strong case local councillor Shane McGuinness put to his fellow councillors as he asserted that Blackrock and Haggardstown is not getting it's proper share of the cake.
Statistically he backed up his case that in his words the area has been 'starved of funds over the past ten years', and argued for it to receive overdue and badly needed funding to bring infra structure and facilities to the required level.
The Councillor quoted that Dundalk south boasts the biggest population of the five electoral areas in the county which has a total population of 100,000.Presently the figure for Dundalk South stands at 26,110, followed by Dundalk/Carlingford at 20,034, Ardee 19, 689, Drogheda Urban 19,685, Drogheda Rural 14,480..
The Councillor was making his valid pitch with national development plan funds coming down the line.
He wants to ensure that the area and Blackrock and Haggardstown, where clearly major housing development, in particular, has taken place, gets it fair share of the pot, and redress the imbalance that has taken place.
This has seen the area he contends produce the highest income in terms of rates and development levies. Now with Blackrock invited to represent the country in the international Entente Floral competition, there is a clear need and desire to present it's best foot forward, and some of the investment that has seen other parts of the county like Omeath/Carlingford, Dunleer have substantial money spent and plans drawn up to carry out improvements be allocated to the area.
The county council will soon be drawing up its own budget and Councillor McGuinness will be pressing for the area to get funding to undertake projects.
One that councillor sees as a priority in the Blackrock/Haggardstown area, is the completion of the Rock Road footpath and road improvement scheme, which has been held up for the past three years after a €100,000 grant obtained by the Tidy Towns committee actually was lost to carry out what was proposed to be the penultimate stage of the work.
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The Councillor also believes safety works needs to be undertaken, including the installation of traffic lights and re-alignment of the junction at Sexton's junction on the Dublin Road to address the increasing volume of traffic and consequential increase in danger to road users and pedestrians.
He also urges that a new waste water treatment plant be provided for the area and the provision of a community sports facility.
Gers lotto
The jackpot is now €23 000 in the Geraldines lottery with nobody claiming the prize last week. The numbers drawn were 9, 10, 24 and 31.
Two players, Paul McCaffrey and Aislinn Connor selected three numbers to share the €200 prize.
Remembrance service
The annual remembrance service for those interred in the parish old cemetery on Old Golf Links Road takes place next Sunday, commencing at 7pm.
The graveyard is believed to date from the fifth century.
Saint Fursey, patron saint of the parish, is said to have founded a monastery there.
A church was established there which was in use until 1620 approximately, and is documented to have fallen into ruins by 1692.
Famine graveyard
An ecumenical prayer service of remembrance will also be celebrated the same day in Killally famine graveyard, starting at 5pm.
The graveyard was opened in 1853 and was a burial place for those who died in the nearby workhouse at Rath until 1905.
Road closure
Louth County Council has issued a notice that Old Golf Links Road will close for a fortnight this month.
This will be from Monday August 11 to Friday, August 22.This is to facilitate emergency works – the upgrading of foul sewage drainage facilities.
No through vehicular traffic will be allowed for the duration of the works, and diversions will be in place.
However, there will be an exception made for local access for vehicles and pedestrians.
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Irish Independent
4 days ago
- Irish Independent
Haggardstown and Blackrock deserve bigger share of capital investment
And hasn't been for quite some time while especially for the last decade or more the community has expanded rapidly, and services and facilities are not keeping up to serve residents. More especially infrastructure is not up to requirements to serve the growing population and to add insult to injury a lot of the funds and taxes generated from development and other sources in the area have gone to other parts of the county to fund development. This in a nutshell was the strong case local councillor Shane McGuinness put to his fellow councillors as he asserted that Blackrock and Haggardstown is not getting it's proper share of the cake. Statistically he backed up his case that in his words the area has been 'starved of funds over the past ten years', and argued for it to receive overdue and badly needed funding to bring infra structure and facilities to the required level. The Councillor quoted that Dundalk south boasts the biggest population of the five electoral areas in the county which has a total population of 100, the figure for Dundalk South stands at 26,110, followed by Dundalk/Carlingford at 20,034, Ardee 19, 689, Drogheda Urban 19,685, Drogheda Rural 14,480.. The Councillor was making his valid pitch with national development plan funds coming down the line. He wants to ensure that the area and Blackrock and Haggardstown, where clearly major housing development, in particular, has taken place, gets it fair share of the pot, and redress the imbalance that has taken place. This has seen the area he contends produce the highest income in terms of rates and development levies. Now with Blackrock invited to represent the country in the international Entente Floral competition, there is a clear need and desire to present it's best foot forward, and some of the investment that has seen other parts of the county like Omeath/Carlingford, Dunleer have substantial money spent and plans drawn up to carry out improvements be allocated to the area. The county council will soon be drawing up its own budget and Councillor McGuinness will be pressing for the area to get funding to undertake projects. One that councillor sees as a priority in the Blackrock/Haggardstown area, is the completion of the Rock Road footpath and road improvement scheme, which has been held up for the past three years after a €100,000 grant obtained by the Tidy Towns committee actually was lost to carry out what was proposed to be the penultimate stage of the work. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more The Councillor also believes safety works needs to be undertaken, including the installation of traffic lights and re-alignment of the junction at Sexton's junction on the Dublin Road to address the increasing volume of traffic and consequential increase in danger to road users and pedestrians. He also urges that a new waste water treatment plant be provided for the area and the provision of a community sports facility. Gers lotto The jackpot is now €23 000 in the Geraldines lottery with nobody claiming the prize last week. The numbers drawn were 9, 10, 24 and 31. Two players, Paul McCaffrey and Aislinn Connor selected three numbers to share the €200 prize. Remembrance service The annual remembrance service for those interred in the parish old cemetery on Old Golf Links Road takes place next Sunday, commencing at 7pm. The graveyard is believed to date from the fifth century. Saint Fursey, patron saint of the parish, is said to have founded a monastery there. A church was established there which was in use until 1620 approximately, and is documented to have fallen into ruins by 1692. Famine graveyard An ecumenical prayer service of remembrance will also be celebrated the same day in Killally famine graveyard, starting at 5pm. The graveyard was opened in 1853 and was a burial place for those who died in the nearby workhouse at Rath until 1905. Road closure Louth County Council has issued a notice that Old Golf Links Road will close for a fortnight this month. This will be from Monday August 11 to Friday, August is to facilitate emergency works – the upgrading of foul sewage drainage facilities. No through vehicular traffic will be allowed for the duration of the works, and diversions will be in place. However, there will be an exception made for local access for vehicles and pedestrians.
Agriland
5 days ago
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New farm manager appointed to Newford Suckler Farm
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Irish Times
6 days ago
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Presidential election: How much does it cost to run for the Áras?
With the presidential election looming, just how much does it cost to run a successful campaign or otherwise? It is a question that parties and candidates are considering as they either enter the race or think about doing so. National poster campaigns, online advertising and campaign teams cost money and a lot of it. The six candidates in 2018 declared a total spend of €1.36 million in the race for the Áras. The 2011 election cost even more, with more than €2.3 million in spending across seven candidates. Fine Gael has decided to go for it and run a candidate – former European commissioner Mairead McGuinness – for an office the party has never held, and having been burned by presidential elections in the past. Independent left-wing Galway West TD Catherine Connolly is also in the race with the backing of smaller parties and Independents to get on the ballot paper. Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin have yet to decide if they will enter the fray. 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Fine Gael remortgaged its Dublin headquarters last September to raise money in advance of the general election. The party did not offer an estimate on how much it will spend on McGuinness's election campaign. A statement indicated it will run 'a vigorous' campaign, which will be 'funded from the party's fundraising activities, the vast majority of which comes from the Fine Gael Superdraw'. It said all campaign spending 'will be in line with electoral guidelines and published with Sipo [Standards in Public Office Commission] after the election'. Fianna Fáil's financial statements for last year indicated 'net expenditure on election activity of €1,600,112 in 2024, contributing to a debt position at the end of the year of €1,527,288 which was in line with our projections at this point of the Dáil cycle'. The party said it will clear this debt and 'build an election fund for the future election cycles in this Dáil period'. It is understood that Fianna Fáil held a fundraising draw earlier this year that raised about €600,000. There are mixed views within Fianna Fáil on whether the cost of the presidential election will influence the decision on whether or not to contest it. One source suggested the party's finances will be a 'huge factor' and it is a reason 'not to run someone for the sake of running someone'. A different Fianna Fáil source said the identity of the candidate and strategy, not costs, will be what is taken into account in the decision-making. Another source said there is a strong view within the parliamentary party that Fianna Fáil should field a candidate, but it has to be the right one. 'There's no point in having a candidate and spending half a million euro and getting no positive result,' said the source. A separate source said the cost of the election 'is a factor' in Fianna Fáil's decision, but added: 'Is it a dominating factor? I don't believe it is. The party will want to see a viable candidate, one that can compete, and that will be the dominating factor.' There has been speculation about potential Fianna Fáil candidates, including former taoiseach Bertie Ahern, to ex-ministers Mary Hanafin and Éamon Ó Cuív. None appear to have been met with much enthusiasm within the party. Taoiseach Micheál Martin has ruled himself out and is consulting with the party on its approach to the election. It could be September before he makes a final decision on running a candidate. Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, meanwhile, surprised many recently by not ruling herself out as a candidate as her party continues its deliberations. The Irish Times previously reported there is little appetite within Sinn Féin for her to run, with sources saying they would prefer her to stay in the Dáil, leading efforts to get into government. Sinn Féin may yet join other left-wing parties in backing Connolly. On the extent to which the cost of a campaign is influencing its deliberations, a Sinn Féin source said: 'The internal party discussion on the approach to contesting the upcoming presidential elections are primarily political. Financing a campaign is not the determining factor.' At her campaign launch last month, Connolly said she self-funded her last two Dáil election campaigns, and it will be 'big shift for me to move up and look at a national campaign with a serious amount of money'. [ Fine Gael says Mairead McGuinness 'acted in full accordance' with medical advice after being injured in crash Opens in new window ] She said she would be asking for contributions and the parties backing her are also 'open to providing funds in whatever way they see fit'. The Social Democrats said they are 'proud' to be supporting Connolly, adding: 'While we envisage there will be a financial contribution from the party, the bulk of donations will come from individuals and fundraising efforts around the country.' The Labour Party – also supporting Connolly – said it is 'finalising our approach to the upcoming presidential campaign'. A statement noted: 'As is standard practice, a separate fundraising stream will be established specifically for the purposes of the presidential campaign.' [ Labour Party backs Catherine Connolly's bid for Áras Opens in new window ] The Connolly campaign has been fundraising through its website and a spokeswoman said: 'We're very encouraged by the support Catherine Connolly is getting from around the country. It's really going to be a grassroots campaign.' As of Monday afternoon, the campaign has raised almost €35,000 in less than three weeks. On the evidence of previous presidential elections, Connolly's campaign, and those of any rivals in the race, will need a lot more.
