LABOUR NEWS KILLINEY-SHANKILL EAMON GILMORE TD JOB CREATION OUR TOP PRIORITY Unemployment is falling. The unemployment rate currently stands at 12.3% having fallen from its peak of 15.1% in February 2012. We are creating 5,000 jobs per month – with the most recent CSO figures showing that an extra 58,000 people were in work at the end of September 2013 than had been at the end of September 2012. Locally, the numbers of people signing on in the Dun Laoghaire area has fallen from 7,597 in September 2012 to 6,040 in November 2013 – a drop of over 20%. But there is still a lot of work to be done to get even more people back to work. We will not lose our focus. Through the Action Plan for Jobs, we will continue the necessary cross government co-operation to produce the best possible environment for job creation. And through the Pathways to Work programme, and the continued hard work of Labour Ministers Joan Burton and Ruairi Quinn, we will continue to tackle to problem of long-term unemployment.
DELL CREATE 200 NEW JOBS AT CHERRYWOOD In September, Dell announced that they would be launching a new commercial banking wing for the European market at their headquarters at Cherrywood Business Park, creating 200 new jobs. The company will provide financing to business customers throughout Europe, as well as commercial loans to small, medium and large enterprises in the U.K., Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. It is expected that a further 100 jobs will be created at Cherrywood as the business expands.
INNOVATIVE NEW JOBS AT KITMAN LABS October saw the announcement of 24 new jobs by Kitman Labs at their base in Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology. Kitman Labs have created groundbreaking software which predicts, manages and reduces the risk of injury in professional sport. With the assistance of the Enterprise Ireland Competitive Start-Up Fund, Kitman Labs are now expanding into new markets such as the UK.
www.labour.ie
OFFICIAL OPENING OF A. MENARINI’S EXPANDED OFFICES IN MONKSTOWN The expanded offices of pharmaceutical company, A. Menarini, were officially opened in September. A. Menarini, Italy’s leading pharmaceutical company, first opened offices at York Road in Dun Laoghaire in 1999, with just nine employees. The company has now expanded to two sites, in Monkstown and Shannon, employing a total of eighty people.
Spring 2014
An Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore T.D., with Francis Lynch, General Manager A. Menarini and the Italian Ambassador, Maurizio Zanini at the official opening of A. Menarini’s expanded offices in Monkstown
www.gilmore.ie
SCHOOLS UPDATE In November, Minister Ruairi Quinn T.D announced a €470m school building programme that will see 70 school building projects throughout the country proceed to construction in 2014. This announcement included good news for four schools in the Dun Laoghaire area – Clonkeen College, Scoil Lorcáin, Ballyowen Meadows Special School and Gaelscoil Phádraig. Since taking office in 2011, this Government has built 2,700 classrooms for over 66,000 pupils, at a cost of €600m, while also managing to protect class sizes. This latest announcement is a continuation of this important work.
CLONKEEN COLLEGE Construction on an extension for Clonkeen College is expected to commence in 2014. The extension will include a new gymnasium, the upgrading of sports grounds and the refurbishment of the existing building. The project will also incorporate plans for a Special Needs Unit.
SCOIL LORCÁIN Plans for a 12 room extension and refurbishment of the current school building at Scoil Lorcáin are currently out to tender. Upon completion of the tender process, the project will proceed to construction. This is expected to take place in 2014.
BALLYOWEN MEADOWS AND GAELSCOIL PHÁDRAIG Ballyowen Meadows will be accommodated in a new purpose-built school building in Stillorgan. This project is expected to begin construction in 2014. Upon completion of this project, Gaelscoil Phádraig will be moved into the school building in Loughlinstown which is currently occupied by Ballyowen Meadows.
An Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore T.D. with Colm O’Neill, CEO BT Ireland, and students from Clonkeen College, Diarmaid Malone and Earl Echivarre at the BT Young Scientists Exhibition
ST. BRENDAN’S COLLEGE Plans for a new school building for St. Brendan’s College in Woodbrook are currently out to tender. Construction is expected to commence shortly.
NEWPARK COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL Construction of a new school building has been ongoing at Newpark since last summer. It is due to be completed in July 2015.
SENIOR COLLEGE DUN LAOGHAIRE The new campus for Senior College Dun Laoghaire in Blackrock is in the final stages of construction. The project, which will also incorporate the new Blackrock Library, is expected to be completed shortly.
An Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore and Peter Power, Executive Director UNICEF, with students from Newpark Comprehensive School
LOCAL NEWS CAR PARK - SHANKILL DART STATION The recently upgraded car park at Shankill DART station re-opened on Thursday 13th February 2014. There are 145 car spaces, 6 disabled parking spaces, 40 bicycle spaces, improved public lighting, new security cameras and charging points for electric cars.
SHANGANAGH CASTLE The Council has now acquired Shanganagh Castle (Former Juvenile Detention Centre) after long and protracted negotiations with its owners. Some works will be carried out immediately to secure the building and seal it from the elements. It is also proposed to upgrade the Visitors Rooms with showers, toilets and changing facilities for local and visiting sporting clubs. Further significant works will be required before the castle is brought into public use. It is important to bring the Castle into community use as quickly as possible. A new playing pitch will be provided this year, allotments will be available to rent, and a new Council Parks Depot is up and running.
Pay & display will operate each day from 8AM to 7PM Monday to Friday at a charge of €1 per hour or €3 per day. Five day tickets will be available at a cost of €12. The adjacent open space will be upgraded in the spring as the weather improves. The works will consist of new footpaths, seating, improved public lighting, improvement to the pedestrian entrance off Corbawn Lane (near Athgoe) and a wall and railing along the front boundary of Rathsallagh Road.
COMMUNITY AWARDS The Community Awards are an opportunity for Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council to demonstrate the Council’s commitment to programmes and services which help improve the quality of life for residents across the entire county. This includes initiatives such as community facilities, sports clubs and activities for both young and old. The awards presentation took place in November 2013, and the positive contribution made by so many in their communities was clear to see. Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council appreciates the value of this work to our communities, supporting it through grants, advice, and facilities.
Cllr. Denis O’Callaghan outside Shanganagh Castle
Community spirit is so important, particularly when times are tough, and it is wonderful to see this kind of positivity and enthusiasm impacting on so many in the community.
TIDY DISTRICTS AWARDS COMPETITION The Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Tidy Districts Awards Competition, which has been a highlight of the Council’s Environment Department’s calendar for many years, took place at the end of 2013. The awards were presented by An Cathaoirleach Carrie Smyth. Tidy Districts is a vital and successful demonstration of the teamwork that exists between local communities, Council staff and Litter Wardens. It is an opportunity to celebrate and reward the good work carried out by all those who participated, with over 100 people from 44 different groups represented in the competition. The results achieved by those who entered the competition are outstanding, as they work to improve their local area. It is also important to acknowledge the work done by so many others who do not enter the competition, but who do so much, individually and An Cathaoirleach Carrie Smyth presenting Shankill Tidy Towns with their award at the Tidy Districts Awards Competition as part of their communities, to improve their area.
HOME RENOVATION INITIATIVE Budget 2014 introduced a new tax relief for spending on renovations and refurbishments of family homes. The relief of up to 13.5 % will be available as a tax credit over two years on spending of €5,000 up to a maximum of €30,000. Spending of €5,000 (including VAT) will attract a relief of €595. Spending in excess of €30,000 will attract a maximum relief of €4,050. The credit is payable over the two years following the year in which the work is carried out and paid for. The works must be carried out on or after 25 October 2013 and up to 31 December 2015. Homeowners must be Local Property Tax compliant in order to qualify under the Incentive while Contractors must be VAT registered and tax compliant in order to qualify to carry out the works. Works covered by the scheme include painting and decorating, rewiring, plumbing, plastering and extensions. The scheme will be administered through Revenue’s online systems.
EAMON GILMORE TD
Phone: 01 408 2018 Email: eamon.gilmore@oir.ie
ADVICE CENTRE INFORMATION Every Monday 9.30 am - 11am (Except Bank Holidays) Every Wednesday – 7pm – 8pm 47A Patrick Street, Dun Laoghaire (beside Homevalue Hardware)
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@EamonGilmore
WORKING WITH YOUR LOCAL LABOUR TEAM IN KILLINEY-SHANKILL An Cathaoirleach Cllr Carrie Smyth
Cllr. Denis O’Callaghan
Inislachan, Seafield Road, Killiney, Co. Dublin 086-3835051 carriesmyth@cllr.dlrcoco.ie labour.ie/carriesmyth
49 Rathsallagh Park, Shankill, Co. Dublin 086-2785609 denisoc@cllr.dlrcoco.ie labour.ie/denisocallaghan
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