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4th November 2014 • Volume 21, Issue 40 • Leader House, North Street, Swords, Co. Dublin. • Tel: 8•400•200 • info@northcountyleader.ie
Molly McNally's father, Gerry (second from right) is pictured accepting the money collected from the recent Barn Dance for Molly at Round Towers GAA Club in Lusk. Also picured are members of the organising committee, Tom Whelan, Natasha Farren and Caroline Clare
Little Molly Making Great Progress We are delighted to report that Depending on the results, she may little Molly McNally, the six year be going to London to do radioold Balbriggan girl, who suffers therapy, or she may go for a bone from Stage Four Neuroblastoma, a marrow transplant straight after Christmas in Crumlin Hospital. rare childhood cancer, is It will be one or the other. making encouraging We’re very happy about progress. this, and we should Her father, Gerry McNally know in about two told the County Leader weeks time.” about the hopeful signs Molly even visited for Molly. He said, Barrettstown Castle in “She’s doing really Co Kildare, where she well and we had very had a wonderful time good results last week. and tried her hand at After four rounds of her archery, among other new trial, she had things. “On the way assessments and the five home, she even had a cancer hot spots in her Molly McNally journey in a limousine, from bones are now down to two. Rush to Balbriggan, thanks to She had five days of chemo last week, and now she has a break Star Limos in Rush,” said Gerry. and she will have her new cycle of In the meantime, Gerry was onchemo in two week time, when she hand at Round Towers GAA Club in will have new assessments. Continued on page 14
Huge Local Housing Development Plan Unveiled
The news that plans are afoot to develop 3,000 new homes on a vast plot of land between Dublin Airport and the M50 motorway, is set to have an impact on house prices locally.
This audacious plan, which also includes a science park, as well as manufacturing space, is the brainchild of developers, the Comer Brothers from Galway. They are expected to spend €1.5 billion on the massive project. Luke Comer, co-founder of the company, described the 210-acre site as “the most strategic piece of real estate in Europe.” “It is close to the M50, the airport, Dublin Port and the city centre. It is an absolutely ideal place to develop both homes and commercial space,” he said. The development is
expected to help to address Dublin’s acute housing shortage. It is estimated that Dublin will need 9,000 new homes built every year
David Quirke, Auctioneers
Flynn
between now and 2018 to meet capacity. Planning permission has not yet been secured, but they
intend to start building immediately after it is granted. Many believe that because the site is adjacent to the airport, it is expected to have a real impact on the price of houses in the North County area, and particularly in Swords. The upside to the development is the number of construction jobs that will be created during the construction phase. The County Leader asked estate agent, David Quirke, Sales Negotiator with Flynn & Associates in Swords, about the effects that the proposed new houses
Pensioners Hung Out To Dry
Paddy McGann
The ongoing pension controversy at Dublin Airport, which is impacting thousands of workers, both present and retired, is set to rumble on. The problem arose initially because of a hole in the pension fund of around €700 million. As a result, the Irish Aviation Superannuation Scheme (IASS) has been severely underfunded, with the sponsoring companies, Aer Lingus, DAA reportedly contributing very little to the funding. Cuts to pensioners of between 10 and 20 per cent, will come into effect
By Patrick Finnegan on 1st January 2015, which are on top of the Government pension levy, which is already being taken from pensioners. The County Leader spoke with Paddy McGann, Vice Chairman of RASA (Retired Aviation Staff Association) and he spoke about the impact this will have on retirees. He said, “Take someone who has retired after say 40 years service in 2007, he will have gotten no raise since. He’s paying 2.53 per cent pension levy, so if he retired on €30,000, he now has €30,000, less 2.53 per cent. “On 1st January, he’ll have a further 10 per cent cut. This is on top of the failure
to pay him the 8 or 9 per cent consumer price index that has accumulated. He’s now told that this is for life, but the only problem he has, is the return they are getting on the money, is not good enough to sustain that, and he’s being told that if that happens, then its your hard luck.” “The situation, as we see it, is that the employer has to put money in on behalf of the pensioners. Pensioners have contributed a total of €175 million over the years, but Aer Lingus has done nothing for pensioners, except to say pensions should be reduced by one eighth.” “One lady, who is a member of our Continued on page 12
on the property market will have on prices in the local area. However, he was uncertain that these new houses would have a direct impact on prices in the area. He said, “There is an urgent need to bring new homes to the market, so I welcome
any new homes to help relieve the housing shortage in the North County Dublin area.” “This development will help somewhat to relieve the serious demand for housing in North Dublin, which has seen house prices increase in value Continued on page 12
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