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13th June 2017 • Volume 24, Issue 21 • Leader House, North Street, Swords, Co. Dublin. K67 P5W4. • Tel: 01 8•400•200 • info@northcountyleader.ie • www.northcountyleader.ie
Swords Karate Club Facing Homelessness some kind of a deal, but they said they Swords Karate Club which set up over By Leslie Murphy don’t do that. We contacted local countwenty years ago in 1996, is now in danger of losing its base at Seatown Leader,” We began to contact the cillor, Duncan Smith (Lab) who is Council about things in February lobbying on our behalf with the Industrial Estate Swords. The club originally set up home at outlining our situation and they offered Council,” she said. Colaiste Choilm Secondary School us a premises on North Street, but that Cllr Smith told the County Leader, “The Swords in 1996. It was a small club to premises isn’t suitable on account of club is very important in the community. It has been serving the local begin with and quickly grew and people for over 20 years and is had to move to a larger premises now on the verge of becoming with larger rent. The club is well homeless, due to a venture established in the community and capital fund setting unaffordhas had lots of success able rents. I’m appealing to any world-wide, bringing the Olympic organisation or business in the sport much attention locally and Swords area who may have a nationally. space to rent to this wonderful The club was involved in the club, to get in touch with the Brackenstown Community Sport club or myself as soon as and Development Association possible,” said Smith. (BCSDA) and had been working “This club helps over 120 over the years trying to secure a mainly young people, teaching permanent residence, through the discipline of karate which engaging with the local council helps them in all aspects of and local councillors. A venue and their lives. I am working with funds were decided and agreed the council in order to find a that the club was to be located at long term solution for the club, Swords Manor. However as the but they have said they have recession hit, this fell through and nothing at the moment. Swords the club moved into a new is the second largest town in premises in Seatown Business Ireland and needs a multi Park in May 2011. Things where Dermot O'Keeffe Sensei Karate Club Sword is pictured with, Kagawa purpose sports facility with going well for the club until the Shihan from Japan after the recent Technical Seminar in Swords Business Park went into receiver- Karate Club. Kagawa Shihan 8th Dan is the Technical Director of JKS various facilities and rooms for a variety of clubs. We also need ship and was sold to a hedge Karate worldwide. a public swimming pool in fund. The club had signed a lease which ran out in May 2013. The club it’s size and cannot accommodate the Swords and we are the only local claims the new owners are looking for amount of members we have, plus there authority out of the four in Dublin, that €32,000 in order for the club to sign a are no toilet facilities. There are several doesn’t have one. There is up to €3.8 units for sale in Swords and we have million available in grants that could be new lease for five years. Marie Reynolds, Secretary and PRO of asked the Council to buy them and we used in delivering a multi purpose Swords Karate Club told the County can pay them back in rent or make sports facility,” he concluded.
Anger At Further Delays To Lusk School Building works for the long By Rachel Wallace awaited Lusk Community College began in 2012. In spite of an origi- teachers alike and is certain to nally scheduled completion date of have a detrimental effect on 2014, the second and final phase learning outcomes for years to of the Lusk Community College come,” she concluded. building project is now not Parents claim that, despite the expected to be completed until the litany of delays that has beset this end of 2019. That is the best-case project, there has never once been scenario from the Department of Education, which assumes that there will be no further delays, much to the dismay of local parents. Speaking to the County Leader, Michael Lenehan of the Lusk Parent’s Association said, ‘A fiveyear delay in a building project of this size would be regarded as a calamity by any standards. Yet, if recent press statements are to be believed, Lusk people are being asked to Lusk Community College rejoice at the prospect of a 2019 target completion date,” he an indication of an increased sense of urgency on the part of either the said. As the school will be at capacity Department of Education, or the from September onwards, the school patron body the Dublin and parents are worried about the Dun Laoghaire Education and effect that the overcrowding will Training Board (DDLETB). Neither have on their children’s school has there been any responsibility taken by either party for the experience. Caroline O’Malley of the Parents delays, with each placing the Association said that, ‘over- blame on the other without specicrowding and congestion are now fying what has caused them. part of daily life in the school. The Parents Association of Lusk Classroom accommodation - in the Community College are urging form of prefabs - is being added to local political representatives to meet the increased student use their influence with the numbers and that two storey parties involved to expedite this prefabs will be needed from project and finally bring it to September onwards, as another completion. Caroline O’Malley year group will be joining the stated that, “we were told the quick build 1st phase would hold school,” she said. “More importantly, shared school 350 pupils and that the convenresources will come under further tional build 2nd phase would be pressure, with no communal area completed in 2014, in time to to accommodate all the pupils, accommodate the remainder of many of the year groups have to the pupils of the school. The stay in the prefabs during lunch school will now be at full capacity time. This is a highly unsatisfac- from September with a further two tory state of affairs for pupils and year delay in completion.”