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Showing posts with label Politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Politics. Show all posts

Saturday, 23 December 2017

Scouts get grant for equipment

December 23, 2017 0 Comments
Kilcullen Scouts have received a �1,952 grant under the Local Youth Club Assistance Scheme, writes Brian Byrne.

The funds are part of a �184,649 allocation shared amongst 52 youth clubs and similar organisations throughout the county.

The money has been welcomed by Deputy Martin Heydon, who said it will assist clubs in the purchase of camping, gaming, sports and audio visual equipment that is appropriate to their groups.

Deputy Heydon is pictured above with Minister for Children Catherine Zappone TD.


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Monday, 11 December 2017

Cllr seeks 'nice toilets'

December 11, 2017 0 Comments
Local councillor Ivan Keatley is on the hunt for a way to provide more public toilet facilities in Kildare, writes Brian Byrne. But without the Council having to build and maintain them.

His model is one that works in Germany and does so very well. It's called the Nette Toilette (Nice Toilet) scheme, and involves the local authorities paying businesses like hotels and pubs a fee to allow their facilities be used by the general public, not just their customers.

The scheme was launched in 2000 and now more than 200 cities in Germany and Switzerland are using the scheme.

The fee involved there ranges from �30-�100 a month to the businesses, depending on size. In return, they display a provided sign on the outside of their premises which indicates to people that they have facilities available.

The scheme means people caught short don't have to suffer the embarrassment of pretending to be a customer, or don't have to buy anything, to be able to use the toilets.

The idea makes a lot of sense for local authorities, as they don't have to invest big capital in building facilities that then need a lot of maintenance.

As an example, the city of Bremen estimates that a network which would have cost it �1.1m to provide is available for the fees totalling �150,000 a year.

Cllr Keatley recently raised the matter by way of motion to the Council, seeking a scheme similar to the 'shop front renovation scheme' to fund the idea. The officials raised concerns of how it might be policed, and generally were cool to the idea.

But Cllr Keatley says he will push the matter on, and plans to specifically use the Nette Toilette scheme as a proposed model.
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Friday, 8 December 2017

Martin Heydon will be FG candidate in next General Election

December 08, 2017 0 Comments
Martin Heydon has been selected as Fine Gael's candidate in Kildare South for the next General Election, 'whenever it may be', writes Brian Byrne.

This follows a recent Selection Convention in the Crookstown Inn.

Saying he is glad that a snap election was averted during the 'much uncertainty' of recent weeks, he noted that there is still important legislation to be passed.

"This includes the Finance Bill and Appropriations Bill, legislation for public sector pay restoration and pension and social welfare increases. The Oireachtas Committee on the 8th Amendment must also continue its work to pave the way for a referendum next year. All of this work would have been halted with a snap General Election.

�At a local level I continue to prioritise the ring road for Athy which the Taoiseach recently confirmed that Government will fund for completion, Funding for Endoscopy Unit for Naas Hospital, the need for a new secondary school for Kildare South to name just a few of my goals for Kildare South.

Deputy Martin Heydon is pictured with Offaly TD Marcella Corcoran Kennedy who chaired the convention, and his proposer Alan Dukes and seconder Evie Sammon.
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Tuesday, 5 December 2017

Councillor welcomes affordable housing moves

December 05, 2017 0 Comments
News that Kildare County Council will meet with the O Cualann Cohousing Alliance in coming weeks has been welcomed by Cllr Mark Wall, writes Brian Byrne.

The Alliance's model of cooperative affordable housing, which is in train in Poppintree in Dublin, was the subject of a public meeting in Kilcullen recently.

Cllr Wall, speaking about his motion at Council on the urgent need for affordable housing initiatives in the county, noted that there are banks of Council land 'almost in every village and town in the county'.

"In the absence of a national affordable housing scheme, we must look at other models," he said, adding that he had received a presentation on the O Cualann project which is providing homes to members at prices 30pc below the current market levels.

"Because of the low qualifying limits for Housing Assisted Payments or Social Housing in the region,to a maximum income of �36,000, many individuals and couples cannot get onto the social housing ladder. Instead they face growing private rental charges that are spiralling out of their reach."

Cllr Wall said the O Cualann model could provide for those who are working but find the growing majority of their income is spent on a house that they will never own. He said he will support any new schemes that want to begin building new communities in the county.
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Sunday, 12 November 2017

Taoiseach will open Heydon office in Athy, visit Newbridge

November 12, 2017 0 Comments
An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar will visit Kildare this Monday afternoon having accepted an invitation from Kildare South TD Martin Heydon (right) to officially open his office in Athy.

He will then make his way to Newbridge to attend a community event organised by Deputy Heydon in Newbridge Town Hall from 5.30pm.
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