QUESTION: For the April meeting of Leitrim Council Council

Question in the name of Cllr Sinead Guckian 8/4/2013

At the April meeting of Leitrim County Council I ask the South Leitrim Area Engineer to carry out immediate repairs to the footpath in Belmount, Drumsna, particularly the section in front of Farrell’s to O’Dowd’s houses which was weakened during sewerage works and further damaged when traffic was diverted up onto it last year during road surfacing works. I would also ask that the previously discussed additional gulley in this location would be installed on the road, in conjunction with the work.

REPLY : The sewerage works were completed some 10 years ago and the Council is not aware of any traffic diversions by Leitrim County Council onto this footpath during surfacing works. The footpath will be inspected and the necessary repairs, if required, will be carried out within the confines of the limited budget available for this type of work. Any such repairs can be carried out in conjunction with other works later in the year.

Councillor Sinead Guckian – advised that the surface of the footpath was affected during the sewerage works and was raised by her at numerous times over the past  years as deteriorating and a potential problem going forward if it wasn’t addressed.

Last year road surfacing equipment was parked, for a duration, during works on this section of footpath and there was traffic diverted up onto the footpath and this has led to the surface now being in a deplorable state. Cllr Guckian also highlighted that there is also a lack of sufficient road gullies in the area and as the footpath has sunk, in one section, water has been lodging in the area and aiding the erosion of same. Repair works are necessary and need to be carried out without further delay.

Notice of Motion for April meeting of Leitrim County Council

At the April meeting of Leitrim County Council I will ask for the support of the members in requesting an explanation from the Minister for Foreign Affairs  and the Taoiseach as to why they did not use the  opportunity when they were in Washington to bring the issue of the undocumented Irish to the attention of senior American Republican Politicians, apart from Senator John McCain? 

Cllr Guckian speaking at the April meeting of Leitrim County Council :-

I put this motion down, because, I, like all my colleagues here in Leitrim know and have known people who are directly connected with the undocumented Irish in the States and we know their families here that are affected too.

This month, April, in the US Senate and Congress proposals are being put forward for legislation on immigration reform, which has the potential to effect, not just the estimated 50,000 undocumented Irish but I believe an estimated 12million undocumented immigrants in the States.

During the St Patricks Days celebrations, the Taoiseach was on his annual visit to the White House, with an audience of Republican’s and Democrats, from Congress and the Senate and although the Taoiseach’s speech / press releases etc.. advised, that Deputy Kenny would raise the issue of the undocumented Irish while on his visit, it is my understanding that the transcripts from the White House show no mention of this important issue. This was a wasted opportunity.

We all know that this is a critical juncture of immigration reform in the States, given the difficulties over the past years between US Congress and the White House, it is hugely important that every effort would be made to bring all sides onboard and every opportunity taken.

Since putting down the motion, there are reports of some hope that Congress and the White House finally appear closer to progress than ever before and very recent newspaper articles have hailed this proposed legislation as “a massive breakthrough”  But it is still a long road, I read one article which hailed the good news with a footer that reported a quote from a Republican Senator that said “Reports that the bi-partisan group of eight senators have agreed on a legislative proposal are premature,”

So all Elected representatives have a responsibility to keep this item high on our discussions at this crucial time, it’s time relevance is so significant, the proposed legislation could finally have such a positive outcome for our undocumented families and friends. The fact that we are currently in another period of time when many people are immigrating from our county and we still haven’t resolved the issues for the generations who left before and still remain undocumented and illegal, needs all the attention we can give. In the 12 months up to April 2011 emigration from Ireland to the USA rose by 57 per cent from 2,800 to 4,400. this item needs to be continually raised by Irish representatives in the US and our diplomatic team to ensure the issue remains at the forefront of legislators minds. I welcome the support of members of Leitrim County Council for my motion tonight.

At the April meeting of Leitrim County Council, members received a presentation

in relation to the CFRAM (Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management) Programme.

(Further information on the Programme @ www.westcframstudy.ie)

Maria O Neill from JBA made the presentation to Elected members, JBA has been commissioned by The Office of Public Works (OPW) to undertake this project as part of the National Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme of Studies. They’re work involves understanding communities affected by flooding across the Western River Basin District, which includes most of County Galway, County Mayo, County Sligo and some of County Leitrim. This is the Western Catchment Flood Risk Assessment & Management (Western CFRAM) Study.

Over the coming weeks and months JBA will be holding pubic consultation days and evenings and request that all members of the public participate to ensure a more accurate and relevant mapping process is developed. JBA were joined by members of the OPW for a questions and answers session with elected members following the presentation.

I took the opportunity to highlight the frustration felt by the communities who were affected by the flooding in 2009 along the Shannon, particularly those in Carrick on Shannon, Jamestown, Drumsna and Dromod, I acknowledged that while work is being undertaken to assess, map and plan for the future nd there will be public information evenings, that to date, 31/2 years on, we are still physically in the same vulnerable position with regards potential flooding in the area again.