QUESTION: At the September meeting of Leitrim County Council I will ask the Director of Services, Infrastructure to facilitate my previous request; to assist the residents at Correen, Dublin Rd, Carrick on Shannon, to upgrade the existing water pipeline so they can connect to the main water line.

REPLY: While the proposed upgrade of the water main at this location is desirable there is no funding available for this work and as a consequence Leitrim County Council is not in a position to assist the residents at this time.

Councillor Sinead Guckian – 03/09/2012

DEBATE ON MOTION: Cllr Guckian did not accept the reply and outlined that in previous representation to the Council she had requested that at a minimum that costing would be undertaken on the project. Since the abolition of the local improvement road scheme by the current government, residents on private roads have no mechanism of state funding to assist with the maintenance and upkeep of roads, although termed private roads they are generally completely open to the public to access. Residents in this area are considering funding the repairs themselves and the local area engineers office has suggested that the road maintenance, if funded privately, could be done in conjunction with the drainage works that the Council need to carry at the entrance to this road on the N4. It has been brought to my attention that the current water line in this area is insufficient for purpose and therefore it would be appropriate that consideration would be given to addressing same when all the other proposed work is being carried out as alternatively if the proposed works go ahead without the water pipes then they will have to be redone when the water main is upgraded, which would be a dublication of work and a waste of money. I asked the Director of services to cost the water main project and provide the details of the costing to the Councillors and to residents to see if any solution can be met in the near future.

QUESTIONS:

At the September meeting of Leitrim County Council I will ask the Director of Services, Infrastructure to address the difficulties at the junction of L7426-2 with the R299 Drumsna/Kiltoghert road at Mullaun. Vehicles exiting the L7426-2 cannot see the traffic on the R299 and cannot exit this junction safely. This is a blind exit. If necessary I would request that a “low cost Safety Measure” grant be sought immediately to address this dangerous situation.

REPLY: The location in question can be included for consideration in a future “Low Cost Safety Scheme” depending on the level of funding available and the priorities at the time.

Councillor Sinead Guckian welcomes that this junction will be taken into consideration for a low cost safety measure. As I outlined above I have great concerns for users of this junction and the difficulties that motorists experiencing when exiting same. Given the volume of traffic on the Kiltoghert road heading towards Drumsna, it is important that this item be given priority.

- 03/09/2012

QUESTION: At the September meeting of Leitrim County Council I will ask the Director of Services, Infrastructure to request the NRA to drop the existing curb on the traffic island on the centre of the N4, opposite Annaduff Church. The current level of the “stepped” kerb on the island is too high to accommodate the provision of safe crossing for those with pushchairs or wheelchair users or cyclists. Given the facilities, in constant use by pedestrians, in this location and its proximity to the National School, it is important that this work would be carried out as a matter of urgency to ensure safe pedestrian crossing for all users.

REPLY: The concerns outlined will be referred to the NRA who are responsible for the maintenance of Traffic Calming Schemes.

Councillor Sinead Guckian – 03/09/2012 I welcome the reply and request that this matter is followed up as soon as possible.

Speaking at tonight’s meeting Cllr Guckian raised the following issues surrounding the Budget 2012 cuts to education

-Investing in education and our youth is crucial to our countries economic recovery.

-47% of the 3,200 primary schools in the state have 5 teachers or fewer so the Governments proposed cuts will have a huge impact on small rural schools.

In Leitrim the protection of our small schools is a critical issue for all of us all, the large numbers that turned out the public meeting in Ballinamore last week confirm the importance of this motion.

Increasing the class sizes in small rural schools and the proposed amalgamation of rural schools, will have enormous impact on our rural communities, our culture and the education of our children and I believe this is just one of the actions of budget 2012 that unfairly targets rural communities.

-Our small schools are at the heart of our rural communities and also play a vital role in fostering Irish identity and supporting minority faiths. They are the link for our GAA clubs and our rural communities.

At a minimum priority should be given to ensuring resources are available for children from disadvantaged areas and those with special needs at an early stage. This is not only important from an equality perspective but also has the potential to deliver considerable cost savings to the State in the long-run.

The Government’s plans to introduce phased staffing cuts in small schools with under 5 teachers is a huge concern

Over the past decade or so, under the FF Government, there was a very substantial increase in the resources provided to small schools both in teacher numbers, teaching support staff and in the physical infrastructure.

These were the right decisions as our local schools are an irreplaceable part of counties life. We should be protecting our small schools as a valued part of our culture.

Research shows, over the past decade, where other countries took the approach of bussing children long distances in order to meet idealised efficiency standards Ireland retained the community school link as a core feature.  We need to continue to retain that link. Our population patterns and population dispersal is very different to that of most European countries.

Research also shows that smaller schools have a greater parental involvement.

I acknowledge that savings must be made in the current climate but I believe that there is a fairer and more economically-strategic way to secure such savings;

Call on Government to- reverse these short-sighted cuts in the interests of promoting equity of access to education and prioritising expenditure in areas likely to be of major benefit to our society and economy in the long-term.

Copy of Questions and replies in the name of Cllr Sinead Guckian

Questions:-

1)       At the February meeting of Leitrim County Council, I will ask the Director of Services if contact has been made with Waterways Ireland to request them to carry out immediate repair on the Quay, at Drumsna. The Shannon’s water level, for the past 3 years, has risen over the quay wall and flooded the land. The concrete paving, where the boat moorings are located, has been severely damaged and eroded, leaving it’s the surface dangerous and unsightly. This work must be carried out prior to the boating tourism season commencing this year.

REPLY: The Quay wall in Drumsna is the responsibility of Waterways Ireland and the issues raised by the Councillor will be raised with WaterWays Ireland as a matter of urgency.

Cllr Guckian welcomes this reply and requests that the work is carried out imediately

2)      At the February meeting of Leitrim County Council, I will ask the County Manager if the Council has any discretion with regard to including The Grange housing estate, Drumsna, on the House Hold Tax exemption list for unfinished estates. The decision of the Government to exclude this unfinished estate from an exemption, giving the estates planning attachment to Oak Meadows, demonstrates further the inequality of the policy being applied.

REPLY: The exemption list was formulated by the Department and the Council has no discretion in this regard. While the planning applications for Oak Meadows and The Grange are related, the estates are seperate estates and would be subject to separate planning enforcement considerations. In addition, the Grange is considered to be substantially complete, (subject to completion of outstanding works to common areas eg wearing course) while Oak Meadows requires significant works to bring it to a substantial level of completion.

Cllr Guckian believes that the Minister needs to address the inequality in policy surrounding this new household tax. It is not acceptable, for example, that residents are expected to replace the bulbs in the public lights in their estate and pay EUR100 Household charge.

Notice of Motion : -

At the September meeting of Leitrim County Council, I will ask for the support of members in calling on the Minister for Education to request the National Council for Curriculum & Assessment (NCCA) to consider, the inclusion of the Irish Novels of Author Anthony Trollope on the English syllabus for Post Primary Education.

The curriculum for Ireland’s primary and post-primary schools is determined by the Minister for Education and Science who is advised by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.

The curriculum sets out not only what is to be taught, but how, and how learning in the particular subject area is to be assessed. Secondary school cycle is currently undergoing a significant phase of review

I feel the suggestion of inclusion is apropriate as it is well Documented that Trollope’s take on Irish life is not only well-observed, but in a sense, very respectful of Irish society. His Irish Novels have been acknowledged as an important source material for scholars working in diverse fields of literary and cultural studies. Many Academics have identified these writings, more than any of his contemporaries,  as a study material for scholars from disciplines outside literary studies.

So I would ask for the support of members in calling on the Minister for Education to request the National Council for Curriculum & Assessment (NCCA) to consider, the inclusion of the Irish Novels of Author Anthony Trollope on the English syllabus for Post Primary Education.

I would also ask, that we contact President Macaleese’s office outlining our suggestion and requesting, if appropriate a letter of support from the President.
As it was the President, herself, who acknowledged and highlighted this on the occasion of official opening of the Anthony Trollope Trail in Drumsna.

QUESTIONS:-

QUESTION:-At the October meeting of Leitrim County Council, I ask the Director of Services, Infrastructure what is the up to date position regarding the agreed work of detailed structural inspections and reports on the bridges in Drumsna and Jamestown, that was to be carried out this year as part of the national survey of all Regional Road bridges.

REPLY FROM DIRECTOR: – Unfortunately the NRA have cancelled the Bridge Inspection Programme due to lack of resources and accordingly no detailed inspections of the bridges in question have been undertaken.

IN RESPONSE to the reply Councillor Sinead Guckian has spoken with the Director of Services and expressed her outrage that this project which was to be rolled out in eleven counties throughout the country, which was confirmed earlier in the year by Government, has now been cancelled. This is unacceptable, the inspections in this county are way over due never mind the repairs works that will no doubt need to be carried out as a result of inspection. It is unacceptable that the whole program for every county has now been scrapped, and it is very worrying that funding has been withdrawn.

QUESTION :At the October meeting of Leitrim County Council, I will ask the Carrick Area Engineer to erect appropriate road signs at the junction of the Effrinagh road with the Annaghbradican Road and the Gowel/Annahearly road. When travelling on the Effrinagh road(LP3437-2), past the Swan Bar the road splits into two roads, one towards Gowel/Annahearly(LP3437-1)and the other a more minor road goes towards Annaghbradican(LS7422-0). There are no road signs on either road indicating “right of way” or “yield” and local residents have requested that this would be addressed immediately to prevent further accidents.

REPLY BY CARRICK ENGINEER:-An inspection of the junction in question has been undertaken. The junction would benefit from alignment improvements and these can be considered for inclusion under the low cost safety scheme. Additional signage will be provided as an interim measure.

RESPONSE: Councillor Sinead Guckian, in response, welcomes this proposal of additional signs and welcomes the inclusion of this junction in the “low cost safety scheme” funding application.

Under item No 8, tonight I also mentioned two significant events that are taking place within Leitrim within the Coming weeks which have huge significance for a County like Leitrim being at the forefront of unleashing creativity and innovation in this a particularly difficult recession.

I feel these events are extremely important, as many transformations in the art world and society have come about during hard times and Art during previous recessions has contributed to society’s resilience and recovery.  Historically, recessions have unleashed greater creative activity and we need innovation and creative thinking to assist our recovery. The transformations and expectations in western society, during previous ‘down-turns’, like the Great Depression in American in the 1930′s and the Second World War and the stock market collapse of the late 1990s, proves that not only has Art a vital role to play in society and cultural development but it also has a major role to play in reviving the economic climate.

Research shows that the cultural and creative sector can be one of the most dynamic areas of our troubled economy, the Arts do not just reward us aesthetically, it is merely not just a luxury, it is a key source of jobs, culture and community identity and there is a real incentive of economic return attached to the Arts within every Country and County and that is why I was trying to highlight that Leitrim, even with the limited funding available has undertaken to commence the first ever Leitrim Arts Awards night, to acknowledge and pay tribute to those who have used their talent in the Arts, at the highest level promoting our county at National and International level, often for little or no money. We need to acknowledge their contributions and promote their significance.

Also, this year, The Dock, in Carrick on Shannon will, for the first time, exhibit the Honors Degree Fine Art Show, from the Institute of Technology Sligo. This show is the “end of year” exhibition of work by the Visual Artists who will be graduating from the Honors Degree in 2011. This show, which for the past number of years took place in Sligo, will for the first time be exhibiting outside of the County and in County Leitrim.  In previous years the Degree Show has attracted interests from all over the province and indeed the country, as it is an opportunity to view and indeed purchase the Art of graduates before they move on to bigger stages. All of this has only been made possible by the commitment of Siobhan O Malley and The Dock and the commitment of Artist Ronnie Hughes and his colleagues in the Arts Department in Sligo Institute. There will be a number of Leitrim native graduates this year and its a really big deal!!!! if you could find time to highlight

Thanks a million

Sinead.

Motions and Questions on Behalf of Cllr Sinead Guckian  April 4th 2011

MOTION: At the April meeting of Leitrim County Council, I will ask the Director of Services, Roads and Infrastructure to investigate the current structure and state of the Bridge in Drumsna and provide a detailed report of findings on same for the next meeting.

REPLY: A detailed structural inspection of the Drumsna bridge is to be carried out this year as part of a survey of all Regional Road bridges, in eleven counties. Funding for this Bridge Inspection Scheme has been provided by the Department of Transport. As soon as this report becomes available, it will be made available to the Councillors.

Response by Cllr Sinead Guckian . In response to the Directors reply Cllr Guckian welcomed the Directors report that a structural inspection on Drumsna Bridge will be undertaken, following her additional questions she ascertained that the inspections will be carried out within two to three months.

Cllr Guckian outlined that the bridge in Drumsna is of huge importance, both as an historical monument and as a special feature of the village. The bridge has historical significance as well as it practical significance.

Cllr Guckian outlined that she felt that an inspection would produce a recommendation that works would be carried out and she requested that these works would be listed as a priority by Leitrim County Council. She also requested that when the works were being carried out, that the Council would ensure that the temporary ‘breeze blocks’ that were used in repairing the bridge in the 1980′s would be removed and replaced with cut stone.

QUESTIONS 24; AT the April meeting of Leitrim County Council I will ask the Director of Services, Roads and Infrastructure to investigate the possibility of re-aligning the junction at the Bridge in Jamestown, connecting to the Rue Road. It has been brought to my attention that vehicles exiting and entering the Rue road are not stopping at the junction with the bridge and the current alignment of the same encourages the vehicles to travel straight off (or onto) the Rue road when travelling across the bridge. While speed is of course a factor in this situation, the limited width of the Rue road means that no matter what speed a large vehicle is exiting and entering the road, the alignment of the junction lends itself to encouraging vehicles to continue straight ahead across the road without stopping.

REPLY: “The re-alignment of the junction at Jamestown Bridge would need significant funding which is not presently available. The junction could be considered for a possible future Low Cost Safety Scheme, to improve road markings and road signs, but it must be pointed out that this junction is located within a 50KM Speed Limit and if the speed limit is adhered to, there should be no problems at this junction”.

Response by Cllr Sinead Guckian.

Cllr Sinead Guckian requested that a “low cost safety scheme” would be applied for with a view to addressing the safety concerns at this junction. Cllr Guckian also outlined that whether the speed limit is being adhered to or not does not alter the fact that the road is too narrow for two cars to pass safely on.

Question 25: At the April meeting of Leitrim County Council I will ask the Director of Services, Roads and Infrastructure to request the Roads Design Department to revisit the design of the new ramps erected in St Patrick’s Park Carrick on Shannon, with a view to ensuring that the ramps are rebuilt to an adequate height to address the speeding in the area. The current structures are not appropriate for their intended function.

REPLY: The ramps at St Patricks Park will be revisited with a view to addressing the concerns raised in the Councillors question.

Response by Cllr Sinead Guckian  Cllr Sinead Guckian welcomed the report that the issues would be addressed and requested that this would be done without delay.