Minister for Finance Charlie McCreevy TD launching the new Community Warden Scheme in Naas.

NAAS, 29 January 2002: by Brian Byrne. The six Community Wardens for Naas were officially launched yesterday on their work against illegal parking, litterbugs, and anti-social offenders on the streets of the county town. Full Story.

CELBRIDGE, 29 January 2002: by Brian Byrne. Celbridge-based county councillor Kate Walsh is to make up her mind whether to run as a PD candidate in the coming General Election after a meeting with party leader Mary Harney TD this coming Wednesday.

Independent representative Walsh was first approached by the PD leader last October, and after mature consideration she says the party’s policies ‘attract me very much’. Full Story.

The Tanaiste and Leader of the Progressive Democrats, Mary Harney TD, pictured in An Tearmann, Kilcullen, with Misha Fekete of the Camphill Community and Senator John Dardis, the Kildare South PD candidate in the forthcoming Dail elections.

KILCULLEN, 28 January 2002: by Brian Byrne. Senator John Dardis is in ‘pole position’ to take a seat for the Progressive Democrats in Kildare South, notwithstanding the difficulties of doing so in a 3-seater constituency where there are entrenched TDs from the three major parties. Full Story.

NAAS, 28 January 2002: by Brian Byrne. Two Naas councillors have called on one of their colleagues to explain why he apparently did an about-turn in relation to the ongoing row about truck traffic through Naas (above). Full Story.

KILDARE GENERAL, 28 January 2002: by Brian Byrne. County Kildare Fáilte was one of the exhibitors the annual Dublin Holiday Fair over the past weekend, promoting registered B&Bs, tourist attractions, visitor centres, golf courses, riding centres, open farms, gardens, and historical houses around the county. Full Story.

LEIXLIP, 28 January 2002: by Brian Byrne. Urgent safety measures to reduce accidents at the junction of Old Hill/Celbridge Road, Leixlip have been approved by the Leixlip Area Committee. Full Story.

NAAS, 25 January 2002: by Trish Whelan. A plan which would open up vast tracts of land to the east of Naas with a light rail link from Sallins to the Curragh has been put forward by Naas Town councillor Seamie Moore.

He said the plan would link Sallins station with Johnstown, Begger’s End, Punchestown, Two Mile House, Kilcullen, Athgarvan and back to the mainline rail at the Curragh Race course. Full Story.

ARDCLOUGH, 24 January 2002: by Brian Byrne. Flooding in Karneystown and Ardclough will soon be resolved, following action by Kildare County Council. The council has contracted a company to complete some preliminary work, on the foot of an AURP report that looked at the flooding from Dangan Corner to the Weir on the Liffey. Full Story.

KILDARE GENERAL, 23 January 2002: by Trish Whelan. Naas Town Council will most likely move with Kildare County Council to new offices in Millennium Park by May 2002. The Motor Taxation Office, presently located on the Friary Road, will also be relocated at Millennium Park. Full Story.

KILDARE GENERAL, 22 January 2002: by Bill Trapman. Over half of Kildare County Council tenants may have been overchaged by Kildare County Council for some time, according to Cllr Emmet Stagg, who says the council has benefited to the tune of almost 189,000 euros per annum as a result. Full Story.

Members of the Naas No Name Club who organised their annual senior citizens Xmas Party at County Hall.

NAAS, 20 January 2002: by Trish Whelan. Some 50 young hosts and hostesses from Naas No Name Club hosted their annual party for the town's senior citizens today in the canteen of Kildare County Council. Full Story.

NEWBRIDGE, 18 January 2002: by Brian Byrne. An exhibition organised by Newbridge Chamber of Commerce this week provided information on a broad range of the business and services located in the town, from motor dealers through computer companies to employment assistance for people with disabilities. Full Story.

NAAS, 16 January 2002: by Brian Byrne. Shoppers in Naas are wondering what happened to a promise by a developer to have 200-plus spaces in the Baba Exports development on the Sallins Road available 'for Christmas'? And why they therefore had to park in the nearby church grounds (above) at the busiest shopping week of the year? Full Story.

NAAS, 13 January 2002: by Trish Whelan. The possibility of getting a footbridge over the canal at the Caragh Road bridge has again been raised by local Cllr Anthony Egan. Full Story.

KILDARE GENERAL, 12 January 2002: by Bill Trapman. One of the major issues facing Civil Defence Officer in Kildare, Larry Coughlan, is getting people to volunteer as officers. Full Story.

COUNTY HALL, 12 January 2002: by Bill Trapman. Kildare County Council has engaged a firm of consultants to develop software to address the issue of an efficient system of replies to representations made by councillors. It is the first of its type in any Irish local authority. Full Story.

MAYNOOTH 12 January 2002: by Brian Byrne. Waterways Ireland has once more put a halt to the Bond Bridge project, Leixlip Area councillors were told this week. It seems they will now not grant Kildare County Council the necessary Wayleave or Bridge Agreements to allow construction to begin, unless the Council agrees to re-erect the dismantled bridge at a new location at Maynooth Railway Station, replacing the existing footbridge across the canal. Full Story.

KILDARE NORTH, 11 January 2002: by Bill Trapman. The current process of producing development plans for a number of Kildare towns is a chance for the county's local authority to address the problem of a lack of playgounds. And that opportunity must be accompanied by the provision of funding for the facilities by Government. Full Story.

LEIXLIP, 10 January 2002: by Brian Byrne. A 'further investigation' is to be made on drainage problems at Captain's Hill in Leixlip following dissatisfaction by Leixlip Area councillors at a report made on the issue recently. Kildare County Council official Charlie Talbot has undertaken to have a comprehensive report available for the next meeting in February. Full Story.

MAYNOOTH, 10 January 2002: by Brian Byrne. Kildare's county secretary has been asked to meet with officials of Maynooth Development Association in order to outline various options open for Geraldine Hall and Harbour Field, and to 'move matters onwards'. Full Story.

CARAGH, 9 January 2002: by Trish Whelan. Sponsoring a little orphan boy in Zambia has given 23-year-old Caragh woman Sinead Burke a whole new outlook on life.

Little Leonard (3) was the catalyst that prompted Sinead to become more involved in helping people as a care worker in the Cheshire Homes unit in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.

She’s been out to visit him already in the Kaoma orphanage and is fundraising for another trip out in June. Full Story.