KNN Earlier News Page

Minister wants pools sold to private sector

NAAS & ATHY, 31 March 2000: by Brian Byrne & Trish Whelan. Naas and Athy public swimming pools could be sold off into private ownership under Government plans for local authority pools.

Naas pool is to close for a year from January 1 2001 for major renovations. This follows the approval by sports minister Jim McDaid TD of preliminary proposals submitted by Kildare County Council to refurbish the pool. The Council is now preparing detailed contract documents for the work proposed.

The move is part of a £45 million package to be spent on local authority pools throughout the country, following which the minister proposes that they be sold to the private sector in public-private partnerships.

The minister slipped his thinking into the public domain on December 29 last, a time when people were more preoccupied with Millennium celebrations than Government policy issues. “We are going to do these pools up and offload them to the private sector,” he said at the time.

Assistant county manager for Kildare Terry O Niadh (left) has told KNN that there are currently ‘no plans’ under consideration by Kildare County Council to sell off its two pools following their refurbishment. (Mr O Niadh leaves KCC this week to take up his new appointment as manager of Tipperary South Riding.)

Meanwhile, local swimming and water safety teacher Mae Leonard has called on the council to provide proper ‘paddling pool’ facilities for young children in the renovation plans. Mae has taught swimming at Naas Pool for over 20 years, and says such facilities are badly needed.

In the meantime, she is also trying to find alternative swimming facilities to keep childrens’ water safety and swimming classes going during the year-long closure. She has asked several private leisure centres for off-peak time in their pools, but so far has drawn a blank.

This has increased concerns for what might happen if the county’s public pools DO eventually end up in private ownership. The Naas pool is used by many school groups from areas in and outside the town, including Naas itself, Kill, Rathmore, Hollywood, Sallins, Caragh, Brannockstown, Hewetstown, Lacken, Donard and Two-Mile-House.

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Responds to Stagg allegation

CELBRIDGE, 31 March 2000:

Dear Editor,

I wish to respond to Deputy Stagg’s comments that I shed ‘crocodile tears’ and could not ‘play both sides’ in relation to the granting of planning permission to build six houses in Abbey Farm, Celbridge, by an Bord Pleanala.

There are certain things I wish to point out in relation to the matter.

Firstly, the guidelines on residential housing are just that, guidelines. They are not legislation and have to be adopted by each county council prior to their implementation. Professionals in their fields drew up these guidelines in response to spiralling house prices and following an in-depth study.

Secondly, I wish to draw the deputy’s attention to section 3.3.1 of this document where it clearly states: ‘In residential areas whose character is established by their density or architectural form, a balance has to be struck between reasonable protection of amenities and privacy of adjoining dwellings, the protection of established character and the need to provide infill’.

I wish to state that in my opinion, I believe that Abbey Farm fits into this category, and I continue to have grave objection to the An Bord Pleanala decision to allow planning permission in this estate.

I will also state clearly that I do think it is wrong to develop further housing in mature residential areas. This is not going against Government policy, it is agreeing with it. The guidelines recognise the status of mature estates except where there is an area larger than 1.5 acres and that this area can sustain its own development.

I hope that this clears any misrepresentation of the facts given by Deputy Stagg, and I do hope that in future facts are given accurately and not slanted to the occasion.

Geraldine Conway MCC.

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Urban renewal meeting in Kildare

KILDARE & ATHY, 31 March 2000: by Brian Byrne. A public information meeting on urban renewal opportunities in Kildare Town is to be held next Wednesday (April 5) in the Silken Thomas Geraldine Room in Kildare.

Information will be available on designation, tax incentives and planning application procedures. A similar meeting in Athy last week drew an attendance of over 80 people. Kildare County Council has now set up an urban renewal advisory ‘clinic’ in the Athy UDC offices (right) which will operate on alternate weeks.

The council has assigned senior engineering, planning, architectural and administrative staff to a dedicated team to support urban and village renewal initiatives for 32 centres throughout Kildare. A liaison officer has also been appointed to assist individuals and communities with the development of urban and village renewal projects. Information is available from secretar@kildarecoco.ie or phone 045 873800.

Meanwhile, councillors are to be involved in the drawing up of a new strategic framework for urban and village renewal in the county for the period 2000-2006. This will form the basis for the production of more detailed schemes on specific projects to be funded from a Government national allocation of £103 million.

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Broadcasting across Canada

NAAS, 31 March 2000: by Bill Trapman. KNN proprietors Trish Whelan and Brian Byrne will be broadcasting across Canada every weekend by the end of the year in a planned expansion of the Vancouver-based Celtic Voices radio programme to which they have contributed every Saturday for more than a year.

The hour-long programme currently broadcasts to an estimated 100,000 Irish-interest listeners from Vancouver in Canada to Seattle in the USA, but will be transmitted from Calgary and Toronto before the end of 2000 under current plans by its producer and co-presenter Dave Abbott. He's pictured above on the right with Brian and Trish, who have many years of broadcasting experience in Ireland - both worked with CKR FM and Brian was with RTE News for almost a decade.

Celtic Voices is transmitted by the Canada-wide Fairchild Broadcasting Corporation.

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Nearly 1,000 litter fines last year

KILDARE GENERAL, 30 March 2000: by Brian Byrne. Kildare’s Litter Warden Service issued 955 fines in 1999, according to a report on the Litter Management Plan which was published this week. Of these, 591 were paid, 153 have not been, 127 were waived, and 84 were returned as ‘gone away’. Kildare County Council has sent all unpaid fines for 1997-1999 to solicitors for further action. The on-the-spot fine for littering has been raised to £50 since January. (Pictured above is a typical dumping situation on The Curragh.)

Kildare now has two Litter Wardens and the county has been divided into two patrol areas. Last year the council doubled the number of ‘Litter and the Law’ leaflets, to 15,000, which were distributed throughout the county.

The new street sweepers which have been put into use in major towns in the county (as in Newbridge, left) have also made a big difference, according to the report.

Other initiatives included a schools debating competition at second level, but only six from a potential 27 school participated. The participation for the year 2000 competition seems better, with 14 schools taking part.

(Pictured below are a group of young people taking part in the Summer Litter Control Unit programme organised by Kilcullen Tidy Towns.)

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Kildare has many authors of both fiction and non-fiction. We have a special page available to promote their work, which you can access here. Please support those of your county people who travel the long and often lonely road of the pen and typewriter to tell you stories.

PROFESSIONAL COUNSELLING

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Anxiety, depression, loss, phobias, childhood trauma, eating disorders, relationships, personal growth, coaching for work-related stress. Strictly confidential.

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Trees vandalism in Naas

NAAS, 30 March 2000:

Dear Editor,

Down in the park last evening (first time in a while where it has been dry enough to get access to it; due to poor drainage the paths flood in wet weather) we saw that recently there has been some planting of trees. However, even though they have only been there a very short time, I counted 25 trees in a row that had been snapped off in the middle, including 2 that were fully uprooted.

All these were on the one path leading directly from the leisure centre to a particular estate. (Not saying that people in either were involved. This path is also the most direct pedestrian route from Monread to the Sallins Road. so the culprits may have been passing through.)

If we put the cost at £10 per tree (excluding planting costs) that adds up to £250. Exactly the premium for one year’s public liability insurance for a playground consisting of slide, several swings, and climbing bars, which I hope one day soon to see there and in other areas of the town. (A play ground is also less vandal susceptible.)

Here's hoping the culprits get caught and are given a couple of hundred hours community service putting in place amenities for the town. From this incident, fully understand why in your recent report on the de Burgh estate, you quote somebody as stating that the park in there needs to be locked off at night.

By the way, will you remind readers that - now that evenings are longer -there will be more kids on the roads and motorists please slow down. 30 on the sign is not the length of time you have to get from 0 to 60 while either going through Monread or on the Sallins Road!

John Kavanagh, Kingsfurze.

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Enforcement notice issued

CELBRIDGE, 30 March 2000: by Brian Byrne. An Enforcement Notice has been issued to developers Anerfield and Porterfield Limited requiring them to cease construction works west of the Celbridge Relief Road.

This directs the company to comply with the original terms of the planning permission with particular reference to the conditions about the phasing of the development and occupancy of the proposed houses. These matters must still be agreed with the council.

Welcoming the move, Deputy Emmet Stagg (right) said the effect would be to prevent the sale of ‘illegally-built houses’ as it would not now be possible to provide clear title to the purchasers. “Potential purchasers should be aware of this,” he said.

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Proposes bridge over Road

NAAS, 30 March 2000: by Trish Whelan Naas UDC is to investigate the possibility of building a bridge across the Ballymore Road, rather than a junction with a roundabout, as part of the ring road of the east side of the town. The bridge would continue the line from Craddocktown Park.

Putting forward the motion councillor Pat O’Reilly said a bridge would be more beneficial to the smooth running of traffic and would complete the ring road across Purcell land to exit near Killashee. He said a portion of the ring road is already there coming out onto the Blessington Road across Hazlemere. Another roundabout, he said, would be crazy.

He added that the junction from the Ballymore Road on to the Kilcullen Road will also have to be considered.

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Naas parking proposals are revealed

NAAS, 29 March 2000: by Trish Whelan. Motorists will pay 20p an hour to park in Naas and parking in housing estates will be for residents only, according to draft proposals of the Naas Parking Bye-Laws which were put to councillors at last week’s meeting of Naas UDC. They included an initial parking charge of 20p an hour with parking strictly limited to two hours. Parking discs are to be sold through local shops.

"We will also be recommending there be no free period of parking - that you pay from the minute you park on the street,"town clerk Declan Kirrane told the meeting. But he said the scheme is ‘not primarily’ a revenue generating source. He also said the council could operate the system itself or have a company to undertake it for a fee. Detailed plans and maps are expected to be finalised in about 10 weeks’ time.

The public are to be informed of the plans through a publicity campaign before the Bye-Laws are introduced and will be able to respond and to make submissions. The Gardai will also have to be consulted. (Pictured below is Naas UDC's main car park at Corban's Lane, which is to be sold to a developer planning a multi-stotey car park, hotel and shops.)

Engineer Tom Cuddy stressed the plans are only at draft stage. The areas where the disc parking will operate include the town centre from the Dublin Rd to the Blessington Road junction; up Main Street to Rathasker Heights; the Newbridge Road as far as Arconagh estate; the Ballymore Road as far as Lakelands; the Craddockstown Road to the entrance to Ballycane; the Blessington Road to the junction of the Friary Road; the Sallins Road to the junction of Mill Lane; the town centre including Friary Road, Corban’s Lane, Abbey Street, the road to the Abbey Bridge.

To prevent drivers from parking in residential areas close to the town centre it’s proposed to allow resident parking only in New Row Apartments, St Conleth’s Place, Patrician Avenue and Crescent, Lakeside Park, the front of Lakelands, St Corban’s Court, Millbrook, Gleann na Greine, The Sycamores, Roselawn, St Corban’s Place, Fr Murphy Terrace, Patrician Avenue and Crescent. Provision is to be made for people living in the town centre. (Pictured below are residents of Lakelands blocking visitors to Naas Hospital from parking in their estate.)

There are also plans to increase the number of bus bays in the town with two more planned for the Sallins Road, one outside the car park with a ‘light’ loading bay outside the church which will take up some existing car parking spaces; another will be near the Moss Veterinary Clinic on Fair Green.

The plans also include for a number of additional loading bays in order to prevent double parking on the streets. A bay is planned for New Row between the House of James on the strip of footpath now used for car parking; another at Fair Green Street in conjunction with the proposed bus lane; at Lough Bui opposite Naas CBS Primary School; at Swan’s supermarket; on Main Street close to the Post Office, in conjunction with the bus bay; near the Bank of Ireland; Donal’s; Care Cleaners and McDonald’s; Poplar Square; near the shops at the Crossings Station on the Dublin Road and between Extra Vision and Joe Mallon’s Garage.

The number of disabled car spaces (there are six on Main Street) are also to be increased with two new spaces near Lawlor’s Hotel; another will go near National Irish Bank; two planned at the Harbour will replace those lost at the library due to the pedestrianisation of the area, with spaces also provided in public car parks.

Main Rover, Land Rover and Volvo dealers, Kildare town. Phone 045 521203; Fax 045 521785. See our selection here. And read Brian Byrne's review of the new Rover 75.

Kildare has many authors of both fiction and non-fiction. We have a special page available to promote their work, which you can access here. Please support those of your county people who travel the long and often lonely road of the pen and typewriter to tell you stories.

PROFESSIONAL COUNSELLING

Noreen McCabe, MNAPCP

Anxiety, depression, loss, phobias, childhood trauma, eating disorders, relationships, personal growth, coaching for work-related stress. Strictly confidential.

Moorefield Clinic, Newbridge. Phone (045) 432111 or call Noreen at (045) 431936; mobile 086 2496823; email dmccabe@tinet.ie

Motoring Nws, Views and Reviews here

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Call for open spaces maintenance funding

KILDARE NORTH, 29 March 2000: by Brian Byrne. Councillors in the Leixlip Electoral Area are to seek £250,000 in next year’s estimates for the maintenance of open open spaces in the area. In the meantime, Kildare County Council is to produce a report on the open spaces in the area and cost their maintenance.

This follows a motion to last week’s area meeting by Cllr Catherine Murphy in which she drew attention to the situation in Pound Park and Carton Walk in Maynooth in order to make her argument. “There is rubbish dumped in these areas for over a year, and we rely exclusively on residents associations to maintain the estates in the area,” she said. “It is an issue the council simply has to address. Community Employment Schemes have masked the lack of maintenance and we are increasingly going to see a reduction on the numbers employed by these schemes.”

Cllr Murphy drew attention to the understaffing particularly of the Maynooth Engineering area, which covers Leixlip, Celbridge, Maynooth and Straffan and which is in fact two electoral areas.

“The Engineering areas in the rest of the County have only one corresponding Electoral Areas and all have more staff,” she noted, asking that something be done as a matter of urgency to rectify the matter.

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Cope Bridge footpath coming

LEIXLIP, 29 March 2000: by Brian Byrne. Kildare County Council is to build a proper footpatch on Cope Bridge in Leixlip, which was put under traffic lights control last June. At that time they painted a double yellow line on the east side of the bridge, but gave no sign indications that it was for pedestrians to walk inside. In September, the council promised a footpath would be put in place within six week, but nothing has happened since.

At last week’s Leixlip Area meeting of councillors, Cllr Paul Kelly pressed the county secretary, Tommy Skehan, on the issue, and received a new commitment that the path will be installed ‘as soon as possible’.

“At last the council is going to do the right thing for pedestrians on Cope Bridge,” Cllr Kelly said in a statement yesterday. “The double yellow lines simply wasn’t good enough on a bridge that is heavily both by cars and by people going to Confey GAA Club and the cemetery. I look forward to seeing the work start soon and I will not let the matter rest until it does.”

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Getting ready for Easter Parade

NAAS, 29 March 2000: by Trish Whelan Naas is gearing up for another big day out when the ninth Easter Parade takes place on Easter Sunday. The parade brings thousands of people onto the streets each year and is one of the family highlights of the year in the town.

It's being organised, as always, by Cllr Willie Callaghan who says this year will feature up to seven different categories ensuring a place for all businesses, clubs and organisations to join in the fun. Last year saw a total of 73 different floats taking part and Cllr Callaghan is hopeful that this total will increase this year.

One of the highlights of the parade will be a colourful band (above) from Dillingen in Bavaria which is twinned with Naas. The band will be accompanied by members of the Dillingen Twinning Committee and all will be staying with host families in the town.

Entrants will again assemble on the Blessington Road, close to the Naas Mails Centre before parading through the town. Each will spend a few moments in front of the review stand, outside the Court House.

It's not too late to enter and Cllr Callaghan can be contacted at 045 - 875565 or mobile 086 2341009.

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Moving Lullymore workers would 'devastate'

LULLYMORE, 29 March 2000: by Brian Byrne. Bord na Mona has been asked to clarify proposals to move its Environmental Division and its Fire Pack production unit from the old briquette factory site at Lullymore to the Croghan Briquette Factory, which the company proposes to close.

The units were started in Lullymore around 1993 and employ around 20 people. According to Cllr Michael Fitzpatrick, they have great potential for expansion and if moved out of Kildare would have a ‘devastating effect’ on the area. “In addition to full time employment, expansion at Lullymore could provide good seasonal; employment,” he said this week. “I would earnestly ask Bord na Mona to re-think their decision.”

Cllr Fitzpatrick noted how the ESB had encouraged the redevelopment of their site in Allenwood and the new Business Park there now provides around 50 jobs and is expanding. “Bord na Mona should be encouraging the development of their site at Lullymore for the betterment of North West Kildare.”

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Motion on greater transparency sidelined in UDC

NAAS, 28 March 2000: by Trish Whelan & Brian Byrne. An attempt to make Naas councillors declare ANY financial, employment, or other interest they may have in any matter under discussion in council meetings, at the time of the discussions, failed in Naas UDC when the proposal was sidelined by a suggestion of town manager Terry O Niadh (left) and subsequently defeated with the help of the UDC chairman, Seamie Moore.

The situation arose during arguments on a motion by Cllr Charlie Byrne (right), that would see councillors declaring any such interests and that they be re-declared whenever the matter arises. He said the public should know if councillors have connections with any proposals under discussion such as the affordable housing scheme, material contraventions or any business dealt with by the council.

The town manager said a declaration which councillors must make under the provisions of the Local Government (Planning & Development) Acts already refers to a money interest, ownership or employment in relation to planning matters and that it also referred to officials of the Council.

In clarification, town clerk Declan Kirrane read from the Act, which says all members of the Council must complete a Declaration of Interest in relation to ‘any lands, business or profession which relates to dealing in or developing land in which they have an interest in the area of the Planning Authority’. The members are also required to ‘absent themselves from any discussions on and any vote in relation to any property or business in which they have an interest’ and which is the subject of discussion under the Planning Acts.

All members of the Council have completed this Declaration, the town clerk said, and the declarations were open for inspection by the public.

Cllr Mary Glennon demanded a vote be taken on the motion but Cllr Pat O’Reilly said the issue was ‘cleared’ by what had been read out by the town clerk. Cllr Evelyn Bracken asked why a vote could not be taken. Mr O Niadh then recommended they ‘note it as a motion’ and Pat O’Reilly formally proposed it be noted ‘as presented’. He was seconded by Cllr Willie Callaghan.

Charlie Byrne immediately proposed his motion be put to a vote. The proposal made at the suggestion of the town manager was taken first, as an amendment. Against were Cllrs Byrne, McCarthy, Glennon and Egan. In favour were Cllrs O’Reilly, Moore, Callaghan and Bracken. A hung vote resulted (Cllr Timmy Conway was not present at the meeting) and the chairman then exercised his casting vote, in favour of the amendment. Cllr Byrne’s proposal therefore fell.

Cllr Byrne said he was disappointed with the outcome.

Main Rover, Land Rover and Volvo dealers, Kildare town. Phone 045 521203; Fax 045 521785. See our selection here. And read Brian Byrne's review of the new Rover 75.

Kildare has many authors of both fiction and non-fiction. We have a special page available to promote their work, which you can access here. Please support those of your county people who travel the long and often lonely road of the pen and typewriter to tell you stories.

Motoring Nws, Views and Reviews here

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Internet site 'wiped' by hacker

KILDARE GENERAL, 28 March 2000: by Brian Byrne. The Kildare Community Network internet site was attacked and ‘wiped’ by a hacker at some time after 9pm on Sunday evening, causing the loss of all information on the site and disrupting the KNN daily news service. All individual sites on the kildare.ie server which were affected including the Kildare County Council site and Athy Online.

It was the second time in recent weeks that the server’s security was breached by a hacker ... the previous time the perpetrator just replaced the Kildare Community Network front page.

Gardai are being asked to investigate the occurrence, which is a criminal offence in many jurisdictions. In addition to disrupting services, the incident meant that computer staff at the network had to spend over a day rebuilding the site.

The event was condemned at yesterday’s meeting of Kildare County Council by Cllr Catherine Murphy, a director of the Kildare Community Network Ltd. “We are using the most up-to-date medium as part of our way of communicating with the public, and this kind of criminal attack must not be tolerated,” she said.

A spokesman for the network told KNN that security measures will be stepped up again. But it is virtually impossible to keep a determined hacker out, as recent instances of attacks on Yahoo and Microsoft home sites show. In the US, a number of people have been jailed when caught.

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Waste Management Plan back to draft stage

COUNTY HALL, 28 March 2000: by Brian Byrne. The Kildare Waste Management Plan has been brought back to the draft stage because - as exclusively revealed here last Thursday on KNN - Kildare County Council failed to provide the Environmental Protection Agency with a copy of the draft produced last April. The plan was adopted by the council last December.

There was a surprisingly muted response from councillors at the news, with only Cllrs Catherine Murphy and Emmet Stagg asking questions as to why procedures failed. And it was only after repeated probing by Cllr Murphy that county secretary Tommy Skehan admitted that the matter had been raised by the EPA itself and not discovered by council officials.

Cllr Stagg said he had only been made aware of the situation when he read it in KNN, and he wanted to know why councillors had not been told about it sooner.

County manager Niall Bradley (right) said the council had taken legal advice when the matter was discovered during preparations for a formal launch of the plan and it was decided that a possible future challenge to it could not be risked. The plan will now go on public display for another two months, and is expected to be brought before the council again for ratification, with or without amendments, in June. He stressed that no blame could be laid on consultants Fehily Timoney & Company, who produced the plan for the council.

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Celbridge lights situation being reconsidered

CELBRIDGE, 28 March 2000: by Trish Whelan Traffic consultants yesterday began a review of the entire situation regarding both sets of traffic lights in Celbridge, erected at a cost of £160,000 and which have been blamed for horrendous traffic congestion in the town. The lights were designed by consultants on behalf of Kildare County Council, using 1997 traffic flow levels which have since increased by 28%.

Yesterday’s meeting of the authority was told that the Main Street lights are to be reviewed while the lights from the Lucan, Hazlehatch and Newtown approach road have already been turned off.

County engineer Jimmy Lynch (right) acknowledged there has been traffic congestion in Celbridge for years. He said the narrow 5.6m wide bridge in the town is not sufficient for amount of vehicles using it and the problem is worsened by the percentage of right turns on the Lucan side of the bridge. He said the main lights were operating in a reasonable manner except at peak times in the morning. He agreed the lights have exacerbated congestion in the town.

He said a report from the consultants on the situation is due early next week and the position will then be re-examined.

However it was claimed by local Cllr Geraldine Conway that the situation was equally bad throughout the weekend and outside peak times. Cllr Kate Walsh said the present traffic situation on the Main Street had potential for a serious accident while Cllr Senan Griffin said the only cure for traffic problems in the town was to build another bridge.

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Celbridge estate to be taken in charge

CELBRIDGE, 28 March 2000: by Brian Byrne. What has been described as a ‘28-year-old problem’ has been resolved with an agreement reached on the taking in charge by Kildare County Council of Castletown Estate in Celbridge. This follows meetings between developer Brian Rhatigan and senior officials of the council, arranged by Deputy Emmet Stagg (right).

After examination of the estate and consultation with the residents’ association, the level and kind of outstanding works have been agreed, including repairs to roads and paths, upgrading of common green areas and the securing of the red brick walls bounding Walled Gardens. The full cost of the works, estimated at £200,000, will be paid by the developer to the council.

The developer has also agreed to hand over the woods to the council, and public access to them is now guaranteed.

The proposals must now go before the Celbridge Area Committee and then be agreed by the full council.

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Major de Burgh to be invited to UDC meeting

NAAS, 27 March 2000: by Trish Whelan. Major John de Burgh (left) is to be invited to a meeting of Naas UDC to discuss the future plans for the area of Oldtown to be handed over to the council some time in the future.

Cllr Pat McCarthy voiced concern at the 'unseeming delay' on any progress on the transfer of the woodland area to the council from owners Lehmex International. "It's November 1998 since the UDC agreed in principal to rezone the Oldtown estate," he told last week's UDC meeting. "At this stage, the former owner, Major de Burgh, who has a life tenacy in the house and gardens, doesn't see much progress being made."

The park was 'one of the major carrots offered to the people of Naas at the time of the rezoning.'

Cllr McCarthy wanted to know exactly what area is to be handed over to the council saying unless the UDC gets control of the entire water system, alder grove and St Patrick's Well, 'it will all disintegrate and will not survive its present beautiful state'.

He wanted any negotiations taking place to preserve all of that area and to allow it be open to the public and available to future generations. He also said that Major John de Burgh is anxious to talk to the council on Oldtown. "A lot of people were against the rezoning of the estate but at least if something good can come of it, then that will be good."

Cllr Mary Glennon said it was all about 'as clear as mud'. She wanted maps showing the exact area to be handed over and showing what will be open to the public. She also wanted guarantees in writing from Lehmex.

Town clerk Declan Kirrane said the area to be handed over was 20 acres and when it was transferred a detailed survey will be carried out along with a management and maintenance programme. He said access will have to be controlled carefully and the park closed at night. He said there is no particular reason for the delay, except the transfer of the trust involved.

It was pointed out by Cllr Pat O'Reilly that Lehmex will be responsible for maintaining the gardens for a number of years. Cllr Evelyn Bracken then proposed that Major de Burgh be invited to a meeting of the UDC.

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Kildare has many authors of both fiction and non-fiction. We have a special page available to promote their work, which you can access here. Please support those of your county people who travel the long and often lonely road of the pen and typewriter to tell you stories.

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Estate is 'no place for hotel/pub' - councillor

LEIXLIP, 27 March 2000: by Bill Trapman. A planning application recently lodged with Kildare County Council in the name of City View Taverns has been greeted with alarm, in the Glen Easton estate in Leixlip. The application is seeking a change to a permission already granted for a Restaurant to a Hotel and Licensed Premises at Easton House.

Cllr Catherine Murphy says she has been contacted by shocked and angry residents living in close proximity who clearly purchased their homes on the basis that it would be primarily residential with neighbourhood convenience shopping.

“Both a Council and Bord Pleanala condition in relation to the Restaurant specifically prohibited a public licensed premises,” she says. "The application flies in the face of the Leixlip Development Plan, and coming at a time when the Government is discussing charging the public for making submissions/objections to planning application in order to reduce delays in the planning system, this type of ‘hit and hope’ application should be seen as the real cause of delays.”

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Intel provides new model for education and training in industry

LEIXLIP, 27 March 2000: by Brian Byrne. In a unique innovation in training for business, Intel Ireland's employees will soon be able to be at work and achieve a Third Level qualification simultaneously.

The Minister for Education and Science, Dr Michael Woods, has launched a new National Diploma in People Management, specifically designed for Intel Ireland employees which is fully validated and recognised by the National Council for Education Awards.

"Partnership between industry and education is the key to economic progress" said the minister at a ceremony in the National Council for Educational Awards (NCEA) on Friday. Dr Woods presented the NCEA Certificate of Course Approval for a new National Diploma in People Management to Dr Dermot Douglas, Registrar, Institute of Technology, Tallaght and John McGowan, General Manager of Intel Ireland.

The new course will be provided in Intel premises by staff of Intel and Institute of Technology, Tallaght, and also specialists from IBEC. The course represents a new model for education and training in Irish industry.
The partnership between Institute of Technology, Tallaght and Intel Ireland began in 1992. Recent research by Intel identified a need to increase the managerial capability on the site - particularly in the area of people management.

Minister Woods said that the accreditation by NCEA provided the guarantee of high standard education and training to participate on the course. "The initiative sets a headline for developments which will follow the implementation of the Qualifications (Education and Training) Act later this year," he said.

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'Eyesore' bus turning point to be redesigned

MAYNOOTH, 27 March 2000: by Brian Byrne. Kildare County Council engineers are to draft a redesign for for the bus turning point on the Straffan Road, Maynooth, following a discussion at a recent area meeting of councillors.

Representatives of Bus Eireann and Dublin Bus attended the meeting at the request of Cllr John McGinley (right), who said the current situation represented nothing less than an eyesore. During the discussion, it was agreed that the island on the turning point needs to be reduced in size to allow two buses to pass in safety, and that sufficient space should also be made at the road part of the island for medestrians.

Cllr McGinley said it might be better to hard core the remaining part of the island in a dome shape with decorative bricks.

He also gained agreement from the bus company representatives that bus drivers on the route be asked to pull properly into the bus bays on Main Street. “They are stopping on the roadways at the moment and ths is leading to a build-up of traffic in all directions,” he said.

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