Senator Brendan Ryan

There are 4418 on the Live Register at the end of November. 2136 additional people signed on during the past 12 months in the Swords area, which includes Donabate and Portrane, according to my analysis of the CSO figures for the month of November. This represents an annual increase of 93.6% during this period which compares with a 54.8% increase nationally, and a 60.1% increase with in Dublin generally. This clearly illustrates that Swords continues to be very badly hit by the recession with 4418 people are now signing on.

Unfortunately in comparison with last month’s decrease of 17 persons signing on, the Live Register figures with respect to Swords have increased for the month of November with the number of people having increased by 134. The monthly increase of 3.1% in the Live Register for Swords compares with a -0.6% decrease for Dublin and 0.3% increase for all of the country. With monthly decreases of 4.5% in September and O.4% in October the upward trend again in November is a disappointment.

There are now 783 people under 25 years of age on the live register in Swords, an increase of 24 people since the end of October, which is unfortunately a 3.2% increase in the month. Since taking office, this government has watched unemployment amongst under 25s treble. Currently Ireland has 83,362 young people who cannot find work and who are not in full-time education. Cutting social welfare payments for U25s is not the answer. Already too many young people are struggling to survive on what little they have.

There is a €4bn gap in our public finances that needs to be closed, and one of the best ways of doing that, is to reduce the numbers of people who have been forced onto the dole queues. Although we face into what has been signalled as one of the toughest budgets in living memory, it is imperative that it contains measures to tackle joblessness.

It must provide a coherent jobs strategy which would include elements such as a ‘Bridge the Gap’ work experience programme for graduates and apprentices; a skills drive for people who have lost their jobs, and PRSI breaks for employers who create jobs for people who are currently out of work.

here are 4835 on the Live Register at the end of November in Balbriggan. 2291 additional people signed on during the past 12 months in the area according to my analysis of the CSO figures for the month of November. This represents an annual increase of 90.1% during this period which compares with a 54.8% increase nationally, and a 60.1% increase in Dublin generally. This clearly illustrates that Balbriggan continues to be very badly hit by the recession with 4835 people are now signing on.

Unfortunately in comparison with last month’s decrease of 69 persons signing on, the Live Register figures with respect to Balbriggan have increased for the month of November with the number of people having increased by 164. The monthly increase of 3.5% in the Live Register for Balbriggan compares with a 0.6% decrease for Dublin and 0.3% increase for all of the country. With monthly decreases of 1.4% in September and 1.5% in October the upward trend again in November is a disappointment.

There are now 865 people under 25 years of age on the live register in Balbriggan, 17.9% of the total people on the Live Register in the area. Compared with 460 people aged under 25 years old who were on the Live Register this time last year, this represents an 88% year on year increase, which is nearly double the national yearly increase of 43.9% and the yearly increase in Dublin of 48.6%.

Labour believes that getting Ireland working again will be the key to recovery, and that the 2010 budget can’t be just about cuts – it must be about jobs. While accepting a net reduction in the 2010 of nearly €4.1bn, we are proposing to dedicate €700m to a job creation fund in 2010, and €1,150m in a full year. The Jobs Fund will:
- Include half a billion euro for labour intensive capital projects in a full year
- Support businesses with targeted measures, such as PRSI relief for jobs created
- Provide 60,000 extra training and work experience places to give people the skills they need for the jobs they want.
- Be allocated by a Cabinet-level Jobs Taskforce

Kingscroft Developments will have a place name sign for Laurelton Estate, Swords, in place within the next two weeks.

Local residents had been in contact with me regarding the need for a place-name sign to be erected for the estate. Local people had very serious concerns that Fire/Ambulance services would not be able to find the estate in case of emergency. I have also been told that letters posted to residents have gone missing in the past.

Fingal County Council has confirmed with me that the developer of Laurelton requested that the development be taken in charge in March 2006. Inspections of the roads, open spaces and underground services were undertaken to ensure that the development was constructed in accordance with the requirements of the Council and that ongoing maintenance works had been carried out. Defects and items requiring maintenance were brought to the attention of the developer.

I understand from the council’s Transportation Department that remedial works are now at an advanced stage and that the developer has recently advised them that adequate resources will be allocated to the development to secure early completion of outstanding items. I have been told that a date for bringing the development before a meeting of the County Council for consideration of taking-in-charge will be set following satisfactory completion of the remedial works.

Following my representations to Kingscroft Development Ltd, I am happy to inform Laurelton residents that the company has informed me that the sign has been ordered and that it will be put in place within the next 14 days.

The ESB must prioritise the promised upgrade works in Malahide and the Kinsealy / Drynam areas and they must ensure minimum disruption in the future to longsuffering residents, who have already had to endure unacceptable power outages.

Following a great many representations from local residents, the ESB has informed me that they have already begun reinforcement works on the ground, and that further improvements will be undertaken in the near future including:
Upgrading of the existing 38,000 Kv station in Malahide
Construction of 3.7 Km of 10,000 overhead line
Installation of 1.7km of 10,000 underground cable
The ESB informs me that this will amount to a €1 Million investment in the area, with an overall completion date of Autumn 2010.

The ESB has further stated that a considerable amount of civil work is required as a result, which will include planned power outages. I have written to the Chief Executive of the company demanding that residents undergo the most minimal disruption possible, and where it is unavoidable, plenty of notice is given.

Given that the works are also contingent on permission from landowners and the county council, I am calling on the County Manager to ensure full cooperation and co-ordination with the ESB in these matters.

The investment from the ESB is some good news and is no less that what residents deserve. The fact that there has been 12 medium voltage faults in recent months is an absolute scandal.

I welcome to the positive response from the ESB and hopefully this will bring to an end the problems for Malahide and Kinsealy / Drynam residents.

The fact that people from Swords and Donabate must sign on in the city centre is an absolute disgrace, and I am calling on the Minister for Social and Family Affairs to reverse this outrageous decision.

The Swords Local office is now spread out between the new office in the Credit Union on North Street, the portacabins on the Malahide Rd. and now the old North Cumberland St. Social Welfare office aswell.

Up until now, signing on for Swords Jobseekers had been suspended, a common sense approach to the problem. However, I am now informed that the suspension has been lifted as of this month, and people who are signing have been told that they must now do so in the city centre.

This is a totally unacceptable solution and will cause great difficulty, especially for those recently made unemployed, who have perhaps suspended previous childcare arrangements to allow for the unemployed party to mind the kids. They may now have to drag the kids into the city centre with them when signing on.

The OPW together with Senior Management in the Department secured the premises in North St. seemingly knowing that it would be totally inadequate to service the needs of the local area. I have been informed that North St. will now deal with new claims and information queries, Malahide Rd will be a back office and for storing claims and North Cumberland St which had been closed and moved to Kings Inn St has now been reopened to form part of the Swords service.

The new permanent Local Office on Forster Way is in the pipeline, but will take 2/3 years at a minimum before it is completed.

I am calling on the Department to rearrange the service in some way to ensure that the signing on process is carried out in Swords. Failing that, perhaps they can allow people to sign on every two months instead, which may somewhat alleviate the unnecessary hardship.

I am very glad to confirm that Bus Éireann has erected the new much needed bus shelters on Drogheda Street, Balbriggan.

The two bus shelters have been in use since before Christmas, and are located on Drogheda Street, adjacent to Lambeecher Estate, Bath Road, and also at St. Mologa’s National School.

The long campaign fought by local residents, and Cllr. Monica Harford and I, to have the bus shelters put in place has finally borne fruit, and the shelters will be especially welcome during this long bout of bad weather.

Bus Éireann are to be thanked for following through on their commitment and ensuring the provision of the shelters, especially in the current climate when budgets are tight.

The lack of public lighting along the M1 adjacent to the M1 Business Park, Balbriggan, is a matter of concern and needs to be addressed. The fact that none of the lighting columns which have been erected along the footpaths fronting the business park are working was brought to my attention by a number of residents from the area.

In a reply to my representations, Fingal County Council have confirmed that this is a long-running issue which dated back to the building of the Apple Petrol Station. It seems that the developer completed the works before the ESB were available for connection of the lights. A temporary supply was arranged via overheads to power lights for the roundabout at the Balbriggan end of the new road alignment, and it seems that nothing else was done since then.

At a recent meeting, Fingal County Council informed the developer that as a part of the revamp of the area, which included new roundabouts east and west of the M1 interchange, that they wanted the supply put in place to facilitate the street lighting fronting the business park.

I am not satisfied that this matter is being given the priority it requires, either by Fingal County Council or the developer in question. In the interests of the health and safety of the road users in the area, it is imperative that the lights be made operational.

My colleague Cllr. Ken Farrell and I are calling on the County Manager to release the necessary finance from the development bond to enable the necessary works to be carried out.