Fitzgerald Funds Bus for local Service

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Frances Fitzgerald, has announced the allocation of funding for a minibus for Clondalkin-based project CUMAS. The project, which empowers families from the Clondalkin area and aims to reduce the risks of drug misuse in young people throughout the area, will be using the minibus to facilitate children and families who wish to access their service.

“I have always been supportive of local projects in our area and am delighted to allocate funding to help families throughout Clondalkin access the fantastic services provided by CUMAS,” said Minister Frances Fitzgerald.

“I am very familiar with the work carried out by CUMAS who I know provide invaluable support to many families in our local area. In the past I have worked closely with grandparents from this group who are full-time care givers to their children and have met several of the young people who benefit from the programmes they run,” continued Fitzgerald.

“One of the main problems CUMAS faces is being able to reach out to those who need their service the most. Quite often this means providing transport to and from the centre to facilitate accessibility to their programmes. Meeting this need has meant the allocation of the projects resources to transportation. I am pleased that now CUMAS will be able to provide a dedicated transport system for their clients and that resources, which had been taken up by bringing children and families to and from the centre, can be re-directed into the service,” said Fitzgerald.

“I am delighted that Minister Fitzgerald has sanctioned funding towards the cost of a minibus for our project – it will be a real benefit to the families we work with,” said Margaret Dalton, Project Co-ordinator at CUMAS in Clondalkin.

“It will be invaluable to us both financially and time-wise and will allow us to collect children from both North and South West Clondalkin to come to their individual and group work. It will also be used by parents, grandparents and other groups in the local area to maximise its use. Up until now CUMAS has had to dedicate an enormous amount of time and money to transporting people so they can access our service; this bus will be of huge benefit both to the project and to the families it will facilitate,” said Margaret Dalton.


Minister Fitzgerald sanctioned funding towards the purchase of a mini-bus as part of the Department of Children & Youth Affairs 2011 Lottery Funding Allocation. She did so on the condition that the minibus be made available to other Local Drugs Task Force and Young Peoples Facilities and Services Fund projects in the Cloindalkin area in order to maximise its benefits to the community.

“I have always been supportive of local community groups and look forward to continuing to work with and support the groups throughout Clondalkin,” concluded Fitzgerald.

Medical Card Renewal Process to be Greatly Improved – Fitzgerald

Local T.D., Minister Frances Fitzgerald, has welcomed news of major reforms to the medical card renewal process.

“Over the last number of months I have had an influx of enquiries to my office in relation to concerns over delays in processing medical card renewal application forms. Having raised this as an issue, I am pleased to inform people that the system is undergoing major reform and that this will mean improvements for those awaiting a decision on their medical card renewal application,” explained Minister Fitzgerald.

“Under the new system, a medical card holder who genuinely engages with the review of their medical cards will not have their entitlement withdrawn before that review is complete. The HSE is undertaking significant changes to the review process, which will render it far less administrative and therefore quicker and more efficient,” elaborated Fitzgerald.

Minister Backs Proposal for Minimum Pricing Proposal for Alcohol

Fitzgerald’s statistics show that alcohol is a factor in half of all youth crimes

Local Minister, Frances Fitzgerald T.D., is supporting plans to introduce minimum pricing for alcohol in Ireland. The proposal would mean that supermarkets could no longer use special offers on alcoholic drinks as a loss leader. It would also have significant effects on the prices of own-brand label spirits.

“As a society we have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol. A multi-faceted approach needs to be taken to tackle this culture. Introducing minimum pricing for alcoholic drinks is one of the steps that will go a long way towards shifting this culture and creating further barriers between alcohol and teenagers,” said Minister Fitzgerald.

“Research conducted by Irish Youth Justice Service, now under the remit of my Department, in conjunction with An Gardai Siochana, shows a shocking correlation between alcohol and crime. In 2008, alcohol related offences accounted for 20% of those referred to the Garda Youth Diversion Programme and perhaps more significant is the finding that when all alcohol related offences are taken into account – alcohol contributes to 50% of more of all youth crime,” continued Fitzgerald, Minister for Children & Youth Affairs.

“Alcohol abuse by teenagers contributes substantially to anti-social behaviours in our public spaces, parks, playgrounds and green areas. It has an impact on the lives not just of those who are becoming involved in public order offences but local residents who are affected night after night by breaches of the peace and often intimidation. Research conducted by the National Drug-Related Deaths Index in 2008 showed that one in four deaths in young men were due to alcohol. This is a startling statistic but, unfortunately, this is the harsh reality that many families are faced with. Introducing a minimum pricing structure for alcohol will impact on these young people’s ability to access alcohol,” continued Fitzgerald.

“We have seen first hand the impact of the introduction of mandatory alcohol testing in terms of the reduction of road deaths. More measures such as this need to be introduced to help reduce alcohol consumption in Ireland. Alcohol abuse costs the State around €4 billion every year in terms of health care costs, loss of productivity, criminal costs and alcohol related road accidents. Alcohol is involved in 27% of reported domestic abuse cases and is a contributory factor in half of all suicides. We need to do all we can to change this. Scotland has been leading the way in terms of changing national attitudes towards alcohol. I look forward to working with my colleague Minister Roisin Shorthall towards achieving this goal,” concluded Minister Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald awards grant to Griffeen Community Development Group

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Frances Fitzgerald, has announced the allocation of funding for summer projects to be run by the Griffeen Community Development Group in Lucan. The programme, which will take place this summer for children in the Griffeen area, is set to receive funding of €3,000 from the Minister’s Department.

“I have always been supportive of local projects in our area and am delighted to allocate funding to help the Griffeen Community Development Group run this years summer programme,” said Minister Frances Fitzgerald.

“The Griffeen Community Group are a relatively new group set up by committed volunteers in the Griffeen area. They aim to provide fun, affordable educational activities for children and to develop community spirit in the area. I have worked closely with the organisation in the past, which has also set up a women’s group and a mother and toddler group, and am pleased to have been able to assist them with their preparations for this year’s summer camp,” explained the Minister.

10,000 for local youth cafes

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Frances Fitzgerald, has announced the allocation of funding for two local youth projects. The youth cafes, based in Clondalkin village and Palmerstown, are set to receive funding of €5,000 each to support their youth projects.

“I have always been supportive of youth projects in our area and am delighted to be able to allocate funding to invest in two local youth cafes,” said Minister Frances Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald and Delaney to lodge joint appeal on Boot Road Decision

Minister Frances Fitzgerald and Councillor Tony Delaney have announced that they are preparing a joint appeal for An Bord Pleanala on South Dublin County Council’s decision to grant permission for a five storey development on Boot Road in Clondalkin.

“South Dublin County Council has granted permission for what we view as an over-scaled development in a quiet residential area. There were almost 100 submissions and objections to this application there was widespread disappointment locally with decision to grant permission for this development,” said Minister Fitzgerald.

“A five-storey block and an 80 bed nursing home is a totally inappropriate development for this residential area and would drastically alter the character of the village. The concerns of local residents need to be taken into account when reviewing this decision; and for that reason Cllr. Delaney and I will also be asking for an Oral Hearing into the matter to allow people who will be most impacted by this development have their say,” continued Fitzgerald.

Minister Fitzgerald protects future of universal free pre-school year

Fitzgerald, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, has succeeded in protecting the future of universal free pre-school year despite the pressure to deliver €3.8bil of cuts and savings.

The Minister welcomed the fact that in line with the Programme for Government, the universal free pre-school year is being maintained. Her Department was also successful in securing additional provision for the funding requirements of the ECCE programme (free pre-school year) to meet demographic pressures due to an increase in the birth-rate since 2007. Additional provision has also been made for some initial requirements associated with establishing the new Children and Family Support Agency.

“This week An Taoiseach Enda Kenny made the first televised state of the nation address in thirty years. In a totally transparent and candid address, he detailed the gravity of the situation we are facing. This week the Government have announced details of the Budget. While savings had to be made we were as fair as possible and I worked very hard to protect the universal free pre-school year, funding for youth cafes and funding to establish the new Children and Family Support Agency as well as funding for the Children’s Referendum which will be held in 2012. I welcome the decision not to impact on children by taking a decision not to raise the pupil teacher class ratio in the majority of classrooms in our area,” explained Frances Fitzgerald.

Budget to benefit families throughout Lucan and Clodalkin who bought at peak

Minister Frances Fitzgerald has welcomed the new measures announced in the Budget for home owners who purchased during the peal of the property boom.

“As part of the Budget, Minister Noonan, announced an increase in Mortgage Interest Relief to 30% for people who bought between 2004-2008. Families and homeowners who are affected by this change will see a real benefit through such a significant savings in their household budget. I have met so many young families and couples who are under severe financial pressure and in negative equity. I am delighted that we have taken this measure to ease the pressure on those people throughout Lucan, Clondalkin, Newcastle and Rathcoole who are possibly the biggest victims of the economic collapse,” said Minister Frances Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald Petitions Minister for Transport on Contentious Mount Seskin Road Issue

Local T.D. Frances Fitzgerald hands Minister for Transport, Leo Varadkar, petition calling for Mount Seskin Road to be kept open in plans for upgraded N81

Local Fine Gael T.D., Minister Frances Fitzgerald, this week presented a petition signed by residents of Brittas and Saggart, to her Cabinet colleague Minister Leo Varadkar. The petition calls for changes in the plans for the Emerging Preferred Route of the upgraded N81 from Jobstown to Hollywood Cross and specifically requests provisions to be made to keep Mount Seskin Road open.

Govt action taken on 43% of quangos since March - Fitzgerald

Local Fine Gael T.D. Minister Frances Fitzgerald has welcomed information obtained by her Party colleague Deputy Simon Harris, which revealed that Government action has been taken on a staggering 43% of quangos listed by Departments.
“Cutting the number of quangos that ballooned under the previous Fianna Fáil administration was a core part of Fine Gael’s pre-election strategy. From the get-go, his Government has demonstrated that it means business. By tackling the grossly inflated number of quangos that sprang up in recent years under Fianna Fáil and the Greens, red tape will be reduced, SMEs will find it easier to conduct their business, and services will be streamlined, and ultimately improved,” said Minister Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald welcomes the successful completion of 14 new schools

Local Fine Gael TD and Minster for Children and Youth Affairs, Frances Fitzgerald, has welcomed the successful delivery of 14 new schools under the 2011 Rapid Delivery Programme. Both Lucan East Educate Together and Clonburris National School have received extensions to their buildings under the Rapid Programme announced by Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn.

The 2011 Rapid Programme included projects for 13 primary schools and one post-primary school where accommodation could be delivered using off-site construction methods. These schools serve rapidly developing areas, where either there was no existing school or where existing provision was unable to meet the demand.

Minister Addresses Annual Clondalkin Chamber of Commerce Lunch

Minister Frances Fitzgerald was guest speaker at the annual Clondalkin Chamber of Commerce Luncheon which attracted over one hundred local business people to the Louis Fitzgerald Hotel.
Minister Fitzgerald thanked the local business community for the role they play in the economy and went on to detail the recent successes of South Dublin County Council on the jobs and investment front and measures her government is introducing to support businesses and help get the economy back on track.

“IDA Ireland and South Dublin County Council have been successful in attracting new investment to Ireland and here to Clondalkin. In recent weeks we have had major announcements from both Pfizer and Google. Pfizer is to invest €145m at its Grange Castle site in Clondalkin in Dublin with up to 400 construction jobs to be created during the peak construction period. Google will open a new data centre in Grange Castle which will permanently employ 30 technical staff with the construction phase will provide around 200 jobs. That’s a cumulative €220m investment for Clondalkin, creating jobs, employing many local workers and pumping money in to the local economy.” said Fitzgerald during her address to the Chamber.

Minister Supports Clondalkin Youth Service

Local T.D. and Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Frances Fitzgerald, recently dropped in to Clondalkin Youth Service. There she met with young people who use its facilities, in the heart of Clondalkin village, and a group of teenagers visiting from Latvia.

“I was delighted to visit the Clondalkin Youth Service last week. I have been to the centre many times as a local politician but this was my first visit as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. The Youth Café, which is run out of the VEC centre in the heart of the village is a fantastic facility for young people throughout Clondalkin. The Cafés in Bawnogue and Deansrath as well as Knockmitten all continue to attract young people through their doors,” said Minister Frances Fitzgerald.

Minister to establish National Play and Recreation Network

Minister for Children & Youth Affairs Frances Fitzgerald TD has announced details of National Recreation Week 2011, which runs this year from tomorrow Friday 28th October to Thursday 3rd November. This is a nationwide celebration of recreational activities for young people run in partnership with various local authorities across the state.

Minister Fitzgerald has also announced her plans to establish a new National Play and Recreation Network to bring together local authority play and recreation officers and their expertise for the purposes of advising on further developments and innovations in the provision of play and recreation facilities and to help promote the wider benefits of participation in sporting and cultural activities among local communities. The inaugural meeting of the Network will be held shortly.

Minister Gets Spooked in Corkagh Park

Local T.D. and Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Frances Fitzgerald, joined the thousands of people who converged on Corkagh Park on Saturday night in the name of good natured spooky fun.

South Dublin County Council organised the hugely successful ‘Spooky Walk’ in Corkagh Park to mark Halloween and offer a positive community event for local families. The event which took place on Saturday evening as dusk fell over the park, was a massive success and parents and children queued right around the park to enter the haunted forest.

Fitzgerald Welcomes Grant for Clondalkin Leisure Centre

Local TD and Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Frances Fitzgerald, has today welcomed the announcement that Clondalkin Leisure Centre is to receive a grant to enable greater access for people with disabilities, along with additional funding under the green swimming pool initiative to make pools more energy efficient.
‘Clondalkin has a great amenity in our Leisure Centre and I think that this grant will be fantastic in allowing more people of all abilities to enjoy the facilities, in particular the swimming pool, in a sustainable environment’ said Minister Fitzgerald

The grant will be used for a range of purposes depending on the pool, including installing new ramps, widening doorways to allow wheelchair access, fitting hoists and providing purpose-built changing facilities. It is hoped that the grant will also help more pools to become energy efficient, reduce their impact on the environment and also reduce costs for taxpayers.

The grant is from the €5.3 million fund announced by Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Michael Ring. ‘I am delighted to be able to allocate further funding to improve access and facilities for people with disabilities in Clondalkin. These grants will also help to sustain jobs and create new ones at the work stage’ said Minister Ring.

‘I would encourage everybody to avail of the fantastic swimming pool and other facilities in Clondalkin Leisure Centre. Both South Dublin County Council and the centre staff do a great job in providing an invaluable service to the community and I hope this grant helps more people to use the Centre’ concluded Minister Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald Welcomes Announcement of Clondalkin Jigsaw Project

 Local T.D., Minister Frances Fitzgerald, was on hand this week to help Headstrong officially announce news of two new Jigsaw centres for the locality. Both Tallaght and Clondalkin have been chosen as sites for Headstrong’s successful Jigsaw projects, which will serve young people from Palmerstown, Lucan, Clondalkin and Tallaght.

“I was delighted to be asked by Headstrong to join them as they announced two new sites in South Dublin for the expansion of their ‘Jigsaw’ Projects. These centres will help strengthen mental health support for young people in the communities of Lucan, Clondalkin, Tallaght and Palmerstown. I have long been committed to mental health issues and am delighted with this great local news. Headstrong does fantastic work with young people throughout the country and it will be a huge plus for our community to have Headstrong bases in Clondalkin and Tallaght,” said Frances Fitzgerald at the launch.

Look After Your Girls -Fitzgerald urges women to talk to their friends about breast cancer

Local Fine Gael T.D. Minister Frances Fitzgerald was all dressed in pink this week as she joined tens of women from across Lucan in an event to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The Feel Good Event, which was held in Kenny’s Lounge in Lucan, was organised by Fitzgerald in conjunction with the Marie Keating Foundation and heard from their breast health nurse as well as lifestyle experts Brian Colburt and Aveen Bannon.

Fitzgerald Welcomes Investment in Sports Facilities in Lucan, Clondalkin and Rathcoole

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Frances Fitzgerald T.D., has welcomed the investment of over €40,000 in sports projects throughout Lucan, Clondalkin and Rathcoole. The funding is part of a targeted capital grant scheme which is aimed to boost participation in sport.

“I am delighted that Corkagh Park, Griffeen Valley Park, Hermitage Park and Rathcoole Park have all been selected to receive grants of over €10,000 each for fitness equipment for their local sports projects,” said Minister Frances Fitzgerald.

Minister Delivers for Saggart Residents

Minister Launches HSE Child Protection & Welfare Practice Handbook in Stewarts Hospital

Frances Fitzgerald T.D., Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, officially launched the new HSE Child Protection & Welfare Practice Handbook in Stewarts Hospital, this week.

The event was hosted by Gordon Jeyes the National Director of Children and Family Services and took place in Palmerstown.

The handbook is based on the protocols set out in the Children First Guidelines which Minister Fitzgerald launched during the summer.

“I am delighted to be here today to launch this new handbook for practitioners. I know you already passionately employ best practice in child protection and understand your duties fully, but I think this handbook will make clearer the protocols and procedures which we must all adhere to in order to ensure children across Ireland are kept safe,” said Minister Fitzgerald.