On Your Bike!

Sinn Féin local election candidate Sinéad Burke has called on MeathCounty Council to ensure the provision of continuous cycle lanes allthroughout east Meath, and says that by doing so we can address issuesranging from childhood obesity to tourism. She has also insisted thatcycle lanes be included in all new road building and upgradingprojects.
According to Ms.Burke, “The provision of a continuous cycle lane alongthe coast road between Julianstown and Drogheda, between Donore andNewgrange, in the village of Slane, between Stamullen and Gormanston,and between Duleek and Drogheda should be an essential investment bythe council. If we are really going to move on from the short-sighted,unsustainable, development which characterised the Celtic Tiger, thisis the sort of approach that is needed. Cycle lanes cost relativelylittle to install yet have the potential to improve the quality oflife for so many of our residents and visitors.
“On average eleven children are killed in cycling accidents a year inthis state. A further two hundred and thirty are seriously injuredeach year. Traffic Congestion and parking has become the bane ofbusiness people, shoppers and commuters in east Meath over the lastnumber of years and is hurting the area economically. We are told thatone in five Irish children are now considered obese. We are also toldthat in order to reduce our carbon emissions we should leave the carbehind and use alternative modes of transport such as bicycles. Asimple and obvious solution to these problems is the creation ofnetwork of safe cycle lanes throughout the area.
“However, despite all of this, there has been a haphazard approach toany implementation of so-called policy in this area. Presently cyclelanes exist on some roads and not on others. On other roads cyclelanes exist for 20 metres and then stop and disappear into thin air.Sinn Féin are demanding that this issue is finally resolved in eastMeath and that nationally the government start putting their moneywhere their mouth is.”

NCT Penalty Point Farce

Sinn Féin's Local Election Candidate in East Meath Sinéad Burke has labelled the introduction of five penalty points for driving a vehicle without a valid NCT from May 1st a 'farce', as the company's system hasn't the capacity to deal with the increased demand from people requesting bookings. She said, "I've been contacted by at least one hundred people in east Meath over the last week who say they have been trying the NCT booking number 1890 412 413 since the recent announcement of the new penalty points, but to no avail. The only time you can actually get a dial tone is out of office hours, according to one person. The company's website www.nct.ie is down too. "I don't see how the government can enforce these new penalty points from May 1st given the fact that some people may actually find it impossible to be compliant. This is yet another example of government blundering, where a lack of joined-up thinking, preparation and planning - a major feature of their tenure - has exposed them as incompetent. The similarities with last year's Provisional Licence debacle are obvious. This government seems incapable of learning from it's mistakes."

Call for Safety Measures at Slane Playground

Sinn Féin local election candidate Sinéad Burke has called on Meath County Council to ensure proper safety measures are put in place in the vicinity of the new playground in Slane. She said, “It’s great to see the rate of progress of work on the new playground and we hope to see it open as soon as possible. I have called on Meath County Council to ensure the playground is properly maintained and secure to alleviate some of the fears of nearby residents’, firstly in relation to anti-social and nuisance behaviour, but also in relation to the health and safety of families using the facility. This should include the provision of speed ramps in the Crann Dara Brae estate and on the Hill of Slane, along with a pedestrian crossing on the N2 for families crossing the main road.”

New Penalty Points Should be Deferred Until East Meath Roads Repaired

Roads in East Meath must be repaired before new penalty points are brought in for not having a current NCT certificate, according to a Sinn Féin local election candidate. Sinead Burke has said that people are sick of paying road tax and a multitude of other stealth taxes to keep a vehicle on the road, while the Government slashed the road maintenance budget by €150 million.
Ms. Burke added, “Meath has some of the worst roads in the country. Rural secondary and regional roads are in a dire state, as well as some intersection on our primary roads. It is disgraceful that the Government have now introduced five penalty points for failure to have an NCT certificate, while at the same time they slash the road maintenance budget by €150 million. It is unacceptable that the Road Safety Authority, a Government appointed quango, continuously puts the onus on road users and ignores the fact that many roads are in such a state of disrepair. Collapsing verges and potholes are commonplace and put road users at risk, communities out of pocket and businesses at jeopardy."

Easter Celebrated in East Meath

Over the Easter weekend I attended a number of Easter Commemorations in memory of the historic events of Easter week 1916. On Saturday, the main Sinn Féin Easter Commemoration was held at Ballinlough. We marched to the Republican Plot in the local cemetery where Volunteer Patrick McDonnell and Volunteer Seamus Cogan, who were killed during the Tan War, are buried. Sinn Féin’s Ireland East EU candidate, Tomás Sharkey, made the keynote address.
On Sunday we had the first annual Philip Clarke Commemoration at Rossin Bridge between Slane and Drogheda. We were delighted with the turnout and are looking forward to making this an annual event and something of a tradition. Philip Clarke was from Monknewtown. He was a member of the Irish Citizen Army and was killed in heavy fighting on Easter week 1916 at St. Stephen’s Green in Dublin. He is buried in the Republican Plot in Glasnevin Cemetery. In 1966 a monument was erected to Philip on Rossin Bridge.
Later on Sunday I attended the broad Republican commemoration in Duleek, which remembers all those who gave their lives in the cause of Irish freedom, particularly those who died on Hunger Strike between 1916 and 1981. The march left the town square and marched to the Hunger Strike monument on the Station Road. There was a great crowd. Comhghairdeas to the Duleek 16-81 Monument Committee who organised the event.

ByPass Needed Urgently

Speaking in the wake of the recent nine-vehicle pileup in Slane, Sinéad Burke has called for the Government and the NRA to acknowledge the will of the people of area and start work on the Slane Bypass immediately. “The importance of appropriate infrastructure, capable of handling the volume and type of traffic associated with a major national route has never been clearer. It is actually unbelievable to think that, despite the years of unprecedented economic growth experienced in Ireland during the last ten years, the money was never made available to bypass the village. The recession cannot be an excuse for inaction. The health and safety of our families and friends depends on it.

“Finally, I would encourage everybody to lend support to the bypass campaign group, which is working to get the HGV-ban implemented in the interim, as well as preparing a dossier for submission to the Oireachtas Committee on Transport on May 6th. A co-ordinated approach involving all sections of the local community offers the best way of applying the pressure needed to achieve a favourable outcome.”
For more information on the campaign contact Norma Kealy at normakealy@hotmail.com

Community Consultation needed for old Laytown Library Site

Sinéad Burke of Sinn Féin has called for extensive community consultation to be carried out immediately to plan for the future use of the old Laytown Library. The building has been boarded up for a considerable time now and is in considerable disrepair.

Sinéad Burke said, “I have called on Meath County Council to carry out a full community consultation, which should include all the stakeholders, to decide on the future use of the old Laytown Library at the entrance to Alverno Heights. Given the chronic lack of resources for young people in Laytown I think it is wrong to see this fine building standing idle. Many communities have experienced the link lack of youth facilities has with anti-social and nuisance behaviour. A well-managed youth café or after-school club would provide our young people with an opportunity to socialise, work and study in a supervised environment.

"Council official have tried to side step this issue by blaming the current economic climate and claiming they cannot deal with the Laytown site until they have found an alternative site for the library. This is simply unacceptable. It provides us with an immediate opportunity to invest in our young people’s future.”

Special Needs Assistants to be Cut in East Meath

At least two local schools are set to lose Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) this September as the criteria for their employment becomes more stringent, according to Sinéad Burke of Sinn Féin.

She said, “I have been made aware that at least two schools in the east Meath area, Scoil an Spioraid Naoimh, Laytown and Scoil Oilibheir Naofa, Bettystown, have been informed by the Department of Education that they could be losing as many as three and half, and three SNA posts, respectively, in September. The move comes as the criteria for the employment of SNAs has been changed to include only those children that have a diagnosed medical condition and/or are a danger to themselves and/or others.

“This latest cutback in the education system is further evidence that the most vulnerable in society have no protection under this government and reflects their warped values. The new criteria are even more shameful when you consider the length of time it takes to get a diagnosis for many of the conditions which affect our children, especially behavioural disorders, in our health system.

Another Illegal Dump in East Meath

Following the discovery of an illegal dump on the link road between Julianstown and Duleek Sinn Féin’s local election candidate, Sinéad Burke, has urged people to make full use of the Meath Lo-Call Litter Hotline.

She said, “We seem to be fighting a losing battle in the fight against illegal dumping in Co. Meath. There is certainly an acknowledged issue of resources at council level to deal with the problem. This latest dump on the link road between Julianstown and Duleek contained large household goods including white goods, furniture and mattresses and is part of what is now a constant problem. At this stage the council are struggling to cope with even the symptoms of illegal dumping, never mind prevention or prosecution. It will take full community involvement if we are to overcome this scourge. I would encourage people to remain vigilant, particularly around littering ‘hotspots’ and to contact the Meath Lo-Call Litter Hotline on 1890 228 466 whenever they discover or witness littering.”

Julianstown Event a Huge Success

Sinéad Burke has congratulated the Julianstown Residents’ Association on what she described as an ‘inspirational’ event recently.

A huge number of local residents joined council officials and elected representatives in the Julianstown Inn to take a step closer to agreeing a design statement for the village. The Residents’ Association successful submission to the Heritage Council for participation in this project was presented on the night and the next steps towards preparing a Village Design Statement (VDS) were taken.

Sinéad Burke said, “It was very evident how passionate the local residents were about the future of their village. It was a great achievement, and a culmination of a lot of hard work by those involved, to get the village selected for this major project. The presentation, participation, and enthusiasm on the night were really inspirational. It was a great example of how local communities can play an active role in shaping the future of their area.”

Philip Clarke Remembered

A wreath laying ceremony will take place on Easter Sunday at Rossin Bridge, Monknewtown in memory of a local man who died during the Easter Rising of 1916. The ceremony, which will take place at 10am will be chaired by Sinéad Burke.

Speaking at the launch of a programme of events to mark the 93^rd anniversary of the 1916 Rising, Ms. Burke said, “Easter is a special time of year for Republicans. It’s a time of year when we remember the sacrifice so many men and women gave to give us the freedoms we enjoy today. The Easter Lily is worn as a symbol of that sacrifice. This year in East Meath we will be celebrating the life and death of Monknewtown man, Philip Clarke, who died in St. Stephen’s Green on April 26^th 1916. We are inviting Irish Republicans, of all political persuasions, to join with us on Easter Sunday at 10am at Rossin Bridge, where the 1916 Proclamation will be read and a wreath will be laid at the Philip Clarke monument which is situated on the bridge. Over the next week we will be distributing hundreds of Easter Lilies to local residents.”

Commemorative events in Co. Meath

Easter Saturday:
Ballinlough Cemetery – 4pm

Easter Sunday
Rossin Bridge – 10am
Ardbraccan Cemetery – 12 noon
Longwood – 12noon
Ashbourne – 12 noon

Easter Monday
Drumree – 12 noon