COLM
BROPHY TD Newsletter HELLFIRE CLUB DEVELOPMENT
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outh Dublin City Council has proposed to redevelop the Hellfire Club site which is located on Montpelier Hill. This proposal will cost the Council a projected €20 million. It is proposed to build a substantial building to enable viewing of Dublin City and to allow for a major tourist project to be developed at the site. As a result there will also be substantial traffic management changes and road restructuring needed to facilitate up to 300,000 potential visits to the site every year. In October I held a public meeting on this development. The meeting was well attended and a majority of people expressed major worries about the development. Local people were especially angry about the lack of information which has been provided to date. As a result of my meeting a committee has been formed to provide information to the public about the plans and to oppose any over development of the Hellfire Club site. I would like to thank everyone who attended the meeting and if you require additional information about the proposed development please contact me by phone or email.
As a group I believe that all development of the Hellfire site should be community based as an access point to the Dublin Mountains and not based on an intrusive commercial development which primarily seeks to provide a viewing platform for Dublin city. As currently proposed I am totally opposed to this development.
THE GOVERNMENT’S COMMITMENT ON HOUSING The current housing supply shortage is one of the most urgent challenges facing our country. As a member of the Committee on Housing and Homelessness I worked to draft a report which was submitted to
Government outlining key actions to achieve a stable housing market. The Government is tackling the housing s h o r t a g e by doubling the number of new houses built to 25,000 per annum. This
LAW ON YOUR SIDE I have recently produced a booklet which highlights your rights and protections under the law. It has been designed to make the law more accessible to people who do not come from a legal background and includes information on consumer rights, dealing with mortgage arrears as well as items such as making a will and planning regulation. If you wish to receive a copy of this booklet please do not hesitate to contact my office.
Government is also creating a €200m Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund as well as developing a strategy for the rental sector to ensure that costs are reduced for home owners and renters.The Government has also committed to investing €5.35 billion to build 47,000 new social homes by 2021. Within the context of our local area, €69 million has been
allocated to support the provision of social housing services in South Dublin County in 2017 representing an increase of over €2.5 million on 2016 provision. The Government’s social housing target for South Dublin County Council for the period 20152017 is 1,445 units.
Dáil Éireann, Leinster House, Kildare St, D02 A272 · Tel: 01-6183196 · Email: colm.brophy@oireachtas.ie
COLM BROPHY TD BISHOP GALVIN AND BISHOP SHANAHAN BUILDING DEVELOPMENT
Colm Brophy T.D and Eamonn Treacy at his recent retirement party in St Judes G.A.A. Club.
Funding has now been provided to replace the outdated prefabricated structure, known locally as the ‘prefabs’ and replace it with a new two story building which will connect the two schools together and hold 8 classrooms and 5 resource rooms as well as ancillary spaces. I am delighted that this funding has been secured and wish both schools the best of luck in the next stage of development, submitting the proposal for tendering. I will write again once a commencement date for the works has been announced. I would like to extend my wishes to Eamonn Treacy on his retirement as Principal of Bishop Galvin.
YOUNG FAMILIES AND OLDER PEOPLE TO BENEFIT FROM HOME HEATING PILOT SCHEME FOR TALLAGHT
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new pilot scheme called Warmth and Wellbeing, will be of enormous benefit to vulnerable people in helping them to heat their homes. The Warmth and Wellness pilot scheme has been introduced to enable energy efficiency works to be carried out free of charge. The scheme is being piloted in Dublin 12 and Dublin 24.
or live in a Local Authority/housing agency owned property.
This scheme is open to people aged 55+ and families with young children who suffer from asthma or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), who are in receipt of Fuel Allowance and who either own their own home
For anyone who is living in Tallaght, who fits the criteria for this scheme and who needs their home upgraded to deliver a modern and efficient heating system please do not hesitate to contact me for more details.
People who qualify for the scheme will have extensive energy efficiency works carried out on their homes free of charge. The upgrade works might include: attic and wall insulation, boiler and heating system replacement or indeed the installation of a heating system where none exists.
NATIONAL FAMINE COMMEMORATION BILL
Colm Brophy T.D and students on opening day of the new Kingswood School.
KINGSWOOD SCHOOL OPENED This September saw the opening of the new Kingswood Community College in its temporary accommodation. The tender for the new permanent school has been approved by the Department of Education, and architects have begun planning the construction, scheduled to begin in early 2017. The temporary site for the school will operate effectively this year and next, and the new school building will open in September 2018.
Early in the New Year I will be publishing my first Private Members Bill since taking office as a T.D. for Dublin South West. This bill aims to enshrine in law a fixed date for a fitting commemoration day for all those who died during the great famine. I have been working with local Tallaght resident Michael Blanch to bring this Bill before Dáil Éireann. A fixed date will give this important Commemoration a gravitas that is equal to our other Commemoration dates such as our National day of Commemoration for all those who died in war and our Easter Rising Commemoration which both have fixed dates and are enshrined in the minds of the Irish Public. Draft National Famine Commemoration Bill
Dáil Éireann, Leinster House, Kildare St, D02 A272 · Tel: 01-6183196
OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE CHARLOTTE HAEMATOLOGY DAY WARD AT TALLAGHT HOSPITAL I was delighted to attend the recent opening of the new Charlotte Haematology Day Ward in Tallaght Hospital with the Taoiseach, Enda Kenny. The new ward will significantly improve patient care, providing better rooms and more spacious treatment areas. The ward was named after the late Charlotte McMenamin, a well-respected nurse in Tallaght hospital. Colm Brophy attending the opening of the Charlotte Haematology Day Ward with An Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Mr. Liam Dowdall, vice-chair of the Board of Tallaght Hospital.
SELFEMPLOYED GAIN FROM BUDGET 2017 Budget 2017 was a pro jobs budget and key to that was to help self-employed people by introducing a number of new measures.
Earned Income Tax Credit for the self-employed will be increased by €400, bringing it to €950. The Government has committed to increasing the Earned Income Tax Credit from €550 to €1,650 for the self-employed by 2018. This will benefit approximately 150,000 self-employed taxpayers. Fine Gael is also extending key social benefits to the self-employed: • Dental, Optical and Hearing Aid benefits to • Optical Benefits to be expanded in October be extended to self-employed workers from 2017 for all insured workers, including the March 2017 self-employed to cover the cost of glasses or a contribution towards the cost, depending on • Dental Benefit to be expanded in October customer choice. 2017 for all insured employees and the self• Invalidity Pension eligibility to be extended to employed self-employed workers from December 2017. Self-employed people are at the backbone of increasing employment in Ireland and these measures are designed to help equalise the treatment between self-employed and PAYE workers.
VISIT LEINSTER HOUSE Colm has welcomed a number of local school and community groups in to Leinster House for a tour. If you or a group you are associated with would like to come for a tour of Leinster House please do not hesitate to contact 01-6183196 to arrange a suitable time to visit. Colm Brophy T.D with students of Scoil Treasa, Firhouse
Email: colm.brophy@oireachtas.ie ·
@brophytalks ·
Colm Brophy T.D with students of Our Lady’s Secondary School, Templeogue
ColmBrophyFineGael
YOUR LOCAL FINE GAEL TEAM Cllr Paula Donovan Rathfarnham Ward
Email: pdonovan@cllrs.sdublincoco.ie Tel: 087 2200741
Cllr Anne-Marie Dermody Rathfarnham Ward
Email: amdermody@cllrs.sdublincoco.ie Tel: 087 2264226
RECOGNITION FOR IRISH SIGN LANGUAGE
As a member of the Justice and Equality Committee I had the honour of supporting and promoting the formal recognition of Irish Sign Language.
Cllr Brian Lawlor
Templeogue-Terenure Ward Email: blawlor@cllrs. sdublincoco.ie Tel: 087 644 5472
Brian Hayes MEP
Dublin Email: Brian.hayes@ep.europa.eu Tel: 01 - 2096548
GOVERNMENT TACKLING CRIME A recovering economy is enabling the Government to invest in An Garda Síochana again and increase Garda Numbers. Recently, Tallaght Garda Station received 5 new Gardaí from the last graduation out of Templemore. By 2021 the Garda workforce will comprise a total of 21,000 personnel. Operation Thor, to tackle crime in Ireland is working well. The last CSO figures show very significant reductions in property crime over the twelve months ending 30 June 2016, with burglary down 26.6%, robbery down 11.1% and theft down 12.3%. Crime rates in our local area are also down over the last year. In the Dublin Metropolitan Regional Southern Garda Division reported 1,247 incidents of burglary and related incidents in Q2 of 2015. This figure is now down 23% to 964 incidents in Q2 of 2016.
Colm Brophy with South Dublin Mayor Gus O’Connell at Tallafest recently.
Regards,
Colm Brophy T.D
GET INVOLVED! Getting involved in politics at a local level can be a very enjoyable experience! There are lots of different ways to participate and make a difference. I am always very grateful for any help people are willing to give. If you’d like to play a part in public affairs in our area please email: info@GetOnBoard.ie
COLM BROPHY Dáil Éireann, Leinster House, Kildare St, D02 A272. Tel: 01-6183196
TD
Email: colm.brophy@oireachtas.ie @brophytalks ColmBrophyFineGael
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Dear Constituent, May / take this opportunity to thank you again for your support in 2016 and to wish you and your family a Happy Christmas and New Year.