Kildare County Council has established a Shop Front/Town Centre Improvement Grant Scheme to financially assist and support business owners to improve the appearance of their shop fronts/commercial properties. The scheme was welcomed by local Deputy, Frank O’ Rourke following discussions with Businesses in Leixlip, Maynooth, Kilcock, Naas, Celbridge and Clane, and he is pressing for greater resources to be made available under the scheme.

‘Smart shop fronts will encourage more consumers to visit the town and therefore improve commercial activity and make the town more attractive for businesses. Aesthetically pleasing shop fronts also improve the town’s overall image and make it more attractive for visiting tourists.  The works can also provide some valuable employment for local people and small businesses,’ stated Frank O’Rourke.

‘Simple jobs like repainting a shop front may qualify for grant approval with grants varying from €500 to €1000, although no cap was imposed, and generally the grant will not exceed 75% of the cost of the works.’

‘Examples of works also include; to enhance the visual appearance of the streetscape, more appropriate shopfront signage and removal of neon signs, banners or other inappropriate signage.’

‘Towns in Kildare like Celbridge, Kilcock, Maynooth, Naas, Leixlip and Clane have worked hard to improve the image of the towns by improving the shopfronts. The work of the Tidy Towns committee also needs special mention in this context. I believe that the scheme was very successful, and we need to expand the scheme and make more businesses aware of it and interested in it,’ concluded Deputy Frank O’ Rourke

Kildare North Fianna Fáil TD, Frank O Rourke, has called on the Government to consider opening up the EU Car Insurance market for Irish drivers, following the unprecedented increase in car insurance premium in recent years.

‘The most recent figures on motor insurance, show premiums have raised by almost 40% in the last year, as the underlying rate of inflation stands at 0.5%. In fact the main cause of this 0.5% inflation relates to the rising cost of insurance overall.’

‘It is not unusual for young people in their early 20s to be asked to pay anything between €6,000 and €12,000 a year for their car insurance. This premium level is not an option for many young people, many of whom require cars for their educational, work or family purposes, as I have established at my clinics in recent weeks.’

‘I know from liaising with my colleague Deputy Michael McGrath, that the claims which are being paid out have reduced in recent years, from claims paid out of €1.5 billion in 2011 to claims paid out of €1.01 billion in 2014. Insurance companies have also returned to profitability. This should have led to reduced premium costs not increased premiums.’

‘I raised this matter in the Dáil recently and called on the Government to re-establish the Motor Insurance Advisory Board (MIAB). Given the track record of the MIAB in the past, it seems to me to be an imperative action for this Government, if we are going to make progress on reducing the motor insurance costs.’

‘I also believe that we should look at opening up the insurance market to the EU, whereby, we could purchase our insurance in Germany or France and that it would cover our driving in Ireland. This would have the effect of increasing competition in the market and should reduce premiums from their current high levels.’

‘Rising cost of insurance reduces net income available for people to spend on other life’s essentials and is key driver to increasing the cost of doing business in Ireland. As I said in my Dáil contribution, there is little point in the modest reduction in the USC in the last budget being transferred to enhance the profit of the Insurance companies.‘ concluded Deputy O’Rourke, who is committed to raising the issue in the Dáil again in the next session.

I was delighted to be invited by Ballyoulster F.C to their sod turning today for their all weather pitch. This will be a fantastic facility for the club and the community once completed. Ballyoulster is a very successful club with a large membership. This is a great day for the club’s committee, players, members, volunteers, sponsors and supporters who have worked so hard over the years to develop the club to such a high standard and bring about the delivery of this all-weather pitch.

I’m delighted to be working with the club and will continue to assist and support them in every way possible. Well done again to all involved in Ballyoulster F.C   This is a proud and great day for all involved in the club.

Local Fianna Fail TD, Frank O’ Rourke, has highlighted how public transport can alleviate the pressure of student accommodation in Maynooth by opening up adjoining towns, through public transport, to the rent-a-room scheme. This can be achieved by providing the Bus Service linking Naas to Maynooth via Rathcoffey and Clane, which he has campaigned for over the last number of months.

‘In recent months, I have campaigned for the provision of a Bus Service linking Naas to Maynooth via Clane and Rathcoffey, which would provide connectivity between these commuter towns and become part of the catchment area for students seeking accommodation, particularly under the rent-a-room scheme, which also brings benefits to home owners in these areas.’

‘The National Transport Authority has confirmed to me that they are now considering providing an orbital bus route serving Naas, Clane, Rathcoffey, Maynooth and Blanchardstown.  Following meetings I have had with constituents in Maynooth, Clane, Rathcoffey and Naas, I have submitted a large number of signatures supporting this proposed service.’

‘This service would connect these commuter towns, provide access to NUI Maynooth, better access to Naas, Clane and Blanchardstown Hospitals and, I believe, increase the student accommodation capacity.’

‘As I have highlighted before, linking Naas, Clane, Rathcoffey Maynooth and Blanchardstown would address one of the missing public transport services. Naas, Clane, Maynooth and Blanchardstown are all key employment towns, four towns are key retail centres, Maynooth has a University and three of the towns have hospitals. Although important, Public Transport is not just about linking commuter towns to Dublin but connecting these commuters towns, as we have now in place between Celbridge, Leixlip and Maynooth, is also important,’ stated Deputy O’Rourke.

‘In recent months, following representations that I made earlier this year, new morning Kilcock Dublin Bus Eireann services have been introduced, at 6.30am and 8.00am, a location is now proposed for a park and ride facility for bus commuters in Kilcock, and improved Dublin Bus services for Celbridge commuters , on the Route 67 and 67X, have been put in place.’

‘Once we achieve a regular, reliable, cost effective and inclusive public transport service, we will attract more people to use it and thereby make it more efficient. I will continue to campaign for better public transport for users,’ concluded  Deputy O’Rourke.

Kildare North Fianna Fail TD Frank O’ Rourke has said that Kildare should benefit to the tune of €380,000 from the recently announced Town and Village Renewal Scheme by the Rural Affairs Minister Heather Humphreys.

‘The Town and Village Renewal Scheme which the Minister announced last week aims to revitalise up to 200 towns and villages across the country. It is part of a €10 million scheme nationally and Kildare should benefit to the tune of €380k,’ stated Deputy O’ Rourke.

‘In total €380,000 will be available to Kildare and I have been in touch with Kildare County Council to ensure that we apply for the full allocation of funds that is available for Kildare.’

‘Kildare County Council can apply for grants for up to eight separate towns or village projects and submit outline plans to the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs in September for approval,’ stated Deputy O’ Rourke who has been in touch with Kildare County Council in relation to the scheme.  Funding will be released to Local Authorities once projects are approved by the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. The maximum grant for any single project is €100,000.‘

‘The funding available to Kildare County Council is designed to meet up to 85% of the total cost of each project. The Council will then be required to partner with local businesses and local communities to execute the projects.’

‘From the Department’s website, I understand that the type of projects to be funded under the scheme could include the following; increase the attractiveness of the town or village as a local commercial and social centre, and increase its sustainability as a place in which to live and work enhance its environment and amenity in the interests of residents, businesses and visitors; enhance the culture and local heritage assets of the town/village and promote tourism; tackle minor physical infrastructural deficits and land assembly issues. ‘

‘Many smaller towns in Kildare suffered significantly during the economic downturn and are still suffering from the aftermath. I know from discussing with business and community groups in towns like Kilcock, Clane, Prosperous, Johnstownbridge and Straffan that this scheme has the potential to bring benefit to the towns,’ concluded Deputy O’Rourke.

Local Fianna Fail TD, Frank O’Rourke, has welcomed the proposed location for a 100-space Park & Ride facility for Bus Commuters at Kilcock, following the decision of the National Transport Authority (NTA) to allocate €100,000 for a feasibility study for a Park & Ride facility on the M4 Corridor earlier this year.

I am delighted to see the pedestrian crossing on the Lucan Road at Ballyoulster in Celbridge installed. This is a project that I have been working on for some time at the request of many residents and members of the public so that safety would be improved at this location. The Lucan Road is an extremely busy and fast road and it was very difficult for people to cross the road safely to access Dublin Bus or for the many other amenities or services such as shops, schools etc.   It is very important that traffic management gets people to their destination safer and not faster.

This project was funded from  LPT money and I want to thank my colleagues for supporting this project which I pursued for funding. I am pleased to have worked also to deliver the bus stop shelter and the interconnecting footpath at Ballyoulster.

I want to thank Cllr Michael Coleman for supporting these projects, the Kildare Co Council Area Office for delivering on them and the members of the public who raised these issues with me at my weekly clinics.

I welcome the current road resurfacing works being carried out by Kildare County Council on the Lucan road in Celbridge and Green Lane road in Leixlip. I, along with Cllr Michael Coleman, have raised the necessity of having these works carried out as a result of the many requests we have received from the public and at my weekly clinics. It is important that we continue to invest in our roads infrastructure to ensure all road users have a high standard. These are excellent projects to have completed as both locations have high volumes of traffic. Michael and I will continue to lobby for further funding in order to have future improvements carried out to our road surface network. I want to thank the Area Office of Kildare County Council for carrying out these works and the people who raised these issues with me.

The contractor has reached “practical completion” of the New Temporary Community School on Friday 5th August. I want to congratulate the contractor, KWETB and all involved in having the school building completed on time and having it ready for the start of the new school year. This is very welcome news. The School is finished to the highest of standards.

Best of luck to the 150 Students who will be attending the New School!