The pay parking review for Celbridge and Leixlip is underway. The drawings and maps for both towns are on display in the local libraries and in the Council offices in Naas. I am encouraging everyone to make a submission on any area of concern they have or a change they may like to have considered. I am happy to meet with anyone or group to discuss any query or concern they have.

Submissions must be sent in by July 1st. I brought forward major changes four years ago, when I got enforcement reduced from 60 hours per week to 30 hours per week for Celbridge and Leixlip. This had been the wishes of the businesses and public in both towns and I was committed to delivering it. This has worked well among other small changes that has taken place. We need to have the signs changed now and have other minor changes implemented in both towns.

This is a great opportunity to fine tune a pay parking policy that is now reflective of the people that use it. Please contact me on any pay parking issue as it maybe four years before their is another review.

I attended the Sharing Skills Art Exhibition in May. This event was in the Ballymakealy Community Hall. There was an excellent display of modern and creative Art. Each piece was to the highest of standards and very unique in its own right. The exhibition was amazing to view and the level of detail was first class, it promoted everyone’s talent and skill set.

I work closely with this group and I am happy to support and promote their excellent work. All in involved in this Community Group is to be highly complimented and wished every success in the future.

Well Done to All…..!!!!

It was a fantastic day on Friday May 15th when the playground in the Celbridge Abbey Grounds re-opened to the public. Entrance to the playground is free and it is great to see Celbridge now having a playground on each side of the town at last. I have called into the playground on a number of occasions since it opened and it is fantastic to see all the families there enjoying this great facility. On speaking with the parents you realise how much this playground means to the Community.

It is great to see this continued investment in Celbridge which is long overdue. All this would not have been possible for me to deliver without the complete cooperation of St. John of God Services and we thank them so much for this brilliant facility in Celbridge. Thanks also to Kildare County Council for their assistance in delivering this project for the people of Celbridge and the surrounding area.

On the 9th May, Garda Inspector Paul Dolan officially launched Business Watch in Celbridge. The launch took place in the Celbridge Manor Hotel at “Enterprise Town”. This is an excellent initiative by the Garda in an effort to assist Business’s with crime prevention and who have been a victim of crime. The Business Watch committee will consist of the C.B.A committee members and will meet with liaising officer Garda Paul Carney every three months approx to discuss issues of concern and to receive updates.

We have currently seventy Business’s which are members and signed up to this initiative. Paul Carney has already met and engaged with a lot of the Business’s and the feed back from Business owners is positive. They now have a direct contact if they have a problem or concern. We need to work together to prevent crime and help make it safer for all in our Community.

Celbridge Enterprise Town which was sponsored by the Bank Of Ireland was a great success. This event was held on the 8th and 9th May in the Celbridge Manor Hotel. I was delighted to have been involved and on the organising committee. On the 8th we had over 90 local business’s displaying together with a number of speakers and a tourism panel.

On the 9th it was Community day with over 50 local voluntary groups displaying and promoting their brilliant work, there was a sports panel which dealt with a number of topics and was enjoyed by all.

This was an event that showcased all that is great in Celbridge. I want to thank all involved for making this occasion the success it was.

I am delighted to see the contractor on site in Celbridge removing the chewing gum from the footpaths on the Main Street. This work is well under way and all most complete. This is a project I have been working on with the Tidy Towns for some time. It is leaving the footpaths at an excellent standard and will give a great positive impression and impact to all that visit or do their business in Celbridge. The feed back from the public, business owners and visitors is great and as one walks down the Main Street the improvement is obvious for all to see.

This will assist the Tidy Towns in their great work of keeping the town to such a high standard. I would recommend all to come and have a look at this work and see the difference that this has made to Celbridge. I want to thank K.C.C and in particular Director of Services Joe Boland for assisting me in having this project complete.

I am delighted to have been involved with and worked along side St. John of God Services and Kildare County Council in delivering the playground for the Celbridge Community in the Abbey grounds on the Clane road. The Abbey grounds are beautiful and are a wonderful asset for Celbridge to have. The people of Celbridge have been looking for some time to have the playground in the Abbey opened up again. Given the population of Celbridge it was very unsatisfactory to have only one playground. This will be an excellent facility and amenity for the people of Celbridge and the surrounding area. I hope that the Abbey grounds and playground is fully respected by all and is not damaged.

The playground will open on May 15th to the public and the hours of opening will be initially from 9am to 4pm, Monday to Thursday and 9am to 3pm on Friday. These opening times will be reviewed and extended if everything operates smoothly. This is a fantastic announcement for Celbridge and one which can be enjoyed by many as we start the summer. It would not have been possible for me to deliver this project without the cooperation and full assistance of St. John of God Services Management and Staff, Gateway and the Parks Department of Kildare County Council.

I am delighted that the contract has been awarded which will allow works to commence immanently on the two culverts in Primrose Gate Estate in Celbridge.This work once complete will assist in alleviating flooding in the Primrose Gate Estate, Celbridge GA.A, Celbridge Tennis Club, St. Patrick’s N.S and the surrounding area. I have worked with all the different stakeholders over a long period of time to bring about these much needed works and upgrades which will assist positively. I hope once these works are complete it will reduce the risk of flooding which was experienced as recent as November 2014 in this general area.

I am also working with the different agencies etc to ensure the permanent solution is agreed and put in place to alleviate the flooding in this area. This has been an issue for a long period of time and is unfair on all the Residents, School and sports facilities that has been affected. Once this solution is agreed it will allow the Department of Education to re-submit their planning application to construct two new schools at this location which is the wishes of all the people living on this side of Celbridge. I want to thanks Kildare County Council for their assistance on this project.

I have been contacted by numerous members of the public which travel from Hazelhatch in Celbridge by train to Dublin. The concern and issue they have raised with me is in the evening their is no train leaving Dublin between 17.20 and 17.55 which services Hazelhatch. This is a very common time for people finishing work etc and it is unfair given that their is three trains passing through Hazelhatch in this time frame that none of them service Celbridge and the surrounding area.

I have made contact with Irish rail in an effort to have a solution brought about to this issue. I will be engaging positively to ensure the travelling public have an improved service. It is very important that the required and necessary services are in place if we are to attract people from their cars and onto the public transport system.

I am delighted to be working with my colleagues on the committee for Enterprise Town. Celbridge has been nominated as the town for this project which is sponsored by the Bank-Of-Ireland. Enterprise Town takes place on May 8th and 9th in the Celbridge Manor Hotel. On May 8th is the Business exhibition which gives all Celbridge Business’s an opportunity to show case. This is a great opportunity for them to promote themselves and it is important that we do all we can to support and assist Business to grow as the S.M.E is very important to our economy. On May 9th is an opportunity for all the Community Groups to be show cased. These voluntary groups carry out excellent work in our Community which at times is taken for granted. Community Groups need to be supported in every way possible.

I hope the event is a great success and enjoyed by all. I want to thank all involved and in Particular the Bank-Of-Ireland for working to make Enterprise Town in Celbridge a success.