Latest News from the Northside People http://www.dublinpeople.com 2010-07-29T17:56:03+01:00 text/html 2010-07-22T21:31:34+01:00 http://www.dublinpeople.com http://www.dublinpeople.com/content/view/3521/57/ HUNDREDS of long-time admirers joined close family and friends for the funeral of Sean Dublin Bay Loftus last Tuesday morning (July 13). They gathered in Clontarf to bid farewell to the dedicated father-of-three, campaigner, former Lord Mayor and self-appointed guardian of Dublin Bay. Fittingly, Sean’s beloved bay was at its most beautiful, shimmering and shining through the hazy sun as his funeral mass got underway at St Gabriel’s Church. Chief mourners were his wife, Una; his three children, Muireann, Ruairi and Fiona; grandchildren Jessica, Claire, Aoibhin and Ciara; and his sisters Maureen Walsh, Brid Kennedy and Eileen McVeigh. According to his daughter Muireann, Sean was a man of “integrity, honesty, tenacity and generosity of spirit” who “never did anything in his life motivated by personal gain”. As a passionate politician, who had a “long life and used it well”, Sean taught his children that “one person standing alone can make a difference”. Sean Loftus passed away on July 10 after a colourful life filled with passion and conviction. The former Dublin North East TD was best known for changing his name by deed poll in his tireless campaign to protect Dublin Bay against repeated attempts to develop it. Although he was seriously ill in hospital, Sean celebrated a major victory last month when An Bord Pleanala refused Dublin Port Company permission to infill 52 acres of Dublin Bay. Speaking to Northside People from his hospital bed where he was recovering from brain surgery, Sean said the news was “just what the doctor ordered”. “It’s fantastic news and very uplifting for me as I’m recovering from surgery,” he said at the time. “This is a great victory for myself, the other members of Dublin Bay Watch and the people of Dublin because the bay is the jewel in the city’s crown.” Sean’s fellow members of Dublin Bay Watch - Liam O Dwyer, Joe Nolan, Mona O Leary, Peter Bailey, Justin O’Flaherty and Lord Mayor of Dublin Cllr Gerry Breen - said he would be sadly missed but always fondly remembered. “As a Dubliner and a councillor, Sean has fought for the protection of Dublin Bay over the past 40 years,” a Dublin Bay Watch statement read. “When the latest attempts to infill the bay started in 1999, a small group of volunteers gathered around Sean and Dublin Bay Watch was formed. “Over the past 10 years there have been numerous meetings, hundreds of thousands of leaflets dropped with Sean an unstoppable enthusiastic.” The members of Dublin Bay Watch last met in January for a meal to mark the end of the Bord Pleanála oral hearing into Dublin Port Company’s extension plans. “Sean, although ill, was delighted with the rejection of the infill application by An Bord Pleanála recently, the statement added. “Our thoughts are with his wife Una and children Muireann, Fiona, Ruairi and his grandchildren.” text/html 2010-07-22T21:28:14+01:00 http://www.dublinpeople.com http://www.dublinpeople.com/content/view/3520/57/ WORK will soon get underway on a e30 million building project at St Patrick’s College in Drumcondra. The massive contract and associated job creation will be a major boost for the Northside, according to St Patrick’s President Pauric Travers. “This is fantastic news for the college, for higher education and for the Northside as it will naturally improve infrastructure and bring about job creation,” he told Northside People. “It will be one of the biggest projects in higher education that will get underway this year because so many projects have been scrapped or put on hold because of the economic downturn.” The project, which is due to be completed in 2012, will include the refurbishment of the existing 6,000-square metre space in the college, as well as the construction of a new 12,000-square metre facility with new lecture theatres, libraries and offices. The investment and extension of the college campus is badly needed, according to Mr Travers. “Our present campus is laid out for 800 students but we now have 2,600 students,” he explained. “We are completely choc-a-block because of the rapid expansion we have experienced in the last 10 years. “The project will significantly increase the size of our complex by effectively doubling our teaching space and giving us a state-of-the-art facility.” St Patrick’s College currently has 150 full-time teaching staff and up to 400 part-time academic staff. “Our current campus generates the same business as a small town as we have two schools, an education centre, a crèche and school to educate the disadvantaged,” added Mr Travers. “We really were running out of space.” Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills, Mary Coughlan, officially approved the contract for the project during a ceremony at the college last Wednesday (July 14). “This project will transform the campus at St Patrick’s College of Education and bring its facilities to a new level of state-of-the-art modernity,” said Minister Coughlan. “St Patrick's College has experienced strong demand for its programmes, which has resulted in student numbers more than doubling over the past decade. “Enrolments have risen from 1,024 in the 1999/2000 academic year to over 2,500 in 2009/2010. “This contract will bring Government capital investment in St Patrick's College to over e40 million in the past decade.” Dublin Central TD Cyprian Brady (FF) welcomed the investment announcement. “This work is going to transform St Patrick’s into a world class campus and provide great opportunities to the students of the college,” he said. “St Patrick’s has a fantastic reputation and is a tremendous resource to the community.” Award-winning architects RMJM (Scotland) designed the project in partnership with Taylor Architects of Castlebar, Co Mayo. text/html 2010-07-22T21:26:30+01:00 http://www.dublinpeople.com http://www.dublinpeople.com/content/view/3519/57/ THE industrial dispute which brought a halt to work on Terminal Two last week has cost Dublin Airport a “significant” amount of money, it has been claimed. The completion of the terminal also faces delays as around 65 lift engineers protested on the site to highlight their opposition to redundancies at lift company, Otis. The Technical Engineering and Electrical Union (TEEU) is protesting at the company’s decision to make 17 lift engineers redundant last month. Dublin Airport is now left counting the cost of the dispute, which is said to be “significant”, especially given that the project was due to be tested in the coming months. A spokesperson for Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) emphasised that they are not a party to the dispute but “it appears that the Terminal Two construction site at Dublin Airport has been specifically targeted, as it is one of the most high profile construction projects in the State”. “The dispute has had a impact on activity at the site this week and this will have significant financial implications,” he told Northside People. “Any time lost due to this dispute will also have a direct impact on the DAA’s testing and trialling of the systems within Terminal Two and is also likely to have an effect on the opening date of the new terminal in November.” Almost 1,000 construction workers continue to work on site to carry out testing, snagging and commissioning. A spokesperson for the TEEU explained that the protest was held in Dublin Airport because the 17 staff who were let go were working on the Terminal Two project. “The Labour Court ruled that the redundancies should be implemented on a voluntary basis which would have been far better because at least 12 people volunteered for redundancy,” TEEU spokesperson Arthur Hall told Northside People. “However, the company still went ahead with compulsory redundancies so it was a case of last in, first out. “The problem is even further compounded as this system hit these staff hardest because they are the ones who bought homes in the boom and have young families to provide for.” When contacted by Northside People Otis was not in a position to confirm or deny if the redundancies were compulsory or not. A statement issued on behalf of the company said they were left with little choice but to make some employees redundant. “Due to the present economic climate and its impact on our business, we have had to evaluate our construction operations in Ireland and as a result have been forced to make some organisational changes,” it was stated. “These changes unfortunately have resulted in reorganising our field workforce, making some of our employees redundant. “Otis accepts the Labour Court recommendation in respect of the reorganisation and is acting in compliance with this.” The statement continued: “At Otis, safety is of paramount importance, and we take very seriously our duty of care regarding the safety of all passengers and our employees through safe working practices.” text/html 2010-07-22T21:24:06+01:00 http://www.dublinpeople.com http://www.dublinpeople.com/content/view/3518/57/ LOCALS in Ballymun turned out in big numbers last week for the much anticipated official launch of Dublin’s newest park. Lord Mayor, Gerry Breen, cut the ribbon at the park gates last Wednesday (July 14) to declare the new e8 million redeveloped Phase 1 of Poppintree Park open for business. And in this case, business means pleasure and fun. The park features a wildlife pond that has already attracted ducks and water hens, wildflower meadows blooming with colourful buttercups, ox-eye daisies and cowparsley, several walkways and a native tree trail. The park’s playground for 3-12 year olds contains timber framed play equipment to complement the surrounding wildlife themed park. Playground equipment was specially selected for its high play value and consists of windpipes, swings, climbing nets and frames, slides and even a wheelchair carousel. The next phase of the park will provide even more playgrounds that will suit older age groups. The Park was provided by Ballymun Regeneration Ltd (BRL) as part of the regeneration programme and will be managed and maintained by Dublin City Council. “This is a people’s park and I haven’t seen anything like it in Dublin,” the Lord Mayor said. “It’s a wildlife and wildflower park where everything looks and feels at one with nature and you could be forgiven for thinking that you’re in the heart of the countryside it is so natural and peaceful. “With its location in the centre of several communities and housing developments, I am certain that this new Poppintree Park will be full of walkers, dog walkers, families and children from now on and that the local community here will have great pride in it. Managing Director of BRL, Ciaran Murray, said creating the park was a great achievement and a key feature of Ballymun’s regeneration. “We have provided this fantastic new Poppintree Park and playground for the community living around it and in the wider area to enjoy, where they can go for a healthy walk or run, for some quiet space to sit and read a book or watch the ducks and take in the wildflower scenery and where children can play in a safe environment,” he said. “It’s a great achievement to see the new completed park. It was a key element of the Ballymun Regeneration Masterplan and I pay tribute to all who worked on its design and construction and to the local community for their patience and co-operation.” The official opening also marked the launch of the Poppintree Park Native Tree Trail, only the third tree trail in the city and the first on the Northside. The tree trail project stems from an action within the Ballymun Biodiversity Action Plan and is a partnership between Ballymun Regeneration and Dublin City Council. “The Native Tree Trail will help introduce park users to a selection of Ireland’s native trees,” said Mr Murray. “It is a fun and interactive way for people, and in particular young people, to learn about the trees that surround us, the history and folklore they invoke and the homes they create for wildlife, not to mention the air they clean.” Almost 300 new trees have been planted in phase 1 of Poppintree Park, along with 14,889 shrubs and hedging and 35,269 plants. There’s also plenty of pathways and walkways to enjoy, ranging from a formal oak tree lined avenue along the main axis of the park, to the casual grassed pathway in the storm water storage area. A new pond with a wildlife island and a wetland area planted with sedges, grassland and bulrushes is already attracting wildlife to the park. The pond is located at the lowest spot in the park and will collect surface water from the park as well as rain water from the surrounding housing estates. There is also an island located in the centre of the pond which will allow wildlife to find a new home. Experts say this will improve biodiversity in the park and allow visitors to enjoy watching water birds and other animals. The wetland area is another important feature of the pond as it works as a natural water cleaning filter. Sedges, rushes and other plants will, in time, not just filter the water, they will also provide nesting cover for birds. The pond and wetland area will eventually create a special eco-system that will encourage even greater biodiversity within the park. Directly beside the wetland area is the park’s attenuation area that can hold storm water. This important measure was built as part of this new development to ensure that the adjoining areas would not be flooded during extreme stormy conditions. For the majority of the time it can be used as an informal recreation area and it’s hoped that once the grassland is established fully it can also be used for informal ball games. The variation in ground levels in the park offers people a variety of views and landscapes, ranging from low-lying wetland and pond areas to wild flower meadows and borders, with pathways and the children’s playground located at the higher level. There are also benches situated along the paths and walkways where locals can sit and admire the surroundings in their new facility. It’s hoped locals will help ensure the park is kept as a facility for all to enjoy and there are three 24-hour CCTV surveillance cameras installed and currently in operation in the park. Locals are urged to report anything that concerns them to park officials at the Park Depot from 8am-4.30pm on 842-8833 or to Ballymun Garda Station on 666-4400 text/html 2010-07-22T21:21:40+01:00 http://www.dublinpeople.com http://www.dublinpeople.com/content/view/3517/57/ TAXI drivers held a vigil last week to remember two colleagues who took their own lives a fortnight ago. According to the drivers the two men were under severe pressure due to crippling financial circumstances. The taxi industry was rocked by the suicides, which happened within days of each other and brought to nine the number of Irish taxi drivers who have reportedly taken their own lives in less than a year. The tragic deaths of the two Northside men, both understood to be in their 40s, has sparked an outcry about the drastic financial situation facing taxi drivers. Last Tuesday night (July 13), approximately 100 people attended a candlelight vigil at the gates of Aras an Uachtarain to remember their colleagues. The vigil was organised by members of UNITY, a support group formed by taxi drivers. Lisa Corr, a spokesperson for UNITY, told Northside People: “One of the guys was extremely well-known in the ranks so his death came as a huge blow to the Dublin drivers. “The difficulties in getting work and money is no doubt a major contributing factor as to why these men took their own lives. “The other Northside taxi man would also have been known to drivers.” Ms Corr added: “The taxi industry is still a close knit community and I believe our vigil last week showed that.” UNITY is urging all taxi drivers suffering from personal, financial and emotional difficulties to seek help by contacting the CONSOLE helpline on 1800-201890. Last summer, three taxi drivers and close friends in Crumlin also took their own lives. John Ussher, president of the Irish Taxi Drivers’ Federation, believes that the increased number of suicides in the industry is as a result of deregulation as the country is now flooded with over 12,000 taxis. “Some taxi drivers are putting in 70 or 80 hours each week on the road and only coming out with the minimum wage,” Mr Ussher told Northside People. “The difficulty is that they have financial commitments based on what they used to earn and they are suffering the stress and anxiety of not being able to provide for their families.” Mr Ussher believes the situation would be greatly improved if part-time taxi drivers were taken off the streets. “We need to get rid of all the part-timers,” he stated. “They may be legally right to take to the road but it is morally wrong because they are taking work from people who earn their bread and butter as a full-time taxi driver. “Why should they be able to earn a full wage in another job and then be able to compete with our members for fares that are often few and far between?” According to Mr Ussher, the situation is causing tension at taxi ranks throughout the country. “There’s no doubt that there is bad feeling among those who feel they are being done out of work,” he added. “Some taxi drivers can’t make a living. They’ve had their cars repossessed, their houses repossessed, they've left the business and they've suffered strokes and heart attacks. Unfortunately, some people deal with it differently by taking their own lives.” text/html 2010-07-14T23:25:25+01:00 http://www.dublinpeople.com http://www.dublinpeople.com/content/view/3497/57/ THERE was a happy reunion last week for Kelli the penguin who was found waddling the streets of the north inner city having been earlier stolen from Dublin Zoo. The female penguin was kidnapped from the Phoenix Park by a gang of men before the zoo opened to the public on Thursday, July 8. The helpless 10-year-old penguin was taken from its pen and bundled into a bag as part of the sick prank. The men made their getaway in a taxi, told the driver it was a rabbit and were then dropped off in the north inner city. Thankfully all animals in the zoo are fitted with a microchip so the penguin was found within hours. The penguin at the centre of the kidnap ordeal was a 10-year-old female called Kelli. She is a Humboldt, a small breed native to parts of South America, mainly Chile. Relieved zoo staff reported the creature was none the worse for her outing after being safely returned to her mate Mick. Gardai are investigating the kidnapping while a Dublin Zoo spokesperson said it was no laughing matter. “Dublin Zoo is naturally relieved that the animal is safe and unharmed and back in the zoo,” a spokesperson told Northside People. “However, we wish to underline our annoyance about this incident. “The welfare and health of all animals is our primary concern and this kind of incident is not frivolous and is certainly not something amusing. 
He added: “We would once again like to express our huge appreciation to the Gardaí with whom we have an excellent relationship and whose professionalism and swift action ensured the safe return of the penguin. “This is a criminal matter and is in the hands of the Gardaí.”