Summer
After a semi-restful Summer, things are beginning to move again. Arriving home from my holidays it was great to see that the nine new Affordable/Social houses in Beech Hill are nearly finished and will be ready to move into soon. I have also spent some of the “down time” of the Summer getting to know better some of the newer areas of the ward around Rathgar, Rathmines and Harolds Cross. September will see the Ranelagh Arts Festival which is always a joy.
The next City Council meeting takes place on September 7th followed by the Area Committee on September 14th.
I have tabled a number of questions relating to the financial situation facing the Council and a suggestion that the Council would initiate an “Ideas for Dublin” Competition and Website.
On Friday last I participated on “Today with Pat Kenny” on the issue of Local Government reform along with Cllr George Jones of Fine Gael. I think it went well and Pat gave us both a fair innings.
It never rains but it pours and on Monday night I was on Newstalk 106 with Eoin O’Broin of Sinn Fein and Ruth Coppinger of the Socialist Party to debate the Future of the Left. This was followed the next day as I was on the morning show on 4FM (7.40am to be precise) to talk about the case for a directly elected Mayor for Dublin. Today I open up Southside to find a nice piece on the campaign to Save the Poolbeg Chimneys and arrive home to receive in the post the Aontas magazine featuring “a day in the life of – A Councillor” containing an article I had written a few months ago.
Next few weeks will see us out campaigning on Lisbon 2 and hopefully for the sake of the country there will be a resounding YES.
