It’s the most wonderful time of the year and our local branch will be at Bremore Castle Food and Craft Village on Sunday 4th December and Sunday 11th December. We will have a selection of merchandise, such as Christmas Cards and 2023 Calendars and €5 car raffle tickets for a chance to win a Citroen C4. The draw will take place on 27th January 2023 and some lucky person will start the new year with a brand new car! Look out for Santa’s Grotto in Millfield Shopping Centre, Balbriggan, sponsored by Specsavers, which starts on the 17th November.We are pleased to welcome some new arrivals to the Balbriggan Branch just in time for Christmas. On 7th November volunteer Anne Mulligan welcomed a new puppy in training, Cosmo, a red Labrador, aged 3 months who will live with Anne for the next 12/14 months.Local volunteer, Jade McCormack has been matched with her new Guide Dog, Winter. We wish Anne and Cosmo and Jade and Winter the very best of luck and we look forward to sharing their progress. Finally, we want to thank everyone for their continued support every day and throughout the year. We wish you all a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year! If you would like to volunteer for our Balbriggan\North County Dublin Branch of Guide Dogs, you can contact us via phone: 085 7663107, email: GuideDogsBalbriggan@gmail.com or on Facebook: Balbriggan Branch of Guide Dogs.
Councillors have approved Fingal County Council’s €989m three-year Capital Programme which provides for significant investment on projects across the County during period from 2023 to 2025. It represents a €205m increase on the previous Capital Plan with the 2023-2025 programme identifying 266 individual projects with an estimated spend of €988,990,218 over the three years The Programme projects a capital spend in 2022 of €269m, followed by €354m in 2023 and a further €366m in 2023. Around 55% of the €989m has been allocated to Housing with the €543m budget underpinning the Council’s commitment to delivering a significant housing programme under the Government’s Housing For All policy. Another 15%, or €146m, has been earmarked for Economic, Enterprise, Tourism and Cultural Development projects. A further €139m, or 14%, is set aside for Planning and Strategic Infrastructure projects The remaining 17% of Capital Programme spending will be on Environment, Climate Action and Active Travel (€68m); Operations and Water Services (€41m), Community and Sports Development (€35m) and Corporate Affairs and Governance (€17m).The Capital Plan is a rolling programme which is revised annually as time and other constraints may vary the progress of projects within a given period. The decision of Councillors to agree the Capital Plan 2023-2025 does not confer approval on any individual project. This can only be done through the normal statutory processes and compliance with the Public Spending Code. Funding arrangements also need to be clearly identified and secured in advance of committing to any project.
Householders in Fingal will see their 2023 Local Property Tax bills reduced by 7.5% following a decision by councillors at last night’s monthly meeting of Fingal County Council. The elected members in Fingal voted by 26 votes to eight to reduce the Local Property Tax by 7.5% up to 31 December 2024.This is the sixth successive year that bills have been reduced by less than the 15% rate. The previous five reductions were for 10% and the extra income raised facilitated increased resources in areas such as housing, operations, community, and libraries. The Chief Executive of Fingal County Council, Ann Marie Farrelly, said the decision of councillors will benefit both the householders and the communities they live in. This is the sixth year we have been able to give householders a reduction while creating a fund for local services. Having that extra funding has made a tangible difference across the county and I would like to thank our Elected Members for their continued support,” said Ms Farrelly. The effect of new valuations and the increased number of residential properties liable for Local Property Tax will result in an average decrease of around 1.3% on what people were paying in 2022,” she added. The number of properties playing Local Property Tax in Fingal has risen by 10.7% from 98,300 in 2022 to 108,800 and the average amount paid will reduce from €349 to €345.The decision not to apply the full 15% reduction means that Fingal County Council will have an additional €2.26m to spend on local services.
Fingal County Council has welcomed the announcement by Taoiseach Micheál Martin of a €150,000 grant under the Shared Island Local Authority Development Funding Scheme for the Corridor Enterprise Hubs project. The Corridor Enterprise Hubs project is a Dublin Belfast Economic Corridor (DBEC) initiative for which Fingal County Council is the lead authority. DBEC is a partnership of eight local authorities and two universities located on either side of the border. The grant will enable Fingal to commission a feasibility study on developing regional innovation hubs within the DBEC area. Innovation hubs have been identified by the DBEC partnership as having the potential for collaboration between the partners based on existing local strengths and the importance of the establishment of local clusters as highlighted in national and regional plans. The DBEC partners have identified a number of economic clusters with the potential for cross-border collaboration including: -Fintech Cluster- Circular Economy Cluster - Digital Health Cluster - Agri-tech Cluster and Advanced Manufacturing and Renewable Engineering Cluster. Welcoming the funding announcement, the Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Howard Mahony, said: “The funding from the Shared Island Scheme will allow Fingal County Council, and our partners within the Dublin Belfast Economic Corridor partnership, to undertake this important feasibility study which will examine how we can create cross-border sectoral clusters, using new or existing facilities, to promote enterprise in the region.”Fingal County Council Chief Executive AnnMarie Farrelly said: Following today’s announcement, a multi-disciplinary team drawn from within the DBEC partnership will prepare the Terms of Reference for the feasibility study, with Fingal County Council leading and managing the procurement process with the tender award anticipated in December. The successful tenderer will commence the feasibility study in January 2023 and will be supported by a Steering Committee comprised of relevant officials from within the DBEC partnership to produce a final report in Q22023. The Dublin Belfast Economic Corridor partnership consists of Belfast City Council, Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, Armagh Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council, Newry & Mourne District Council, Louth County Council, Meath County Council, Fingal County Council and Dublin City Council plus academic partners Dublin City University and Ulster University.
On Monday, 12th September the Mayors of South Dublin and Fingal County Councils, the Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and the Lord Mayor of Dublin City Council officially launched Dublin Climate Action Week in the Round Tower Visitor Centre, Clondalkin. Dublin Climate Action Week ran until Saturday, 17th September. It offered a range of online and in-person events which aimed to inform citizens, increase awareness and highlighted the need for urgent climate action by all sectors of society. From climate festivals to film screenings, biodiversity walks to webinars and talks on a range of interesting climate topics, there was something for everyone. Events highlighted how both systemic change and individual action is required to tackle the climate crisis. Now in its second year, Dublin Climate Action Week was organised and delivered by the partnership of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, South Dublin County Council, Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council, Codema – Dublin’s Energy Agency and the Dublin Climate Action Regional Office (CARO).Through the ongoing implementation of Climate Change Action Plans, the Dublin Local Authorities are collaborating closely to deliver climate action, working to reduce our impact and are committed to leading by example in tackling this global issue. Well-coordinated regional and local climate action is critical to meeting our national and international climate targets and goals, and through our engagement with members of the public, local authorities are in a unique position to highlight the need for climate action, to communities across Dublin. The Mayors of the four Dublin Local Authorities jointly stated: ‘‘Climate Change continues to impact the Dublin Region, but we are working together to reach our climate targets. We organised Dublin’s second Climate Action Week to showcase our ongoing progress to the people of Dublin and elsewhere. Building on the success of last year we’ve launched another exciting programme of events across a range of themes.Each of us has a valuable contribution to make, it counts if we are all Taking Action, Together!”
The recent announcement that the long-awaited MetroLink project will become a reality has been welcomed by Fingal County Council, who believe that the rail project will bring an economic boost to the County and help provide much needed transport infrastructure for one of the fastest growing regions in Ireland. The planned Metrolink route will link locations including Swords and Dublin Airport to the city centre, with trains planned to operate every three minutes during peak periods once the line initially opens. Once fully operational it is anticipated that the network could be capable of carrying up to 20,000 passengers per hour in each direction. Serving major population centres as well as key business and employment points in Fingal, the multi-billion euro project is set to transform North Dublin and unlock new residential and economic lands for the Dublin Region.
Mayor of Fingal Cllr Howard Mahony said: “This is something which has been over 20 years in the making, so it is fantastic news to hear that this is finally going to move forward. “Fingal will be become one of the greatest beneficiaries once it begins service, particularly as the population here is one of the fastest growing in the country and there is huge demand for fast and reliable transport connections for the people who live and work here. What’s more, Metrolink will deliver tremendous gains for the environment and help reduce carbon emissions.” AnnMarie Farrelly, Chief Executive of Fingal said: “The Council has worked hard over many years to ensure that Fingal is Metrolink ready, so today’s announcement that it is set to progress is welcome news.“Having Metrolink servicing new and existing communities right along the M1 corridor from the city centre through to Swords will support the sustainable development of the Dublin Region unlocking the residential and economic potential of North Dublin.” Given its location, Fingal provides the most daily commuters into Dublin City with 28,641 making the journeys from their homes in Fingal while around 17,000 make the journey in the opposite direction to their place of work.
Last month Tesco Express in Ridgewood, Swords, Co. Dublin graciously donated €167 from the Tesco Community Fund to our Balbriggan/North County Dublin branch and we would like to thank the staff for this and the community for their votes. If you are not familiar, the Tesco Community Fund launched in 2014 and is a platform through which each Tesco store can provide financial donations to good causes within the local community. You can now nominate your favourite or a community group or good cause via the Tesco online application form: https://forms1.thrive-platform.com/tesco/community_fund_application. Since its introduction, Tesco has donated over €6 million to over 21,000 local community projects nationwide. This has made such a positive difference in communities up and down the country and we want to thank everyone who has voted for us in the past and continues to do so. With Halloween just around the corner, darker evenings approaching and no doubt loud fireworks in the lead up to it, here are some tips to keep your dogs/Guide Dogs/Assistance dogs safe and comfortable this October. Eoin Slattery, Technical Training Manager for the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind says “Our advice is to keep their dogs away from the front door and windows, play music and background noise to help them to keep calm. Many good pet stores sell products which help to relieve stress and induce calmness.” Some other tips include, keeping your dogs indoors as much as possible after dark, ensure you bring them for a walk during school hours or at meal times to minimise the exposure and tire the dog out so they will be more relaxed and sleep through the evening. Do not scold or fuss over a nervous dog as this can exacerbate the situation and reinforce the behaviour. We wish you all a safe and happy Halloween and remember, no tricks and no treats for your dog as chocolate is not safe for dogs. If you would like to volunteer for your Balbriggan/North County Dublin Branch, you can of course contact us on Facebook, by email at GuideDogsBalbriggan@gmail.com or by mobile on 085 766 3107.
Wednesday September 14th
‘The Battle for Dublin, 1922’–Liz Gillis.
Wednesday September 28th
‘Sarah Cecilia Harrison, Dublin’s First Female Councillor’–Thomas Burke.
Both lectures will take place at 6 p.m. in the Conference Room of Dublin City Library & Archive, 144 Pearse Street, Dublin 2. Admission is free and all are welcome.
“The sea, that blue end of the world”…- Elizabeth Barrett Browning - Now in its third year, the Fingal Poetry Festival weekend will run from the 15-18th September following its launch at the Illumination of Floraville on Thursday, September 1st. The Festival celebrates the light that poetry brings to our lives and the sea, which is precious to all and in peril.The full programme is available on our website www.fingalpoetryfestival.comExpect to find poetry in unexpected places — on shop windows, pavements — and, colourfully illuminated and projected at Floraville, our lovely little park right in the heart of town beside the Library. The Festival weekend will have something for everyone — from an aerial dance spectacle to poetry walks through the High Woods of Ardgillan Castle and Red Island, lunchtime poetry readings, glittering evenings filled with live music and an especially commissioned film poem by Pat Boran. We hope to welcome the next generation of poets through exhibitions of local pupils’ poems in Fingal Libraries, a visit by Laureate na nÓg Áine Ní Ghlinn, a Family Poetry Fest, and other fun family-friendly events. If you would prefer to participate online, come along to our virtual ‘Night Sky’ or ‘An Dán ar Ardán’ poetry workshops! In a unique event on Saturday, the Deaf Poets’ Society will share their work, voiced by an interpreter — have a look at our website programme for a full list of ISL interpreted events. As ever, the Irish language is a pillar of the Festival. We would love to see you at our bilingual poetry readings, Comhrá & Craic, the Clinic Leaghair (Book Clinic),or the Seomra Open Mic on Sunday. Reaching out into the wider Fingal community, we will have three workshops in Fingal schools.Enda Coyle-Greene, Artistic Director, said “At our previous ‘live’ events, I’ve loved the reactions of our audiences, especially perhaps those people who mightn’t normally have considered poetry to be ‘their thing‘ (or could just be nursing a hangover from school and exams!) Our programme this year features a broad range of poets from Ireland and elsewhere, including Leontia Flynn, Michael O’Loughlin, Aifric Mac Aodha, Kate Miller, Dermot Bolger, and many more, so there should be a reading to suit everyone.”Fingal Poetry Festival is supported by the Arts Council Ireland, Foras na Gaeilge, Fingal CountyCouncil, Fingal Libraries, Leabhair Pháistí Éireann, Laureate na nÓg, Poetry Ireland, and RTÉ Supporting the Arts. Our international poetry competitions, The Fingal Poetry Prize and An Fiach Dubh – the Irish language prize, are sponsored by DHL International Forwrding and Progressive Credit Union, respectively. If you would like to volunteer at the Festival, send us an email at fingalpoetryfestival@gmail.com!
A massive thank you to the sponsors of Flavours of Fingal. We appreciate your support so much. Thanks for making the weekend the best it could possibly be! Joeduffybmwmotors, keelingsfruits, 7upfreeireland, keoghsfarm, CountryCrest, noel_group, annesleywilliamsskoda,
johnmccabemotors, geodesic_domes_ireland, bespokealuminiumgates.ie,shorelinehoteldonabate
yrsauceire , and fiveriversireland. Thank you also to each and every one of you who came along and made Flavours of Fingal 2022 so special from our incredible traders, entertainers, staff and the public, we couldn’t have such a great event without any of YOU!
