Wicklow Archives - Councillor Derek Mitchell

Jul 05 2022
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Census 2022 shows large growth of Greystones, more services needed

Posted by | Greystones, Local Work, Press Release, Wicklow | No Comments

The preliminary Census results show Greystones District has increased population by 4,041, a 15% increase since the 2016 Census. Wicklow County has increased by 9%, the Greystones increase being 31% of the total, increasing Greystones from 18 to 20% of the County’s population. Greystones share of the budget has remained at 12% for at least the last 5 years. It is by far the lowest spend of any area and it is not increasing with the population. Increasing population needs more resources. The Outdoor Staff are less than half that…

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Jan 13 2022
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Mitchell, Cancellation of N/M11 improvement scheme Major Blow to Wicklow

Posted by | Local Work, Press Release, Wicklow | No Comments

The recent road funding announcement showed no funding for this much needed scheme. I enquired and found that it was decided in December to ‘Suspend’ it but it wasn’t announced. This scheme is vital to Wicklow residents and industry. When traffic returns to pre Covid levels it will be chaotic as many more houses have been built in the past 2 years and Cherrywood will have many new residents. Also the bus priority scheme, which is to go as far South as the Glenview Junction on the N11 has been…

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Nov 18 2021
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Mitchell annoyed Greystones District only getting half funding of other areas. Wicklow Council Budget not fit for purpose.

Posted by | Local Work, Press Release, Wicklow | No Comments

Wicklow County Council will be holding its Annual Budget meeting on the 29th November and for the first time in 20 years a Councillor I will not be supporting it. The other areas, Arklow, West, Brays budgets are €9m each, Greystones District is €4.5m. The population of each area is similar. Each other area has 2 or 3 times as many staff. Yet the Local Property Tax income is highest in Greystones due to higher house prices. It’s being used as a Cash Cow by the rest of the County….

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Nov 09 2021
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New Transport Strategy to improve DART, provide LUAS and better buses for Wicklow

Posted by | Local Work, Press Release, Wicklow | No Comments

The Greater Dublin Transport Strategy 2022-2042 has been launched for consultation on the 9th November. The proposals are wide ranging include Wicklow items: The DART+ project will provide 50% more DARTs to Greystones before 2030. This follows on from my 2018 paper, on how to do it, and is being designed in detail. Consultation on the design is expected in 2022. DART to Wicklow Town will be later, possibly by battery operated DARTs which are to be ordered this year. LUAS to Bray & Environs is included. Park n’ Ride…

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Sep 24 2020
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Mitchell against Plan to end direct trains from Wicklow

Posted by | Bus/Train, Transport, Wicklow | No Comments

The plans for DART+ to Maynooth involve stopping the peak hour diesel trains from Arklow, Rathdrum, Wicklow & Kilcoole in Greystones and making the passengers transfer to the 2 DARTs per hour there. This is being done to allow 13 DARTs from Maynooth onto the North South line in the peak. ‘I am totally opposed to this as it will mean more people will use their cars, clog up the N11and be bad for Climate Change ‘said Cllr Derek Mitchell who is Chair of the Wicklow Transport Committee. Now there…

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Sep 09 2020
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Dublin should not slow down Wicklow Buses

Posted by | Bus/Train, Transport, Wicklow | No Comments

Cllr Derek Mitchell has asked Dublin City Council not to halve the speed of Wicklow Buses in the City Centre as is proposed. The journey time of buses to the city centre is already too long and proposals to slow them to 30 kph on the main roads would be worse. Cllr Mitchell, who is Chair of the Wicklow Transport Committee, has written to Dublin Council asking that the route of the 84X, 133, Wexford bus and Aircoach to the airport & City Centre should not be reduced to 30…

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May 20 2020
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Offshore Windfarm progress welcome but concern about visual impact of Bray & Kish Bank ones

Posted by | Environment & Bray Head, Greystones, Local Work, Press Release, Wicklow | No Comments

I welcome today’s announcement that 7 projects are decided as Relevant Projects to move forward to the next consent stage. We need to use the wind resources to save carbon. However I am concerned about the visual impact of the Bray & Kish Bank one. The development of a large windfarm with a smaller visual effect, well out to sea, should take priority over a small one with a larger visual effect. There should be a limit to the visual effect permitted in towns. In 2005 the Codling windfarm obtained…

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Mar 18 2020
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Submission to Consultation Process on Marine Planning & Development Bill with reference to Offshore Renewal Energy, Marine Planning Regime and marine leisure.

Posted by | Community Facilities, Environment & Bray Head, Greystones, Wicklow | No Comments

I made a submission in early January but feel more is needed after the Consultation session in Arklow where I briefly made the following points: Windfarms Visual impact. I represent the Greystones Municipal District and am concerned about the Visual Impact of proposed windfarms from the land. Particularily on large towns that face the sea and place significant emphasis on maintaining an attractive vista from promenades and piers such as Greystones & Bray. These towns have made significant investments in the seafronts and vistas. Also from coastal walks such as…

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Nov 26 2019
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Green Party hypocritical in opposing N11 and Rail improvements in Wicklow

Posted by | Transport, Transport M50/N11, Wicklow | No Comments

Fianna Fail also opposed making development dependent on better transport. The Green Party opposed ‘improving  the South East rail line’ in the Regional Planning Guidelines. I asked the Minister for Environment to override this and he has now altered the wording to ‘improve’ rail. Now the Green leader Eamonn Ryan says he will shelve upgrade plans for the N11. In April 2015 I proposed that Rezoning in Wicklow should not take place unless Public Transport and the N11 had been improved. The Green Party & Fianna Fail voted against that…

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