• Mitchell, Cancellation of N/M11 improvement scheme Major Blow to Wicklow

    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 […]

  • Greystones Council staff vacancies to be filled.

    Tuesdays meeting of the Council was told that 5 of the 12 outdoor staff positions in Greystones Municipal District were vacant as staff had left or retired. Most of these positions are to be recruited in January. Also a study of the staff numbers required is to be done early next year. ‘It is disturbing […]

  • Major DART carriage order to improve service

    I welcome Irish Rail ordering new DART carriages, 30, with electric power only, to be used to provide extra capacity on existing lines, including to Greystones. 65 as battery/electric to serve Drogheda until wires are put up for full electrification. They cost over €2m each and should be in service in 2025. With wide access […]

  • Community Benefit Fund Submission

    Submission on Community Benefit Fund of Offshore Windfarm ORESS Consultation Windfarms encounter local resistance in very many communities, including loud campaigns against them in Wicklow and other counties. Previous thermal power stations had major local benefits including jobs, trade, substantial rates to provide local services and giving the communities a sense of purpose. This is […]

  • Community Benefit Fund from offshore wind farms must be spent in the areas close to them

    Greystones will be ‘Wind Farm Central’ with the Codling Bank & the Dublin Array ones meeting offshore, the largest windfarms in Ireland. It is vital that this benefits the town and residents feel connected to it. It is important that the Community Benefit Fund from each wind farm is seen to be spent locally, in […]

  • Greystones Harbour Progress on last Block

    It is expected that construction of the last Block, ‘D’ will start in March and finish about September 2023. This will have a commercial area on the ground floor and 30 apartments above. This area is currently hoarded off, I’m glad of progress towards finishing the area. Gates put on North Pier by Sispar & […]

  • Greystones lack of staff must be resolved

    I complained at Mondays Council budget meeting that Greystones only got half the budget of other areas and half the staff. This has led to the ludicrous situation that an expensive street sweeper had sat in a shed for most of 5 years because there was no one to drive it. The Chief Executive did […]

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

    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 […]

  • New Transport Strategy to improve DART, provide LUAS and better buses for Wicklow

    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 […]

  • Windfarms should set up Interpretive Centre in Greystones

    Greystones will be ‘Windfarm Central’ with the Codling Bank & the Dublin Array ones meeting offshore, some of the largest windfarms in Ireland. It is vital that this benefits the town and it is connected to them. I asked a year ago for one or both to set up an Interpretive Centre in Greystones with […]