Dublin North-West needs a Community Response to Anti-Social Behaviour & illegal Dumping

In response to replies from Dublin City Council regarding questions on illegal dumping and anti-social behaviour in Dublin North West, I believe that greater cooperation between residents, the City Council and the Gardaí is needed to tackle these ongoing issues. 

As a recently elected TD for the area, I am fully aware of the challenges of illegal and anti-social behaviour communities in my constituency are facing. I believe that the nature of these challenges requires a community response as they cannot be addressed simply by the Gardaí or the City Council. 

Central to this community response are the local residents who must assist the Gardai and the City Council by reporting such behaviour in their area. They must also be willing to engage with and support community programmes such as those run by Safer Ballymun and the Finglas Safety Forum.

Authorities such as the City Council must however, make greater use of the assets at their disposal. Ballymun for instance has a sophisticated CCTV network covering most open spaces, yet according to figures from Dublin City Council, in 2010 13 fines were issued for illegal dumping in the Shangan Green area and of these; only four were paid with no convictions obtained in respect of unpaid fines. CCTV is not a cure all for addressing such behaviour; yet it will only have a deterrent effect if action is taken on foot of what is monitored by the network.

Our straightened public finances require us to do more with what we have in these challenging times. Everybody has a role to play in making our communities safer places to live in and I will be working with all groups across Dublin North West to address these issues over the coming years.

A Well-Balanced Community Model

My New Contact Details

My new office and contact details are now sorted!

Please feel free to get in touch with me at:

Phone: 01 618 3280

Email: john.lyons@oireachtas.ie

Address: 

John Lyons TD

Dáil Éireann 

Leinster House

Kildare Street

Dublin 2

Looking forward to hearing from you!

    

Proposed Changes to Dublin North-West Bus Routes

Public consultation has started on several bus routes in the area. Dublin Bus are proposing changes to bus routes 4, 11, 13, 13A, 19, 19A, 83 and 220.

Dublin Bus are holding an information session on Wednesday 23rd March from 2pm - 8pm in Na Fianna GAA Club, St. Mobhi Road, Glasnevin.

As part of Network Direct almost every bus route in the area is being changed. There are some improvements proposed but also some significant changes that will mean longer walking distances to buses in some areas.

It is hugely important that you take a look at the Dublin Bus proposals and see how they affect you, and to make a submission to Dublin Bus.


The key proposals are available at http://www.dublinbus.ie/Network-Direct/.

Alternatively, for specific queries on route changes, please call Dublin Bus on 8734222.

If you have any concerns about the proposal and cannot make it to the information session, it is very important that you email Dublin Bus at networkdirect@dublinbus.ie before 2nd April 2011.

My First Speech in Dáil Éireann

I was truly honoured to get the opportunity to speak on the first sitting of the 31st Dáil, last Wednesday 9th March.

The video below comes in about two minutes into my speech. Here's how it began:

"It is an honour to stand in this Chamber today as a public representative for the people of the Dublin North-West constituency. I feel extremely proud that my family and friends are also here to witness it. I congratulate all Members on their success in being elected to this House to represent the people at this important time, our new Taoiseach, Deputy Enda Kenny, and Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Eamon Gilmore. I also endorse their selection of new Ministers who have no lack of experience, competency or vision and who, I am sure, will bring a new energy and focus to their respective portfolios.

From knocking on doors during the election, all Members will know of the fear, heartbreak and betrayal that exists across the country. We are here because we listened to those concerns and vowed to do everything we could, if given the endorsement, to chart a new course in politics and rebuild the economy in a fair and just way. In this time of great uncertainty, the public now looks to us for the leadership which was lacking in recent years. That absence of leadership reinforced a feeling that politicians were detached from the lives of ordinary people and whose voices were not heard.

I have lived all my life in the Dublin North-West constituency. I sought election because I know of the impact of decisions made in this House on communities such as mine. I come from Ballymun, a community often marginalised and stigmatised. It is one in which young people are more likely to drop out of school, work in low-paid jobs and live in social housing. I understand the real consequences of the decisions made in this House on such communities. As a teacher I worked with young people in Finglas and Ballymun for 11 years. Over that time, I have seen the hopes and expectations of our young people change considerably. During the boom times, the students I taught had high expectations of a secure and prosperous future after leaving school. Today, young people face an uncertain future in a society blighted by unemployment and emigration.

What has not changed, however, is the potential of our young people, a fact which must not be forgotten. I am an example of what belief and investment in our young people can achieve. As a Member of the Government side, I want to ensure a similar belief and investment is shown to all our young people again."

The speech continues (in video):

It was a really special moment for me, but as the Programme for Government rightly says: "There isn't a moment to be lost." 

I'll be taking all this enthusiasm into the first full week of Dáil business tomorrow!