An application was re-submitted in July for the development of the St. Louis’ Convent and High School site in Rathmines. I have serious concerns about the size and scale of the development, the effect it would have on neighbouring properties and traffic in the area, and the loss of green space, and I have objected to the development on this basis:

20 July 2010

Re: Planning Application 3037/10 St Louis High School and Charleville House, Charleville Road, and 1 Grosvenor Road, Rathmines

Dear Sir/Madam,

I would like to make an observation on application ref 3037/10, for development at St. Louis convent and school in Rathmines, Dublin 6.

At the outset I would like to make clear my understanding of the need of the St. Louis community of nuns to make provision for their own future, and I appreciate the contribution that they have made and will continue to make to the educational needs of the Dublin 6 area. (more…)

The Government recently introduced legislation to facilitate the dissolution of the board of St. Luke’s hospital and the transfer of staff in the hospital and the hospital’s assets and liabilities to the HSE. Lucinda expressed her concern at this development:

“In contrast to the HSE, St. Luke’s Hospital, otherwise known as “The Haven in Rathgar”, is a beacon, a shining light, in the administrative labyrinth that is the health services here. Since 1954, when it was formally established, St. Luke’s has provided the best quality of care for its patients and the best possible services to cancer patients from all over the country. Every family has been touched in some way by St. Luke’s Hospital. Virtually every family has had some family member or friend attend St. Luke’s at some point. Yet, St. Luke’s is to cease operation in 2014. It is all very well to point to expert reports, expert opinion and the most cutting edge of medical advice, but it is difficult to explain to even the most intelligent human beings why the Government wants to dismantle one of the few public hospitals that functions and does its job with aplomb and replace it with a subsumed and submerged cancer service that will be provided via St. James’s Hospital. The latter does not rank as one of the top hospitals in terms of hygiene, services available or its ethos and environment. (more…)

I am regularly contacted by constituents affected by unemployment who need information on education and training opportunities, social welfare entitlements, and other information related to coping with the recession. To address these matters I have arranged a public information seminar on unemployment issues. I held one recently in the Dublin 4 area that was very well attended, so I am now organising a second one.

Lucinda

Venue: Garda Club, 8-10 Harrington St, Portobello, Dublin 8

When: 21st June 2010, 7:00PM

Participants:

Lucinda’s speech on the dissolution of the Board of St. Luke’s Hospital

I am pleased to have an opportunity to speak on this important Bill but I am disappointed that the Minister is not present for the debate. It would be fitting that the Minister would see fit to appear in the House to take this legislation given its important and far-reaching ramifications for the health service in the future. It is important it is noted that the Minister did not see fit to come to the House.

The purpose of this Bill is the dissolution of the board of St. Luke’s hospital and the transfer of staff in the hospital and the hospital’s assets and liabilities to the HSE. I take the opportunity to express some degree of concern at that development. It is well-recorded that politicians and the public have almost lost all confidence in the Health Service Executive. It is difficult to have confidence in that body.

The original concept of the HSE was a good one. The aspirations of the Minister and the Government in establishing it were well-intentioned but the objective of eliminating bureaucracy and the parochial element associated with the old-style, traditional health boards was not achieved. What replaced the traditional health boards is essentially an ever-expanding and pretty frightening monster, namely, the HSE.

What we have been left with is a complete absence of the streamlining of services. (more…)

Latest Report from Dublin City Council – Friday 26th February

The water supply situation has been stabilised to the point where we are now in a position to lift all restrictions on supply with effect from this evening (Feb 26th).

The lifting of restrictions will result in a rise in demand. The level of increase will dictate whether it will be necessary to re-introduce restrictions in the coming days.

Essential maintenance work at the water treatment plants has commenced and will be ongoing for the next number of months. This should not impact on our ability to supply unless the level of demand rises further for whatever reason or problems arise at the plants. (more…)