“Gender Quota” legislation should be scrapped.

From the outset I believed the “Gender quota” legislation introduced by Minister Phil Hogan on behalf of this Government was fundamentally flawed.  It is a poor response to the under representation of women in the Dáil.  It requires all political parties to field minimum 30% female candidates at the next General Election or face a significant cut…

Minister should refund €19 million to Dubliners

It is scandalous that property owners in Dublin have been forced to pay millions of euro for the proposed Metro North rail project even though the project has not gone ahead.  Since 2007 property owners within 1km of the proposed Metro North from St Stephens Green to Dublin Airport have been forced to pay more…

Addiction Treatment Center Closure Major Blow to Addicts

Barrymore House, Stanhope Centre has been in existence since 1977 and for more than twenty five years has helped many alcoholics and gamblers cope with their illness. For the 1st time since they opened the doors to it’s public residential alcohol treatment centre were closed this month. The June programme was cancelled and future programmes…

New Planning Applications for Grangegorman

The Grangegorman Development Agency recently lodged two planning applications to Dublin City Council (DCC) for two major academic buildings for Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) as the next stage of development of the Grangegorman campus. It was a unique honour for me to voluntarily serve on the GGDA Board and the first Community Consultative Committee….

Gender Quota legislation should be scrapped.

As a politically active woman who wants equal representation of men and women in our democracy I should welcome any initiative that contributes to that goal.  As a member of Fianna Fail I should enjoy Fine Gaels self-inflicted embarrassment caused by their leading TD in Dublin being defeated, by their own members, at convention to…

Redevelopment of North Lotts and Grand Canal Dock must prioritise social and affordable housing

Speaking today Dublin City Councillor Mary Fitzpatrick welcomed An Bord Pleanála’s decision to approve the North Lotts and Grand Canal Dock Planning Scheme which will facilitate fast-track planning for the Docklands Strategic Development Zone (SDZ).  However Cllr Fitzpatrick stated that “Social and affordable housing must be prioritised as part of the residential allocation”. Cllr Fitzpatrick…

Planning Developments for Moore St. Commemorative Centre

Cllr Mary Fitzpatrick would like to advise of further planning developments in relation to the proposed creation of a 1916 commemorative centre at the national monument at numbers 14-17 Moore Street in Dublin’s North Inner city. The final detailed design for the national monument has been submitted to the Minister/Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht…

Off- licences in Dublin urged to not sell alcohol before 4pm on St. Patrick’s Day

Chair of the Dublin Central Joint Policing Committee, Cllr Mary Fitzpatrick, today called on off-licences in the rest of Dublin to follow the example of those located in the north inner city and to not sell alcohol before 4pm on St. Patrick’s Day. Cllr. Fitzpatrick said that for the last few years, under a voluntary code agreed with the Gardai, off-licences in the North…