Minutes of Parish Council Meeting 13th March 2008

Library

No meeting of the Museum Committee had taken place but one is to be organised before the next Parish Council meeting. Enda Bonner said that Eileen Burges wants to put library into Community Centre. It was decided that the Community Centre Committee should be approached again to push for the small room to be used as library. The Committee had said in the past that it wasn’t suitable because of the computers and equipment the FAS use these for courses. The open area in the community centre was ruled out as all the books would have to be locked away when not in use.

James is to send a letter to Community Centre Committee regarding the problem.

The new fire station has been totally ruled out as an alternative location.

Enda confirmed that the old fire station has been secured as a site for a new library but there is no money available for the project. The new library at old fire station is 2nd in the Glenties electoral area and others in the county are pushing too. 

Health Centre

James received a letter during the week saying the design team is to be appointed by March/April. Dates have been moved from January to March and now to April. Pat the Cope has confirmed the design team could still be in place by end of March and it’s pushing ahead as quickly as can be.

Councillors

All local Co. Councillors were invited to the meeting and Enda Bonner was present to discuss allocation of money in the area.

Roads

€375,000 allocated to Kilraine Junction

From the allocations made in 2007 the Tullyard road got €24,000 and Gortnasillagh got €49,600 both have been marked as completed by the Co. Council

The following allocations have been made for 2008 

• €375,000 for the Kilraine junction only. The Co. Council asked for €1 million. 
• €300,000 for the Frosses to Glenties road 
• €23,400 for tarring on the Menahalla road

Under the 3 year plan for roads €200,000 has been allocated to the Glenties to Shallogans road and more will come next year.

Enda made the point that strengthening roads comes under the 3 year plan and tarring money comes up every year so any roads needing work would have to be brought to Enda’s attention so that he can apply for money for next year.

Tullyard and Church Road

Enda confirmed that he was looking into the land behind the Industrial Units for the use as a link road between the Tullyard and Church road but also made the point that if the link road goes ahead developers will lose out on land and the Co. Council will lose out on development charges.

There are 5 or 6 turnkey developments on these roads currently proposed to the Co. Council. Enda is trying to get the development on the Church Road passed as he wants the development charges to be used to widen the road and put in a proper footpath.

Because there is so much development proposed for these roads the Council will not be carrying out any work on either road. Enda is to look for the developers to fix these roads when developments are complete. He will follow up on this as the 34 houses currently occupied have been left with a road that two cars are unable to pass and has a very bad surface.

Pedestrian Crossing

James was speaking to Brian Cannon who said that the crossing at the bridge will never be a proper pedestrian crossing as there isn’t enough traffic. Enda is to make more enquires.

Points raised from the floor: 

• The current location is the most suitable place to cross in town 
• The planted pots on the bridge are too far out and you can’t see if cars are coming. 
• With the large number of pupils at the Comprehensive would there not be greater need for pedestrian crossing at that end of the town.

Sewage

There will be no improvement until the new treatment plant is built and there are still no tender documents set out. Enda is to check if Ard McGill and Ard Patrick are to be pumped to new location

Old Fire Station buildings

It was asked if the tidy towns sent a letter to the Co. Council regarding using the out buildings for lawn mowers etc. James is to chase up and Francis Brennan is to ask Kieran Kennedy

Public Toilets

More work was done to the toilets. James and Paddy checked the work and felt the job was satisfactory. All sanitary fixtures and fittings work. The point was made from the floor that the fixtures and fittings needed to be updated because of the way they looked also the old roof was leaking and would need to be fixed. Enda is to mention this and chase up.

Gardai

Paddy and James met with Superintendent McFadden last Friday to discuss issues 

1. Eircom poles on high road (Derries) are now in the middle of the road and are very dangerous. Eircom advised that if the people living there wanted to pay they would be moved. James to pursue this through the Gardai as a health hazard. 
2. The lack of a footpath on the Station Road was raised as a health and safety matter. 
3. Friday night disco – a lot of work is being done by the Gardai. Over the last couple of key weekends buses were being stopped and any drink on board is seized. Drunken teenagers were not aloud off the buses and so drivers had to take them back. Other buses were turned away. There is a heavy Gardai presence on these nights and it’s a problem being tackled nationally.

Points raised by the Garda in attendance: 

• The problem with Friday nights is that there is no drink being sold to the teenagers in Glenties it’s before they get on the buses. 
• All the pubs have been visited to make sure ID is requested. 
• The Limelight is inforcing the use of the Gardai ID cards. 
• Saturday night underage drinking being checked
  • The problem is improving 
• Drinking on street is not illegal in Glenties. A by-law needs to be passed by the town but this would mean that pubs could no longer have a seating area out on the street for use during the summer. 
• There is a drug awareness meeting by Janet Dean in the Comprehensive School on the 9th April at 7:30pm

Points raised from the floor: 

• Car horns being blown in the town by young people 
• It was asked if the town had a Civic/Community Garda that is dedicated to the town, call to youth clubs and the outreach program

Concerns regarding safety should be brought to the Parish Council or direct to the Gardai

AOB

Lights

There are lights off at the church entrance. The problem was reported but was told it would take 21 days to get fixed.

There are lights not working next to Dr. Cooke’s house and because of this the road is very dark at that point.
There are also lights no working in Dr. McCloskey Crescent

Chemist

The point was raised that the community are worried about vulnerable in the area not being able to afford medication.

Famine Graveyard

It was brought to Donna’s attention that there are no signs to the Famine Graveyard. Also the Comprehensive used to maintain a certain amount of land beside the graveyard and this is no longer being maintained and is now a mess

Tidy Town

There is disappointment in lack of interest shown from the Co. Council in relation to the tidy towns and the 50th year celebration. Enda confirmed there is no funding. Glenties is being looked at as the host town for this year’s competition. The Tidy Town committee will look to the Department of the Environment, Pat the Cope and Mary Coughlan for funding.

Traders

The publicans and other traders should be requested to come to the meeting to get their views on the new by-law.

Ethic Minorities

The Parish Council is for everyo
ne in the parish and so the ethic minorities in the area should be invited to the meetings.

Glenties Website

It was asked that people look at the Glenties website. www.glenties.ie

Next meeting Thursday 10th April at 9:00 in Highlands Hotel