Urban Regeneration and Development Fund for Trim and Navan

English encourages local communities in Trim and Navan to work closely with Meath County Council on applications for Urban Regeneration and Development Fund 

Some €4 billion will be made available to cities and towns across Ireland through the Project Ireland 2040 Funds, including the towns of Trim and Navan in Meath West, local Fine Gael T.D. and Minister for Housing and Urban Renewal Damien English T.D. has said.

As part of Project Ireland 2040, the Government is setting up four new funds to deliver better cities, better rural towns and communities, fund new technology and look at how we can combat climate change and effectively respond to the huge challenge it poses.

The breakdown is: €2bn for urban regeneration, €1bn for the Rural Development Fund, €500m climate action fund and €500m disruptive technologies fund

Minister English said: “This funding is great news for Trim and Navan, and for the wider county too. The new €2 billion Urban Regeneration and Development Fund will also encourage greater stakeholder contributions than we’ve had in the past.

“This is part of a longer term plan which delivers the resources to make our new planning framework come alive. Our hope is that this new funding model will move beyond politics and hopefully see more community driven initiatives.

“This fund will act as a driver of development and it is essential that Meath County Council and our community groups apply for all the funding available to them.

“The Fund will encourage collaborative approaches between Departments, agencies, Local Authorities and other public bodies, and the private sector, where appropriate, to pool their assets and work with communities to transform our rural towns and villages and their outlying areas.

“Previously we’ve allocated to Government Departments and to Local Authorities on the basis of what they got in the past – that needs to change.

“Proposals will be expected to be consistent with the National Planning Framework objectives and provide a strategic integrated approach which is consistent with regional and local plans for the area.

“To ensure Ireland benefits we have to completely change how we allocate funding to universities and the private sector on a competitive basis.

“We’re asking them to apply for funding that the State will look at matching,” the Meath West Fine Gael T.D. and Minister said.

ENDS

EDITORS NOTE:

€2 billion Urban Regeneration and Development Fund:

The primary purpose of the €2 billion Fund is to secure more compact, sustainable growth in Ireland’s five cities and other large urban centres (the 59 eligible cities and towns are listed in the annex).  This funding, addition to normal sectoral funding streams, is designed to leverage a greater proportion of residential and commercial development, supported by infrastructure, services and amenities, within the existing built-up areas of our larger urban settlements.

There is a total of €500m Exchequer funding to the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund over the years 2019 to 2022, with €100 million of expenditure available in 2019. An initial call for proposals is intended to be made before the end of June 2018, allowing a 14 week period for development of applications with a targeted closing date at end September 2018.  Proposals will be invited to be submitted under one of two categories:

2019. A)     ‘Ready-to-go’ proposals that can be initiated in 2019.  Projects in this category will have the necessary consents (e.g. planning) in place, be at an advanced stage of design and be procurement-ready; or
2020. B)     Proposals that require further development and that subject to approval in principle, may be initiated in 2019 or in subsequent years. It will be necessary to detail, as part of the bid process, the key steps required for further project development to enable project initiation.

The initial 2018 call will invite bids that may be made for funding a large project on a multi-annual basis, in respect of which project expenditure can commence in 2019. There will be further calls periodically, with funding/allocations to be increased incrementally as the programme becomes established.

Bid proposals must be on a co-funded basis and must therefore demonstrate significant stakeholder contribution in the form of a combination of wider exchequer and/or state-sector capital expenditure, local authority investment and/or land, or other asset contributions.  The co-funding contribution must comprise not less than 25% of the bid value.

There will also be a requirement for 100% (euro-for-euro) leveraging of committed wider private sector investment in the delivery of homes, community and/or commercial floorspace in urban areas, arising from investment to be made as a result of the Urban Fund.

There is a wide range of projects that will be eligible for this regeneration and development funding, including the acquisition, enabling and/or development of areas, sites and buildings, relocation of uses, public amenity works, community facilities, transport, services infrastructure and/or transition to a low carbon and climate resilient society, in an urban context.

Types of areas eligible for funding may include those that include a concentration of low-intensity uses, such as storage depots or warehousing, underutilised ‘backlands’ behind streets and buildings, or institutional sites that are suitable for re-development, as part of an overall regeneration proposal.

Eligible Cities and Towns:

A list of the eligible cities and towns is included below. This may be reviewed post-2021 following the next Census.

Cities

1          Dublin City and Metropolitan Area

2          Cork City and Metropolitan Area

3          Limerick City and Metropolitan Area

4          Galway City and Metropolitan Area

5          Waterford City and Metropolitan Area

 

Regional/Cross-border drivers

1          Drogheda

2          Dundalk

3          Athlone

4          Letterkenny

5          Sligo

 

Towns >10,000 population 2016

1          Swords

2          Bray

3          Navan

4          Kilkenny

5          Ennis

6          Carlow

7          Tralee

8          Newbridge

9          Portlaoise

10         Balbriggan

11         Naas

12         Mullingar

13         Celbridge

14         Wexford

15         Greystones

16         Clonmel

17         Malahide

18         Carrigaline

19         Leixlip

20         Tullamore

21         Maynooth

22         Killarney

23         Arklow

24         Cobh

25         Ashbourne

26         Midleton

27         Mallow

28         Castlebar

29         Laytown-Bettystown-Mornington

30         Enniscorthy

31         Cavan

32         Wicklow

33         Tramore

34         Ballina

35         Skerries

36         Longford

 

Towns <10,000 population, >2,500 jobs 2016

(eligible for either urban or rural funds)

 

1          Gorey

2          Shannon

3          Nenagh

4          Westport

5          Roscommon

6          Monaghan

7          Tuam

8          Thurles

9          Dungarvan

10         New Ross

11         Ballinasloe

12         Carrick-on-Shannon

13         Trim

 

 

English encourages communities to apply for CCTV funding

–          Up to 60% of total capital cost available, up to maximum
grant of €40,000
–          Scheme remains open with funding of €1m available each year

Thursday, 26th April 2018

The Minister for Housing and Urban Renewal, and Meath West Fine Gael
T.D. Damien English, has encouraged groups in Meath and Westmeath to
apply for the Community based CCTV grant-aid scheme established by the
Justice Department to assist communities in the establishment of CCTV
systems in their local areas. Under the scheme, community groups can
apply for grant-aid of up to 60% of the total capital cost of a
proposed system, up to a maximum grant of €40,000.

Minister English stated: “I am very anxious to ensure that all
interested groups, in both rural and urban areas of Meath West, take
advantage of the availability of this grant-aid scheme. Full details
of the grant aid package are available to download from the Justice
Department website www.justice.ie and officials in that Department are
available to provide additional guidance on the application process
should that be helpful.”

The scheme was developed in line with a commitment in the Programme
for a Partnership Government to support investment in CCTV systems at
key locations along the road network and in urban centres. The scheme
is currently due to run until April 2020 with funding of some €1
million being made available each year.

Minister English added: “The investment represented by the
community-based CCTV grant-aid scheme reflects the value that
communities, especially rural communities, place on CCTV as a means of
deterring crime and assisting in the detection of offenders. I am
conscious too that An Garda Síochána have reviewed the effectiveness
of CCTV systems and indicated that it utilises CCTV in almost every
criminal investigation, during major public events and sporting
occasions, in the investigation of road traffic incidents and in many
other areas requiring police action.  Community-based CCTV systems
have therefore proven to be of significant assistance in the
prevention and detection of crime throughout the State.”

The grant-aid scheme is intended to supplement the existing network of
CCTV systems.  For example there are some 35 Garda CCTV schemes in
operation throughout the State comprising in excess of 500 cameras.
There are also some 45 Community-based CCTV schemes in operation,
established under a previous grant-aid scheme funded by the Department
between 2005 and 2013, encompassing some 367 cameras to which An Garda
Síochána have access. Regarding the road network, services under the
Garda Safety Camera contract commenced in May 2017 and provide an
annual minimum of 90,000 hours of monitoring and surveying vehicle
speed across 1,031 designated safety camera zones. Further expansion
of the use of technologies including CCTV and Automatic Number Plate
Recognition is included under the Garda Commissioner’s Modernisation
and Renewal Programme 2016-2021.

ENDS

Note for editors:

Application forms and guidance documents can be downloaded at
http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/Community-Based-CCTV

The rules governing establishment of community CCTV schemes are
provided for in the Garda Síochána Act 2005, as amended, and in the
Garda Síochána (CCTV) Order 2006. This legal framework requires
proposed community CCTV schemes to:

–          have the prior support of the relevant Local Authority,
which must act as data controller in respect of the system;
–          be approved by the local Joint Policing Committee; and
–          have the authorisation of the Garda Commissioner in
accordance with Section 38 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005.

New 500 Pupil Secondary School Secured for Enfield – English

Damien English, Local Fine Gael TD and the Minister for Housing and Urban Development, has welcomed news that Enfield in South Meath will be home to a new Second Level School for 500 pupils under Governments new plans for additional school buildings nationwide.

“Today, my colleague the Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton, T.D. announced plans for the establishment of new schools over the next 4 years (2019 to 2022). This announcement follows nationwide demographic exercises carried out by his Department into the current and future need for primary and post-primary school places across the country. The new school for Enfield is planned to open in 2020”

Minister English paid tribute to the local community in Enfield for actively campaigning with him since his tenure as Minister of State in the Department of Education for the much-needed school for the South Meath town and surrounding areas.

Minister English stated that “In February of this year I, along with Cllr. Enda Flynn and Breda Duggan met with Minister Bruton on behalf of the Enfield Post Primary Group to present demographic figures for the catchment area which helped to prove the case for a new Second Level School in Enfield.  I would like to thank the many local campaigners for never giving up on the need for the school.  During my time at the Department of Education I ensured that the case for Enfield would be included in this review of school accommodation needs based on demographic needs. The work and dedication by the people of Enfield has helped to secure this new educational facility for the growing South Meath town”.

Cllr. Enda Flynn said of the great local news for Enfield “About ten years ago I was approached about the need to establish a Post Primary school in Enfield. This need has become more evident as the years have gone past. Many people have contributed to the campaign. Breda Duggan and Kevin Mullan have a led a dedicated group in recent years. I am delighted that the wishes of so many in this community are now being realised.

We have wonderful pre-schools and a modern Primary school in Enfield. The announcement that a new Post Primary School will now be built in Enfield will see the last piece of the jig-saw as regards educational facilities for the area.

I appreciate the work that Minister Damien English did while in the Department of Education and Skills to ensure that Enfield was included in the priority areas for the country. The 2018 Review of these areas shows that the facts prove the need for the school in Enfield. Minister English has continued to work with our local group over the past number of years and I am delighted now to be able to welcome this announcement.”

In addition to this announcement Minister English confirmed that Government will also continue to monitor areas where the accommodation of existing schools may need to be expanded in order to meet the needs of the local population. Approximately 40% of extra school places are delivered by extending existing schools.

Further to today’s announcement by the Minister for Education, Minister English has also received confirmation that the Department remains fully committed to all projects on the existing building programme and is progressing all as quickly as possible.

Minister English said “I will continue to work with my colleagues in Government to progress the new school building projects currently approved for St. Mary’s Special School, Colaiste na Mí Post Primary School (Phase ii), Lismullen National, Ard Rí Community National School, St. Ultan’s Special School & St. Joseph’s Mercy Secondary School. The Department of Education’s website is also being updated to ensure that the current status of existing major projects in the school building programme is set out in a more user-friendly format. The status of projects will be more regularly updated to reflect their progress as part of the €8.4 billion investment in school buildings under Project Ireland 2040.

ENDS

English welcomes positive news for Trim Educate Together N.S.

Saturday, 24th March 2018

Damien English T.D., the Minister for Housing and Urban Renewal, and
the Fine Gael T.D. for Meath West has welcomed the announcement from his
colleague the Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton T.D.
to sanction to expansion of the size of the student numbers at Trim
Educate Together National School within its current school site owing
to local demand.

“While the current temporary site has a limited footprint, and there will be
technical and planning issues to be dealt with by the school, this news from
Minister Bruton is an important acknowledgement by the Department of
Education and Skills of the huge work and commitment of the
Principal,Staff, Board of Management and Parent’s For the pupils who
wish to attend.  All of these different stakeholders have highlighted
the need and demand for this school in Trim and its surrounding area”
Minister English said.

He continued: “As a local T.D. and Minister I supported and will
continue to support their work on behalf of their current and future
pupils and children, and for the Trim town and surrounding areas,
which has a need for additional schools places.”

Minister English concluded: “Ultimately, the next step for Trim
Educate Together is to move to their new premises in the town of Trim.
This will be more suited for growth and education delivery.

ENDS

English thanks emergency services, local Councils and most importantly community spirit and human kindness

Monday, 5th March 2018

As the thaw well and truly sets in, and normal life begins to return
for the majority of our people, it would be wrong not to reflect on
the week gone by and thank those who did so much locally and
nationally during the most raw demonstration of nature’s power in our
generation.

I want to acknowledge and thank the exceptional work of local
emergency services like An Garda, Fire Services, Defence Forces and
Reserve Defence Forces, Ambulance and Hospital staff last week. i also
want to thank Meath and Westmeath County Councils – their staff, elected members and
contractors, and all of those who kept our roads open when safe to do
so, and who kept water and power supplies going or helped to restore
them if lost. As a once in a generation event Storm Emma really pushed
the resources of the State nationally and locally, and as a result so
many local people, especially our local farming community stepped into
the breach to our offer their expertise, experience and community
spirit in clearing local roads and local estates.

Community groups like Meath River Rescue joined the Civil Defence, Order of Malta, Red Cross, Gardai and many others in delivering emergency workers, carers and
home helps safely to work, and helping meals and wheels and other vital services to do their work with the oldest and most vulnerable in our society.

Local media  like LMFM, Midlands Radio, the Meath Chronicle and Westmeath Examiner online, and Social Media platforms were all crucial in keeping people informed.

As a member of the National Emergency Co-ordination Group I saw how the work of our emergency services, communities and media nationwide was equally exceptional. I also saw first hand the quality of the research and modelling done by Met Eireaann, who are second to none in Europe. Their early warnings early last week gave people time to organise supplies and make all necessary preparations.  We thank them for that too.

The work of the National Emergency Co-ordination Group was mirrored in every County by similar local groups, and Meath and Westmeath County Councils are to be congratulated for their leadership and team work of this group locally along with all the members groups and agencies.

The danger with saying thanks is that someone is left out, but that
never happens on purpose.  The gratitude of Meath West and the whole
country goes out to those who went above beyond the call of duty last
week, and put themselves in harm’s way in helping their community and
country.

Please continue to use common sense during the thaw and heed the
warnings on local media. Please watch out for potential flooding on
our roads and continue to stay safe.

ENDS

Minister English is urging Meath West constituents to make all necessary preparations now for snow this week

Monday, 26th February 2018

We are looking at very unusual weather events this coming week
according to local Meath West Fine Gael T.D. and Minister for Housing
and Urban Renewal Damien English.  He is urging local residents to
prepare now, and to keep a close eye and ear on Local and National
media, and Social Media.

According to Met Eireann it is likely Tuesday evening will see bands of
rain turning to snow with further accumulations for the rest of the
week. Some of the snow showers will be of prolonged duration.  The
forecasts are for extremely low temperatures this week.  High winds,
up to gale force strength later in the week could cause blizzards.

Make arrangements now

“This will be a very significant weather event and people need to
start making arrangements now to prepare for it. The advice to people
is to start preparing their homes now, so have extra batteries, fuel
and enough food in stock for the coming days. Please look in on older
or more vulnerable neighbours” stated Minister English.

Local Authorities

He continued “Nationally Government is working with the aim is to
coordinate the various Local Authorities and state or semi-state
bodies to help businesses and keep the country open as much as
possible. Local Authorities  have been asked to provide an update to
Government on their state of readiness to deal with the severe weather
on a county by county basis. Anyone planning to travel this week needs
to heed weather reports over the next few days.”

Salting

“The levels of salt available nationally is 120,000 tonnes. The normal
daily usage is 4-5,000 tonnes so the stocks are sufficient to meet
demand. Local authorities are managing these stocks. Motorways and
national roads will be prioritized. Driver behaviour will be an issue
this week and we need drivers to take care and slow down” Minister
English said.

School transport

“School transport system decisions will be made in line with ongoing
forecasts in each County. Code red snow levels in a County will lead
to school buses not running so schools will be closed in that
circumstance. Safety is to the fore in all decisions being made, and
school Principals and Boards of Management are asked to keep a close
eye on updates and guidance for their local area” stated Minister
English.

Rough Sleepers

Members of the public are also being asked to contact their local authority to report any rough sleepers that they have concerns about and any such cases will be followed up. In the Dublin region, members of the public can report cases of concern through the following weblink; http://www.homelessdublin.ie/report-rough- sleeper#1

Finally Minister English encouraged people to visit: www.winterready.ie

ENDS

Beaufort College Navan wins the race to study PE – English

Monday, 26th February 2018

Beaufort College Navan is among the 80 secondary schools nationwide,
to be part of the first phase implementation of Physical Education
(PE) for Senior Cycle programmes and has been congratulated by local
T.D. and Minister Damien English.

The Minister for Housing and Urban Renewal, and Meath West Fine Gael
T.D. welcomed the news saying: “I am delighted that Beaufort College
Navan is included in the pilot scheme for schools to study Physical
Education at Senior Cycle. This means Navan students will be among the
first in the country to take the Leaving Cert exam in PE.”

80 schools will implement either the examinable Physical Education
Leaving Certificate subject or the new Senior Cycle Physical Education
Framework which is not for examination, or both. It will be rolled out
to all schools from 2020 so all students in Meath will benefit from
this before too long.

“Students taking the new Leaving Certificate subject from September
2018 will sit the first Leaving Certificate Physical Education (LCPE)
exam in 2020. The subject can be taken at both higher and ordinary
levels. The new Senior Cycle Physical Education (SCPE) Framework, will
provide a new modern curriculum for teachers to teach PE to all
students at senior cycle.

“The assessment process will have 20% going to a physical activity
project; 30% to performance assessment and 50% to a written
examination.”

“The Fine Gael Government is taking physical education seriously for
the health of our nation and this announcement is part of the overall
Government focus on encouraging healthy living. We want to support
families and communities in Meath to make healthy choices. The
announcement is also a key commitment in Minister Richard Bruton’s
Action Plan for Education, which aims to make Ireland’s education and
training system the best in Europe by 2026.”

ENDS

Project Ireland 2040 launched today

‘Project Ireland 2040’, launched today, is a key element in how we plan
and build for the Meath/Westmeath and the Ireland of 2040 and beyond.  I am
delighted that encouraging local jobs near to where people live, and
providing vital infrastructure – both social and transport, are the
key drivers of this new investment plan. As one of the Ministers
responsible at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local
Government for the National Planning Framework , which forms a
crucial component of this plan, I welcome this jobs focussed and
sustainable vision.  This marks a major re-balancing of previous
failed Fianna Fail plans.

Some of the highlights of the plan include:

Rural Regeneration and Development Fund

Locally, in Meath West I welcome specifically the Rural Regeneration
and Development Fund. Investment projects in towns and villages with
populations of less than 10,000 in Meath and Westmeath will be in a
position to benefit from a new Rural Regeneration and Development Fund
which will invest €1bn in promoting rural renewal, to help towns,
villages and rural areas to grow in a sustainable way. Our larger Urban centres will also have access to an Urban Regeneration Fund.  This is good
news for many parts of rural Meath and Westmeath. Project Ireland 2040
also supports Gaeltacht areas across the country with increased
investment to enable the creation of 1,000 jobs every year in
Gaeltacht areas including Meath.

Social Housing

For social housing, the target up to the 2021 period is to deliver
approximately 26,120 additional social homes under this programme
across the Greater Dublin Region (Meath/Kildare/Wicklow). Over two
thirds of this will be through new build and a healthy pipeline of
activity is already in place with around 5,000 units completed, on
site or progressing through approval stages.  Of the 5,000 additional
social housing units in current delivery, specific examples would
include projects in Meath at Ratoath 17 homes, Kells 40 homes and
Connaught Grove, Athboy, 32 homes.

Dunboyne Rail and possible extension to Dunshaughlin and Navan

The National Transport Authority is required to review its Greater
Dublin Area Transport Strategy before the end of 2021. This review
will include a reappraisal of the project to extend the rail line from
Dunboyne to Dunshaughlin and Navan, taking into account the scale of
new and planned development along the route and will allow for its
consideration during the Mid Term Review of Project Ireland 2040.

Greenway

Projects ready to be delivered in 2018/2019 include the completion of
the Kildare and Meath sections of the Galway to Dublin Greenway. It is
expected that a number of new greenways projects will be funded and
delivered over the period of the National Development Plan, the
funding for which will be allocated on the basis of a competitive
bid-based approach. The goal of an iconic coast-to- coast greenway
from Dublin to Galway remains a priority for the Government and in
light of the development of the Greenways Strategy.

ENDS

Full statement to the Meath Chronicle on North South Inter-connector

Please see below my full statement to the Meath Chronicle this week on Eirgrid:

“The North South Interconnector is a contentious issue. There has been much local concern surrounding the use of pylons in areas like Kilmessan, Bective, Dunderry and my own parish of Bohermeen.

In opposition or Government, I have maintained that the winning of the undergrounding argument is to prove it is the best use, and long-term value, of taxpayer’s money to do so.

Since Fianna Fáil gave the green light to the North South Interconnector in 2007 I questioned the cost of undergrounding that Eirgrid put forward, and the assertion it has to be done solely with pylons.

I have repeatedly called for international exerts, independent of Eirgrid, to assess the North South project and compare it a similar project internationally; as each of the planned grid projects in Ireland are so different. The high voltage underground interconnector between Belgium and Germany, ALEGrO, is one such project internationally that I am aware of.

Both the technology available and the costs associated with that technology have changed and improved over the years. These changes have demanded further study. As a result, Minister Denis Naughten agreed to commission an independent study to examine the technical feasibility and cost of undergrounding the North South Interconnector.

This is due out in the near future. I hope it provides the evidence that undergrounding is both a technically feasible and cost-effective option for the North South Interconnector.

Some in Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin have put forward a simplistic view that the project can be undergrounded at the whim of the Government. If this is the case, why then did Fianna Fáil sanction the use of pylons in the first place for the North South Interconnector and hold this view for years in Government? Why did Sinn Féin, a party in a power sharing Government for the first ten years of this project fail to stop the use of pylons for the Northern Ireland section of this project?

Coming from Bohermeen I am biased against the use of pylons. But this will not win the argument to put them underground. Evidence and facts will win the case. A reasonable person would accept we should do all we can to avoid the use of pylons if possible. That is my job as a local TD; to do all I can to avoid using them. I will continue in my work to prove we can avoid their use”

Minister English announces new social housing scheme for Navan

8th January 2018

Damien English, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government today (Monday) announced approval to the construction of over 40 units in Farganstown, Navan, Co. Meath. Funding of €11.2 million is being provided by the Department for this project, which is part of a wider development. 

Meath County Council have received approval for funding of €4.26 million under Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF), also from the Department, for the provision of an access road for Farganstown which will enable the delivery of these social housing units and a further 360 private housing units.  The grant agreement for the LIHAF project was signed by the Minister in December 2017.

Minister English welcomed the project which, importantly, will advance in tandem with the LIHAF infrastructure works. 

Rebuilding Ireland, Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness has put in place the necessary funding to accelerate the delivery of social housing, with a greater emphasis now being placed on direct build activity for local authorities and approved housing bodies. 

Minister English acknowledged progress nationally with the construction status report to Quarter 3 2017 showing significant growth in the area of new build activity with over 770 schemes, which will deliver some 12,300 associated units in the pipeline. 

In Meath in particular he said “there are already 14 projects in the construction pipeline, which will deliver in excess of 243 units at an estimated cost of €50 million, which along with this project will bring Meath County Council’s current pipeline to over 280 units”. Local Authorities have been asked to continue to add to their pipeline of construction projects.

In Budget 2018, €1.9 billion has been secured for housing programmes, representing a 46% increase over 2017.  This investment will ensure that the housing needs of 25,500 households will be met next year, 4,420 more households than in 2017. 

“My Department and I will be continuing to engage proactively with all local authorities including Meath County Council and with approved housing bodies to expand further the programme of projects in the weeks and months ahead” concluded Minister English.

ENDS