Ray McAdam - New Face New Approach

So, why am I running for City Council?

2009-02-23T15:35:00.000-08:00

I love Dublin . It has become my home over the last seven years. It is where I have spent most of my adult life. There are so many great things about Dublin and particularly the North Inner City.

But, it is no use pretending it's perfect. In fact, some things are far from perfect - and I want to be on the City Council to help sort these problems out!

We need to get to grips with the criminal gang culture that has claimed the lives of too many young people in the last year.

Local communities deserve to get back their sense of security - because unless people feel safe, they will never make us of the immense opportunities Dublin's North Inner City has to offer.

I am running for the City Council because I wantt o make the North Inner City an even better place to live, work and raise a family.

I promise to work hard and do my very best to represent our communities on Dublin City Council. I know I can bring something new to an area that has been represented by the same people for a long time.

That's why I'm running for Dublin City Council.

Sick and tired of 'politics as usual'?

2009-02-23T15:07:00.001-08:00

The local elections offer the best chance to shake up local government and to provide you with a greater say in how our city is run. The only way you can guarantee political change at local and national level is to vote Fine Gael. Fine Gael is committed to ending Fianna Fail's control of Dublin City Council and Fianna Fail's grip on national government.

This government:

has systematically destroyed our public health service
has put property developers and vested interests before people and communities
is losing the war on a day to day basis against gangland crime
is crippling our education system with vicious cuts to services
has failed to deliver on key public transport for Dublin
has sat idly by while PPP housing projects have collapsed across the North Inner City
has viciously targeted old age pensioners and school children in an attempt to make up for 11 years of mismanagement of the public finances

Ray McAdam:

New Voice on Local Issues,

A new and energetic voice for our community

Anti-Social Behaviour - Increased Garda Patrols

2009-02-07T08:25:00.000-08:00

Local residents have expressed their concern to me about problems with anti-social behviour in the area. Particular difficulties have been experienced on Cowper Street and Finn Street by residents and brought these to the attention of Local Gardai. People must feel safe in their homes and on the streets. To combat this problem, I have repeatedly called for the greater use of CCTV on streets with this being backed up with more Gardai on the beat tackling crime. As a result of representations made by Senator Paschal Donohoe and myself, we have been informed by Gardai that an additional Inspector has been appointed for O'Devaney Gardens and surrounding streets. I very much welcome this appointment and I hope it will help to deal effectively with anti-social behviour by keeping a highly visibly presence in this area.

Ray with Fine Gael Dublin Central Senator Paschal Donohoe

2009-02-07T08:11:00.000-08:00

Paschal is a former member of Dublin City Council and was elected to the Seanad in 2007. He uses his position as a Senator to raise issues of local importance with the Government in the Seanad. Issues that he has recently raised include local housing plans, community policing plans, the future of our local health services and public transport plans.

He is the Fine Gael Seanad spokesperson on Transport and a member of the European Affairs and Transport Oireachtas Committees. He is always available to help with local issues and will be working with Ray to do whatever they can to advance the needs and concerns of the communities of the North Inner City and the wider Dublin Central constitutency over the coming years.

Junk Mail - How you can prevent it!

2009-02-07T08:01:00.000-08:00

Householders can now stop junk mail arriving at their home. To do so, you need to complete a Junk Mail Prevention form which can be downloaded from www.dublinwaste.ie or you can request a form by calling the Irish Direct Marketing Association on 01 - 830 4752. Once you complete the form, return by post free of charge to Mailing Preference Service, P.O Box 5609, Freepost, Dublin 4. Should you have any difficulty getting a form, do not hesiate to get in touch with me and I;ll arrange for a form to be sent to you.

Building Energy Ratings - Now Compulsory

2009-02-07T07:47:00.000-08:00

A Building Energy Rating (BER) is similar to an energy label for household electrical appliances like fridges and toasters. The BER has a scale of A - G. A-rated homes are the most energy efficient with G-rated the least sufficient. From January 1st, it became compulsory for all homes being sold or rented to receive a BER certificate. The BER certificate must accompany an offer to sell or let a home by either the vendor or landlord. These BER assessments will be carried out by BER assessors who have trained under the National Framework of Qualifications and have registered with Sustainable Energy Ireland. More detailed information can be found on www.sei.ie, but should you require any other information please contact me.

Grangegorman Development Agency lodge Planning Application for Laundry Building

2009-01-21T11:11:00.000-08:00

The Grangegorman Developement formally submitted a planning application for the redevelopment of the laundry building in the site today.

This application is located in the North Central area of the Grangegorman site. The key points of the Planning Application include:
- Restoring the roof and structure
- Removing twentieth century additions to the building
- Damp proofing and restoring interior walls
- Improving insulation, draught proofing and natural ventilation

It is envisaged that the work will take up to eight months and for the duration of the work any construction vehicles delivering to the site will use the gate at the junction of Grangegorman Road Upper and Rathdown Road.

Should you require any further information on this planning application, the Grangegorman Development Agency's website contains a copy of the application. You can access the website at www.gda.ie. The planning department of Dublin City Council will also have any other information which maybe of interest to you.

Ray with former Fine Gael Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald

2009-01-07T17:33:00.000-08:00

Green Bin Collection - New Contractor

2009-01-07T17:10:00.000-08:00

A number of people have been in touch with me about the change in contractor for the Green Bin Collection. Greyhound took over the contract from January 1st last, as a result of problems encountered Oxigen. I raised the concerns of local people with the City Council and I have been provided with the following information.

• Bins with the Oxigen name printed on them will be rebranded.
• Collection days in the Dublin 7 area will remain unchanged. Should there be any changes – all customers will receive prior notice.
• There are no plans to increase charges for a replacement bin.
• There will be no separate charge for the collection of green bins.
• Greyhound can be contacted at 1890 342 342 or www.greenbin.ie, should you need to report lost bins, missed collections or information explaining what material goes into the green bin.

Use Your Voice - Vote Fine Gael

2009-01-07T17:07:00.000-08:00

If you would like to join Fine Gael in the North Inner City please contact me on 086 - 190 6209 or at raymcadam@gmail.com

Alternatively, you can contact Dublin Central Senator Paschal Donohoe or my colleague, Bart Bruzewicz.

Fine Gael always welcomes new members. For your say in our political system, please feel free to get in touch if you would like top raise any issues or concerns.

Croke Park Parking Scheme - Failure to Reach Agreement!

2009-01-07T17:03:00.000-08:00

Numerous people have spoken to me about their disappointment over the City Council's decision to delay plans to introduce the Residents Only Parking Scheme for match days at Croke Park. While I acknowledge the parking cordon proposed was very restrictive, it is regrettable that the Council was willing to abandon plans to find an equitable solution. Further discussions will now take place between the City Council, Croke Park and other stakeholders.

Ray's Speech to Fine Gael National Conference, November '08

2008-11-25T16:12:00.000-08:00

Thank you very much, Mr Chairman.

My name is Ray McAdam and I am a Fine Gael candidate in Dublin's North Inner City. I want to talk to you this afternoon about drug misuse and the need for better preventative measures to be put in place as well as the need for greater rehabilitation facilities for those trying to live their lives free from drugs.

I live and work in Dublin's North Inner City.

I see first hand the affect of drug abuse and drug misuse has on the people of the North Inner City.

I see, not alone the affect it has on the drug user, but on the family of that user.

This in turn, has a devastating affect on the communities of the North Inner City.

And I am quite sure unfortunately, that this situation is replicated across many parts of our country.

Today, Mr. Chairman, I want to raise a number of these issues with our panel of speakers.

A report recently highlighted that one in twenty people are now taking cocaine on a regular basis.

This report also showed that those who want to take drugs are having little difficulty in getting access to these substances.

As drugs have become so readily available in Irish society, I sometimes wonder whether we actually realise the extent of drug misuse across Dublin's North Inner City and the towns and villages across the country.

Do we really understand the impact of drug misuse, is having on people's lives?

As someone trying to follow in the footsteps of the late Fine Gael TD Jim Mitchell and represent the people of the North Inner City, I am particularly concerned about the lack of preventative measures now in place as well as the shortage of rehabilitation facilities are available to those who really need them.

As I said, I hope to represent the North Inner City of Dublin.

The last Fine Gael TD elected for that area was the late Jim Mitchell.

Jim Mitchell was a passionate champion for social justice.

As Dublin's youngest Lord Mayor, Garret FitzGerald's first Minister for Justice and with over 25 years experience in Dail Eireann, Jim Mitchell fought for the forgotten, the marginalised and the oppressed.

Jim Mitchell never forgot that Fine Gael's primary mission is to create a Just Society.

One of the most critical measures needed in order to create that Just Society is fight to eradicate drug addiction in our towns and villages.

So, I want to ask the Panel three questions:

Firstly, given that the Government's Drug Strategy has been in place for many years, does the Panel believe it has had any real impact?

Secondly, are sufficient preventative measures being put in place?

Thirdly, are the support services available for those who really need and want rehabilitation?

Metro North - Submission to An Bord Pleanala

2008-11-09T06:09:00.000-08:00

I along with Senator Paschal Donohoe and Councillor Mary O'Shea made a joint submission to An Bord Pleanala on the Metro North planning application. In our submission we stressed the need for an independent monitoring system during and after construction, the need for environmental limits to be strictly observed and an effective local complaint system.

If you have further questions or concerns in relation to our submission, please do not hesitate to contact me and I'll do what I can to help!

The planned Metro North is the single largest infrastructural project in the history of the Irish State. There is little doubt that the Metro will create massive benefits for the city of Dublin and residents living alone the route. However, the construction phase will see a lot of disruption resulting in an immense impact upon the lives of thousands of people. Therefore, we believe it is necessary for An Bord Pleanala to hold an oral hearing into this application, so that the concerns of people affected by the construction and operation of the Metro will be taken into consideration.

Local people are concerned with a number of key aspects of the Environmental Impact Statement which accompanied the Railway Order. We acknowledge that until the contractors provide a final design for the construction of Metro North, many of our concerns and questions will not be fully answered. However, we believe it necessary for any final design to take full account of all conditions included in the Railway Order as seen fit by An Bord Pleanala.

Therefore we urge the Board to take consideration of the following issues:
The need for certain environmental limits to be included in the conditions of the Railway Order at particular locations and particular times of day. We would ask the Board to consider include limiting the hours of working to be included in the detailed design of the Metro.Requests for conditions to be imposed requiring monitoring schemes for major measurable impacts to be agreed and implemented before construction proceeds. These conditions should include:
- measuring the level of noise during the construction phase
- measuring the level of noise during the operation of Metro North
- dust and other airborne emissions during the construction and operation of the Metro
- the impact of construction traffic and pedestrian safety during the construction phase
- potential for the construction works to cause or exacerbate flooding
- potential for the tunnelling works to cause settlement
- potential effects of tunnel construction and the operation of the Metro on human health
- the impact of Metro North on property prices and local planning zones
- control of contractor performance and what will happen if things go wrong

We would urge the Board to include in the conditions of the Railway Order a method for obtaining a technical response to enquiries and concerns from those affected by the works.It is necessary for an effective complaints procedure and dispute resolution process relating to all significant impacts to be included in the conditions of the Railway Order. We believe it to be essential for this procedure to be agreed and implemented prior to the beginning of the construction phase of the project.Requests for conditions to be imposed requiring the Rail Procurement Agency to operate a property protection scheme to ensure that property owners who experience damage to their properties have their problems rapidly addressed.We also believe given the burden of legal costs that will be inflicted upon residents affected by the construction and operation of Metro North, these costs should be born by the Rail Procurement Agency.We and residents affected by the construction and operation of Metro North had insufficient time to assimilate and identify key issues contained in the Railway Order given the volume of documentation included. Therefore, our submission maybe incomplete and we would ask that the Board allow us to bring forward further concerns or questions to your attention as this process continues.It is also crucial that an independent monitoring system be in place to ensure that planning conditions are implemented on Metro North when it is operational.

We hope that An Bord Pleanala will actively consider these and other submissions so that this important project can go ahead with the right conditions attached. We feel these proposed measures will strengthen the Railway Order and that the concerns and questions raised by local people will be adequately addressed.

Metro North Update

2008-10-25T15:54:00.000-07:00

The Metro North Independent Expert team will be in Dublin next week where they plan to hold a number of public meetings on aspects on the construction of Metro North. The Expert group led by Dr. Ruth Allington, Chief Engineering Geologist with GWP will present their draft report to local people as well as providing extra information to residents affected by the Metro on factual and technical inaccuracies that maybe present in the Railway Order. This will also allow local people make more detailed submissions on the Railway Order before the deadline of October 29th.

It is the intention of the Independent expert group to hold four meetings, each focusing on different aspects of concerns that have already been raised. Should you wish to attend these meetings, it is advised to contact the Rail Procurement Agency through Mary Denise O’Reilly on:
Telephone: 01 – 646 3653
Email: mary-deniseoreilly@rpa.ie
The dates, times and venues of the meetings next week are attached on the reverse side of this leaflet.

Senator Paschal Donohoe and I hope you find these meetings beneficial and that the information provided gives you the opportunity to better understand the technical nature of the Railway Order. We are aware of the concerns of those residents who will be impacted by the construction of Metro North. It is our intention to make submissions to An Bord Pleanala and we strongly urge you to make a submission yourself to the Board before the October 29th deadline. It is important to do this, because you are not guaranteed to make a further presentation at any possible oral hearings held by An Bord Pleanala.

I hope you find this information beneficial. If you wish to contact me on these or any other local matter, please do not hesitate to do so.

St. Bricin's Park Update

2008-10-25T15:53:00.001-07:00

Dear Resident,

Thank you for the warm welcome I recently received when I called to your home. If I missed you, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me about any local matter. I am your Fine Gael Representative in the North Inner City. Some issues were raised with me and I would like to provide you with an update on these and City Council matters.

Gullies
Many residents highlighted the need for the gullies in the area to be cleaned. After speaking to residents about this matter, I contacted the City Council seeking to have these gullies checked and cleaned at the earliest possible opportunity. A number of local people have informed me that this work has now been carried out. I am delighted to see that the gullies have been cleared given the time of year we are now in.

Street Maintenance
A number of constituents raised their concerns with me about the need for the footpaths in St. Bricin’s Park to be repaired. I contacted the Roads Maintenance seeking to have these paths repaired and re-surfaced. The City Council’s Parks Division will liaise with Road Maintenance to seek funding for this work. I will continue to this up with the Council until the work has been completed. As and when I receive further information, I will keep you updated.

If I can be of help to you on these or any other local matter, please do not hesitate to contact me on 086 – 190 6209.

Phibsborough & District Update

2008-10-25T15:48:00.000-07:00

Drainage
Recent heavy rain means that residents have rightly been concerned about the need to have all shores and gullies in the area cleaned. I brought their concerns to the attention of the City Council. So far, these are streets that have had their drainage work checked:
· Innisfallen Parade – cleaned on August 26th, all 16 gullies cleaned
· Valentia Parade – cleaned on September 3rd, all six gullies cleaned
· Killarney Parade – cleaned on September 3rd, all six gullies cleaned
· Glengarriff Parade – gullies to be checked and if necessary cleaned this week
· St. Ignatius Road – cleaned September 3rd, all 15 gullies and shores cleaned
· St. Ignatius Avenue – cleaned September 3rd, all four gullies cleaned
Over the coming weeks, I will be following up with the City Council to ensure that as many gullies and shores are cleaned before we enter the winter months. If you have problems with blocked gullies near your home, please contact me and I will follow up with the Council to make sure it is cleaned. A number of residents on St. Ignatius Road contacted me about having the road re-surfaced as it is cracked in many parts. Regrettably, despite my initial representations the Roads Maintenance DepartmentoHo do not accept there is need to re-surface the road. I intend to continue raising this with officials and I will provide a further update at a later stage.

Anti-Social Behaviour
Some residents told me about anti-social behaviour in Broadstone Park and Blessington Street Park. This included underage and public drinking. Local Community Gardai will be increasing their presence in Broadstone Park. Anti-social behaviour in Blessington Street Park has been a major concern to residents on Primrose Street and Upper Wellington Street. Following contact with the Community Policing Unit in Mountjoy, I have been made aware that the Gardai have been provided with keys to the Park and they believe this will help solve the problem. Dublin City Council and local Gardai are currently investigating whether it is possible to increase Garda powers of arrest under City Council bye-laws for public parks and spaces. These measures should provide an improvement to the anti-social behaviour in our community. Over the course of the next year, I will be campaigning on the need for greater use of CCTV to help Gardai catch gangs who congregate in public areas and intimidate local people.

Permit Parking Scheme
A number of residents on St. Ignatius Road spoke to me about the recent ballot on the extension of Permit Parking on the street and to find out details about it. The City Council told me that a majority of residents voted to reject the introduction of permit parking on the street. This body will not consider another request for permit parking on St. Ignatius Road until August 2009 at the earliest.

Illegal Dumping
There have been instances of illegal dumping on a number of streets in the area and I have brought this to the attention of the City Council’s Waste Management Services. Particular problems were highlighted at the grotto in St. Benedict’s Gardens as well as Glengarriff Parade and St. Ignatius Road. I have been informed that the Local Area Office are investigating the matter and will be taking appropriate action to rectify this matter. If there are ongoing problems please let me know. I would also highly recommend that you contact the Litter Hot Line at 1800 248 348 where Dublin City Council will respond promptly. Waste Management Services have also responded to my representations for the provision of more litter bins along the Canal at the back of St. Ignatius Road. More litter bins can be arranged to be placed there and as soon as I get more details, I will be sure to provide you with that information.

Stoneybatter & District Local Update

2008-09-25T15:20:00.000-07:00

Street Cleansing & Maintenance
Recent heavy rain means that residents have been rightly concerned about the need for all shores and gullies to be cleaned so that rain water can escape. Following on from a number of specific queries, I successfully lobbied the Council in order to have all drainage checked and cleaned on Oxmantown Road and Niall Street. This work has been carried out over the last week. Should there be shores and gullies on your street that need to be cleaned, do not hesitate to give me a call and I will make representations to the Council on your behalf. The Road Maintenance Department informed me that the footpath in St. Bricin’s Park has been damaged due to tree roots. Repair work will be carried out in the near future. Waste Management Services are organizing a date for the weeding of Ben Edair Road and I will keep local residents updated on that work.

Litter Problem
There has been a build up of litter on a number of roads in our area. It is the responsibility of the City Council to empty litter bins on a more regular basis. Unfortunately, this is not happening, I have highlighted this problem with the City Council. Following my representations, the City Council has committed to a Litter cleaning Blitz of the entire area which will take place in the coming weeks. We need more dog foul bins and litter bins in the Stoneybatter area. This is another issue that I have contacted Waste Management Services about. As a result they have agreed to inspect the streets for suitable locations for the provision of these bins. I will follow up with the Council to ensure this happens.

Permit Parking Schemes
A number of residents have raised the issue of Permit Parking schemes for Ben Edair Road, Niall Street and Oxmantown Road with me. A Permit Parking scheme was rejected in March by local residents on Ben Edair Road and the Traffic Advisory Group (TAG) will not consider another application before twelve months have lapsed. TAG has also informed me that no permit parking scheme has been considered for Niall Street, nor has a Permit Parking scheme been considered for Oxmantown Road since December 2003. Should any residents wish to have a permit parking scheme introduced, they can contact me and I will work with you on a request to the Traffic Advisory Group. Once TAG makes a recommendation on a particular measure, a ballot of effected residents takes place and depending on that result the measure will be introduced.

O’Devaney Gardens Redevelopment
Local people are disappointed and angered at the collapse of the O’Devaney Housing Project agreement with McNamara Ltd and are concerned about the next steps in the process. I have been told that McNamara Ltd and Dublin City Council have reached agreement in how the regeneration project can continue. It has been agreed that:
· O’Devaney Gardens will be returned to ownership of Dublin City Council
· McNamara Ltd will ensure the City Council be provided with a license to the designs for the proposed development
· Dublin City Council will receive €1.5 million towards costs incurred through the mediation process
I am delighted to hear that the O’Devaney Gardens project has been saved and that tenants will ultimately be provided with better homes to live and raise their families. Dublin City Council plan to bring forward further proposals for the redevelopment

Traffic Calming Measures
Many residents are concerned about the speed of cars through the area. All requests for traffic calming measures are considered by the Traffic Advisory Group (TAG) to the City Council’s Roads and Traffic Department. There is a need for greater traffic calming measures on Oxmantown Road and I have made representations on your behalf to the City Council. A Pedestrian crossing has been recommended for Oxmantown Road but funding has yet to be allocated for its installation. I will be lobbying the City Council for its inclusion in next year’s Dublin City Council’s Works Programme which will be finalized by the end of the year. If you would like to see some traffic calming measure introduced on your road, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me and I’ll do what I can to help.

What do I believe in?

2008-09-25T14:23:00.000-07:00

I believe that everyone has responsibilities as well as rights. People should be able to make money but should also pay taxes to make sure there are good hospitals, more teachers in our schools and more Gardai on our streets. I strongly believe that those in charge of spending our money should spend it well and be accountable for it.

Why I joined Fine Gael?

2008-09-25T14:19:00.001-07:00

I was inspired to get involved in Fine Gael as a student because people like the late Jim Mitchell, Garret FitzGerald and Richard Bruton showed me that politics can make a difference. Men who represented Dublin and did the city proud! I want to contribute to the Stoneybatter community in which I live and the wider North Inner City and I see Fine Gael as the best vehicle of achieving this.