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O’ROURKE PRESSES FOR FUNDING FOR THE ABBEY COMMUNITY PROJECT

Frank O’Rourke TD has met with Minister Catherine Byrne to press the Government for funding for mental health and addiction services in Celbridge.

Frank is seeking the funding for the local Abbey Community Project, as the demand for their services have increased dramatically.

Frank explained, “I met with the Board of the Abbey Community to discuss the requirement for funding for 2019. We had secured some additional funding towards the end of 2018. An extensive proposal for funding has now been submitted to the Department for their consideration, a proposal that I fully support and is much needed.”

“The Abbey Community Project is providing a very valuable service for the people of North Kildare. It started off as an addiction service and is now providing a much needed mental health service with dual diagnosis.”

“The Abbey Community Project opened in 2007, the staff is very passionate about the services that they provide through the Project. I know that through the Project’s valuable work, lives are being saved”

 “Given that the state is referring people to the Abbey Project in Celbridge, it is only right that state funding be provided to the Project. The reality is if the Abbey Community Project didn’t exist or closed its doors tomorrow, the state agencies wouldn’t be able to deal with the high demand for the services.”

“There are currently over 80 patients in Kildare that are travelling to Dublin to avail of drug treatment services and I am pursuing the urgent need for a drug treatment facility in north Kildare.”

“I raised this issue in the Dáil with the Taoiseach and I was subsequently contacted by the Minister of State for Communities and the National Drugs Strategy Catherine Byrne TD , who provided me with an update on the situation.”

“The provision of treatment services in Kildare has been identified as a priority by both the Government and the HSE. It is now time that the state financially supports the Abbey Community Project. A new National Drugs Strategy is expected to be published later this year and I will be keeping the pressure on to ensure Kildare gets adequate drug treatment services,”

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O’ROURKE AND COLEMAN WELCOME NEW SCHOOL BUS SHELTER

Frank O’Rourke TD and Cllr Michael Coleman have welcomed the construction of a Bus Shelter at St. Wolstans School in Celbridge

Frank commented, “I’m delighted to see the Bus Shelter installed on the Clane road beside St. Wolstans school. This was an issue that myself and Cllr Michael Coleman has been working on for some time at the request of all those that use public and school transport. This Bus Shelter will now give an improved standard for all those people waiting to get the Bus at this location.”

“I will continue to make representations for further Bus Shelters to be installed at the appropriate locations in North Kildare. I want to thank the NTA and Kildare Co Council for their assistance in delivering this Shelter.”

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LAWLESS URGES EXPANSION OF NAAS HOSPITAL TO BE PRIORITISED

His comments come as Kildare County Council announce that it has decided to allow the HSE to extend the planning permission for a significant extension of Naas General Hospital. 

The extension would include a new endoscopy/day services unit as well as Physical medicine and oncology departments. 

James commented, “The extension of planning is welcome. However it also serves to highlight the HSE have stalled on this project since the original planning was granted in 2014. The endoscopy unit in particular is badly needed, I have visited the hospital to inspect existing facilities and I have raised this on the floor of the Dail with Minister Simon Harris. Whilst the planning is key and I welcome this decision, it is imperative that the HSE now press ahead with funding and concrete plans to develop this needed extension.”

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O’ROURKE WELCOMES PROPOSED PARK AND RIDE AT CELBRIDGE

Frank O’Rourke TD has welcomed the inclusion of a proposed Park and Ride Bus Facility adjacent to Celbridge and Junction 5 on the M4 as part of the BusConnections proposal to make Bus Transport more attractive to commuters and launched by the National Transport Authority (NTA)

Deputy O’Rourke welcomed the news, having rasied the matter at a recent meeting with Dublin Bus.

“The National Transport Authority (NTA) outlined this proposal in its BusConnects Plans, which includes a suite of initiatives designed to transform bus services in the Dublin region.  A Park and Ride for Bus commuters in Celbridge is included as part of its proposals.” Continue reading “O’ROURKE WELCOMES PROPOSED PARK AND RIDE AT CELBRIDGE”

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CALDWELL AND COLTON SELECTED IN LEIXLIP

Cllr Bernard Caldwell and Valerie Colton have been selected to run as Fianna Fáil candidates in Leixlip in the Local Elections

Bernard and Valerie were selected at a Convention held in the Courtyard Hotel this evening.

Cllr Bernard Caldwell was a member of Leixlip Town Council for many years, before being elected to the County Council in 2014. He serves on the Board of Leixlip and District Credit Union and is also Director of Leixlip Festival.

           Cllr Bernard Caldwell

Bernard is deeply involved in Horseracing and has been on the Board of Horse Racing Ireland since 2008, representing persons employed directly in the Racing industry. He has also been Chairman of the Irish Stable staff Association since 2007.

Valerie Colton has lived in Leixlip for the past thirty-four years with her husband Gerry and two sons Andrew and Gavin.  

                     Valerie Colton

She served in the Defence Forces for 30 years having spent two tours with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, following which she worked as part of the Aide de Camp Staff under three Presidents at Aras an Uachtarain.

She retired in 2012, since when she has thrown herself into community projects in her local area.  She has been involved in community work for most of my life and has a proven track record of delivery. I work tirelessly on projects for the good of our community.