Newsletter by Anthony Lawlor TD for Leixlip area

1. Anthony Lawlor’s
Newsletter
A om Ant ony
message frthe people ofh ldare North for
Ki
to
I am most grateful in Dáil Éireann. I am
electing me to represent them to do my
position and intend
ho noured to be in this of Kildare North. I ha
ve a
best fo r the people and area h is open daily, and
I am
constituency office in Naas, whic ing so I
every Thursday even
g a clinic in Celbridge to raise
holdin ntact me if you wish
encourage you to drop in or co organise
more than happy to
an is sue. I would also be als, groups or school
s.
tours to Dá il Éireann for individu sitate to
ent! Please do not he
r all it is your parliam l me at
Afte 01 6183007 or emai
give my Dáil office a call on tour.
htas.ie to arrange a
an thony.lawlor@oireac
ting with you.
I look forward to mee
Increased funding for Winter Road
Maintenance
Minister for Transport, Tourism
and Sport, Leo Varadkar, has These works will provide a cleaner, brighter more welcoming
allocated an extra €1.25 experience for the customer. It is anticipated that these station
million to help local authorities upgrade works will be completed by year end. The overall estimated
around the country with winter cost of the refurbishment programme is €2 million.
maintenance and keeping roads
clear during harsh weather. The
total being allocated nationally
comes to €11.25 million, with
Kildare County Council set to
receive €262,788, an increase of €29,199. According to recent
reports in the press, we are set to have another cold winter and it
is reassuring to know that the Council will be prepared for extreme
weather conditions.
Funding to upgrade Louisa Bridge and
Confey train stations
Funding of €2 million is being provided to Iarnród Éireann to upgrade
the railway stations on the Maynooth line. This line had been one of
the fastest growing routes in the Irish Rail network with approximately
15,000 passenger journeys daily. Despite the fact that the train
services along this line have been modernised over recent years, the
stations, however, have not been upgraded since construction and are
Be sure to vote!
now in need of modernisation. Therefore the following elements are On the 27th October, Irish citizens are being given an opportunity
included in the proposed works: to vote for the next President of Ireland. Because of the successful
two term tenure of President Mary McAleese, the last time a vote was
• Building structural, platform and lighting improvements;
put to the people was in 1997. The role of the President has evolved
• New customer shelters and furniture on platforms in recent decades to become more high profile and the recent state
incorporating new seating; visits by both Queen Elizabeth II and President Obama are testimony
• Upgrade of station signage plus new information panels; to this. Therefore, I encourage people to use their democratic right
• New signage on approach roads; to vote at this very important election and I hope there will be a high
• Upgrade of electrical services at each station. turnout on the day.
Anthony Lawlor TD - Working for the people of Kildare North

2. Winners of Leixlip Tidy Estates, Medium Estate
Category
Front Gardens and Adopt an Area 1st prize: Leixlip Park
competitions 2nd prize: Duncarraig
Large Estate Category
Firstly, I would like to extend my sincere thanks and gratitude to 1st prize: Ryevale
everyone who made an effort to make Leixlip a prettier and tidier Lawns
town. Their hard work throughout the year should be recognised and
commended. Well done! Adopt an area
Congratulations to all the winners in the various categories of this Small area winner –
local competition. Old Hill, two flower
beds on left and right
Front Gardens adopted by I.C.A.
1st Joint Winners: Eamon & Catherine Farrell, 1027 Avondale & Small area runner
Kevin Carey, 52 Lougnamona Park up – the side of Rose
Award for Innovation: Christie Muldoon, 1048 Avondale Cottage adopted by
Award for the Best Lawn: Valerie Colton, 120 Glendale Meadows John & Valerie Malone,
Large area winner –
Most Improved Garden: Mary McHugh, St. Catherine’s Bungalow Barnhall Roundabout,
2nd front Garden: The O’Connor Family, 56 Castletown adopted by Leixlip Tidy
3rd front garden: Mary & Paddy Haughney, 59 Leixlip Park Town Association.
4th front garden: Marian Lyons, 39 Riverforest, Large area runner up
5th front garden: Brigid Lambe, 70 Oaklawn –Leixlip Garda Station,
6th Front garden: Mary Keane, 47 Forest Park Adopted by Ryevale
7th front garden: Patricia Kinnane, 35 Glendale Lawns Residents
Overall Winners
Highly commended: Kathleen Poynton, 181 Glendale Meadows; Adopt an Area: Leixlip Tidy Town Association for the work on the
Keelan & Nancy Doolan, 95 Leixlip Park; Bill & Angela Leahy, Barnhall Roundabout
9 Forest Park; Gordon & Mabel Long, 341 Castletown; Nancy Front Garden Competition: John and Valerie Malone of Rose Cottage
Dunne, 1034 Avondale; Mary Geraghty, 249 Castletown; Raymond Best Overall Estate: Castletown Estate
Kilpatrick, 208 Ryevale Lawns; Kay McLoughlin, 3 Forest Park.
Estate Winners
LOCAL
Small estate category
1st prize: Ryemont Abbey
TICS IS
ALL POLI
s
Tidy Town
Joint 2nd prize: Loughnamona & Rockingham ed in the
to all involv to see that Leixlip
Well done e. It is great ed
ints award
Committe the number of po the 2011
increased e judging panel in 12 Leixlip will
o Town is
Changes to the Fuel C
lations t h
ongratu Joe Neville on ach of
to it by th ompetition. In 20 ry of entry into
C
National its 50th anniversa be great to
Allowance and Household Coun cillor
ment as
Cath aoirle im
appoint wn Council. I w le.
ish h cele brate
etition an
d it would er.
h
the comp ints increase furt
Benefits Scheme Le ixlip To in his new ro
est se e the po
all the b
From September 2011 a number of changes have
been introduced to the Fuel Allowance and Household
Benefits Scheme:
• Fuel Allowance is to be standardised at €20 per h regret
With Halloween approachi It is wit ichael
week, the rate currently received by the majority planning a celebration to ng, I urge everyone that F r. M
careful manner. It is alw do so in a safe and rmer
of customers. ays wonderful to Hurley, fo rish
see so many adults and Leix lip Pa d
• From September 2011, the top –up Smokeless chi
streets on this date but ldren take to the as move
Fuel Allowance of €3.90 per week will no longer regrettably every year Priest, h tures new.
carelessness results in per onto pas e sorely
be paid. This will affect residents in the Leixlip damage to property. Let sonal injury and He will b
’s
area which is a designated smokeless fuel area. 2011 a fun and safe one make Halloween missed.
!
contact Leixlip fire statio For emergencies
• The number of free units provided under the n on (01 6244455).
Electricity and Gas Allowance will be reduced from
2,400 to 1,800.
• The rate of the cash payment for Electricity and
Gas Allowance will be adjusted from €43.80 a month to €35.80 a month from Tuesday 6th September 2011.
• The annual value of the Gas Allowance will be adjusted from €489 to €393 effective from 1 September 2011.
• The rate of the cash payment will be adjusted from €40.70 a month to €32.70 a month from Tuesday 6th September 2011.
• The monthly rate of the Telephone Allowance will be adjusted from €25.91 to €22.22 effective from 1 September 2011. This change
is automatically applied to your bill.
• The Department has negotiated a deal with Eircom which will provide customers in receipt of the ‘Social Benefits Package’ with line
rental (€25.36) and a monthly call allowance of €1.50 (reducing from €2.47).
• Help will continue to be available for people with special or additional heating needs through the Heating Supplement and
Exceptional Needs Payment Scheme under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme.
ANTHONY LAWLOR TD • Tel: 045 888488 • Email: anthony.law

3. the form of a pension levy and a reduction challenged their constitutional right to
in basic salary. Although a voluntary the Supreme Court. They did so on the
scheme was established allowing judges basis that the Oireachtas did not have the
to make a contribution to the Revenue power to establish such a committee and
Commissioners, not all judges availed of that the Committee’s findings may have
the scheme (21 out of 147 judges failed to adverse effects on their constitutionally-
make any contribution). protected right to one’s good name.
The Supreme Court subsequently found
Purpose of the Referendum: The that the Oireachtas did not have the
Programme for Government contains a inherent general power to set up an
specific commitment to hold a referendum investigative committee. Rather, under
to amend the Constitution so that judges’ the Constitution, it had limited powers to
Referenda pay can be adjusted as part of any general inquire into certain matters with a view to
Along with the Presidential Election on public service reduction. drafting protective legislation.
27th October, the Irish people are also
being asked to vote in two referenda. Referendum 2: The Thirtieth Purpose of the Referendum: The reversal
Amendment of the Constitution of this decision by the Supreme Court will
Referendum 1: The Twenty Ninth (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiry) ensure that the Oireachtas has an effective
Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2011 – This amendment to system of inquiry which can secure effective
(Judges Remuneration) Bill the Constitution will reverse the and cost-efficient parliamentary scrutiny
2011 – This amendment to the effects of the Abbeylara decision of issues of significant public importance.
Constitution will reduce the and will enable Oireachtas This is essential in facilitating more
remuneration of Judges in line Committees to undertake full open, transparent and better Government
with other public servants. investigations. as promised in the Programme for
Background: In the aftermath of the Government. By passing this referendum
Background: In 2009 the then Finance
shooting dead by members of the Gardaí of the Oireachtas would be in a position
Minister, Brian Lenihan, announced
John Carthy in Abbeylara in April 2000, an to conduct an inquiry into the recent
that judges would be exempted from
Oireachtas Sub Committee was formed to banking scandal.
pay reductions imposed on other public
s servants because the Constitution investigate the circumstances surrounding
precluded such cuts. These reductions took his death. A number of Gardaí who were
compelled to appear before the committee
will
into
to
Dáil Business
I was delighted to be appointed to the
Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Social
Protection and Education. The work of this
committee will be instrumental in getting
Ireland back on its feet and I am looking
forward to the challenge ahead.
I have spoken in the Dáil on a number of
issues such as suicide prevention, white
collar crime, electoral reform, bankruptcy
laws and the protection of Good Samaritans
in our society.
I have engaged in a number of Dáil debates
and raised on the Adjournment of the
Dáil the need to extend water services to
facilitate the new development at Intel and
the need to ring fence funding to deal with
the landfill site at Kerdiffstown.
I have tabled a number of Dáil Questions
to various Ministers on topics such as extra
resources in Co. Kildare as a result of the To keep up to date with my activities in the Dáil,
increased population according to Census
2011; the level of funding distributed by
including speeches and responses to Dáil Questions,
Irish Aid and the need to extend the online join me on Facebook or on my website page.
service for motor tax to commercial vehicles.
ny.lawlor@oireachtas.ie • www.anthonylawlor.ie

4. Leixlip useful contact details:
Kildare County Council (045 980200) www.kildarecoco.ie
Leixlip Town Council (01 6245777) Newtown House, 41 Captain’s Hill
Leixlip Health Centre (01 6244931) Main Street, Leixlip
Community Welfare Office (01 6245266) Leixlip Health Centre, Main Street
Social Welfare Branch Office (01 6106000) Town Hall, Maynooth
Naas General Hospital (045 897 221) www.hse.ie
Connolly Hospital (01-646 5000) Blanchardstown,
North East Doctor on Call (1850-444600) KDOC Newbridge (01 890 599 362)
Leixlip Community Library (01 6060050) Captain’s Hill, Leixlip
Leixlip Garda Station (01 6667800) Station Road, Leixlip
Leixlip Fire Station (01 6244455) Mill Lane, Leixlip
For all local information on Leixlip www.leixlip.ie
Dáil Reform Competition Time!
I warmly welcome the package of reform for Dáil Business, For the opportunity to win a tour of Dáil
which have been effective since September 2011. Among Éireann followed by a meal in the Dáil
the measures, the Dáil will now sit earlier on Tuesdays and Restaurant for two people, email the
will sit on the first Friday of every month; Topical Issue answer to the following question:
Debates will be introduced giving backbench TDs more
speaking time; Leaders Questions will now be taken by the
Tánaiste on Thursdays and TDs can raise issues regarding Q.Who is the current
Junior Minister for
replies to Parliamentary Questions.
European Affairs?
All correct answers to anthony.
lawlor@oir.ie Deadline for
receipt of entries 31st October
2011.
Kildare County Council Representative
Cllr. Senan Griffin
Email: griffins@eircom.net
Your Local Leixlip Address: Ballygoran, Maynooth, Co. Kildare
Contact Numbers: 01-6285177/ 087- 2331267
Fine Gael Team: Leixlip Town Council Representative
Cathaoirleach Joe Neville
Email: joeneville.no1@gmail.com
ANTHONY LAWLOR TD
Address: 93 Ryevale Lawns, Leixlip, Co. Kildare
Contact Number: 086 6062207
Email: anthony.lawlor@oireachtas.ie
Constituency Office: 56 South Main Street, Cllr. Teresa Byrne
Email: tbyrne35@gmail.com
Naas, Co. Kildare Address: 1035 Avondale, Leixlip, Co. Kildare
Contact Number: 045 888488 Contact Numbers: Home – 01 6243124, Mobile – 087 6951546
Opening Hours: 9am -12am & 3pm – 5pm
Celbridge Clinic: Every Thursday 7pm – 8pm Cllr. Pat Burke-Walsh
Venue - Kildrought Inn, Main Street, Celbridge Email: pbw397@gmail.com
Address: 397 Ryevale Lawns, Leixlip, Co. Kildare
Website: www.anthonylawlor.ie Contact Numbers: 087 1335633
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