Further information from Cllr. Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin 086-2202029

CLONAKILTY SUPERLOO ON IT'S LAST FLUSH?

A campaign by Clonakilty Sinn Féin Town Councillor Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin to get rid of the town's "Superloo", (which he opposed before it was even installed in the year 2000), may come to a successful conclusion early next year, and the matter will be an agenda item of each monthly council meeting going forward.

At the January Town Council meeting, Ó Súilleabháin raised the issue again (as he has done frequently over the years), pointing out that Kilrush Town Council made a decision at their budget meeting the previous week to get rid of their model.

Ó Súilleabháin said at the January meeting: 

"Because of the ridiculous contract terms, we must give 12 months written notice if we intend to get rid of this White Elephant, and we will be forced to pay approx. €120,000 to do so. (25% of the annual rent/year of the remainder of the 20 year contract). As public representatives I believe that while this is an awful amount of money to pay for something we're not responsible for -or that we were never made aware of until a couple of years ago, in the long run, it's the equivalent of just over three years of holding onto the toilet. The fact that there are still seven more years left in the contract after this year means that by getting rid of it now, and paying this penalty, we will save the council and by extension the ratepayers of the town, paying dead money for a further four years (up to 2020).

When the Superloo was first proposed as a public convenience 12 years ago, Ó Súilleabháin opposed it on the basis on the enormous costs involved and it's unsuitability for a busy town like Clonakilty. (Only one person may use it at a time, and afterwards it takes around five minutes to self-clean, making it unusable). The initial cost of the Superloo in Year 1 was  £18,000 + VAT, and every year since, the annual fee has risen by around €2,000, with the figure budgeted for it for 2012 being €37,000. And each year, the council management puts in a figure of €2,000 as income - another figure which I believe is totally inflated as it equates to 8,000 uses per year!

At the time, and over the years he received little support in the council chamber for his calls to get rid of the toilet - up to the recent monthly meeting.

Cllr. Ó Súilleabhain revealed he had contacted a number of the Kilrush Councillors and their decision to remove theirs was a unanimous decision there. Their facility is provided by the same comaony and has very similar contract terms.

He also said that he would be having informal discussions about the issue at next months AMAI Spring Seminar, with a view to getting other councils around the state to also raise the matter and having a national campaign to force the JC Deceaux to come to more reasonable terms.

Other notes

Cllr. Ó Súilleabháin opposed Superloo from start because:

(a) Ridiculous Costs the council would have to pay for it annually.

(b) Predicted that the income would never equate with the expenditure

(c) Impractical - only one person can use it at any one time. It was promoted by council official as a necessity for tourists. I argued that if a family or a busload of visitors came to town and wished to use it, only one person could use at a time, and it then self cleans for around 5 minutes and is unusable!

As an alternative at the time he proposed that a loan be taken out to to build a state of the art loo and create a job to maintain and service it.

Raised it at every Budget Meeting since 2000

3-4 years ago Manager informed council meeting that it was a 10 year contract, and breaching contract would result in substantial fine.

Following year then revealed the contract was 20 years

Two years ago the "entry fee" to access the toilet was raised from 25 cents to 50 cents, but the "income" remained the same!

He eventually got copy of contract in January 2011 from Town Hall.

In the late 1990's and early 2000's installation of Superloos became all the rage with local councils around the country. Given the nature of the contract, which seems to be standard, I believe theres a question to be asked and answered of people at National Level at that time who may have been in contact with the Superloo company. It seems more than a coincidence that they sprang up at many locations over a short few years, despite their unsustainable economic  nature.

Cllr. Ó Súilleabháin also says he deeply resent the fact that the contract terms - especially the 20 year lock-in clause was not revealed to the elected reps before the signing of this ridiculous contract by council officials and the then Mayor (Cllr. Danny Lordan). I'm sure if this was made known at the time, a lot more councillors would have rejected the Superloo. The contract document was co-signed by the then Mayor but he or any official never made the contents of the contract known to myself.

It is also my opinion that the Town Council is not obliged to provide a public toilet. While I believe we should strive to provide a facility, we can surely do better than the terms of this contract.  I also believe that there many be possibility of a private individual providing a public facility in the town.

In my opinion there is more use made of the Clonakilty Superloo on the outside than paying customers, particularly late at night at weekends.

END

Submission to Clon Traffic and Transportation Plan 14th April

As many people will now know, the elected councillors of Clonakilty Town Council recently rejected a "Traffic and Transportation Plan" document for the town. This came about after nearly four years since County Hall officials and a private consultancy firm, RPS began the process of compiling the report. During this time there was an "open forum" at the start of the project, and then last summer, three meetings totalling around 12 hours in length between the Town Councillors and the reports authors, who wanted it to go onto the next phase of "public consultation". However, having received a draft at that stage to study, many of the town councillors including myself had a number of major issues which they wanted taken out of the report, as we could not endorse them. The document still went out earlier this year, basically unchanged, and no less than 45 people made written submissions. Most of the submission points made by concerned people, were rejected like the councillors concerns, and an attempt was then made by the COUNTY Council officials to get us (town councillors) to vote to accept the document at a meeting in June 2011.
Us councillors were placed in the invidious and totally unfair position that we had to take or leave the whole document, and in the end, we took the decision to reject it. All that said, 95% of the proposals in it I agree with, but I for one refused to be backed up against the wall and bullied into surrender!

On the 14th April last I wrote in the three page submission below, and am publishing it now for the record. Readers may not agree with everything, but these were my thoughts, and am happy to share...........

14ú Aibreán 2011

Senior Engineer,
Cork County Council,
Traffic and Transportation Section,
Floor 10,
County Hall,

Cork.

Re: Clonakilty Traffic and Transportation Study Draft Final Report

A Chara,

I write this submission as a democratically-elected member of Clonakilty Town Council since June 1994 (17 years). I do so with some regret, as I strongly feel that if the private consultants and Cork County Council officials who have been involved in compiling the study since August 2007 had engaged on a regular basis with the elected members of Clonakilty Town Council, then I believe I may not be making such a critical submission today. The elected representatives of the people of Clonakilty town are in daily contact with the people and in my view would reflect many people’s views more so than people who have little connection with Clonakilty outside of official duties. The fact that this study is about Clonakilty town and very immediate surrounding area, but that people must send their submissions to County Hall rather than to Clonakilty Town Hall reinforces this point for me. On a related note, I think it also remiss that there is not an option to email in submissions.

I accept that there were a series of protracted meetings with the Town Councillors in the summer of 2010 when this document was ready for the public consultation stage at that time. However, this process seems to me to have been just going through the motions so to speak, as it was clearly indicated by the reports authors that some of the fundamental issues of concern for me and other councillors would not be taken out. For me as a local Town Councillor, it was just another example of the County Council attempting to tell us the Town Council that we had to accept this document. I am making this submission therefore because as a Town Councillor I was not afforded any other vehicle to try to change things in it. I cannot endorse it in its totality.

That said I think 95% of the proposals in the document are sensible and positive. As someone who is interested in the environment and a founding member of Sustainable Clonakilty, I welcome the many proposals in the study that will enhance safe walking and cycling to and from work places, schools, shops, etc., sustainable transport, improvements to junctions, the proposal to install “press button” crossings (something that I advocated in my first election manifesto in 1994!), enhancement of disability-friendly streetscape and footpaths, etc. These are all laudable and commendable.

Submissions

Point 1.2

I think it disappointing that on the list of stakeholders contacted in December 2007 that Gaelscoil Chloch na gCoillte wasn’t on the list, especially given that the schools then rented site at Scartagh is mentioned a number of times in the report.

Point 2.2

The report says that in September 2008, the population of Clonakilty would increase by 74% to over 7,200 by the year 2020. A lot has happened since then, with youth emigration, unemployment, the recession and the prospects for the coming number of years not looking great. I therefore believe that this projection should have been amended before going out to public consultation to reflect more realistic figures going forward, as much of the report bases it’s proposals on these figures.

I also question the long-term sustainability of car transport given the increasing costs of fuel, and more and more going forward people will be exploring means of cutting down car usage and where practical, opting for other forms of transport.

3 Mobility Management Plans

I support the theoretical concept of the Mobility Management Plans as outlined in the study. However, I believe that there would be more success with persuasion and less bureaucracy and form-filling involved. Proper detailed consultation with individual businesses and institutions to ascertain what is practical, possible and “do-able” with encouragement and support is a better approach given the many other concerns that must be dealt with in these situations.

Point 3.3 – I believe that having a Mobility Management Plan as a standard planning condition, will do nothing to help this cause and will be seen by potential developers as yet another stumbling block. The planning system places many other standards conditions on developers already, but they are often poorly or not at all enforced, and I would see Mobility Management Plans as being a highly desirable proposition rather than an official planning condition.

Point 3.4 – I support the concept that the Town Council should lead the way with it’s own Mobility Management Plan, but propose an addendum to include the “County Council and all it’s offices”. (The County Council employs many more people in it’s Old Mill, Hume House and Emmet Square Offices than the Town Council, and results of a Mobility Plan there would be more dramatic and have a much greater impact).

4.2 Pedestrianisation

I support the broad concept that people should be facilitated to walk wherever possible and practical. However, it is also important to state that walkways going through isolated areas at the rear of private dwellings/public facilities, may often lead to anti-social behaviour, littering and other illegal activities, especially during the hours of darkness. I have read of many debates in Cork City Council over the last number of years whereby such walkways are being closed off due to anti social behaviour. I therefore believe that each proposed route must be looked at not just from a walking and access point of view, but also the possible negative consequences.

Point 4.2 – I believe the pedestrianisation of the whole town centre area as in figure 4.2 in unworkable, and impractical. The proposal is that it would be daytime pedestrianisation! I believe that this would be completely retrograde, and in fact if there was to be any pedestrianisation even considered, then it would only be in the evening time during summer months, and well planned with wide consultation with businesses in particular in the area. I also feel that this system would have a series health and safety impact at the top of McCurtain Hill/Assumption Place/Patrick St. which would in fact be a bypass route for traffic when Pearse St. would be pedestrian only. Traffic speeds would increase and danger levels increased to pedestrians, children and other road users. I note that the orange one way arrows points up McCurtain Hill and down Patrick St. but no indication of where the joining route between them is! As well as all this, the town centre businesses and related employments would be adversely affected. The Clonakilty Town Plan focuses on the need to keep the town centre as the main business area. I believe shoppers and consumers generally would avoid Pearse St. if it were pedestrianised by day especially.

4.3 Cycling

Page 16, I believe that Bicycle stands should be located widely and well dispersed rather than “Numbers of stands and locations provided might be small at first, with increased provision as demand builds up”. 

Page 17 Correct to read “Gullane Lake” not Templebryan Lake.

Recommendations add 4.13 Add “That a new signalised pedestrian crossing is put in place to service the COPE facility, Clogheen and Clogheen Industrial Park”. Recommendation 4.4 would compliment this proposal.

5 Public Transport

That as part of the “Local Bus Service” plan, the possibility of using the “Choo Choo” road train be employed at off season times e.g. school runs with dedicated stops, within the town boundary area. This would be attractive for local school children, and possibly more successful than a standard mini bus.

Recommendations add 5.6 – “That Bus Éireann provide a west bound bus stop opposite Dunne’s Stores, and an east bound bus stop south of the “Maxol” roundabout on the N71”

6 Parking

As I mentioned in my earlier comments, I do not think the projected population growth to 7,200 by the year 2020 will occur. Therefore neither will the necessity for the projected parking levels. I believe that all current parking byelaws should be strictly enforced by all who are responsible and who have the powers to do so.

Recommendation 6.3 “That parking charges be introduced…”. I object to this proposal on a point of principle. Pay parking on the streets and in car parks in the town centre would result in forcing shoppers to the out of town facilities where there are large car parks free of charge. In these economically challenging times especially, it would spell the death knell of the many small (and large) town centre businesses who are already struggling. I note that the document states that this is the only way that new alternative car parking areas can be funded. Perhaps that this is how the authors of this study see it, but if there were to be proper reform of local government with proper powers given to the town council, which would include more imaginative ways of raising funds then this could possibly be achieved. As someone who deals frequently with visitors to Clonakilty and the town centre, they are always pleasantly surprised and appreciative of the fact that we have free parking. This is a difference with many other towns that we should hold as a positive and promote as a way to encourage more people into the town centre.

Wheel Pump

Recommendation 7.7 – I agree with signalising the junction, but object to the monument being moved. As well as being ornamental, the Wheel Pump is also functional in that it still pumps water. Part of its attractiveness is that it is in the middle of the road!! If it was to be moved to another location nearby, how can we guarantee that there will be a water source at that point? The real solution to the traffic problem is one that was part of the councils proposals for many years, that being to attain at least the last house (and possibly more), on the southern side of Casement St. next to the entrance to Deasy’s Car Park, with a view to demolishing same and re-aligning the road so that the Wheel Pump remains where it has always been and traffic flow for heaving vehicles in improved.

Fax Bridge Roundabout

Recommendation add 7.15 – That the diameter of the roundabout at Fax Bridge be reduced in order to increase lane widths within the roundabout area. Currently, traffic exiting Croppy Quay heading for Tubbereen Road/Ring Road on the inside lane is often forced to stop as the vehicle travelling on the outer lane heading into Scally’s Super Valu/proceeding up Convent Road, cuts across the car on the inside lane. Also that Traffic Calming measures on the Convent Road entrance to the roundabout be put in place in the interests of safety.

Other proposals

That if McCurtain Hill is to be made one-way, then it should be from North to South (i.e. downhill), to facilitate people from north of the town to access the town centre area directly. I believe that Patrick St. should be allowed continue as two way traffic for the moment.

I hope that he above submission is taken into consideration in future discussions and debates about the Traffic and Transportation Report.

Go raibh maith agaibh,

Is mise le meas,

_____________________________

Cllr. Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin.

  

SINN FÉIN SCOIL SAMHRAIDH THIS WEEKEND

The second annual Sinn Féin Scoil Samhradh (Summer School), takes place this weekend in Baile Bhúirne, and all local members and supporters as well as the general public is welcome to attend. 

The organisers have put in a massive effort this year, and have secured some very notable speakers. 

The conference kicks off on Friday evening with Kerry Cllr. Toireasa Ferris chairing the debate, “13 years on from the Good Friday Agreement – the future of Loyalism”, which will be addressed by Frankie Gallagher - loyalist politician and chief spokesman for the UDA linked Ulster Political Research Group. 

Afterwards what promises to be a fascinating hour or so entitled, “Eyewitness History”, which will focus on the Hunger Strike of 1981. (Coincidentally, Friday 8th is the 30th anniversary of IRA Vol. Joe McDonnell on Hunger Strike in Long Kesh). Danny Morrison who was centrally involved outside the prisons, Leo Green who was on the 1980 hunger strike for 53 days, and Seán Kelleher from Bandon who was the Anti H Block candidate in West Cork in June 1981. 

On Saturday morning, Meath TD, Peadar Tóibín, will chair the session entitled, “The need for a New Revival”, and will have speakers including:- Minister Carál Ní Chuilín; Artist Robert Ballagh; former Cork footballer Jimmy Barry Murphy and Aidan Breathnach. 

After lunch the keynote address will be delivered by Gerry Adams, TD, and for the afternoon, the economy will dominate proceedings in the session titled- “Dealing with the debt crisis  - Progressive Alternatives to Austerity and Bank Bailouts”. This will feature some notable speakers including: Pearse Doherty TD, Sinn Féin Dáil Finance spokesperson; Huginn Freyr Thorsteinsson - Political Advisor to the Finance Minister of Iceland; Yanis Varoufackis - Professor of Economics University of Athens; Tom McDonnell – Policy Analyst TASC; Jack O’Connor - General President of SIPTU and Mary Smithwick - Assistant News Editor and Political Editor for the “Evening Echo” newspaper.

The formalities of the evening will conclude when SF Vice President, Mary Lou McDonald, TD will deliver the after dinner speech.

Anyone wishing to attend any or all of the weekend sessions, should make contact with their local SF rep.

Clon JPC Meeting this Friday

The second meeting of the Clonakilty Joint Policing Committee (J.P.C.), since it’s formal establishment nearly a year ago, (first meeting was on 3rd September 2010), takes place this Friday (13th), starting at 11.00am at the Old Mill Council Chambers (over library).
Meetings of the JPC are open to the public and media to attend as observers. The J.P.C. is made up of the nine Town Councillors, two local Senior Gardaí, two Council officials, three Oireachtas members and two members representing the broad community. On occasions there are crime and anti-social issues in the Clonakilty town area that affect residents, businesses and visitors and these matters come under the remit of the J.P.C. for discussion.
According to the legislation that pertains to the setting up and running of J.P.C.’s:-
“The purpose of the Joint Policing Committee is to serve as a forum for consultation, discussion and recommendation on matters affecting the policing of a Local Authority by:
Keeping under review Levels and patterns of crime, disorder and Anti-social behaviour in that area;
Advising the Local Authority and the Gardaí on how best they might perform their functions having regard to the need to do everything feasible to improve the safety and quality of life and to prevent crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour with the area;
Arranging and hosting public meetings concerning matters affecting the policing of the Local Authorities administrative area;
Establishing in consultation with the local Garda Superintendent local policing forums.”
Given recent criminal activity in Clonakilty town, as well as ongoing issues of anti-social/anti-community activity, I would strongly encourage the people of Clonakilty to try to attend the JPC meeting if possible, to hear how the relevant agencies with the power to address these issues are dealing with them.

Agenda Items that may be of interest......
(1) Consumption of Intoxicating Liquor and Substances in Public.
(2) Traffic Management - "Speed and Safety"
(3) CCTV
(4) Community Policing

CLON EASTER COMMEMORATION 2011

The 95^th anniversary of the 1916 Rising was remembered at the annual Clonakilty Easter Commemoration at Astna Square, Clonakilty on Easter Sunday with Jonathon O’ Brien, the recently-elected Sinn Féin T.D. for Cork North Central delivering the oration.

Cathaoirleach of the Clonakilty Easter Commemoration Committee, Michael O’ Donovan, extended a Céad Míle Fáilte to everyone, and in particular Clonakilty people living abroad who were home for Easter and attending the commemoration. He also asked people to think of Paddy McCullugh who attends the commemoration each year but is ill at present and also Billy Crowley from Dunmanway who provides the public address system for the commemoration, but was also ill in hospital. An Cathaoirleach also said it was a great honour that for the first time since the commemoration began 29 years ago that it would be addressed by a TD.

The wreath was laid by Steve Moxley, originally from Fairfield Terrace but living in England for over 40 years, He is a regular attendee at the Clonakilty Commemoration any time that he is home during Easter.

A minutes silence in memory of the patriots of 1916, and all who have given their lives for Irish Freedom before and since was observed and Courtmacsherry-based Deirdre Keohane proudly read the Proclamation of the Republic.

Recent Cork South West Sinn Féin General Election candidate, Paul Hayes thanked people for the great support the party received in the February election, and paid tribute to all involved in the effort in West Cork. He then introduced the main speaker, Jonathon O’ Brien, SF TD for Cork North Central. Paul said that before his election to Leinster House, Jonathon had been a tireless workers for his community as a Sinn Féin activist and since 2000, a Cork City Councillor. He had been involved in many prominent campaigns such as Housing, Anti Drugs, Anti-Social Behaviour and exposing the gravy train expenses of some of his fellow politicians.

In a wide-ranging address, Deputy O’ Brien referred to the Ireland which the patriots of 1916 hoped to achieve as outlined in the proclamation, and comparing those noble ideals with the reality of life for the people of Ireland today. He asked: “Do we, the people of Ireland, have ownership of Ireland and unfettered control over Irish destinies today? The answer is glaringly obvious. Not when the title deeds to this state have been handed to the EU and the IMF. Not while the title deeds to the occupied 6 counties remains in British hands. Not when our offshore oil and gas reserves, worth countless billions, have been given away to multinational corporations. Not while our country remains partitioned.”

The Proclamation also states the republic will “cherish all the children of the nation equally”.

Today we have governments that cherish the banks to the tune of €70 billion, and make everyone else foot the bill. The proclamation resolves “to pursue the happiness and prosperity of the whole nation and of all its parts.” The political elite of this state seem more concerned with the happiness and prosperity of international bondholders, greedy speculators and foreign gamblers.

Whole sections of our nation have been forgotten. The 440,000 unemployed. The tens of thousands of young people who are emigrating abroad. The working class communities hit hardest by cutbacks and unemployment. Families struggling with reduced wages and cuts to welfare benefits at a time of rising costs.

This government has lost any sense of national pride. It meekly accepts quarterly report cards from their paymasters in the IMF and falls over itself to welcome the English queen to our shores.

He continued that, “There has never been such a need for republican politics. The ideals of 1916 have never been more relevant. We live in a state which calls itself a republic, but which has never lived up to republican ideals. Instead of popular sovereignty, our political class kow-towed first to Britain and now to the EU; Instead of patriotism, we have had corruption and parish-pump politics. Instead of Unity we have partition.

Sinn Féin is the only all-Ireland political voice. While this state’s government is reduced to acting as mere agents of the IMF in Dublin, Sinn Féin MLAs in Belfast are fighting for the transfer of economic power from Westminster.

The general election saw hundreds of thousands of people coming out to vote for change. More than 220,000 of them voted for Sinn Féin. The election of 14 republican TDs was a massive breakthrough.

Over 20,000 people in County Cork voted for Sinn Féin.

The fact is, FG/Labour and FF are all the same. They represent the same vested interests that have bankrupted this state and they will not stand up for Ireland’s interests. The Labour party, a party who have the audacity to claim lineage from James Connolly, campaigned on a platform of change. The only change they brought about was facilitating the replacement of one right wing party in FF with another right wing party in FG.

On 20th May the English queen will come to our city. Sinn Féin is opposed to this visit. Let us say it loud and clear – Elizabeth Windsor is not welcome to Cork, and she is not welcome to Ireland. While British forces continue to occupy the six counties, no English monarch will ever be welcome in Ireland. Most of the royal family command British regiments, and the queen herself has been commander in chief of the British armed forces for over sixty years. During this period the British army has fought colonial wars around the world, and carried out many atrocities in Ireland. Including Bloody Sunday and the Dublin and Monaghan bombings, for which Mrs. Windsor has never apologised. We believe the lives of people like Terence MacSwiney and Tomás MacCurtain, and the ideals they fought for, are far more worthy of celebration than the arrival of a foreign monarch who is a head of state only because she is descended from warlords and brigands.

On 20th May, we invite people to gather at the National Monument and show Mrs Windsor and her lackeys that this is still Rebel Cork! The visit by the English queen is about further attempts to normalise relationships between Ireland and Britain. It is about glossing over our history. But relations cannot be normal so long as partition continues. And our history of resistance is something to be proud of and it will not be forgotten. Long after both Elizabeth Windsor and those who welcome her to our shores are forgotten the memory of our patriot dead will survive.

As long as there are men and women who value freedom, as long as there are people who fight for justice, so long as there is one patriot left in Ireland, the names of those we commemorate today will be honoured”, he concluded to applause.

The commemoration ended with An Cathaoirleach thanking everyone who had made it such a success and who attended from far and wide. He thanked all who had promoted the Easter Lily over the weekend, and Deirdre Archbold concluded the formalities with the singing of “Amhrán na bhFiann”.

There is further news and photographs from the commemoration on the “Clonakilty Easter Commemoration Committee” Facebook page. During May, it will be updated on the anniversaries of the executions of the 16 Leaders of the Easter Rising on their anniversaries.

CRÍOCH

SHOULD DEASY'S CAR PARK BE LOCKED?

SHOULD DEASY'S CAR PARK BE LOCKED?

At this week's Clonakilty Town Council meeting, Sinn Féin Cllr. Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin said that the council should NOT start locking the newly-erected gates at Deasy's Car Park unless the problems we had there up to a few months ago began re-occurring.
BACKROUND: For a couple of years at least, a small group of people with no respect for the facility or nearby residents, used the car park as a gathering place for their illegal activities, which impacted on nearby residents, other users of the car park, and the general image of our town.
Gardaí were unable or unwilling to tackle the issue head on and deal with the root of the problem. Council and Councillors were inundated with complaints on a regular basis.
At last August's Council Meeting, I agreed reluctantly to the idea of erecting gates at the two entrances to the car park, and that these would be locked during certain night time hours, to physically prevent the anti-social element entering, and continuing with their disgraceful activities.
My comments at the meeting got a lot of coverage as I called it as I saw it, and left no one in any doubt as to my disgust at these individuals who were forcing the council to do this, but also how their loutish behaviour had led to misery for so many decent people. I also said at the time, that we were giving into this small minority and denying the general public the right to park their cars in a public car park, which was bought by the council for that purpose, and believed that it was an admission of failure to tackle the root cause of the problem.
In the end, the council had no choice in order to protect the people of the area, but to go for the option of erecting gates that would then be closed nightly during certain hours in order to prevent entry of the anti-social element in their cars. I also proposed that signage be erected prominently, outlining the fines for misuse of the car park or any breaking of laws or the councils own bye laws e.g. Public Drinking, Littering, etc.
So roll on. After three months, the gates were finally erected in late November/early December. However, since the August meeting, the whole issue has quietened down and the problems appear to have disappeared completely (hope I'm not tempting fate here!).
Therefore at this weeks council meeting, I suggested that given this positive development, that we do NOT lock the gates, unless the problems started up again. The gates are now hanging on the pillars and could be easily closed at any time. The signage could reflect the fact that people parking there should be aware that the car park "may" be closed during certain hours, and a telephone number to contact for clarification. Indeed temporary stand-by signs could be made, reading something like:
"PLEASE NOTE. THIS CAR PARK WILL BE LOCKED AND INACCESSIBLE FROM 8.00pm TO 8.00am TONIGHT. PLEASE DO NOT PARK DURING THESE HOURS"
and placed prominently at the entrances. These signs could be easily placed and removed on days when it is being proposed to close the gates, and removed at other times. Practical no?
However, the majority of councillors insisted on them being closed with immediate effect "on a trial basis"!! for nine months!!
I stand by my opinion that unless something is not broken, there's no need to fix it! Presently and for the last few months, the problems have disappeared. The gates are ready to be closed at any time, should the problems start re-occurring. In the meantime, the car park can remain open 24 hours/day, to be used for the purpose it is intended - Parking. That after all is why Clonakilty Town Council paid £1 million for the site over 10 years ago!

Message to Grassrott Fianna Fáilers

Letter to the Editor for publication

For verification, please ring 086-2202029

5 STEPS HOW GRASSROOT FIANNA FÁILERS CAN SHOW THEIR SHAME

23ú Samhain 2010

A Chara,
It is stunning that the whole Fianna Fáil hierarchy has no shame that they have ruined the country, sold out to the IMF and EU, and enslaved the people of this country for at least a generation. The self proclaimed Republican Party see no irony in the fact that they have effectively shredded the 1916 Proclamation in favour of the banks, and have betrayed the selfless patriots of the past who went out to try to free our country - many of whom paid with their lives. Those gallant men and women did not take up the gun for pensions, lavish expenses or chauffeur-driven cars.
Yet the Fianna Fáil organisation around the state perpetuate these patriots names in their branch names, etc. I know many ordinary grassroot Fianna Fáil people who are deeply ashamed and embarrassed by their party today, it’s gombeen leadership, and what it has inflicted on the Irish people.
These are decent, honourable people who feel betrayed by the treasonable arrogance of their Ministers, T.D.’s and Senators, whose only focus now is political survival, rather than democracy or the will of the citizens. To compel the insult on the Irish people, we then see the “renegades” on the airwaves calling for Cowen to go, trying to give the impression they are on the peoples side. What a joke!
Others are wasting peoples time sending out leaflets talking about things they are doing, which is mostly local council work. To those genuine Fianna Fáil people I say it’s time to take a stand.
If you are really serious about what you once were supposed to stand for, I propose the following actions, on this the week when we remember the 90th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, the Kilmichael Ambush and recently the deaths of Terence McSwiney and other Cork Republicans on Hunger Strike.
(1) Demand an emergency meeting of your local Cumann, and decommission the name of any Irish patriot in their names. True Irish patriots and the Fianna Fáil name should not be in the one sentence.
(2) Decommission "The Republican Party" from your title.
(3) Organise that all the members of the party at local level who have a conscience, assemble at a pre-arranged, publicised location, and publicly burn or tear up your Fianna Fáil membership cards, or better still, stuff them in the letterbox of your local Fianna Fáil constituency office.
(4) Sign a public pledge that you will not canvass or support Fianna Fáil candidates in the upcoming election (even if you cannot get yourself to vote for any other candidate)
(5) Ring, write, text, e-mail your local Fianna Fáil councillor, asking them all to follow your example.
I believe that the many decent Fianna Fáil grassroot members who are horrified and ashamed by the gangsterism of their leadership should have no problem in acting on these proposals if they are ashamed of their party and how it has betrayed not just the Irish people, but treated their own members with such disdain.
Is mise, le meas,
Cllr. Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin,
Sinn Féin,
Cloich na Coillte,
Iarthair Chorcaí.