Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open You are visiting us because we have something you value Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more. GARDAÍ AND EMERGENCY Services were both called this evening to the scene of a fire at a premises in Stillorgan Business Park in Dublin. Smoke could be seen billowing from the area in this picture taken by The Journal. Dublin Fire Service said that Rathfarnham and Dun Laoghaire firefighters were called to a fire in a derelict warehouse in the industrial estate this evening. In a social media post at around 7.30pm, Dublin Fire Service said that while some smoke is visible, the fire had been brought under control. To embed this post, copy the code below on your site Create an email alert based on the current article The Lep Inn in Stillorgan, Dublin was formerly known as The Leopardstown Inn. Photo: Gareth Byrne The Lep Inn on Brewery Road in Stillorgan, Dublin sits on a 0.91-acre site with parking for 75 cars Donal BuckleyWed 30 Apr 2025 at 03:30The Loyola Group is selling one of south Dublin’s best-known hostelries, The Lep Inn in Leopardstown, a popular haunt of racegoers visiting the nearby racecourse. Agent BDM Property is guiding €7.25m for its sale, which comes as Loyola pivots away from suburban Dublin and focuses its attention on the city centre and Portugal’s Algarve. Headed by Stephen Cooney and brothers Brian and Eoin O’Malley, Loyola recently opened Flight Club Darts on Dawson Street in the city centre following a €7m investment. They are also investing in the expansion and refurbishment of The Landmark pub on the corner of Wexford Street and Kevin Street, having recently acquired adjoining properties. Today's News in 90 Seconds - April 29th Meanwhile, in Portugal’s Algarve, where former Leinster rugby player Eoin O’Malley heads the operation, Loyola recently added a fifth property to its chain of bars and restaurants. Last year, Loyola sold The Greedy Eagle in Glasthule, south Dublin to Paddy Doherty of Doherty Hospitality Group for about €4m. The Lep Inn, located on Brewery Road in Stillorgan and formerly known as The Leopardstown Inn, is a two-storey premises extending to 14,250 sq ft with a feature circular glazed bar fronting Brewery Road. Its accommodation includes a ground-floor lounge bar; a glazed feature corner double-height atrium lounge bar; a public bar, customer toilets, catering kitchen and the Grape & Grain off-licence. On the first floor there is a self-contained function room with a roof terrace and bar, customer toilets, secondary kitchen, offices for 22 people and a conference room and stores. Its basement contains a beer cold room. Outside, there is parking for approximately 75 cars. Although located in a neighbourhood centre with shops, The Lep Inn is a freehold property which occupies a site area of 0.91 acres which is zoned Neighbourhood Centre (NC) under the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Development Plan 2022-2028. Permitted uses include residential and shop local with discount food store open for consideration. There has been considerable residential and commercial development in the area over the past decade. Nearby Sandyford Business Park, which does not have a pub, has the offices of many big employers such as Microsoft, SSE Airtricity, the Ardagh Group and the Beacon Hospital. A number of high-density residential developments have been completed in the vicinity, most notably The Grange and Beechwood Court apartments, plus Sandyford Central and Rockbrook. Loyola’s other Dublin businesses include The Old Spot and The Bath pubs, both on Bath Avenue, near the Aviva stadium in Dublin 4 as well as Base Pizza. The group’s Algarve businesses include The Bold Octopus, The Cheeky Pup, Tony’s Pizza Restaurant, and Botanico in the Quinta do Lago area. Join the Irish Independent WhatsApp channel The south Dublin landmark, which is guiding at a price of €7.25 million, is expected to see interest from a wide range of publicans, investors and developers thanks to the strength of its existing business and the potential of its 0.37-hectare (0.91-acre) site for a range of alternative uses including residential accommodation. The well-known pub was acquired by the Loyola Group for about €6 million in 2015 after it became the subject of an examinership involving its long-standing owners, brothers Brian and Des Reddy. Located at the junction of Brewery Road and Leopardstown Avenue in Stillorgan, the Leopardstown Inn has long been acknowledged as one of south Dublin’s foremost licensed premises. The pub’s substantial customer base is drawn from both the area’s affluent residential population and from the thousands working in the nearby Sandyford Business District for leading employers such as Microsoft, Meta, Google and the Beacon Hospital. The venue is also readily accessible from further afield owing to its location between the N11 and the M50 motorway and proximity to the Luas green line stop at Sandyford. The freehold property’s 0.37-hectare (0.91-acre) site is zoned Neighbourhood Centre under the Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Development Plan 2022-28. Permitted uses included residential, neighbourhood shop, local shop, with discount food store open for consideration. Given the property’s location in what is arguably one of Dublin’s most sought-after residential areas, the sale is likely to see interest from a number of developers. The area surrounding the Leopardstown Inn has seen significant residential development over recent years with US property firm Kennedy Wilson’s apartment schemes at The Grange on the Stillorgan Road and The Cornerstone in Stillorgan village among the most notable additions. Commenting on the sale, John Ryan of BDM Property, said: “This is a rare opportunity to acquire one of south Dublin’s most successful suburban licensed premises. The Leopardstown Inn enjoys a high level of turnover from food, drink and off-sales business. With its superb location in a busy and affluent area of south Dublin, this property will appeal to developers and retailers”. News of the Leopardstown Inn’s sale comes just over one year on from the Loyola Group’s off-market disposal for €4 million of the The Greedy Eagle pub in Glasthule village. The pub, which had been known for many years as the Eagle House, was acquired by Paddy Doherty, the Donegal-born founder and chief executive of the Electro Automation Group. Ronald Quinlan is Property Editor of The Irish Times Facebook pageTwitter feed© 2025 The Irish Times DAC A BUSINESSMAN who recently completed a management buyout of a top construction firm will stand trial next year accused of assaulting a man in south Dublin appeared in Dublin Circuit Court on Thursday where he pleaded not guilty to a single charge of assault causing harm to David Hawkins at Meadowpark Avenue in Dublin 14 on March 31 Mr Yates was remanded on continuing bail and a trial date was set for July 21 He is a well-known businessman who recently spearheaded a management buyout of Bretland Construction where he is also managing director The company which is headquartered in Offaly has been involved in major construction projects ranging from residential and commercial projects to civil engineering and industrial projects Speaking at the opening of their new headquarters in Edenderry last year which coincided with the companies 25th year in business family-run business has grown substantially into one of Ireland’s leading construction companies.” At the time he was deputy managing director and board member but he led a management buyout in recent weeks following the retirement of the company’s founders and is now managing director “We are delighted to have successfully completed this significant milestone and are genuinely excited about the opportunities ahead,” he said in a statement issued last month following the buyout “This MBO marks a major turning point for Bretland Construction and our dedicated employees “Just as every successful building project starts with meticulous planning and solid foundations our continued success will be based on our experienced and passionate team.” He said the company was committed to quality safety and sustainability while positioning for future growth described the deal as “significant,” saying the new leadership team had ambitions to capitalise on growth opportunities in construction civil engineering and infrastructure markets Bretland Construction sponsors Offaly Ladies GAA Bretland Park GAA ground in the county Mr Yates describes himself in a profile as a “visionary leader” with “30 years of experience across four continents managing complex projects and fostering business growth in diverse environments.” I thrive on strategically managing and coordinating diverse multicultural teams within hazardous Please check your inbox to verify your details Now download the free app for all the latest Sunday World News, Crime, Irish Showbiz and Sport. Available on Apple and Android devices The Sunday TimesThe Land Development Agency has purchased a prime south Dublin residential development from Pat Crean’s Marlet Property Group The agency has agreed to buy Marlet’s Brenannstown Road development of 222 apartments and 12 duplexes at Cabinteely and will offer the units as cost-rental accommodation The deal was conducted through the LDA’s Home Building Partnership where it has assembled a panel of 15 of the country’s largest housebuilders to accelerate the delivery of affordable accommodation The agency is targeting the delivery of 5,000 homes through the initiative Deals have already been struck with Cairn Homes for 600 units at its Seven Mills scheme in west Dublin and for 337 apartments at Glenveagh’s Marina development in Cork’s docklands. More about Clubs & Facilities More about Coaches & Officials More about Get Involved More about High Performance closeMenu() { this.menuOpen = false; this.searchOpen = false; this.enableBodyScroll(); } this.menuOpen; this.searchOpen = false; this.menuOpen this.disableBodyScroll() : this.enableBodyScroll(); } this.searchOpen; this.menuOpen = false; this.searchOpen disableBodyScroll() { document.body.classList.add(...this.menuOpenClasses); } enableBodyScroll() { document.body.classList.remove(...this.menuOpenClasses); } A thrilling afternoon of athletics action unfolded today (April 27th) at the 2025 edition of the 123.ie National Road Relay Championships hosted by Raheny Shamrock AC which took place on the now familiar lap route starting on Wade’s Avenue in Raheny The senior races featured many well-known names on the domestic athletics scene Dundrum South Dublin AC retained their title winning gold in the senior women’s race (20:59) with Maria McCambridge Emma McEvoy and Eimear Maher contributing to their success Mary Horgan and Ellie Hartnett combined to win silver (21:31) while host club Raheny Shamrock won bronze (21:44) with Lucy Barrett Kate Crowley and Niamh Kearney making up the team Ennis Track AC went one better than last year to win gold (37:11) Niall Murphy and Mark Hanrahan ran on the victorious team The Clare quartet were pushed all the way for their victory by Jamie Fallon William Fitzgerald and Oisin Davis from Craughwell AC who claimed silver (37:15) Last year’s champions Clonliffe Harriers had to settle for bronze (37:32) with Ben Guiden ahead of last year’s champions Sportsworld AC and Dunboyne AC who won silver and bronze respectively Ennis Track AC retained their Women’s O50 title finishing ahead of silver medallists Raheny Shamrock AC and bronze medallists Drogheda and District AC Letterkenny AC made the long trip down from Donegal to Dublin worthwhile as they took the gold medals in the Men’s O35 race ahead of Raheny Shamrock AC (silver) and Clonliffe Harriers AC (bronze) Rathfarnham WSAF AC won the O50 Men’s title ahead of last year’s champions City of Derry Spartans AC and Inishowen AC who rounded out the podium Athletics Ireland would like to congratulate all of our competitors and thank Raheny Shamrock AC for hosting these championships Place  Club                                               Time                                        21:31 1            Ennis Track A.C                          37:11 3            Clonliffe Harriers A.C A           37:32 Sign-up for the Athletics Ireland E-Zine with exclusive interviews This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience, serve personalised ads or content, and analyse our traffic. By clicking "Accept All", you consent to our use of cookies. We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below. The cookies that are categorised as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyse how you use this website, store your preferences, and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you. These cookies will only be stored in your browser with your prior consent. You can choose to enable or disable some or all of these cookies but disabling some of them may affect your browsing experience. Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data. Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Plans have been unveiled for a winter sports and entertainment arena in Dublin, which aims to house the State’s first professional ice hockey franchise. The proposed €190 million development on an eight-acre site in Cherrywood, south Dublin will include two Olympic-sized ice rinks; a 5,000-seat indoor arena and a training centre for elite athletes. The investment vehicle behind the project, Prime Arena Holdings Limited, said it had reached agreement to purchase the site from US real-estate group Hines, which is already developing 1,300 apartments within the Cherrywood strategic development zone. The list of high-profile investors backing the project includes: music promoter and MCD founder Denis Desmond; Setanta and Premier Sports founder Mickey O’Rourke; former commercial head of sport at RTÉ Dermot Rigley; and tech investor and Hostelworld co-founder Tom Kennedy. Founders of public affairs firm Hume Brophy, John Hume and Eoin Brophy, who recently sold their business to international PR firm Penta, and financier Helen Work are also part of the team. As well as serving as a national hub for winter sports, the venue aims to become the permanent home for Dublin’s first professional ice hockey franchise, which will compete in the UK Elite Ice Hockey League alongside the Belfast Giants. Ice hockey is one of the fastest-growing spectator sports in the UK. The Belfast Giants regularly draw crowds of close to 7,000 at home games in the city’s SE Arena. The proposed scheme, adjacent to junction 16 of the M50 motorway, also aims to serve as a concert venue and a space for international exhibitions and corporate events. “With projected capacity to host between 50-70 events annually in partnership with global promoters, it will provide Ireland with a mid-tier venue tailored to international-scale performances, tours and exhibitions,” the company said. Planning documentation for the development, which has the backing of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, is scheduled to be submitted by September this year. Listen | 47:51“This is a defining moment for Ireland – a bold statement of what we can achieve when ambition meets collaboration,” said Prime Arena Holdings chief executive Dermot Rigley. “Since 2021, we’ve been working quietly but relentlessly with an incredible team to bring this vision to life – and today, we’re proud to finally share it with the Irish public,” he said. “With the support of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and Hines, we’re building more than an arena – we’re creating a national landmark that will open up winter sports to every corner of Irish society, empower our athletes, and give Ireland the platform it deserves to host world-class events,” said Mr Rigley. Chairman Tom Kennedy said: “This isn’t just an investment in infrastructure – it’s a legacy for generations”. Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council Jim O’Leary welcomed what he described as Ireland’s first dedicated winter sports arena. “This transformational arena will contribute significantly to our corporate goals in realising our sports, tourism and cultural ambitions.” Eoin Burke-Kennedy is Economics Correspondent of The Irish Times pictured leaving the Dublin District Coroner's Court Garda Ian Saville pictured leaving the Dublin District Coroner's Court 0105'25 Garda Ian Saville pictured leaving the Dublin District Coroner's Court this afternoon after the inquest into the death of five year old Paula Baxanean who drowned in a bath at her home on Taylor's Lane ,Rathfarnham on 19th May 2024 ...SEE COPY SEAN McCARTHAIGH.. Seán McCárthaighThu 1 May 2025 at 15:29A young girl drowned in a bath at her family home in south Dublin last year after being left unattended for a few minutes while her mother responded to crying from her son who was playing in their garden Dublin was pronounced dead at Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin on May 19 2024 where she had been rushed by ambulance after being found unresponsive in the bath by her mother Natalia Baxanean told a sitting of Dublin District Coroner’s Court that her daughter had been born with a genetic disorder which had resulted in her delayed development Garda Ian Saville confirmed to the coroner that gardaí were satisfied that there was nothing suspicious in relation to the circumstances of the girl’s death Ms Baxanean said Paula had also been diagnosed with epilepsy when she was four months old while her daughter was also non-verbal and required assistance to walk The inquest heard the little girl suffered regular seizures which often required long stays in hospital Ms Baxanean said everything was normal on May 19 2024 when she was at home with her two children She described giving her daughter something to eat before running a bath for her at around 5pm She outlined how she brought the boy into the kitchen to comfort him after finding out that he had fallen and cut his leg Ms Baxanean said she was in shock when she returned to the bathroom to find her daughter lying on her side in the bath and not moving Today's News in 90 seconds - Thursday She admitted that she had been away from the bath for “at least five minutes.” Ms Baxanean said she began chest compressions on her daughter after taking her out of the bath and a neighbour arrived shortly after to help with carrying out CRP on the girl before paramedics arrived One ambulance crew member noted that there was vomiting on the floor and around the girl’s face Ms Baxanean described begging with doctors at the hospital in Crumlin to keep trying to resuscitate her daughter after they had indicated that they could not get a heartbeat The inquest heard medical staff continued CPR on the girl for a total of 30 minutes before a decision was made to cease attempts at resuscitation and she was pronounced dead at around 6.15pm In reply to questions from coroner Clare Keane Ms Baxanean said Paula’s last seizure had been about two weeks before her death which lasted around 30 seconds Garda Saville said paramedics were originally uncertain why she was undressed and wet when they found her on the floor of the living room at the family’ home but later understood that the fatal incident had occurred while she was having a bath Dr Keane said the results of a postmortem showed that the deceased had died as a result of acute drowning although she also noted Paula’s significant health conditions The coroner said there was nothing to suggest that the girl had suffered a seizure in the bath while the food she had consumed before the bath was “not relevant to anything that happened.” Dr Keane said the fatal incident was “a tragic accident” which had taken place “really quickly and unexpectedly.” the coroner offered her sympathy to Ms Baxanean “for the heartbreaking loss that your family has suffered.” A local authority in Dublin has made a public application to its own planners seeking exemptions for council-owned land after the properties were deemed liable for tax on maps made by the body itself The submission from South Dublin County Council means its own officials must decide whether the local authority should receive a tax pass on housing land it owns in Tallaght The annual tax on vacant residential land was introduced by the last government in a bid to spur housing delivery by imposing a charge on used property The idea was to discourage owners from hoarding land in the hope of bigger profits later as house prices rise The Residential Zoned Land Tax prompted a cascade of objections from big builders and farmers who applied to local authorities around country to exempt or dezone their property South Dublin County Council has challenged its own draft tax map for 2026 with builders Cairn and Glenveagh included in those seeking exclusions “South Dublin is no different to any other landowner in the application of the tax and the mapping process is based on the criteria set out in the Taxes Consolidation Act and is generally blind to ownership,” the council said “The economic [department] within South Dublin made a submission on the basis that the parcels of land were considered to be not liable for the reasons set out in the submission [ Wheelchair user had to crawl up and down stairs of rented Dublin apartmentOpens in new window ] “The [South Dublin County Council] submission, alongside the other submissions, will be assessed by the planning department and a determination made.” The council said land at Belgard Heights, Tallaght, was heavily encumbered by an old underground reservoir; land at Clonburris, Clondalkin, was encumbered by services; and lands beside Knocklyon Road were on the route of a proposed road. Arthur Beesley is Current Affairs Editor of The Irish Times Pizzas are made with 72-hour fermented dough but regulars include the “Classic” Margherita and the “Ariano” – a tribute to their first pizza chef More recent additions nod to Dignam’s children and California: “Pierce’s Pie” There’s also a taco menu built on Blanco Niño tortillas and grilled fillings The Revolution also supplies pizzas to local Rathgar pubs – The 108 and The Bottler’s Bank and all the pizzas were just out of the oven and piping hot with nice leoparding on the crust and a well-charred base sliced poorly – more of a suggestion than a proper cut – which made eating them a bit awkward It was well balanced with a good tomato sauce could have done with more of the wild boar sausage but it was still a solid pizza and got the thumbs up Dean’s Dish – a white-based pizza with roasted butternut squash walnuts and lime zest – was less punchy than the other two and a bit bland The butternut squash brought too much sweetness The dips were very tasty and ideal for dragging the crust through Packaging is recyclable and compostable where possible They have cut out plastics almost entirely [ Dining Room review: No song and dance, just dinner served the way it should be – calm, generous and unfussy ] €63 for dinner for three people: Pierce’s Pie Deliveroo and Uber Eats within a 5km radius Yes, if I was local, or in The Bottler’s Bank. But there are a lot of other strong pizza options nearby, including Reggie’s Pizzeria and Kodiak in Rathmines. Corinna Hardgrave, a contributor to The Irish Times, writes a weekly restaurant column Developers and investors involved in the delivery of accommodation aimed towards the upper end of private rented sector and traditional owner-occupier market will be interested in the sale of a site in the South Dublin suburb of Glenageary. Located on the Glenageary Road just south of Silchester Park, the 0.29-hectare (0.74-acre) holding site comes for sale through agent Lisney Commercial Real Estate with full planning permission for the development of 27 large apartments at a guide price of €3 million. While the existing planning consent is due to expire in the near future, it does provide a precedent for the future development of the site. The holding is zoned Objective A, the aim of which is “to provide residential development and improve residential amenity while protecting the existing residential amenities under the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Development Plan 2022-2028. Located just a short distance from Dun Laoghaire town centre and the villages of Glasthule and Dalkey, Glenageary is one of south county Dublin’s most affluent residential areas. Further information on the Glenageary Road site is available from Shane O’Connor at Lisney Commercial Real Estate. A South Dublin homeowner is facing imprisonment or a €5,000 fine after being told to remove the external insulation installed on his home six years ago with the aid of a Government grant Clive Ryan spent €16,000 to have wraparound external insulation installed on his home in Kilnamanagh in October 2018 He received a €4,000 grant under the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) programme following completion of the works by registered One Stop Shop provider Churchfield Home Services The Programme for Government committed to ramping up its retrofitting targets to deliver more B2 Ber rated homes and to provide improved grants for homeowners who wish to enhance the energy efficiency of their homes “This is something we got to reduce our bills that was the plan behind it,” Mr Ryan said He said he is very happy with the workmanship and his home is now easier to heat and his bills have been reduced “You put the heat on for 20 minutes and the house is warm for three or four hours However, Mr Ryan now regrets having any work done after being told by South Dublin County Council that the insulation does not meet planning requirements. While he has applied for retention planning permission twice since first being alerted to this, his applications have come back as invalid, and he is now in the process of applying for a third time.* In December 2024, six and a half years after having the work done, he received a letter from the council saying the insulation must be taken down or else he faces a €5,000 fine or imprisonment. “If I had known this at the start I would have never gone near it,” Mr Ryan said. “It has knocked us for six.” Under planning laws, maintenance and improvement works to homes which do not affect the external appearance are exempt from the requirement for planning permission. However, in the case of external insulation, it is less clear. In response to a parliamentary question from People Before Profit–Solidarity TD Paul Murphy, Minister for Housing James Browne said that whether planning permission is required for insulation is “dependent on a number of factors” and said homeowners need to engage with the local planning authority “on a case-by-case basis”. The Minister has said this situation is to be reviewed as part of updating regulations. Local People Before Profit Councillor Jess Spear said the issue “has caused anxiety and frustration” for Mr Ryan and his family. “Is this really how we should respond to a homeowner reducing their emissions – tell them they have to take it down or the council will, and not only that but they could be fined and imprisoned?” she asked. “We should be facilitating people to insulate their homes, not putting up barriers.” * This article was amended on March 3rd, 2025. The original version of the article referred to the earlier planning applications being refused. South Dublin County Council at County Hall, Tallaght in Dublin. Photo: Emma Nolan “Unprecedented” industrial action will impact the public and councillors in south Dublin “very negatively” next week, a local authority has warned. South Dublin County Council has hit back at claims by ­Fórsa in relation to a dispute over the planned outsourcing of legal services. It said it was notified of “extensive” industrial action “with significant disappointment”. A spokesperson said a planned work-to-rule from Monday, March 24, will “immediately and very negatively impact on our ­delivery of public services and key programmes of work, directly affecting the people of South Dublin County and our elected members who represent them”. The council also accused the union of engaging in unofficial industrial action. South Dublin councillors face disruption when almost 500 local authority workers begin the work-to-rule. They are unhappy with plans to outsource debt recovery work to external solicitors. This includes the collection of rate arrears. Fórsa’s notice of industrial action said it will involve the “withdrawal of all engagement” with South Dublin county councillors. This includes the use of all emails, phones and attendance by its members at council meetings, municipal district meetings and committees. Today's News in 90 Seconds - March 21st South Dublin County Council claimed in a statement the union has “foreclosed” on established industrial relations structures and talks “for reasons that are unclear”. The council claimed the union had “urged members to engage in unofficial industrial action during a ballot process”. It said the dispute relates to the continued outsourcing of “very specific” legal elements of debt-collection work. It said this would otherwise require the recruitment of additional solicitors in the council’s Law Department “which amongst other aspects would be extremely challenging in the current recruitment environment”. It involves the pursuit of commercial rates debtors, up to court appearances and lodging of judgments. The council said engaging a third-party firm to carry out this work has not removed work from any member of staff and it would be done to maximise its budgetary capacity. It accused the union of “misleadingly” alleging that the council refused to engage and that there will be job losses if the plan proceeds. “Both statements are categorically false,” it said. A Fórsa spokesperson said the council may be referring to a lunchtime protest that members took part in when referring to unofficial action. He said members participated on their own time and it is “more than a stretch” to describe it as unofficial action. The spokesperson said the council breached the public service pay deal by “unilaterally” extending an interim agreement on outsourcing. “SDCC management appears to have a preference for outsourcing its work, seems unwilling to hire direct labour to deliver these services in-house, or to engage staff representatives on the issue,” he said. “Fórsa's position is that management's approach is removing job opportunities within the local authority, and represents an effort to privatise public services by stealth.” He claimed management had avoided any real engagement to resolve the dispute. A project to turn an old work depot into tea rooms at a park in one of the country’s wealthiest suburbs ended up costing almost 25 per cent more than budgeted Dublin City Council said the final bill for the conversion work at Palmerston Park, located next to some of the most expensive houses in the city, was almost €683,000. The original contract amount for the project in Dartry was €556,000 but unforeseen extra costs arose after work began. Dublin City Council said two existing floor slabs had to be broken out while the foundations for existing external walls were not strong enough and needed underpinning. The local authority said there were other problems with the walls and that work on additional kerbs, drainage and site clearance also took place. It said some savings were made by reducing the scale of a gravel area beside the new tea rooms and a reduction in the number of parasols provided. An information note said: “Other design changes to items like lighting fittings, metalwork (tapping rails), security (protection cages) and external entrance mats have also been implemented. “Finally, significant additional soft landscaping works have been added to the works.” The council said that the conversion of the depot at the historic park included a dining area, a serving area, storerooms, toilets and other facilities. It said that “unforeseen existing building structural issues” had added around €30,000 to the bill and only became evident when work began. A note said: “These included the very unusual situation where the walls were built on top of the floor slab, which then had to be cut back, the walls underpinned and additional supports to the foundations. “It said the work also meant the initial plan to insulate the building would not work and that a more expensive option was chosen instead. The building achieved a A3 Ber rating from B1 Ber rating preconstruction ... “[what this] means is lower fuel costs and significantly less CO2 emissions,” the council said. It said landscape works had accounted for an extra €80,000 in costs with only a basic level provided for in the original pricing. Their information note said: “The increase in cost included for a full planting scheme plus twelve months maintenance in and around the tea rooms, drainage, Wicklow granite kerbing and associated works. “[This] was justified given the historic nature of the park and the need to use quality materials.” The council said miscellaneous extra costs accounted for €17,000 while there were delay claim accounts of around €6,000. Asked about the project, Dublin City Council said it had nothing further to add. Print Microsoft is unveiling a new €100,000 fund to support individuals schools and non-profits that want to deliver impactful community projects in South Dublin The Microsoft Community Fund for South Dublin is dedicated to helping support thriving and sustainable communities near the company’s data centre campus in Clondalkin – funding projects related to environmental sustainability and digital skills communities will be able to choose from a portfolio of ideas that have had a positive impact in other communities around the world including a citizen science monitoring scheme to protect water sources a programme to support the development of school gardens and local biodiversity and a project aiming to tackle plastic pollution through turning waste into valuable materials Applications for funding are open to individuals schools and non-profits across the South Dublin County Council area Funding of up to €4,500 per project is available and is allocated on a first-come with all applicants required to complete a 30-day challenge to unlock funding which includes establishing a clear project action plan The launch of the Microsoft Community Fund for South Dublin builds on the support Microsoft has already provided to local communities focusing on the development of digital skills and empowering local sustainability have benefitted more than 16,000 community members since 2021 alone Microsoft has invested more than €4 million in initiatives that support thriving sustainable communities in the vicinity of its data centre operations in Clondalkin general manager of Microsoft data centre operations for EMEA Microsoft unveiled our Data Centre Community Pledge highlighting our commitment to local economies and communities where we operate As we build and operate a global network of advanced data centres we recognise the crucial role communities play in this ecosystem The latest Microsoft Community Fund for South Dublin… will help deliver on the key pillars of this pledge advancing community prosperity and well-being while contributing to a sustainable future and operating responsibly as a good neighbour Microsoft has invested more than €4m in empowering communities close to our data centre operations in Dublin helping to enhance people’s digital skills fostering sustainability and advancing community prosperity and well-being Microsoft has directly benefited more than 16,000 local people in communities in South and West Dublin and supported the local organisations that help them thrive We look forward to witnessing the continued positive impact we can make in creating vibrant and sustainable communities through the roll out of the latest South Dublin community fund.” who received support by way of the Fund in 2021 and started an Open Orchard project said: “We wanted to grow more food but buying fruit trees is expensive When we heard about the funding provided by Microsoft we realised it was perfect because it allowed us to get the idea off the ground The idea behind adding fruit trees and berries to our community garden was to give local children the chance to pick their own fruit and have that experience which is hard to access when growing up in an urban environment Spending the funding in local nurseries also helped to support small businesses in the area and give back to the local community.” Read More: Social network admits transferring data to China Qwen3 promises better accuracy, though response times may lag behind Gemini and ChatGPT New collaborations include Anthropic, IBM, Microsoft, Mistral AI, OpenAI, Perplexity, Samsung, Stripe and more Consumers can easily spend stablecoins with Mastercard-enabled cards at millions of merchants worldwide OpenAi among potential bidders for Web browser Planners have given the go-ahead for proposed “Dublin Fields” movie studios for a site in south Dublin that may create as many as 2,800 jobs on and off site when operational South Dublin County Council awarded a 10-year planning permission to Lens Media Ltd for the 56-acre site which includes 20 individual structures amounting to over 74,000sq m of gross floor space. The development includes six buildings that comprise 11 internal sound stages along with ancillary offices at Grange Castle Business Park, Co Dublin. A planning report by consultants Tom Phillips+ Associates lodged with the application stated that Dublin Fields “will have all the elements that will lure top productions from around the world”. The planning report stated that the project “will be a world class studio” and occupy the top tier of movie studios globally alongside Pinewood in London and Trilith in the US. Underlining the scale of the proposal, the council is requiring the applicants to pay €8.85 million to towards public infrastructure and facilities benefiting development within the council area. The payment is one of 25 conditions the council has attached to the planning permission at the end of a 106-page planning report. A spokeswoman for Lens Media said the studios “will more than double the current soundstage offering in Ireland, acting as a catalyst for the indigenous screen industry and catering for growing, unmet production needs. Once fully operational it will directly support in the region of 2,800 jobs and over 2,100 indirectly. Welcoming the grant of permission, the spokeswoman said: “We would like to acknowledge the support from South Dublin County Council over the last number of years. From the outset they recognised the positive impact this project will have – on the surrounding area as well as on the rest of the country – and they have worked with us in a collaborative way to get to this positive decision today.” In their report, Tom Phillips + Associates stated: “We believe this will be the largest stage in the European Union, and a unifying step in making Ireland a new hub for the movie and TV industry.” Lens Media Ltd is made up of film industry and large-scale real estate development professionals: Irish producer Alan Moloney, known for Siege of Jadotville and Brooklyn, and Oscar-nominated American producer Gary Levinsohn of Saving Private Ryan. Mr Moloney founded ‘Big Things Films’ with Cillian Murphy in 2022 and produced ‘Small Things Like These’. The firm is currently in post production for ‘Steve’, a movie for Netflix with Cillian Murphy in the lead role. The other partners in the venture include David Cooper M.D who is a New York-based physician, accomplished film-maker Matt Cooper and Irish- born and LA-based Christopher Carlin. Gordon Deegan is a contributor to The Irish Times Investors looking for a mix of a steady income, with the potential for asset management upside, are likely to be interested in the sale of a south Dublin office investment. 52 Broom, Broomhill Business Park, Tallaght, Dublin 24, is being brought to market by Lisney, on behalf of receiver Gerard Murphy of Gerard Murphy and Co. Lisney is seeking offers in the region of €6.5 million for the four-storey property, reflecting a capital value of €130 sq ft. The four-storey over basement office building extends to about 49,970 sq ft (gross internal area) and sits on a site of 0.54 hectares (1.34 acres) with 190 car parking spaces. The property features a recently refurbished, modern reception and common areas throughout, while the office spaces include a mix of open-plan layouts, private offices, and meeting rooms. Tenants of the property include the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the Road Safety Authority (RSA). The HSE occupies the third floor on a lease until 2027, while the RSA holds part of the ground floor under leases expiring in 2030. The property currently generates a passing rent of €273,012 a year. The vacant floors, including the first and second floors and part ground floor, provide scope for “significant rental growth” according to the agent. 52 Broom benefits from an excellent location near Tallaght Village, The Square Shopping Centre, and major multinationals such as Amazon and Johnson & Johnson. Transport links are exceptional, with direct access to the M50, the Luas Red Line, and multiple Dublin Bus routes. Thomas Byrne of Lisney anticipates good interest from investors seeking a mix of steady income, asset management potential, and significant reversionary upside. “The property is being offered at a price well below replacement costs. A prospective buyer could collaborate with current tenants to explore expansion opportunities. Additionally, the property may be suitable for alternative uses, subject to planning permission,” he said Fiona Reddan is a writer specialising in personal finance and is the Home & Design Editor of The Irish Times It started with her father having to go into a nursing home Then the pandemic happened and then she separated from her husband and a finite amount of money with which to do so she had to box clever to find them a new home she was looking for something a bit special that she could make her own and had a penchant for poured concrete – as anyone who has popped into her shop on Castlewood Avenue in the Swan Centre and coveted the brands on the hangers there will know It’s not the kind of place to sniffily look you up and down for daring to cross its threshold She wanted a home that looked and felt similarly and viewed about 100 properties in her attempt to find it She even got as far as going sale agreed on a small house in Killiney It had a big back garden with the potential to extend into it – subject of course to having the money to do so she realised that she didn’t have the time to attend to it These combined reasons meant she didn’t go through with the sale Discreetly hidden off Main Street in Blackrock village Originally configured as a commercial office it had come to the market with residential planning permission “My friends thought I was crazy,” she recalls So much so that she wrote her a letter listing some 20 reasons not to buy it She was in favour of her buying something more conventional I had a finite amount of money and no pension,” she explains “I went with her the first day she visited it,” her 88-year-old mother Marie Wynne says one of the minuses was the number of stairs in the property and her daughter Gráinne had wanted an outdoor green space “If you’re a mother it’s your job to point out snags the property’s layout meant Wynne could easily get her 10,000 steps a day in ascending and descending the spiral staircase that forms the spine of the building “She might need a pulley to get up the stairs in the future,” she laughs Mother and daughter toured the area after that first viewing and she realised all the village had to offer including a wide expanse of Dublin Bay in lieu of a green space The 88-year-old viewed the refurbishment for the first time only on Christmas Day having now climbed up to the second floor on both December 25th and again on December 31st “She came back on New Year’s Eve for a party and loved the vibe.” Friends who were equally sceptical were “blown away” by the refurbishment Change of use planning permission had already been granted thanks to a design submitted by Node Architects on behalf of the vendor before they brought the unit to market. In the application letter, available to view on the planning website of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council the practice noted “that with the increase of opportunities for people to work from home came a decrease for demand for small office buildings such as this one” Constructed in 2000 with ocean-liner-like oval windows and slightly curved walls the four-story cedar-clad space had been vacant a conversion to residential would create a new dwelling unit in the centre of Blackrock village A good conveyancing solicitor was essential Carol McCormack Solicitors pointed out that while the planning had been applied for it hadn’t yet been acted on The works and changes to the property would commence only once Wynne was the owner which had Revenue implications,” McCormack “Commercial stamp duty is at a rate of 7.5 per cent rather than the residential 1 per cent rate.” Once planning is acted on there is a possibility of a rebate With house-hunters casting their eyes wider to try to buy alternative options to the restricted stock levels of more traditional residential homes McCormack feels we’re going to see more of this The home is accessed through a vehicular arch and while the office had the rights to parking outside the change-of-use application made the point that this space could be used as an outdoor terrace In the same application Node Architects’ rationale was that “given the location of the building with easy access to many public transport modes it is proposed to convert this parking space to an outdoor terrace serving the new dwelling This will contribute to the open space requirements for the new house and there are additional balconies and terraces on each of the upper levels of the building which also add to this.” having committed to the purchase and the additional stamp duty fees Wynne was left with a really tight budget to do all the works to fit the principal bathroom on the first-floor level a shower en suite in one of the two bedrooms and a guest wc off her room These have been fitted with black sanitary ware from the Bathroom Boutique The bathrooms were originally server rooms and all their fuseboards had to be relocated “There was also much rerouting of data cables.” The property has two bedrooms and a mezzanine level There is a charcoal and an off-white palette throughout There is a tiny terrace on each floor which gives access to outside space Each room is a long rectangle shape that suits contemporary living especially when zoning an open-plan kitchen diner While Node Architects had suggested installing it on the mezzanine top floor The mezzanine level has been glassed in to dim down sound and heat transference made by O’Carroll Joinery when the property was constructed Diarmuid Gavin at Dunnes Stores and Windy Ridge populates each floor I believe in taking something simple and making it beautiful,” she says She had a lot of help from Irish Conservatories and Building Services who most recently helped her char her timber stair treads “I’ve learned a lot in the last four years and would feel absolutely confident doing another refurbishment,” she concludes So much so that she’s named the property Athena There are still some minor elements to tease out Living so centrally and beside food businesses means that the commercial bins are being fenced in and an industrial ventilator that is making more noise than she’d like is being sorted “The place had never been residential before and we’re working together to remedy it.” irishconservatories.com; beautiful.south; community is calling for a judicial review Shankill Village, south county Dublin. File photo. The NTA launches the latest phase of the Bus Connects plans, in January 2025. Photo: Julien Behal Photography. Tom GalvinBray PeopleWed 9 Apr 2025 at 14:00A campaign group in south Dublin is raising funds to seek a judicial review against the decision by An Bord Pleanala (ABP) to approve the National Transport Authority’s (NTA) Bray to City Centre Bus Connects Corridor. The aim of the wider Bus Connects project is to transform Dublin’s bus system. The City Centre to Bray scheme has an overall length of approximately 18.5 kilometres, with a route that begins at the junction of Leeson Street Lower and Earlsfort Terrace on St Stephen’s Green, through Donnybrook and Stillorgan to Loughlinstown roundabout. From Loughlinstown roundabout, it runs along the Dublin Road (R837) to St Anne’s Church, in Shankill, and then continues south through Shankill village along the R119. It then passes through Wilford junction and along the Dublin Road until it ends on Castle Street in Bray, on the north side of the River Dargle. It is expected that the scheme will be completed by 2030, with on-site construction due to begin this year in phases. The first phase of the public consultations began as far back as November 2018, but ABP granted numerous time extensions to address submissions. And while there were 216 submissions received by the first deadline, in October 2023, following a further extension, the number of submissions soared, totalling 1,225, before ABP gave the green light to go ahead with the compulsory purchase orders (CPO) in February this year. The Shankill Community Action group is now fundraising to cover legal fees for a Judicial Review to challenge the decision by ABP to approve the corridor – but only in so far as it relates to Shankill. The group believes the plans are “unsustainable and damaging” and while it is not against sustainable transport, it seeks “a balance between progress and preservation, in order to meet future transport needs while retaining the unique charm of Shankill.” The Bus Connects proposals for Shankill are, it argues, “economically unsound, socially unacceptable and environmentally disastrous” and the group supports “alternative and more viable proposals which maintain Shankill’s excellent bus service.” Speaking on behalf of the group, Carol Scott, who has been involved with the campaign when plans were first announced, said the corridor would have “a major impact on the landscape and the townscape character.” She said that of the final total of 1,225 submissions, the lion’s share – 1,118 – came from concerned parties in Shankill. If the N11/M11 corridor goes ahead as well (which is subject to a separate dispute by Bray residents) there is the fear of a “spaghetti junction at the entrance into Shankill”. In fact, there is the belief that the scheme as currently proposed for the village would not even be necessary if the separate N11/M11 is to go ahead and would afford communities in both Bray and Shankill a better service overall. Shankill Community Action has so far raised just over €19,000 through its campaign on idonate. NewsGardaí concerned for well-being of Wicklow woman missing over a weekGardaí are appealing to the public for assistance in tracing the whereabouts of 43-year-old Manjola Japraku, who was reported missing from her home in Baltinglass, Co. Wicklow on Friday, May 2, 2025. The Cherrywood development has been touted as a ‘legacy for generations’ A 23-year-old man has been jailed for 3½ years for a sexual attack on a woman as she walked home on the road where she lived in south Dublin Seif Waleed Al Hindawi argued that he was intoxicated after his first time drinking pointing out that he was from a culture where alcohol is not used He also said that the woman had hit him first Al Hindawi, of no fixed abode, was before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on Monday where he pleaded guilty to sexual assault of the woman on May 23rd The court heard that he refused to be tested for infectious diseases after his arrest which meant that the woman had to wait a number of months to find out whether she had contracted anything from him after he bit her mouth Garda Michelle Maunsell told the court that gardaí responded to a report of an assault on a female by a male that night on Churchtown Road They arrived to the area and saw a car with flashing headlights The female passenger had blood on her face and the male driver pointed to the footpath from where a man approached with blood on his mouth over his teeth The woman told gardaí that she was on her way home that evening She texted her husband as she got off the Luas at about 10.30pm and began the seven-minute walk to her house She glanced back and saw a man in a hoodie She rang her husband to walk around to meet her she came face to face with her attacker and he started shouting at her but she turned and her backpack blocked him He shoved her to the ground with both hands and lay flat on top of her She thought he was going to rape and kill her She said that all she could see were his massive teeth as he put his face on top of hers He started biting as his mouth was open over her mouth She hit his head with her phone as hard as she could She said that it felt as though he was trying to separate her legs to rape her She was still on the phone to her husband as he arrived in his car the man came back and began banging on the passenger window and pulling the handle The gardaí arrived and arrested the accused He had no English and was interviewed twice through a translator and made admissions He said that he was following directions on the phone, trying to get to the International Protection Accommodation Services centre from the Luas Al Hindawi initially pretended to gardaí that he had fled Syria that he had been in the country since March awaiting a work visa He said that he and his brother had arrived at a port here had arrived via Belfast and had been here only five days He then said that it was his first time drinking that he was intoxicated after five beers and didn’t remember much He became emotional as he denied anything sexual had occurred The injured party entered the witness box to deliver a victim-impact statement She recalled being treated in hospital for bites to her face and mouth and receiving a tetanus shot She also said she needed X-rays for the injuries sustained when she was forcibly slammed to the ground which she had used to kick her attacker in self defence The woman also explained that she is still under the supervision of a doctor for PTSD and that she had to be prescribed a medication which left her constantly lethargic and unable to function She had to take 12 weeks off work following the attack at a time when her career was “on an upward trajectory” and she was working towards a promotion she said she has lost her spark and is operating in survival mode I have constant flashbacks,” she told the court I live in constant fear of being attacked.” She said she asked herself why she had walked home that night The only answer she could come up with was that “the old me” felt safe to walk up the road where she lived “I was violated on the street where I live I have to live beside the place where I was brutally assaulted .. I have to pass by this exact spot every day She said she is a changed person and has become short-tempered with family and friends the last thing she thinks of is “that man being on top of me” “I can’t get the image of his massive teeth out of my head as he bit into my face,” she said She explained that she has not slept one night without the aid of medication since the attack and that she would likely need it for the rest of her life “I no longer feel safe where I live,” she said “We took out a large mortgage to buy a house in a Dublin suburb that at the time had a low level of crime .. a place we thought was a healthy environment to raise our children.” who is at the age where some freedom should be allowed to hang out with friends or walk to the shops the thoughts of her even walking to school is terrifying “The women of my community no longer feel safe to walk our streets alone,” she said “This man lay in wait until he found a suitable victim,” she said “He followed me and struck at just the right time when there were no other people around .. She spoke about the risk of being infected by a disease due to being bitten and explained that her attacker had refused to be tested for infectious diseases “He wouldn’t even grant me this comfort,” she said explaining that she then had to go through the long testing process and wait three months until receiving any certainty Defence counsel said his client came from a culture where the use or alcohol was not prevalent He also said his language difficulties would make prison more difficult He said the defendant had applied for asylum five days before the attack and that he couldn’t imagine that he would be successful Counsel said the civil authorities could impact his deportation was to suspend a portion of any sentence for a lengthy period on condition that he leave the country That might give some comfort to the victim Judge Martin Nolan said that he probably would be deported at the end of his prison sentence, but that this was for the civil authorities to decide. One of the country’s fastest-growing grind schools is expanding to include transition year students in a move which some principals fear will draw students away from secondary schools in the South Dublin area where full-time students pay €10,495 a year which is the subject of a €7 million retrofitting project to turn it into a 28,000 square foot campus Its larger competitor, the Institute of Education on Dublin’s Leeson Street – which has 1,650 students and charges annual fees of up to €11,000 a year – is also oversubscribed some school principals in the South Dublin area complain that they are losing students to grind schools during senior cycle against the backdrop of a CAO points race for entry to third level Some school leaders say students who leave school to move to grind schools risk dropping out of team sports and cultural activities as well as losing a sense of connection to their school communities The Dublin Academy of Education made the announcement on Tuesday as it also disclosed that it is now part of a newly established education group comprising Independent College International House Dublin and Public Affairs Ireland The Axis Education Group is jointly held by education entrepreneur Chris Lauder who founded the Dublin Academy of Education [ Grind schools are booming. Would they offer any advantage in a properly resourced education system?Opens in new window ] The new group employs more than 220 academic and administrative staff and serves over 20,000 learners through in-person and online educational services [ ‘We’re fully booked’: How grind schools became big businessOpens in new window ] As part of the group’s establishment, Mr Lauder has taken on the role of group chief executive. Padraig Hourigan – who is president and chief executive of Independent College – recently sold his stake in the company. He has been appointed group director of strategy and partnerships for the Axis Education Group. Mr Lauder said the group aimed to “empower learners” at every stage of their education journey. “It’s not just about preparing students for exams and getting the best results possible,” he said. “It’s about preparing students for their lives after the Leaving Certificate and developing in them the confidence, mindset and skills required to succeed at third level and beyond – whatever profession they decide to go into.” In addition to today’s investment announcement in the campus in Blackrock, the group says it has “ambitious” plans for growth and development over the next 24-36 months. “Our educational institutions have proven their ability to have transformative impact in their parts of the education sector, and we want to do more,” Mr Lauder said. “In addition to our new Blackrock campus and provision of a transition-year programme at the academy, we’re also increasing our range of postgraduate programmes at Independent College to include digital business, AI and business analytics, as well as looking to further expand our geographic footprint in Dublin.” . Carl O'Brien is Education Editor of The Irish Times. He was previously chief reporter and social affairs correspondent Both clubs bidding for the land are in south Dublin Two south Dublin GAA clubs are locked in a battle for a 15-acre site on Ticknock Road which has been zoned for sports facilities Ballinteer St Johns outlined their bid to members in a recent newsletter and revealed rival club Kilmacud Crokes has submitted a counter bid for the land said a strategic review had identified several facilities as “required to sustain the size and growth” of the club’s membership Ballinteer St John’s has over 3,000 members and the use of five council-owned pitches which includes their main field located next to Marlay Park and it has more than 100 teams playing across all age groups and codes A fully owned pitch and training facility within easy reach to their clubhouse is deemed a priority for the club and it has been working on the bid for the Ticknock site for 15 months “A highly skilled committee was established to locate suitable sites for purchase and a number of locations were identified and explored,” the club said a 15-acre site on Ticknock Road became available approximately 1.5km from our clubhouse and zoned appropriate for sport facilities “Ballinteer St Johns made a preliminary offer on the site subject to further site investigation “The committee engaged with a Consulting Engineer firm who carried out an extensive survey engineering and environmental studies on the site All the evidence concluded it was challenging “As the Executive Officers prepared a formal bid the selling agent indicated that an unconditional bid had been made on the site (i.e “It quickly transpired the bid had come from another GAA club “The Executive has met a number of times and discussed possible next steps Last Monday a counterbid was issued by Ballinteer St Johns There has been no update on the status of that bid “We are aware there has been some conversation around this situation within the wider club membership over the past week we want to provide transparency and commit to keeping you informed of any future developments,” they added is one of the largest GAA clubs in the country with around 5,000 members and 130 teams but regularly spend a large amount of their membership funding to rent pitches for training and games and Crokes GAA Clubhouse is roughly 7km from the 15-acre site on Ticknock Road Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council said: “Pre-planning consultations are carried out under section 247 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 “In accordance with this section such information is not in the public domain The Planning Authority cannot therefore comment on such consultations.” Kilmacud Crokes and the Dublin County Board have been contacted for comment and accessories to be locked away for Kevin Hart gig in DublinAnyone going to see Kevin Hart in the 3Arena next week is being warned that phones and accessories will be locked away for the duration of the show Commuters got de-trained at Monkstown this morning because of a train failure Commuters are experiencing delays this morning due to a technical failure on the Dart line. The 07:45 Bray to Howth service has terminated at Salthill and Monkstown station due to a “technical issue” which left commuters stranded at stations for roughly 20 minutes. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. The 05.35 Rosslare to Connolly service subsequently served all stations between Salthill and Monkstown and Connolly, however, commuters said that the service was “packed” from Greystones. Rail Users Ireland tweeted “Yet another peak hour DART failure, running 41 year old trains has consequences and the request to replace them still hasn’t been funded. “Should have been replaced several years ago,” they added. LifestylePhones, smart watches, and accessories to be locked away for Kevin Hart gig in DublinAnyone going to see Kevin Hart in the 3Arena next week is being warned that phones, smart watches, and accessories will be locked away for the duration of the show. 701 and 702 will come into effect on March 2nd and follow a “comprehensive review” of the company’s route performance which analysed customer demand and service levels It comes as the company, which recorded a pretax loss of over €7 million last year, cancelled its service between Dublin and Galway in April Aircoach said the latest changes are being made to maintain and enhance its services where the greatest demand exists adding that average passenger numbers for some stops due to be scrapped are in “the low single digits” “Last year we announced a significant expansion to our services the anticipated passenger growth to match these expanded services has not materialised,” Aircoach managing director Kim Swan said Route 701, meanwhile, will become the 700X, providing a shuttle service between Dublin Airport and the city centre, with the Ballsbridge and St Vincent’s hospital stops being served by route 702 Ms Swan said the Bray and Greystones section of its 702 route in particular has been experiencing low and declining passenger numbers in recent years, “and is currently not viable.” “Average passenger numbers for our discontinued stops are now in the low single digits. Journey times had increased due to traffic congestion, and our service became less attractive than alternatives such as DART or train services to the city centre with onward travel to the airport. “While we’re disappointed with today’s announcement, we’re confident that the changes being made will ensure the future sustainability and viability of our services across our full network of routes,” she said. Fine Gael Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County councillor Eoin O’Driscoll said the changes remove an “important public transport option” for those in affected areas, including the Stillorgan area which he represents. “This decision runs directly counter to Government policy seeking to decrease dependence on private car usage and increase utilisation of public and active modes of travel. “It is extremely disappointing that this public transport option is no longer available to my constituents and I have written to Aircoach, the NTA and the Department of Transport urging all parties to work together to ensure that a public transport connection to Dublin Airport is retained for the area,” he said. Jack White is a reporter for The Irish Times Gardaí have seized a fleet of vehicles, valued at up to €600,000, from a south Dublin business as part of a major investigation into a drug dealing gang in the area. Residential and business addresses were also searched in Dublin and Longford, with evidence uncovered of drug-related money laundering as well as fraud offences. The Irish Times witnessed a team of gardaí move in on the business early on Thursday morning. Gardaí used car transporters to take the vehicles from the premises, which is situated in an affluent middle-class suburb. As well as the 29 cars seized, orders have been placed on company accounts, freezing about €200,000 “suspected to be the proceeds of crime”. The Revenue Commissioners has also recently examined the financial dealings of some of those under investigation. The Irish Times understands one of the main suspects under investigation previously had links to the Liam Byrne-organised crime group. It was based in Crumlin, Dublin, and ran the Kinahan cartel’s Irish operation. One significant feature of the criminal investigation now under way is the identification of a suspected “VAT carousel fraud” scam. This involves the abuse of VAT cross-border trading rules in a bid to generate money that is then illegally retained by the criminals involved. The Garda day of action against the alleged gang on Thursday is the fourth such operation undertaken by the Garda attached to specialist units in stations across south Dublin including Terenure, Crumlin, Sundrive Road and Tallaght. Last February, 37 searches were carried out in Dublin and Wicklow as part of the same investigation. Cocaine valued at €3.1 million was seized along with €353,000 in cash, eight vehicles valued at €200,000 and some €280,000 frozen in bank accounts. Other assets seized included jewellery, electronic devices, laptops, and smartphones. Last May, gardaí searched 42 properties, mostly in south Dublin, and seized €263,000, as well as three vehicles valued at €100,000 and a Citroen Dispatch van “containing a specially made concealed compartment in the floor of the van for transporting drugs, cash, firearms”. On that occasion the deeds of three Spanish properties were also seized along with bank drafts for €40,000, money counting machines, designer watches and €50,000 in designer clothing and footwear. One man was arrested during that day of action. In another phase of the investigation last December, three men, aged in their 20s, 30s and 60s, were arrested on suspicion of “drug trafficking, money laundering and drug related intimidation as part of a criminal organisation”. The investigation is being conducted by gardaí attached to Terenure Divisional Drugs Unit, supported by the Serious Crime units in Terenure, Crumlin and Sundrive Road, and the Tallaght and Sundrive Road Divisional Drugs Units. Conor Lally is Security and Crime Editor of The Irish Times A WOMAN IN her 30s has been rushed to hospital after being seriously assaulted in south Dublin The assault that occurred at a residence in Ballyogan Dublin 18 in the early hours of this morning A garda spokesperson described the incident as “serious” It is understood that the woman was stabbed during the incident Vincent’s Hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries “Investigations are ongoing,” a garda spokesperson said A South Dublin school has issued a warning to parents after reports several students were “upskirted” by a man on Tuesday An email was sent to parents of pupils at Alexandra College in Milltown informing them about the incident in which a man allegedly approached students separately before taking photographs up their skirts which occurred between 4.30 and 5pm near Palmerston Park was reported to Gardai who say they are investigating “There was a series of incidents after school between 4:30 and 5 pm near Palmerston Park where a man approached a number of our students separately and took photographs (upskirted the girls),” the email reads “The matter has been reported to An Garda Siochana “Please make sure your daughters are aware of the need to ensure their safety as they walk to and from school Students should ensure that they are aware of their surroundings including not wearing headphones as they travel.” which is one of the most expensive fee-paying schools in the country has a junior and senior school for girls aged 3 to 19 The principal said that students in the secondary school have “been made aware of the situation” Gardai told the Sunday World in a statement: “Gardaí are investigating a report of an alleged incident that occurred in Dublin 6 on Tuesday afternoon Upskirting is the act of taking a photograph or video under a person's clothing without their consent Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020 The act was enacted to address online abuse including acts like upskirting and revenge porn a young woman from Dublin who tragically died by suicide in 2018 following online bullying and harassment Nicole’s mother Jackie campaigned tirelessly for stronger legal protections following her daughter's death Her advocacy played a crucial role in pushing for legislative change and the creation of Coco's Law whose daughter Nicole died by suicide in January 2018 A review of the law in September 2024 found that there have been 99 prosecutions since the act came into effect on 10 February 2021 perpetrators can face an unlimited fine and up to seven years in prison Members of the public can anonymously report Intimate Image Abuse, Child Sexual Abuse Material and more via online portal, Hotline.ie A similar law came into effect in Northern Ireland in November 2023 If convicted under the Sexual Offences and Trafficking Victims Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 perpetrators could face up to two years in prison If you’ve been affected by any of the issues in this article you can contact Women’s Aid on 1800 341 900 IABA is sharing information Emerging Talent Bursary Scheme a funding initiative managed by Active South Dublin and supported by South Dublin County Council This bursary provides financial assistance to individual athletes competing at a national helping them with expenses related to training The total bursary fund for 2025 is €65,000 South Dublin County Council’s area of operations includes Lucan Applicants must be involved in a sporting discipline recognised by a National Governing Body (NGB) of Sport and/or Sport Ireland and have a strong connection to South Dublin County For further details or to apply when open on the 18th, please visit www.activesouthdublin.ie  Should you have any questions, feel free to email the team at info@activesouthdublin.ie Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Website Design by MycoMedia Travellers in south Dublin say they have been “betrayed” by Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council as sites earmarked for Traveller accommodation are set to be removed from the forthcoming Traveller Accommodation Plan (TAP) director of the Southside Travellers Action Group (Stag) who will vote on the proposed reduction in new Traveller housing Stag and supporters will protest at the council on Monday evening They say the council-owned sites – at Greygates in Mount Merrion, Dodder Road in Rathfarnham and Bearna Park in Sandyford – were included as new lands for Traveller housing as a quid-pro-quo for them agreeing to the removal of three privately-owned sites as the latter were unlikely to be developed has been recommended by chief executive Frank Curran on the grounds of adverse impact on biodiversity and reduction in open space “Travellers are among the most vulnerable households in the county,” said Ms Dunne. “As we approach the 10th anniversary of the Carrickmines tragedy next year, it is in incredible and disappointing that any public representative would vote to decrease the amount of desperately needed Traveller accommodation in the county.” Ten people died in a fire at an unofficial halting site in Carrickmines, south Dublin, in October 2015. The tragedy prompted discussion about the inadequate and unsafe accommodation of many Travellers and local authorities’ role in that. According to Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council’s draft 2025-2039 TAP, 52 Traveller households need accommodation. The draft plan would provide 52 accommodation units, of which 11 are in the three contentious sites. Ms Dunne said the county’s Traveller accommodation unit had promised earlier this year that if private sites at UCD, Enniskerry Road and Stillorgan were removed, six others would be added instead. That three of these could be removed amounted to “betrayal”. TAP was put out to public consultation in July. A total of 1,045 submissions were received. Of these, 855 were about the three sites, of which two were “positive”. Submissions argue Traveller housing would lead to an “increase in antisocial behaviour”; “increase in rubbish and illegal dumping”; and “horses on the road in heavy traffic”. Another says “the presence of a Traveller halting site will lower property values”, and that “the area already has its fair share of sites”. In commentary Mr Curran says the council will deal with most concerns under legislation. However, on both Dodder Road and Greygates, Mr Curran says: “Having taken into account the submissions received in relation to biodiversity and considered them in more detail, it is proposed to remove these sites from the draft TAP.” On Bearna Park, he says, having considered arguments that extending an access road to the site would “result in a reduction of the open space”, it should be removed. Independent councillor Hugh Lewis, chairman of the Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee, said on Sunday “a clear choice” faced councillors. “Either vote to future-proof the provision of Traveller accommodation...or choose to plan to not to”. Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council has been asked for a response. Kitty Holland is Social Affairs Correspondent of The Irish Times Residents, politicians and members of the business community in Deansgrange have sharply criticised a €12.5 million roadworks scheme which they said has brought the south Dublin suburb to a halt for the second time in as many years. At a public meeting in Bakers Corner on Thursday night, representatives of Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and its contractor Clonmel Enterprises were repeatedly heckled as they sought to outline the works schedule for the two-year project. Opening the meeting, William Winters, resident engineer in the council’s active travel section, said the scheme – Phase One of the Dún Laoghaire Central Active Travel Scheme – having gone through public consultation and a vote by councillors was “now an approved scheme, so this meeting is about the construction stage”. However, Mr Winters was roundly heckled and a number of people questioned the design including closure of left hand slipways at junctions, the cost of the project, the method of public consultation and traffic light sequencing at Bakers Corner which they claimed allowed just three cars per direction, through the junction at a time. A number of speakers said congestion had built up extensively in surrounding suburbs and people could not drive out of their housing estates while some vehicles were rat-running. Many speakers complained of poor signage, a lack of yellow boxes on the roads, safety measures for children and the elderly and the absence of night-time and weekend working on the project. The scheme involves the building of segregated cycling and walking facilities on roads around Dún Laoghaire. Over the next two years work will take place on Kill Avenue, Mounttown Road Upper and Lower and Glenageary Road Upper. It is also proposed to install enhanced bus priority along Kill Avenue up to the Bakers Corner junction and improve landscaping. Niall McElwaine, a director of Clonmel Enterprises which is carrying out the construction work, told the meeting the company had a job to do and was carrying it out in a structured way. “In terms of you not wanting it – we are only the contractors here,” he said. Earlier, local businesses told The Irish Times they were particularly aggrieved about the road works, which involve redesigning junctions over a wide area between Bakers Corner and Killiney, follow almost two years of disruption on Deansgrange Road. Rachel Twomey general manager of SuperValu which employs 100 full- and part-time staff told The Irish Times most people understood the imperative for active travel measures. But she accused the council of failing to understand the community it was serving. “They can say people should do their big shop somewhere else like Cornelscourt or Blackrock and just crush us. But they have not considered families taking children to sports in other communities after school. These communities around south Dublin are interconnected. They go one place for hockey, another for swimming and another for tennis, somewhere else for GAA and football,” she said. In relation to the impact on her business, she said “the big shop is gone, gone gone”. Declan Fitzgerald of Nexus Accounting on Deansgrange Road said his firm owned the building which featured a number of retail units at ground floor. He said one of these, a flower shop, had handed back the keys due to business disruption, while he himself was still in talks to the council over compensation for land taken fronting Deansgrange Road. He said businesses in the area were extremely frustrated. Tom Kelly who runs Graft Coffee in the Deansgrange Business park said he had not counted the loss of custom to his business but trade was visibly down. He said it regularly takes 30 minutes and more to travel the last 800 metres to his coffee shop, since changes were put in place. “People avoid Deansgrange,” he said. Local Fine Gael councillor Maurice Dockrell also cited the closure of the flower shop which he said was due to “the prolonged roadworks, combined with ongoing building works [which] have made traffic conditions unbearable. Tim O'Brien is an Irish Times journalist Drone deliveries look set to come to another Dublin suburb after planning permission for an aerial hub in Tallaght linked to Manna Aero was lodged with South Dublin County Council. It is understood the drone delivery company founded by Bobby Healy has been in talks to run the aerial hub which would be located at the new Priory Market in Tallaght Village. Sources close to the project confirmed there had been discussions with Manna, and that it would operate the hub if it was approved. The application for the hub included Manna’s operator certificate and IAA authorisation. Billing itself as Ireland’s first full indoor food and beverage market, Priory Market will offer a range of artisan food with up to 14 operators that include Afro Caribbean, South African and Lebanese businesses. It will also have its own roastery, on-site brewery with the country’s first tank bar, as well as a venue for events and a 100-seater theatre. Located at a building owned by social enterprise group Partas just off the village’s Main Street, the market received planning permission last February and is expected to open in May. John Kearns, chief executive of Partas, said it would give the operators at the market another option for delivery to customers. “We’re making it available,” he said. “For each food vendor it’s really up to them if they want to use Deliveroo or Just Eat or Manna. It’s their arrangement, we’re just facilitating with the space.” Mr Kearns said the new market had the potential to transform Tallaght. Manna did not comment specifically on the plans which are due to be decided by the end of February. Founded in 2018 by entrepreneur Bobby Healy, Manna has developed aviation-grade drones that fly at 80km/h and deliver goods, including groceries, takeaways and medicines, within a 3km-radius in less than three minutes. A single aircraft can do 100 deliveries a day, with up to 20 aircraft capable of being remotely managed by one Manna employee. The company began with a trial of the drone delivery services in Oranmore, Co Galway, before expanding to the Co Dublin town of Balbriggan. It has since opened an aerial hub in Blanchardstown, and carries out 400 to 500 deliveries a day. It is also involved in a potential pilot project that could see life-saving cardiac equipment delivered via drone more quickly to patients who suffer heart attacks at home. Ciara O'Brien is an Irish Times business and technology journalist I think of that room as I flick through the “tinned fish” section of the menu at Sea Shanty. There are snails, mussels, sardines, octopus and pâtés, served straight in the tin with focaccia, gildas, olives and crisps. On the broader menu there are no starters, mains or desserts in the traditional sense – just a tight run of small plates, raw and cooked oysters and a short dessert list. It’s built for grazing, sharing, and drinking alongside, rather than trudging through a three-act structure. We start with anchovies (€10). They arrive delicately arrayed on a plate with semi-dried tomatoes and a hint of ponzu, that citrus-soy sharpness that makes your molars tingle. The anchovies are salty but not aggressive, and the tomatoes add a soft, jammy sweetness that threads it all together. We follow with a tin of conservas – spicy sardines (€14.50) – which are a little let down by indifferent olives and focaccia. Next, octopus (€14) – a single tentacle, grilled and placed on a slick of deep red muhammara. There’s pomegranate seed, mint, maybe even a whisper of walnut. It’s tender – genuinely tender – which is so often not the case. There’s a channelled wrack bhaji (€11), seaweed encased in crunchy batter served with a sauce that nods towards takeaway curry but with more refinement, bringing a minty, nigella-seeded note. From there the menu gets bolder. A calamari taco (€13) – long strips of squid, crispy-edged and salted – comes topped with a tomato salsa, red cabbage slaw and flecks of coriander and mint. It’s a messy mélange of sweetness, acidity and crunch. To drink? This is a low-intervention wine list built by people who care – short, sharp and quietly adventurous – more about interest and texture than labels. Almost everything is available by the glass, which means you can actually match food to wine without committing to a bottle. A Bodegas Barón Xixarito Manzanilla Pasada en Rama (€11.50), aged 10 years and bottled unfiltered from the cask, works brilliantly with the anchovies. A Veltlínske zelené (€10), a Slovak riff on Grüner Veltliner, is bright and mineral. And Claus Preisinger’s Kalkstein Blaufränkisch (€11.50) is light, low-alcohol and fruit-driven – elegant but not fragile. Dessert is mango with mascarpone and saffron syrup (€5.50). It arrives as a sort of whipped-sorbet hybrid – not quite mousse, not quite purée – layered with cream, mint and a drizzle of saffron that’s tastefully restrained. You can eat modestly at Sea Shanty – a glass of wine, a couple of oysters and a few plates – which is perfect for a catch-up with a pal. Or settle in, as we do, for a longer spell, chatting with Segura about the wines and working your way across the menu. Either way, it’s pleasurably satisfying – and likely to be even more so once they secure a permanent home. Dinner for two with three glasses of wine was €113.70. The verdict: Perfect for grazing, sharing and drinking alongside. Food provenance: Oysters direct from producers, Mungo Seaweed and Glenmar fish. Vegetarian options: Channelled wrack bhaji, fried cassava and mojo picon, and kurze curry ramen. Wheelchair access: No accessible room or toilet. Music: Dire Straits and music from Conway’s bar downstairs. Gardaí have begun a criminal investigation after a man approached a number of school girls in south Dublin and took photographs up their skirts. The incidents all occurred at Palmerston Park, near Rathmines The fee-paying secondary school has sent a notice to parents informing them that a “security incident” had taken place and confirming the girls approached were from the school Garda Headquarters confirmed a complaint had been made to the force and the allegations were now under investigation “Gardaí are investigating a report of an alleged incident that occurred in Dublin 6,” the Garda said. “Investigations are ongoing.” The notice from the school to parents explained there had been a “series of incidents after school” between 4.30pm and 5pm near Palmerstown Park. A man “approached a number of our students separately and took photographs”, saying he had “upskirted the girls”. “The matter had been reported to An Garda Síochána and the girls in the senior school have been made aware of the situation,” it said, urging parents to ensure their daughters were “aware of the need to ensure their safety as they walk to and from school”. “Students should ensure they are aware of their surroundings, including not wearing headphones as they travel,” the notice added. A number of cases have come before the courts in recent years, and custodial sentences imposed, when men have been caught taking “upskirting” images. They have been charged with harassment or engaging in offensive conduct of a sexual nature. In one case, when gardaí investigated a man for upskirting they discovered tens of thousands of images of women and children on his devices, for which he was later jailed. Marking over a decade of championing entrepreneurship and innovation the highly anticipated Local Enterprise Awards South Dublin 2025 will take place on Thursday This prestigious event will shine a spotlight on South Dublin’s dynamic enterprise landscape showcasing the exceptional talent and diverse range of startups driving business growth in the region the overall finalist will be announced and will go on to represent South Dublin at the National Enterprise Awards Final later this summer This year’s awards have attracted an unprecedented level of interest with a record number of applications submitted 49 nominees have been shortlisted across nine distinct categories Each category winner will receive a €1,000 prize while the Overall Award Winner will receive €5,000 and the honour of representing South Dublin at the National Awards Final set to take place at The Mansion House in the summer commented: “South Dublin is home to an impressive pool of entrepreneurial talent with innovative and thriving businesses making a significant impact on the local economy We extend our warmest congratulations to all our nominees and look forward to celebrating their achievements at this special event.” The evening will be hosted by Noel Davidson from The Entrepreneurs Academy promising an inspiring gathering of business founders together to recognize and celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit that fuels economic growth and innovation in South Dublin The awards take place as part of Local Enterprise Week, which runs from March 3rd to 7th. A full list of events and registration details can be found HERE. The Local Enterprise Office South Dublin is part of a nationwide network of 31 Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) Operated in partnership between Enterprise Ireland and local authorities and opportunities to help businesses grow and succeed CLONDALKIN Rugby Club senior men’s team had plenty to shout about when they claimed the Leinster League Division Two A title. It’s the first time ... Read More Contact US Info@echo.ie Tel: +353 (0)1 4685350 We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website. You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings. This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings. If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again. A fee-paying school in south Dublin has discontinued an alpaca programme on its farm after one of the animals died and tested positive for tuberculosis (TB) Two veterinarians had previously warned the school against including alpacas in the farm a serious illness that mainly affects the lungs In October 2023, Castle Park School in Dalkey had announced two alpacas had arrived as part of a farm project in which children would learn about alpaca welfare and husbandry But in a communication to parents last December became unwell with a lung infection and had to be euthanised He said a postmortem examination would be carried out to identify the sickness and said updates would be provided to pupils’ families told parents they had received confirmation the alpaca tested positive for TB “The UCD vet, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Public Health have all confirmed that the risk of further spread is extremely low, and that we have pre-emptively taken all recommended measures for safety and sanitation. They do not recommend any additional actions at this time,” the email said. Ms Ní Neachtáin confirmed eight staff members and all other farm animals were tested, all of whom returned negative results. Despite the educational benefits of having animals in the school, alpacas will not be returning to Castle Park She said the school has “thoroughly sanitised” all areas associated with the alpacas and a specialist external contractor completed a thorough spot disinfection, with additional disinfection of the farm area due to be carried out this weekend. “Public Health officials have assured us that these steps go above and beyond any actions they require us to take,” she said. Dr Lauren Popiolek, and Dr Joanna Potter, veterinarian surgeons, wrote to and met those in charge at the school on a number of occasions, from as early as December 2021 when planning was under way, stating TB was an “unavoidable risk factor for alpacas and unacceptable exposure for children”. “Ireland is endemic for TB, mostly because of badgers. Ireland and the UK are two countries who just haven’t eradicated it,” Dr Popiolek told The Irish Times. “The test for TB isn’t good enough when they’re [alpacas] carrying the disease because there is a one-in-three false negative rate.” The school conducted a risk assessment, acknowledging the risk of TB. As a result, it introduced mitigation measures such as the wearing of protective equipment such as gloves and wellies as well as informed consent. Following the death of the animal in December, the school announced there would be no more alpacas in the school. The other alpaca has been returned. Further to this, Ms Ní Neachtáin’s update said the school farm was “under review” by the senior management team and the board. An “update will become available in the coming weeks”. In a statement, the school board said the school had worked closely with the Departments of Health and Agriculture. It was sorry to lose the alpaca, and “despite the educational benefits of having animals in the school, alpacas will not be returning to Castle Park in the future”. Shauna Bowers is Health Correspondent of The Irish Times Applications to rent new State-subsidised homes in south Dublin for €1,175 a month for a studio to €1,775 for a three-bed apartment The 195 cost-rental apartments at Shanganagh Castle near Shankill will be available to workers earning up to €66,000 after tax who meet the eligibility criteria for the scheme Affordable purchase houses went on sale in the estate last month costing up to €495,000 making them the most expensive homes built under the affordable housing scheme to date The cost-rental apartments include 19 studios The monthly rent for a one-bed apartment has been set at €1,250 Applications will open at noon on Tuesday and will remain open for a week A lottery will be run in the first week of January to select renters from the eligible applicants with leases running to several years available applicants must be able to demonstrate they can afford the advertised rent which should not account for more than 35 per cent of their monthly net income Applicants cannot be in receipt of any social housing supports including rent supplement or housing assistance payment (HAP) and must not own a property Almost 600 homes are being built at Shanganagh Castle, by the Land Development Agency in what is its largest housing scheme to date and more than half - 306 - are being designated for cost rental tenants Despite the high cost of the affordable purchase houses which ranged from €334,600 for a two-bedroom house to €495,000 for the largest three-bed more than 1,000 buyers applied for just 51 available houses It is expected the cost-rental apartments will also generate considerable interest from applicants. The application portal will go live at noon at lda.ie/affordable-homes/lda-cost-rental where further information on eligibility criteria is also available The rents set for Shanganagh are lower than those at O’Devaney Gardens the estate currently under construction in Dublin city near the Phoenix Park where a one-bedroom apartment is expected to cost €1,490 a month These apartments are not expected to be available until 2026 The remaining 111 cost-rental homes at Shanganagh are due to become available next year along with 40 affordable purchase apartments The remaining 200 apartments will be used for social housing for those on Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council’s waiting list applications will open at 9am on Wednesday for 80 cost-rental apartments operated by housing body Clúid Rents for the 31 one-bed apartments at Parkside, Belmayne, Dublin 13, have been set at €1,320 per month with 49 two-bed apartments costing €1,641 per month, a saving of 29 per cent on the market rent, Clúid said. Applications can be made at cluid.ie. Olivia Kelly is Dublin Editor of The Irish Times A 20-year campaign by a football club in south Co Dublin to get itself a new clubhouse is set to rumble on after it deferred its latest bid for planning permission having been told by local council officials it would not be successful Planning permission was subsequently obtained in 2007 but the project never went ahead and the then Pearse Rovers stayed where they were. By 2018 relocating the club became a priority when its existing clubhouse was vandalised. After the council initially said again it would build a new clubhouse in Sallynoggin Park if the club gave up its legal claim to a pitch a local land owner had allowed them to start using almost 50 years earlier, a deal was eventually agreed based on the club funding construction and the council proving the long term lease required to secure grants and loans once the project was in train. Since then, club chairman Richie Cummins says the club has deferred making of planning applications three times at the council’s suggestion. And it was told at a meeting in November the local authority would not now be honouring its commitment to the long-term lease. “The pre-planning stuff was all positive,” he says. “We are meeting the criteria for mixed-use facilities, not-for-profit groups sharing the facilities with sports groups. We’re ticking all the boxes. There is no issue with the building, no issue with the location of the building. So, we’re at a loss as to what the big issue is here.” Sallynoggin Pearse, the product of a 2010 merger between Pearse Rovers, where Paul McGrath played as a teenager (the hope is to name the clubhouse in his honour), and Sallynoggin Celtic, is a relatively small club. It has just two adult men’s teams, although Cummins makes the point it used to be much bigger and could grow again if it had more certainty over its future facilities. What it has done, however, is form a partnership with Granada FC, which has 90 teams and 1,500 young players. It hopes to use the new clubhouse along with a boxing club and kick-boxing club. Dublin Fire Brigade sports club are interested, a local gardening group would like to use it, and there is talk of a dancing club too. He gives a vivid account of dealing with council officialdom, with everything — people, policies, allocated plots of land and pitch allocations — shifting over time. At one point, he and fellow club committee members Shane O’Brien and Paul Bishop say it was suggested they get a solicitor’s letter written to inject urgency into the council’s position — only for the official who had suggested it to stop engaging because they had “gone legal”. The council’s current offer is a vandal proof prefab which, the club was told, would cost more than €200,000 but contain just two dressingrooms and no showers. “Are you really expecting teenage girls to share that with either teenage boys or men?,” asks Granada chairman Ciarán Kane, who says wider frustration with the council over facilities and pitches in particular, has prompted clubs across the area to set aside their rivalries to co-ordinate their campaign for improvements. The lack of joined-up thinking, he says, is also evident in his own club’s home facility in Blackrock which, he says, they are delighted to have but which they have been told they should not make available to community groups during weekdays when it is underutilised. Sallynoggin Pearse might settle for that but instead find themselves frustrated by a shift in council policy which, says Cummins, involves a move away from granting long-term leases to clubs. He cites a recent example of that happening to another club. “We’re not asking them for a penny,” he says. “Just that they honour the commitment they gave us when we gave up our claim to a pitch they wanted. They are creating a situation here where nobody can trust them.” The club has, he says, widespread support among councillors and local TD Richard Boyd Barrett describes the council’s treatment of the club as “shameful” and “inexplicable”. “You would think they would be encouraging projects like this but instead they are putting obstacles in their way. It’s hard to understand, but it’s not unique, I’m not exaggerating when I say I am inundated with clubs in the area raising issues over facilities, pitches and particularly all-weather pitches,” said the People Before Profit–Solidarity TD. Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council did not respond to requests for comment. Emmet Malone is Work Correspondent at The Irish Times Paddy Cosgrave (Labour) and Helen Farrell (Independent) who were co-opted at a Special Meeting of South Dublin County Council South Dublin County Council has made history as the first in the country to have a majority of female councillors in its ranks which saw three South Dublin councillors elected to the Dáil Jacqueline Sheehy (Fianna Fáil) and Helen Farrell (Independent) were all elected at a Special Meeting this week SDCC is now the first council in the history of the State to have majority female membership with 21 women now making up 52.5pc of members Deputy Lord Mayor Alan Hayes said: “Today is a significant day one which shows the women of South Dublin that their voice is heard louder than ever in this chamber “I would like to commend current and former female councillors who have paved the way for this historic moment who had the honour of being the first woman in South Dublin elected as Mayor in 1995 “I want to wish my former colleagues the best as they take their seats in Leinster House I would also like to welcome our newest colleagues to the chamber.” The local elections in June saw 19 of the 40 local council seats in South Dublin going to female candidates It was the highest proportion of women on any council in the country Chief Executive of South Dublin County Council added: “Today is a notable milestone for us as a council and for local government in Ireland “To have majority female membership reflects how progressive and diverse our county is and builds on the work of our women’s caucus which supports continued and new female participation in local politics “Congratulations to all three newly co-opted councillors,” he added Councillor Liona O’Toole also highlighted that the Lucan ward made history of its own “I’m thrilled to see the Lucan Electoral Area represented by 5/5 women This is an incredible step forward for representation and leadership,” she said “I’m delighted to have nominated Helen Farrell to co-opt onto South Dublin County Council “Helen has been a powerhouse in the #Pool4Lucan campaign alongside her co-campaigner Sandra Whelan “Her dedication to Lucan goes back as far as my first election in 2014 when our journey to bring a swimming pool to Lucan began “Looking forward to working closely with Helen in the years ahead Let’s make great things happen for our community.” and accessories will be locked away for the duration of the show.