Tag Archives: Councillor Gerry Flynn

CONCERN has been expressed over the inspection rate for private accommodation rented with the support of the Council. The matter was raised by Councillor Johnny Flynn at the monthly local authority meeting, on foot of the Chief Executive’s Report. The Fine Gael member noted that while 1,000 private rental inspections had been completed, some had not been able to proceed. “It is very disappointing to read that a lot of scheduled inspections are being frustrated, genuinely or otherwise, at the last minute,” he said. “It is important to send a message that this work is being done on behalf of tenants. Unfortunately, they are not cooperating In some cases.” Director of Housing, Anne Haugh acknowledged that progress with inspections could be “frustratingly slow”. “We rely on the cooperation of landlords to access properties,” she said. “All relevant resources are being applied to meet the target. Over 1,000 have been done for 2022.” Ms Haugh said that virtual inspections are also …

A STATEMENT from a government minister claiming a 44% reduction in Clare’s social housing waiting list since 2016 has been criticised as “spin” by a local councillor. In a statement issued to the Clare Champion, Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien welcomed figures published in the 2021 Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA), which show a substantial reduction in the number of households on Clare’s social housing waiting list since the first annual assessment was conducted in 2016. The 2021 SSHA shows 1,100 households in Clare were assessed as being qualified for, and in need of, social housing support as of November 17, 2021. This figure is down 101 (8.4%) from 1,202 households recorded on November 2 2020. This figure also represents a total decrease of 866 (44%) households since 2016 when annual recording of the SSHA began. The minister outlined the social housing list has fallen from 1,966 in 2016 to 1,952 in 2017 and dropped to 1,004 in 2018 before …

SOME of the town’s issues with flooding could be alleviated if the County Council cleaned out the local storm water infrastructure a councillor has claimed. Councillor Gerry Flynn put forward a motion at the Shannon Municipal District’s March meeting asking that the Council clean out all the storm water infrastructure in the town. He claimed a lack of necessary maintenance is causing a lot of flooding issues throughout Shannon and deemed the current Council policy to be “reactionary”. “I believe a more proactive approach is necessary to improve this facility as a lot of necessary gullies and silt channels are restricted and are less effective due to the lack of regular maintenance.” A written response from Senior Executive Engineer Tom Mellett claimed that doing the work suggested is already a priority and that a lot has been done. “Recent weather events have highlighted what is an ongoing concern for this office. “In relation to drainage works the Shannon Municipal District …

A request for traffic lights be installed at a busy junction in Shannon will not be granted, writes Owen Ryan. At a meeting of Shannon Municipal District, Councillor Gerry Flynn requested the lights for Bóthar Droim/Bóthar na Rinne and the entrance to the Town Centre. He also asked that the existing pedestrian lights be located at the junction. In a written reply, Senior Executive Engineer Tom Mellett remarked that government and mobility policy seeks to encourage more people to choose to walk or cycle and reduce unnecessary car use. This, he said, aimed to help create a high quality urban environment that promotes healthy lifestyles and creates additional footfall in our town centres. To support this, he noted a range of funding opportunities have emerged including Active Travel, Town Centre First Policy, URDF. “Shannon has been included under Active Travel funding for a mobility plan,” said Mr Mellet. “This will explore modes of transport, desire lines for walking and cycling …

Independent councillor seeks clarity on efficacy of council housing policy, writes Dan Danaher THE number of new social houses that are planned in Clare over the next two years will reduce the overall numbers seeking a permanent dwelling by about 11%. On December 13, 2021, the total gross need of people requiring housing support was 2,994, which broke down to 1, 372, when about 1,600 who are receiving a Housing Assistant Payment in private rented accommodation are taken from the gross figure. Under the Housing Action Plan 2022 to 2026, it is projected 349 social houses will be delivered in Clare over the next two years. Councillor Gerry Flynn pointed out the provision of new houses in Clare will not make a huge impact on the extensive waiting list for housing support. The Shannon councillor tabled a series of questions at a recent council meeting to try to obtain an accurate assessment of the demand from the public for housing …

CCTV at illegal dumping blackspots cannot be rolled out until new legislation is enacted, members of the Council have been told.  In response to a motion from Councillor Gerry Flynn, the authority confirmed that the use of surveillance systems would breach privacy laws. The Independent member was told that the new Circular Economy Bill aims to change this.  Outlining his proposals at last month’s Council meeting, Councillor Flynn noted that other authorities are reported to have successfully used surveillance. There was widespread support for the motion. “There are two types of illegal dumping and one of them starts with illegal collection,” observed Councillor Michael Begley. “We have to find a way of stamping out people who go around knocking on doors, with a small trailer or a van and saying, ‘I’ll take your rubbish for €1 a bag’, or whatever they charge for it. The vast majority of people say, ‘That’s grand,’ and give it to them on the assumption …

FLOOD relief for Shannon Town has “a long road” to go before completion, the monthly meeting of Clare County Council has been told. Following a question from Councillor Gerry Flynn, the CEO of the authority said the issue will addressed, but will require “a variety of interventions”. Commenting on the monthly update on the Shannon Town & Environs Flood Relief Scheme, the Independent member said progress with the works was a matter of concern. “I have been receiving a lot of calls from concerned residents over the flood relief scheme. It seems like a long time since we met the minister on this. Meanwhile, Shannon Airport are pushing ahead with their efforts. The town is still vulnerable and some residents cannot get insurance against flooding. “When will we see work on the embankments of the town? I’m calling on the CEO to progress this because it seems to me that the time-frame is slipping and sliding.” Responding, Pat Dowling said …

CLARE County Council has been urged to provide a mechanism to help councillors track the progress on their public representations to the local authority, writes Dan Danaher. Councillor Gerry Flynn has asked for the introduction of performance indicators for each Municipal District to monitor representations from elected members. While several motions have been supported by councillors over the years, he claimed at a recent council meeting no substantial progress has occurred from the executive. He called for a faster turnaround, particularly at municipal district level, in response to requests from councillors. “Councillors carry out a very important role on behalf of their communities and require a timely response to their representations. “It is not rocket science to ensure that what councillors request is acted on.” Councillor Johnny Flynn said it is important to be able to demonstrate that representations from constituents, which form an integral part of local democracy, are acted upon efficiently. Having tabled a motion on this issue …