Clonee Community Website @ www.clonee.org

Community Comments - Email us your news and views at comments@clonee.org

Does anyone else in the Linnetfields area have a problem with the severe price increase in the Management Fees? We moved in less than a year ago and paid £380.00 (€483.00) we received notification that the new fees have increased to £550 (€698.00). What are we getting for the extra £170 (€216.00)? One of the main lights in the Square has been faulty for the last 9-10 months. The security gate and remotes are out of sync. The common areas are in poor condition yet they claim to be paying a gardener 20'000 Euro p.a. As far as I can see, Keenan Property Management is over charging and they're providing a pitiful service. Does anyone agree?
Would anyone be interested in forming a Residents committee or have advice on setting one up? Any advice would be appreciated - Linnetfields Resident.

I just want to thank the '2 Rosedale Residents' who distributed a letter on Wednesday evening last. They outlined 3 issues that have been disturbing many Rosedale residents over the last couple of months. One of the issues was the up-keep of the lawns etc in the area and low and behold within 24 hours of the letter being distributed (which highlighted the name of the person responsible for same) the lawns were cut, cleaned etc. The 'security' gates have also become a farce, as they are constantly broken. We will be receiving a bill for the upkeep of these items in October later this year and I am curious what the reaction will be from other residents but the phrase 'hell freezing over' comes to my mind in relation to my attitude to paying this fee. - A grateful Rosedale resident.

Can you tell me if Linnetfields have set up a resident's association yet? I see there is a link for it on the website but cannot get into it. On talking to some neighbours in the Linnetfields area there appears to be a lot of complaints in relation to the maintenance of the area and with the management group. However no one seems to know who to discuss them with. Can you help? - SR (Dear Resident, some time ago Clonee.org was approached by a Linnetsfield resident about having a webpage with info on it for you guys. I put the link up, but no info materialised. The facility is still available if you want it! - Editor)

I am considering buying a home in Littlepace. Does anyone know what the level of Car, house burglary crime is in the area??

Can anyone tell me if their is a Linnetfields Association,,, and does anyone know anything about the burnt out car in Linnetfields Court. - NR

Does anyone know anything about the burned out car in the green area between Hazlebury Park and Castaheney, next to the Hazlebury houses....does anyone know who to contact to remove such things[Fingal County Council?] It really makes a bad impression on the area , and it is not the first I have seen in that general area... where are these cars coming from?

What is this I hear that older children will get preference into the new school for Sep 2002 if numbers are a problem??? What happened to 1st come, 1st served ? I specifically made sure that I was at the school really early on the 1st night of registration, because I don't have a car and I know getting my child to another school will be very difficult for me. So the fact that I really made an effort to be there first, doesn't count at all ! I find it unacceptable that age will be the only criteria used to choose who's children get places and who's don't. What about other people like me who don't have access to a car and bought or is renting a house close to the school because they knew that transport would be a problem for them as well?? This is unacceptable!! - SP

Try this one ring up a car insurance company use example 2 or 4 then ring up the same insurance company 2 hours letter and use example 3 and save your self 200 euro and that my friend is magic - culchie when it counts. - cg

My query is as follows: Why am I, as a resident in Fingal County Council having to pay more than double the above fee for the same service i.e. EUR260 per annum? We are expected to purchase tags @ EUR5 for every collection. Even if my bin were collected every 2 weeks, I would still be paying more than Dublin Corporation residents receiving weekly collections - so I don't accept the "You only pay for what you throw away" crap. Also, I still have not received my Recycling Bin.

How am I supposed to make a claim to the tax office - am I supposed to keep a copy of every tag I purchase? I have written to Joan Burton TD about this issue and will inform you all of her reply. I'm dying to hear the justification for these charges. I think all the Resident's Associations need to get together and lodge a joint complaint with Fingal County Council about this matter.

Yours very angrily,
LM.

From Unison web-site:
"Fingal County Council has agreed to continue to collect household waste free of charge for the time being. It follows the expiry of an interim High Court injunction won by Socialist TD Joe Higgins against the council's bin tax. The Dublin West deputy has brought the case on the grounds that the charge is an unjust local levy. The case has been adjourned until 29 May."

The current stance is that Bins will be collected if they do not have a tag - "Bins will be collected with out the tags, you will be encoring an extra charge for the council" i.e. the council will be paying.

There is a judicial review on the whole issue as to whether or not the council can refuse to collect bins if they do not have the tag. This is due to take place next Tuesday (so watch the press and www.fingalcoco.ie).

With regard to the locations as to where you can purchase the Tags, they hope to have the spar in Littlepace on board by the end of the week. His advice is keep an eye out for the little sticker in the window.

I also enquired about the Green Bins. The plan is to have these introduced into the estate with in the next couple of months...

To the person that stated that our estates are close to Huntstown and can't understand why we can't bring our children to school there. Yes this is true, we are very close to Huntstown but there is no road access to the school and there have been two planning permissions refused for a road there in the past because 1) the residents of Huntstown and our estates do not want it because it will jeopardised the safety of our children 2) the police in the area do not want it because it will become a rat run for joyriders. Also many mothers and fathers in the estate have child minding arrangements in the area i.e. creches who would collect the children from the new school but not from Huntstown school and in order for them to continue their daily lives they were/ are dependant on this creche/ school arrangement. You said also about children going to school in bad weather. At present the parents of children already attending Huntstown school are driving to the roundabout at the top of the estate and having to walk 800 yards to Huntstown school, their only other option is to drive the four miles out of our estate (past our estate primary school), and pass the primary school on the Blakestown Road before getting to Huntstown school. At present this roundabout at the top of the estate is an accident waiting to happen because it is so congested at school times so what will it be like in 5 years time? even next year?. I hope that you can see that this is not an act of snobbery, it is about common sense, ensuring our childrens safety and the practicalities of this situation because as it stands - it is not a practical solution.

I would very much like to thank, as a Deerhaven Resident, on behalf of the five areas affected the support of many many people outside the excluded catchment area who have pledged to unite and support us in our goal to rectify this situation especially the Residents of Littlepace/ Castaheany / Hansfield/ Hunters Run/ Rosedale/ Ravensdale/ Ongar and Beechwood.

Make no mistake, this school is an integral part of our estate as a whole and it is vital to the growth and unification of our community. So we have to stop blaming all in sundry, stand together and get to the heart of the matter which is gaining a larger primary school which will meet all the children of the areas needs.

Yours sincerely
Deerhaven Resident

CHARGE FOR GREY BIN STAYS. RECYCLE FOR FREE.
ONLY PAY FOR WHAT YOU THROW AWAY
IN FINGAL - Fingal County Council Press Release

Monday 4th March 2002: Householders in Fingal County Council administrative area are being told by the local authority that the €5 charge for non-recyclable waste remains in place and they should buy a tag for their grey bin every time they leave it out for collection. Fingal County Council has introduced the new initiative to encourage householders to recycle more and will contest an interim injunction in the High Court on March 12th obliging them to collect all grey bins, whether tagged or not. The local authority collects householders' green recycling bin for free.

"The charge for the grey bin is in place and stays" confirms PJ Howell, Director of Services, Environment, Fingal County Council. "It's more cost effective for householders than paying a flat one off annual charge and it is transparent and fair. We need householders to pay for what they throw away, so that we can use the money we receive to extend the recycling services that everyone in the county wants to see put in place. Each grey bin must have a tag attached every time it is put out for collection and tags can be bought at local shops. Tags for a standard sized 240L bin cost €5 and €2.50 for a smaller 120L bin. Households that don't yet have a green wheelie bin collection service pay a reduced price of €3.00 or €1.50 for the 120L bin."

"Recycling and the urgent need to manage waste effectively are perhaps the most urgent and immediate challenge facing Fingal County Council", says Willie Soffe, Fingal County Manager. "Unlike a fixed charge, the proposed new Environmental charge for the collection of non-recyclable waste presented for collection will encourage the householder to become part of the solution by actively promoting the reduction, reuse and recycling of waste to meet the target of diverting current levels of 90% of waste going to landfill to just 16%. Tax Relief is allowable on charges paid. A waiver scheme is in place and the estimated 20% of householders who are pensioners, unemployed or dependent on social welfare or disability payments can apply now to Fingal County Council for a waiver."

Cllr Cathal Boland, Cathaoirleach, Fingal County Council says that the emphasis on waste minimisation and recycling has already begun in the Fingal area.

The vast majority of the school management - headmaster, priest & board live in Littlepace ….. it is clear they think they are above everyone else - just like their residents association. It's the Littlepace football team, Littlepace Mother & Toddler group, Littlepace this, Littlepace that. They are trying to keep everything for themselves and prevent the rest of the estates benefiting. They oppose the pub - not in my back yard (and considering the composition of the residents association - say no more) - we get a school then they want it for themselves …. No doubt they will claim success in getting the proposed pedestrian crossing and claim success for everything else. Just remember, it was NOT JUST LITTLEPACE who fought for the school - it was ALL THE ESTATES. Now is the time to get the fight really started. I am so sorry I missed the meeting on Wednesday but I was away on business - but am I looking forward to the next one or what? I checked the Littlepace RA website and not a hint at this situation - they are all obviously delighted. -Details with Editor

1. The grass verges - totally unbecoming of relatively new estates. I agree with a previous that it doesn't reflect well, it looks dirty and if I were in a position that I was buying a new home I would look at how the area was kept - which in my opinion is not very well - is pride a thing of the past?

2. The Littlepace carpark - how much does it cost to put even temporary markings? Will someone have to be seriously hurt or killed before something is done?

3. The school - I agree with those who feel it's unfair that they live so close to the school and cannot send their children to it? Basically it boils down to this, if the Minister for Education did his job correctly this wouldn't of happened. There should have been a 32 classroom school which would have catered for the requirement of the area. It is because of his lack of action that a catchment area had to be drawn up.

4. Speed - where's the race? Who is that far from their home that they need to speed around narrow little roads? What I'd like to know is what is so important that they have to speed...nice dinner (it will still be there), need to pee (learn to hold it for an extra 30 seconds, if help is required to learn this task please ask the local GP - I'm sure he'd be able to help), if it's just a case that you like to speed - SLOW DOWN BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED OR SERIOUSLY HURT

5. In relation to the comment from "MFC" - I agree with you. The next time you see this, please call the Garda. It's an absolute disgrace - and it does leave the place in a mess. As for the "parent" who thinks this is perfectly okay - are you sure you can actually say that this is responsible behaviour. There are places to go to use the quads - go to them. Put the dirty equipment in YOUR car and see how responsible you feel then!

In all I do actually like where I live, but sometimes with a little consideration from others it would really make it a nicer place to live. Thanks to those who maintain the website - it's a great service that people can use - well done! - Details with Editor

I am not apportioning blame here - I really don't know is it the Government or the Board of management who screwed up - but we have been failed! It is disgraceful - I was one of those who registered my childs name (along with my neighbours) over 2 years ago, in order to justify numbers to the Department of Education to setup the school, and now some of us will be told our children will not be allowed entry this year. As for Ongar and Ravenswood being in the catchment area? These new estates did not participate in any of the activities involved in establishing this school, and they also have access to the Clonsilla road to access schools from there - who decided it was justifiable to allow them into the catchment area at the expense of the other 5 estates. - Details with Editor.

We can't build any more class rooms but we can build a church!!!!!!!!!

F02A/0116 11/02/02 Outline Permission
APPLICANT: Rev. Fr. John Jones, P.P.
36 Ashfield Lawn, Huntstown, Dublin 15.
LOCATION: Junction of Pace Road and Pace Avenue, Littlepace, Dublin 15.
PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT: New parish church.

May be we the residents should object to the church being built in an effort to force the hand of the clergy and schools board of mgt. Change the church to an extra 16 class rooms any all will be happy!!!!!! There are a falling number of priests entering the church so this would be an extra burden on them any way. I for one would prefer a bigger school to include the whole estate then a church, which will not get the full use of the whole estate. - Details with Editor

Attention all Littlepace / Castaheny residents, people from the 'excluded estates' stood with you on this issue before many of them had children please show your support now. Should enrolments go ahead before this issue is resolved?
Brian Lenihan and co. what happened to the Action Plan that was presented to us in the Mill House for all estates from Littlepace to Thornberry Square ??? I can only assume it did not receive Fr. Jones 's and Fr. McCarthy' blessing !!! How can a handful of people come into a potentially vibrant community, make a decision without any consultation with the residents that effectively divides the community and upset so many people??? - Angry Deerhaven Resident.

I am a Deerhaven resident and a mother of a four year old daughter. I have spent my day in work today contacting the Department of Education and alerting every TD and Councillor that represent our area about this nightmare situation that has befallen the residents of Deerhaven, Bramblefields, Pheasants Run, Swallowbrook and Thornberry Square. I received, like all residents through my door (two days before school registration), a folded over note concealed in a pile of junk mail which I thought in itself was a very inconsiderate means of alerting people to a very important, life-changing matter. I went to the school last night to enrol my daughter because I thought I needed to hear in spoken words that my daughter (because of where she lives) would not be welcome in our school. Let me tell you that as a former resident of North Belfast - I am seeing similar similarities - funny that it is clergy related also!

I came away from the school last night sick to the pit of my stomach. My daughter was the 33rd child to be registered in the school but the headmaster told my husband out straight that she would NOT be accepted into the school. I am still very very angry. I have heard that there was an emergency meeting called last night in the Millhouse and that Sheila Terry and Joan Burton were present and that many many parents feel the same way I do. I believe that there will be people calling door to door to establish just how many children will be affected by this very unjust decision. I would like to do my part in the Deerhaven area. We must get this overturned. This is our school too - for the whole estate and it's not a matter of snobbery, it's a matter of freedom of choice which is what our country's constitution is based on.

As I have said - all TD's and Councillors are aware of this situation now and we must all stand together on this one for the sake of all our futures. As a matter of urgency, can I ask the committee of Pheasants Run to contact me so that I can play my part in Deerhaven and make sure that we overturn this absurd rule.

We all fought long and hard for this school, reason being was for our children to attend it - why were we played for fools? Yours - Most Frustrated and Very Very Angry!

Saoirse Mullen
23 Deerhaven View.
LITTLEPACE ESTATE????

I too was one of the people who spent wet winter nights canvassing support for the school on the doorsteps. I attended plenty of meetings on the subject too. And most importantly of all I was one of the residents who met with the Minister Michael Woods in June 2000. And on that basis I have to point out that the blame for the very unfair setting out of the catchment areas lies solely with the Minister himself. We can be guaranteed that if the same meeting took place now, some three months before a General Election that the underhand way in which the purchase of an inadequate quantity of land for building the school would not occur. Anyone else who was at that meeting will remember that the Minister let it slip that only 3.0 acres of the 5.25 acre site was being purchased and therefore only a 16 room school could be built. Menolly were paid a substantial sum for the land and the dispute went on for an age - the duration of the dispute was supposedly not in any way related to the fact that Liam Lawlor as part owner of Menolly was in the High Court with Menolly over his share of the profits from land in the general area of Littlepace/ Castaheaney!

The reality is that the Board Of Management had to draw a boundary line somewhere because the Government have failed us - they did not purchase the necessary land, nor did they do it in time for a proper school to be built that would accommodate children from all of the new estates. Meanwhile Menolly still own the remaining portion of ground which is lying idle as waste ground and increasing in value so that when they do sell it for community use (as they eventually will) they will on the whole make more money that they would have done by selling it as one complete site. If I were the cynical type I might suggest that some sweet deal was done, but I'm sure that's not the case. Big business wins again!

So, if we are looking for someone to blame for this disgraceful situation - Michael Woods and his Government colleagues are to blame. Remember all this when the election comes!!! - Nae & Address with Editor.

1. The grass verges - totally unbecoming of relatively new estates. I agree with a previous that it doesn't reflect well, it looks dirty and if I were in a position that I was buying a new home I would look at how the area was kept - which in my opinion is not very well - is pride a thing of the past?

2. The Littlepace car park - how much does it cost to put even temporary markings? Will someone have to be seriously hurt or killed before something is done?

3. The school - I agree with those who feel it's unfair that they live so close to the school and cannot send their children to it? Basically it boils down to this, if the Minister for Education did his job correctly this wouldn't of happened. There should have been a 32-classroom school, which would have catered for the requirement of the area. It is because of his lack of action that a catchment area had to be drawn up.

4. Speed - where's the race? Who is that far from their home that they need to speed around narrow little roads? What I'd like to know is what is so important that they have to speed...nice dinner (it will still be there), need to pee (learn to hold it for an extra 30 seconds, if help is required to learn this task please ask the local GP - I'm sure he'd be able to help), if it's just a case that you like to speed - SLOW DOWN BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED OR SERIOUSLY HURT

5. In relation to the comment from "MFC" - I agree with you. The next time you see this, please call the Garda. It's an absolute disgrace - and it does leave the place in a mess. As for the "parent" who thinks this is perfectly okay - are you sure you can actually say that this is responsible behaviour. There are places to go to use the quads - go to them. Put the dirty equipment in YOUR car and see how responsible you feel then!

In all I do actually like where I live, but sometimes with a little consideration from others it would really make it a nicer place to live. Thanks to those who maintain the website - it's a great service that people can use - well done! - Gillian.

I was extremely disappointed and annoyed with the leaflet that was dropped into the house on Sunday regarding Primary School Catchment Areas. Basically for those living in Deerhaven, Pheasants Run, Swallowbrook, Thornberry Square and Bramblefields, and who do not have children currently enrolled in our new school, Mary, Mother of Hope have now been told that our children must attend the primary school in Huntstown. This applies to all houses from the third roundabout down to Huntstown. This I would imagine means that we are now considered part of the Huntstown Parish/Area.

I realise that my disappointment may appear to be one of snobbery but this is not the case. Houses to be included in the new school in Littlepace/Castaheany includes Ravensdale and Ongar. We are a lot nearer to the school than these houses and I think that it is unfair that our children are not to be considered as part of the Littlepace Community.

I personally have always felt that we were part of this community, we use the Littlepace Shopping Centre as our local shops (not great but what can you do!), have had various leaflets over the past few years asking us to support the finances of our new school, we have been built under the same plan as our neighbours in Hunters Run etc and yet now we are been told that we are not included in the community plans.

If anyone else feels this way could they please voice their opinion, I don't think that we should be just considered Huntstown without having some say in the matter. Also perhaps you could get onto your Residents Association and ask them to tackle this matter as one of urgency. - Deerhaven Resident

I received a notice in my door yesterday about school catchment areas. My understanding is that if I live in either SWALLOWBROOK, THORNBERRY SQUARE, BRAMBLEFIELDS, DEERHAVEN OR PHESANTS RUN then I have no choice but to send my child to the Sacred Heart of Jesus National School in Huntstown. If my understanding is correct then I think it is very unfair that because we live in these estates then we have no choice as to where we send our children to school. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with the Sacred Heart of Jesus School but I would certainly like to have the choice as to where I would send my children and not be told. Surely as a parent I can make that decision and not the board of managements and the local priest. If my understanding of this is wrong I stand corrected. - Deerhaven Resident.

Does this mean that there have been no council meetings held since the new year began or Does it take over a month and a half to type and post these to there website or
It could be that they want to keep us in the dark ……Who knows............. Name & Details with Editor.

In response to the MFC-Littlepace resident, I would like to reply to your concerns in relation to the young boys on the quad. For your information you ask where are the parents of these children and are the concerned? You obviously don't have your information right because if you were looking out at these boys you would see that they always have a parent with them and to even ask are we concerned is a joke! They are not out to do any damage to your greens, it's a public area and they are entitled to be there, also they are not a danger to anybody else, they don't be alone they have two responsible parents and they are responsible children. You must have nothing else to do with your time if it's only giving out about our boys enjoying being children. - Name & Details with Editor.

As expected the new Bin Tax will be in full swing on the 4th March. I got a notification from the council yesterday informing me of this and with a complementary free tag. Very generous...... I wonder how much extra rubbish that these will create seen as

1) They are made of paper
2) Have a plastic coating on them

In this drive to be green should the council have not made these from a recyclable source that could in fact be collected from the bins and re sold on (After a quick clean).

I was also delighted to see that there are so many outlets to purchase these new tag's (sarcasm), There must be a couple of thousands houses in the whole estate and the closest point by car to purchase one of the tags is Blanch Village!!!!! What is wrong with the SPAR??? (Out side of being outrageously over priced, long lines, bad parking) - Yours - Reluctant to pay the tax and not willing to drive a 5 mile round trip.

Try selling a house in a clean tidy well looked after area, and it will be a lot easier than selling in an area where trees are vandalised or storm damaged and not replaced, grass verges are destroyed due to parked cars and lack of maintenance, litter blows about the streets and to top it all off you can barely drive up the street due to cars parked inconsiderately, never mind the possibility that emergency service vehicles may not be able to pass! The very annoying feature is that we all pay up to half a lifetime's earnings when you consider interest paid over the life of a mortgage, to live in such an area where people basically don't care what it looks like. Is it so much to ask that we
a) don't have our streets looking like a commercial vehicle parking lot
b) look after the little bit of space in front of our houses and refrain from parking on verges
c) actually put vehicles in the driveways for which they are so designed - Details with Editor.

We are writing to query certain things in relation to our area.

· Area name
· Schools & Parish Church
· Taxi Situation.

Area Name

When initially buying the house we were informed that it was Clonee from the estate agents, it was subsequently then "Off the Navan Road" and now it is called anything from Clonee, Littlepace, Huntstown, Mulhuddart and even our polling cards state "Blakestown". (I think not). This is totally an unacceptable situation. How the postman knows where to deliver the post is itself amazing. I am approximately 3 years in my house at present and still have confusion over the address. I would like this clarified and if every household in our community were told of our correct address. At a meeting in the Mill House Pub, Clonee one resident brought this up with one local politician who informed her as far as he was aware our area was Clonee so why all the confusion. When a package arrives and we have to collect same instead of calling to our local post office in Clonee Village we have to drive 4 miles to an industrial estate near Blanchardstown Shopping Centre to collect same (what happens if you don't have access to a car!!)

Schools & Parish Church

This is another area we would like clarification on. The residents of our area campaigned for a school that has been set up in a prefab building. The church is proposed for the wasteland beside the Littlepace Shopping Centre but I suppose that is years down the road judging by the length of time the school took. My query is however we recently received a notice from the parish priest in Huntstown Church informing us that if we lived from Pheasant Run downwards we were not allowed send our children to the local school for our area/community but they had to be sent to the Huntstown School. What sort of a message is this for our area, we campaigned for a school that is of no benefit to us. Most of the householders who attended the meetings for the school were in their areas long before any bricks were laid on the new areas and now we have been informed tough - you must send your child to another area. How are we supposed to grow as a community if this is the attitude they are adopting?

Furthermore, when the parish church goes up at the Littlepace Shopping Centre, are we to assume that if we live from Pheasant Run downwards, our parish church is located behind us in another estate.

For your information the parish priest from Huntstown Fr. John Jones did apply for planning permission for a road to come through from Huntstown to allow people accessibility to the church and school but it was refused. One assumes from this that we were to have our own services. (what's changed?). The leaflet put through our letterbox stated that we had to abide by these rules and only if our child's name was down previously or if they had sister/brother in the school would their application be entertained. Is this the be all and end all of the situation or do the people of this community have a choice. Why should we have to send our children to a school in another area?? If and when the Mary Mother of Hope School is extended are we then going to be allowed to have access for our children or is it written in stone that we have to send them to Huntstown. As we were aware when we bought our houses that Huntstown was our neighbouring area, now one can assume they are splitting our community in two and forcing parents to send their children outside the area. I would like this situation addressed!! Why should we campaign for services like schools and parishes in our community only to be told we have to avail of the services elsewhere and allow new households in the areas who had not even bought their houses when the campaigning began to gain all the benefit.

Taxi Situation

The taxi situation as recently addressed by other people in the area is a disgrace. Half the time the taxi men refuse to bring you to Clonee, one neighbour was actually asked to exit the taxi in Blanchardstown on her way from the city centre as the taximan refused to go to Clonee stating it was off the metre. If we get a taxi to nearby Huntstown we have to walk - through the estate though it is much cheaper it is not very safe especially for women coming home on their own but what choice do we have when they refuse to go to Clonee. Furthermore, if we go to the village the taxi situation is a joke!! The two taxi ranks which were currently there are no longer and residents are forced to walk home.

Whilst on the subject of public transport when are we to get proper bus services to and from the city centre. At present as I understand it we have only two bus journeys to and from the city (into town in the mornings and home in the evenings). Whilst this is a good service what happens if you're stranded during the day and need to go to the city. I know they have a City Imp service to and from Blanchardstown but for the volume of houses we need more.

We hope the above can be addressed.

Very confused Bramblefield & Pheasant Run Residents.

I have witnessed, on several occasions young boys (approx 13/14) using quads or trikes to race across the parks between Hunters Run and Littlepace. Apart from the obvious destruction to the greens to which there is some, there is the danger to others. Do these young boys have insurance? It is necessary, by law, to hold current insurance, at least 3rd. party if you use a mechanically propelled vehicle in a public place . It is unlikely an insurance company would grant cover to a minor. Where are the parents of these children? Are they not concerned for the safety of their children and the safety of others using these parks, not to mention the destruction to the green areas. Am I alone in my concerns? - MFC - Littlepace.

If you own a "Lassie look-alike" or a bulldog around the Hunters run Area, Please PUT IT ON A LEAD. All I will say is... If I see it & If I get near it..........!!!! - Thank You. - A Concerned Hunters Run Parent.

Drumcondra vets across from the Skylon hotel will spay/neuter in 2 hours no overnight stay and very reasonably if you want details mail me at Tara@webhedgehog.com. See http://www.dogrescueireland.com/spayneuter.htm for all the reasons to have this done.

Please, please, please have your male dogs neutered and females spayed especially if they are allowed to wander. Their offspring are being dumped, drowned, left in black bags to suffocate and destroyed. We need to wake up and address this issue. Let no resident be responsible for this. There is an alternative.

Put a collar on your dog and write your phone number inside with pen the pound will check here if they brought in. Alternatively get a tag made.

If you have lost your dog Ashtown pound are 8383236 it will more than likely be taken there. If you have found a dog call Ashtown pound to report it found as the owner will of reported missing. - Tara

Could there be a special effort to establish a combined residents' association like in Dunboyne and have all interested groups working together? United we stand, divided we fall. - Will

It's the year of the rose - thank you Cllr Joan Burton for all you have done for this area! - Ger

One such provider in Bramblefield is been allowed to conduct such a business without following the guidelines and the law. On top of three children of her own she is taking in on an average anywhere up to eight children.

What kind of care should you expect? and what kind of care are your children actually receiving? Please be a concerned parent and vet your day care provider. Our children are entitled to the best care possible especially when we pay for it.
For further information contact rangers3@cogeco.ca

I will take your advice and go in and see the plans for myself.......perhaps if they will let me take a copy, I will give them to the residents association representative and they could be displayed on the site, and help clear this up for any other worried residents!!

From what you tell me the plans sound great, and are actually going to ease traffic congestion in the area! Just wondering which planning office did you call into? - J, Manorfields Resident

I do have some good news for you will not have to go through Clonee to access your area. The road that enters the estate and continues through the roundabout will eventually exit at the back road to Clonsilla allowing access to the shops by car. This road will also be altered so that it meets up with the Snugburough Road therefore making even easier access to Blanchardstown Shopping Centre. A path will be maintained across the field therefore still offering access by foot to the local shops. On top of this Ongar Chase the new estate opposite the entrance to yours will have its own shops that will act as another local amenity for yourselves. In all honesty I travel by car to Clonee Village if I require anything, the queues are shorter, the prices are cheaper and their staff friendlier. My only negative comment to J. is rather than ask people for information try and discover some for yourself, the planning office has all of this information, also new houses being sold have some of these roads outlined in their brochures. - D. Hazelbury Green Resident

I live in Hazelbury Park and have to wake up every day to the horrible stones in cages outside my house. The builders told us they had to put these awful cages up because they could not put a wall there due to the foundations underneath. We believed them and then when we moved into our house in April 2000 we were told these cages would be covered with grass and plants within 6 months. It has now been almost two years and they are still as much of an eyesore as when we first moved in. I have complained to the builders many many times but they always fob me off. I know this is on the list of complaints that the residents association has compiled but we do not seem to be getting anywhere on this. A few months ago I heard that there was a plan to protest at the new show houses to make the builders take more notice of us in relation to this matter but that was the last I heard about it. Is there anything new happening regarding getting this eyesore covered up? - S from Hazelbury Park.

However, when we started asking him 'difficult' questions about the layout of the estate/access roads etc, he couldn't answer!! The Dublin West area has (mainly thanks to Fianna Fail TD's) been badly planned and built up without the provision of proper infrastructure. I do not have time to take a day off and go and view plans in Fingal County office, I expect the Developers to be honest with me as I hand over the deposit cheque. It was not marked on the plans as temporary, and we were told by the sales reps, that all 'our' facilities i.e.: Spar and school, etc, would be developed further when the estate was finished, how can that be any use to us now if that road is closed off!!!??? Or are we expected to drive / walk to Clonsilla or possible via Clonee!!!? We will have not local amenities. The estate in our brochure was described as, 'off the Navan Road', how is that going to fit in with Mennoly's new plans!?

If anyone has any 'useful' information for me rather than 'told you so' I'd appreciate it! Web site gets better each time I look at it! - J, Manorfields Resident

Come on guys, these charges are ridiculous. It might be OK for the rich and established to pay these fees, but what about first time buyers like me who already hang themselves taking on huge mortgages just to live in a nice area? Cllrs Burton and Higgins have done something, but there needs to me MORE activity. - Tara

I agree with a previous comment written about Menolly Homes - Linnetfields residents have had to put up with mucky, dangerous roads leading into the estate and huge puddles of mud and dirt as they get out of their cars, due to the fact that Menolly haven't bothered to finish off the roads. I think 16 months is long enough for the original roads to have settled and its time for the area to be tarmac'd.

My final gripe is about the utility units in Linnetfields - where residents are supposed to have car-washing facilities amongst others. Boards blocking access to the units were put in place by Ross McParland when the showhouses were on view and haven't been removed - who is responsible for taking this hoarding down? Surely at the rate we have to wash our cars with all of the building work mess around, we should be able to avail of the facilities originally offered to us. - EC - Linnetfields Resident

1.) I feel that the car park can be a little dangerous with cars coming in and driving out at all angles. I have seen numerous incidents where drivers almost collide because of no clear right of way. If there was an accident under these circumstances - most likely both drivers would be equally liable as there are no markings. Have there been any accidents?? Who's responsibility is it to make this car park more user friendly ands safe for drivers..?

2.) I see there have been a few comments about the Spar shop and the long queues. This is certainly very frustrating. Surely management can easily predict the peak times and put more staff on. It is a regular occurrence to see customers walk in, look at the length of the queue and walk back out..! If there was room to turn this shop into a larger supermarket with proper checkouts, it's pretty obvious it would do very well. - AM

(We have had 3 similar Email to this - what's your thoughts? - Email us at comments@clonee.org

I purchased my house almost 2 years ago and reached the show houses via Navan Road, and was given the address of 'off the Navan Road'. This change will completely alter what I purchased, while I would welcome the additional route through Ravenswood, which would ease traffic. They cannot completely block our access to the Navan Road, adding an extra 20 minutes to almost every journey I make. It will also mean no access to our local facilities, Spar, Dry Cleaners, Video shop etc......

I have had enough of Mennolly Homes, and would not recommend anyone purchase one of there homes, unless they are prepared for a battle, for simple things such as street light and finished foot paths! While I love my house and the area, Mennolly are con artists, taking advantage of young naive buyers! Once they get your cheque, they don't care what happens.

I would appreciate if anyone with any information on this proposed cul de sac could let me know, as if they are building a wall there, it will have to be over my dead body.....

Once again keep up the great work on the website! - Manorfields Resident