Opening of new link road in Offaly town one of the highlights of the year

AN eventful year in which he served as Cathaoirleach of Edenderry Municipal District has been recalled by Cllr Robert McDermott.

Speaking at the AGM of the municipal district this month Cllr McDermott recalled his term started with the opening of the new link road and ended with the signing of the new contract for the second stage of the link road in the County buildings on June 8.

“ The road opening was quickly followed by more good news for the Edenderry Area with the signing of the design stage of the Edenderry Library. The results of this work wil be discussed at a special meeting of the Edenderry MD in August this year and the hope is to have it in for planning by the year end. “

Other highlights of the year were the reopening of the two Garda stations in Rhode and Daingean.

“This is a big boost to these communities and hopefully they will be utilised. I would like to thank the local Gardai and the Chief Superintendent for their support on this matter.”

The outgoing Cathaoirleach said he “was also delighted to receive the support of my fellow councillors in Edenderry when I proposed that we should install traffic feedback signage on the approach roads to the town.”

“ Speed is a big issue everywhere and it is really a driver behaviour issue but hopefully these signs will encourage drivers to slow down. The lights were installed in Shean, and on approach roads into the town at Francis Street, Carrick Road, Fr. Paul Murphy Street, Killane and St. Marys Church.”

Cllr McDermott continued: “The youth of today are our future leaders and I believe it is very important to engage them in our democracy. With that in mind I invited each student council from the local second level schools in our area into our December meeting. They made presentations on the issues that they would like to see happening in their locality. They articulated their points of view very professionally and were a credit to themselves their families and their schools. The schools that participated were Oakland Community School, St. Marys Secondary School, The Acorn Project and Caoláiste Íosagáin, Portarlington. Also, at this event Offaly County Council took the opportunity to tell the students their plans and the various stages that big projects go through. The Council showcased career opportunities that are available in the Council. The event concluded with a very interesting contribution from Bill Kelliher MEP on the workings on the EU and the importance it is to Ireland.”

He added: “On the theme of youth and their future I would like to thank Barry Cowen TD who arranged a visit for me to meet with the Minister of Education Norma Foley TD, I took the opportunity to seek an update on the new Oakland Community College and to emphasise to her the importance of this project to the Edenderry and surrounding areas. I would be confident of an announcement on this project soon. I also took the opportunity to seek clarity on the remaining schools in the Area regarding their DEIS status.”

The end of May saw Minister Heather Humphreys visit both Croghan and Ballycommon where she opened the newly refurbished Croghan Community Hall and in Ballycommon she opened the extension of the Greenway along the disused Canal to Kilbeggan.

“She also took the opportunity to inform all that since this current Government has been formed County Offaly has received €29 million euro in investments from her department alone. As Chair of the Area, I had the privilege of welcoming her.”

Cllr McDermott added that he had the privilege to chair the MD as it started the process of adapting the next Local Area Plan which will plan for the development of Edenderry for the next five years, after its adoption in the Autumn.”

He concluded: “ I would like to thank the staff of Offaly County Council who do trojan work for our area and keep us to the forefront at all County meetings, especially the Director of Services Sharon Kennedy, our engineering team led by Mark Mahon, as well as Louise Dineen and her team in administration and John O’Reilly and his team.”