Avoca Entries
Immediate clarity must be given to residents of Brook Meadow on development levies – Harris
Posted February 12th, 2013
Fine Gael TD for Wicklow, Simon Harris, is today (Tuesday) seeking immediate clarity from the Department of the Environment about Wicklow County Council’s attempt to charge residents of Brook Meadow in Avoca, Wicklow, for development levies, which should have been settled by the developer of the housing estate some ten years ago.
“I have been working with the residents of Brook Meadow on this issue for the last year. It is absurd that Wicklow County Council is now attempting to extort money out of 24 residents in the housing estate for development levies that should have been paid by the developers when construction began over ten years ago.
“The fact that the County Council did not collect the development levies from the developer when construction began has nothing to do with the residents of the estate, who bought their houses from the developer. You simply cannot make someone party to an arrangement after the fact, and this is clearly the case with the residents of Brook Meadow.
“The onus is on Wicklow County Council to establish why they did not collect these levies ten years ago when they should have, and to ensure that this situation does not happen again with new housing developments in the future.
“I am urging the Department of the Environment to investigate this matter and provide immediate clarity to the residents of Brook Meadow who are being threatened with prosecution if they do not pay these levies.”
Sports Capital Grant Funding for Wicklow
Posted December 4th, 2012
Dear Constituent,
For the first time in four years sports Capital funding has been provided for Community and Sports groups to develop and improve their facilities. Below is a list of the Wicklow recipient groups which have been approved for funding. I have no doubt that this funding will be hugely beneficial to many communities across our county. Simon
Wicklow Annamoe Community Development Association Limited €40,000
Wicklow Arklow Amateur Boxing Club €40,000
Wicklow Aughrim RFC €3,500
Wicklow Avondale GAA Club €55,000
Wicklow Ballymanus GFC €70,000
Wicklow Ballywaltrim Recreational Park Management Committee €16,000
Wicklow Baltinglass GAA Club €50,149
Wicklow Blessington GAA Club €30,000
Wicklow Bray Bowling Club €77,000
Wicklow Bray Town Council, Ballywaltrim €190,000
Wicklow Co Wicklow Lawn Tennis Club €3,000
Wicklow Cobra Gymnastics Club €10,000
Wicklow Coolkenno Sports Field Ltd. €20,000
Wicklow Dunlavin GAA Club €30,000
Wicklow Greystones Rugby Football Club €47,000
Wicklow Kilcoole Camogie Club €2,000
Wicklow Knockananna G.A.A Club €45,000
Wicklow Lakers Social and Recreation Club Ltd €25,000
Wicklow Our Lady Of Fatima Boxing Club Wicklow €4,000
Wicklow Rathdrum Gymnastics Club €13,000
Wicklow St Patricks GAA Club, Wicklow €50,000
Wicklow St Pats Schoolboy and Schoolgirls Soccer club Avoca €15,000
Wicklow St. Patricks GAA Club, Kilcoole €17,500
Wicklow Tiglin Teen Challenge €24,000
Wicklow Wicklow Rugby Football Club €37,000
Wicklow Woodbrook Garden County Archers €15,000
Harris congratulates Wicklow Towns on performance in Tidy Towns
Posted September 11th, 2012
Wicklow Fine Gael TD Simon Harris commended the efforts of Tidy Towns committees around County Wicklow.
Aughrim continued last year’s success by winning another gold medal in its category in the Tidy Towns 2012 Competition.
Stratford on Slaney was highly commended and Wicklow Town commended in the regional awards, while Glenealy was recognised with the Endeavour Award for having made significant improvements on last year’s performance.
Welcoming the results, Deputy Harris said, ‘The awards are richly deserved and reflect the work that has gone into towns around Wicklow. The Tidy Towns competition is a great example of what can be done by local communities to improve the towns they live in. It is fantastic for getting the community interested and involved in their surroundings and the results have demonstrated the great work done throughout Wicklow over the last year.’
‘I would like to extend my congratulations to all those involved in the Tidy Towns efforts around Wicklow and I look forward to working with the committees for the 2013 competition.’
Harris seeks meeting with EPA over chemicals in Wicklow water
Posted September 1st, 2011
Meeting sought as elevated levels of trihalomethanes come to light.
Wicklow Fine Gael TD, Simon Harris, has written to the Director General of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) seeking a meeting as it emerged that excessive levels of trihalomethanes (THMs), a chemical by-product of water chlorination, are present in parts of the County Wicklow water supply.
Deputy Harris said, “The EPA’s own report shows levels of THM exceeding the limits set down by the World Health Organisation in locations across Wicklow. I have written to the Director General of the EPA requesting a meeting, and have asked for urgent clarification about a number of concerns, including:
• The impact elevated THM levels have on the quality and safety of the public water supply
• The steps to will be taken to reduce the limits in line with WHO guidelines
• What the EPA is doing to address this situation.”
“If, as the EPA Report indicates, changes need to be made to the water supply in parts of County Wicklow, it is important that the EPA and Wicklow County Council outline this plan, complete with a timeframe, as soon as possible.”
Harris visits Wicklow Stand at National Launch of Culture Night
Posted August 18th, 2011
Fine Gael Wicklow TD, Simon Harris, visited the Wicklow stand with the Minister of State for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Jimmy Deenihan TD, at the national launch of Culture Night in Dublin Castle yesterday (Wednesday). Culture Night will take place on Friday, September 23rd, and events will be held right across Wicklow.
Speaking at the launch, Deputy Harris said, “I am delighted at the wide range of events organised right across County Wicklow. The commitment and dedication of so many groups, voluntary groups, arts groups and town and county councils, to making this night a success is truly incredible and I would like to congratulate them on their energy and enthusiasm.”
Full details of the culture night events which will be held in Wicklow, and across the country, are available on the website www.culturenight.ie.
Simon Harris is pictured with Ann Nolan, Culture Night Coordinator, Minister Jimmy Deenihan and Jenny Sherwin, Arts Officer, Wicklow Council at the Wicklow information stand at the Culture Night Launch.
Have an Issue in Your Area? Let Me Know!
Posted May 2nd, 2011
If you have an issue in your area that you think I can help with, get in touch! I am happy to help in any way that I can
You can call me on 01-6183805 (Dáil Office) or 01-2813727 (Constituency Office). Alternatively you can email me at simon.harris@oir.ie or write to me at ‘Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2′ or at my constituency office, ‘Office Unit 4, Market Court, Main Street, Bray, Co. Wicklow’.