Local Cllr. Charlie O’Connor has welcomed the decisions by South Dublin County Council to recognise the MacUilliam Estate as a priority for an enhanced estate management initiative to address various local issues identified including environmental, social exclusion and representation challenges. He confirmed that he had received many representations from the area and had strongly represented these concerns to senior Council Management.
In a detailed response Council Management told Charlie O’Connor as follows: “This initiative will be similar to a recently commenced programme in an area of North Clondalkin and planning is underway for delivery of various measures in Mac Uilliam including: Prioritisation under the Planned Maintenance programme for window/door replacement, painting &upkeep of communal areas and other repair works; Capacity building with local residents to foster the development of a local residents’ group including prioritising local works identified by residents; Additional supports for public realm maintenance and local clean-ups; Ring-fencing estate management funds to deliver priority works identified by local residents’ groups; Review of allocations to provide for enhanced estate management considerations in tenancy allocation; Targeted campaign to address anti-social behaviour issues and consideration of opportunities for local CCTV installation to support this; Engagement of relevant Council sections as well as other state, community and voluntary agencies to deliver sports, arts and community support programmes where possible; Review of investment in repeated repair of local playground facilities to provide better community value and amenity; Assessing the potential for targeted awareness and enforcement in relation to household waste collections; Enhanced street sweeping and cleaning programme under imminent new contract for this service;
These measures will complement existing community development activities and supports in the area including: Estate management clinics; Support for local environmental group and resident led clean-up activities; Council/FAI/DDLETB football street leagues in July; Barnardos/Foroige/YMCA youth support activities; Estate improvement and preventative works including graffiti removal, power washing of paths, wall repairs, installation of railings etc. Ongoing investigation and clean-up of littering and illegal dumping including targeted enforcement measures and increased and more visible litter warden; Quarterly street sweeping of roads within the estate along with monthly sweeping and cleaning of main road at the front of the estate; Fortnightly clean-ups and grass-cutting of green areas as well as response call-outs to remove dumped materials by Public Realm.”
According to Charlie O’Connor “this is a significant decision by the Council to respond to the genuine concerns of the local community and it is important that everything possible is done to support local residents”. He added that he had no doubt that the proposals will have the strong support of members of the Tallaght Area Committee, of which he is Chairman.
