My name is Ian Carey and I have been a Green Party councillor since 2019.
I believe local politics can make a difference.
As a councillor, I have been working hard to make sure that our local community gets its fair share of funding and investment.
I’m passionate about environmental protection, sustainabilty, active travel, and building community.
I grew up in Swords and have lived, worked and volunteered in the town for most of my life. My background is in the media and working for environmental NGOs in Ireland and internationally.
Local libraries will soon have the ability to provide a virtual tour of the new Swords Cultural Quarter. Ten Virtual Reality headsets are currently being procured by the Fingal Library service which will allow members of the public to get an understanding of what the new library, theatre and arts space will look like. The…
Residents from St Margarets, Coolquay, Oldtown and Swords, gathered in the Coolquay Lodge this week to discuss the continued breach of planning permission by Dublin Airport. The group heard how legal action is being taken to challenge the continued use of flight paths which have no planning permission. They encouraged people to submit their experiences…
Do you have a patch of ground that could take a tree? If so you are in luck because Fingal County Council will be giving out free tree whips next week for National Tree Week. National Tree Week 2023 will take place from 19th to 26th March and Fingal County Council has a number of…
Fingal County Council have issued two new warning letters to the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) in relation to the North Runway. The letters sent on March 2nd relate to conditions set in the original planning for the North Runway granted in 2007. This comes on top of the planning enforcement process that started late last…
Swords councillors agreed unanimously this week to advocate for a new bus route to extend from Swords to Blachardstown. Following a motion from Cllr Ian Carey, the area committee of the council will this week write to the NTA to open discussions of a bus route connecting Blanchardstown and Swords. The two major population centres…
The annual Swords St Patrick’s Day parade will start at 11am next Friday. Bands, sporting clubs, and youth groups will all be gathering at Colaiste Choilm from 9am before parading through Main St before finishing near the Carnegie Court Hotel. Cllr Ian Carey said: “The Swords St Patrick’s Day parade is always a huge highlight…
The Ward St Margarets Residents Group spoke to the Oireachtas Transport Committee this week to give evidence of the impact of illegal flight paths from Dublin Airport on communities in North County Dublin. In a meeting the group made a number of requests: Cllr Ian Carey said: “I’m very glad to see the residents of…
For Seachtain na Gaeilge, Fingal County Hall will be hosting three incredible Irish musicians in the Atrium this Wednesday. Bernadette Nic Gabhann on fiddle, Éilís Murphy on concertina and Megan NicFhionnghaile fiddler and singer, will be playing at the County Hall on Swords Main St from 7-9pm on March 8th.
Just like buses, the people of Swords have been waiting years for an upgrade to our parks and then three happen all at once. The Millers Glen playground and GAA pitch, the Rathbeal Archaeology Park and the Rivervalley Recreation Hub were all opened today by Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien. Cllr Ian Carey said: “It…
This week saw the start of new flight paths from Dublin Airport following a ‘review’ from Dublin Airport Authority. The change came on the back of a warning letter being issued to the DAA by Fingal County Council for the use of flight paths which were in clear breach of planning permission for the new…
Two new healthcare facilities, one private and one public, took steps forward in recent weeks. A VHI 360 Healthcare Centre, which is planned for the Holywell distributor road, recently got an extension of three months to complete its planning permission. When complete the new healthcare centre will provide an urgent care, outpatient services, health assessment…
Ground works and surveys are being carried out in the part of a park adjacent to Swords Manor with a view to desiging a ‘recreation hub’, the Chief Executive of Fingal County Council said in a report. The works are being done as part of the design phase of the Ward River Valley park development…
The long awaited playground at Millers Glen will finally be unveiled on March 3rd. The facility which will include a playground, basketball court/five-a-side pitch, and a GAA pitch will be offically opened by Ministerfor Housing and Local Government Darragh O’Brien on Friday March 3rd. This new play/sports area, which is designed to cater for many…
As part of major pipe upgrade, there will be no water available in Swords for much of Sunday Februrary 26th. Water will be shut off from 1am to 11am on the day but it is expected that water distruption will continue for up to 10hours more as the system refills following the outage. Water tankers…
At the junction of the Brackenstown Rd and Murrough Rd a new mini-roundabout will be put in place as part of the safe route to schools scheme for St Cronan’s School. The new design has been put forward with a view to protecting school children, vulnerable road users, and improving traffic flow at the location.…
Safety fencing has been erected around an area of the Ward River Valley known as the Brick Arch. The historical strucuture which is part of an informal trail through the undeveloped area of the park has been deemed structurally unsafe. The council explained this situation as follows: Fingal County Council will erect safety fencing in…
Buried in the woods, in the middle of a golf course, on the outskirts of Swords, is a small slice of Ireland’s World War 2 history – and it will now be preserved. During WW2, the Irish government, concerned at the threat of an invading army, put together a series of stop lines defended by…
The annual Programme of Works for Fingal County Council has been published with €1.018m allocated for small works in the Swords area. This money helps with local park improvements, some road and footpath repairs, drainage works and traffic calming. The areas in Swords who can expect improvements are listed below. Cllr Ian Carey said: “This…
The healthcare division of German technology giant Siemens are expanding their operations in Swords and creating 100 jobs. Two thirds of the new positions will be high-level engineering roles in areas such as data sciene, AI and machine learning. Siemens have been based in Swords since the 1960s but this new investment will make Swords…
Cafe the Tartan Larder and the restaurant Shaker and Vine have both announced in the last month that they are to close The businesses, who are both located on Main St, told customers via social media that they would not be able to continue. The owner of Shaker and Vine said that running costs made…
The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) have published new flight paths from Dublin Airport which will come into effect from February 23rd. The new routes will see some communities face increasing aircraft noise while others will see the situation improve. The areas likely to see an increase in noise are Coolquay and Oldtown with Rolestown and…
The Aircraft Noise Competent Authority (ANCA) has initiated an assessment of the noise generated by Dublin Airport to see if they have exceeded the allowed noise levels. Under the laws which brought ANCA into existence, it has the power to initiate an assessment of the noise situation at Dublin Airport to determine if additional noise…
Two new apartments blocks are being proposed for two sites at the end of Seatown Rd where it meets North St. The plans by Fingal County Council are to demolish a number of residential buildings with a view to create 36 apartments over 4 storeys. Submissions can be made from Thursday 22nd December 2022 and must be received before 11:59…
No 30 and 32 North St Swords are being redeveloped with a new apartment block attached to the rear by Fingal County Council. The buildings, which have been vacant for a number of years, were originally built a century ago as an orphanage for protestant boys, known locally as the Bird’s Nest. It was later…
In a major boost for nature restoration in Swords, Fingal County Council have unveiled plans to fully fund its Biodiversity Strategy meaning two major nature projects in the Ward River Valley and the Broadmeadow Estuary will go ahead. Now a plan will be put in place to protect salmon spawning grounds on the Ward River…
Better designed footpaths and new cycle lanes will be coming to two more schools in Swords as part of new round of funding for a national scheme announced this week. Holy Family JNS and St Colmcilles Girls NS will both be getting funding for upgrades around access to their school. The scheme is currently being…
Some 50 to 60 people braved sub-zero temperatures to attend a protest against Fingal County Council’s handling of illegal flights off the new North Runway, on Monday afternoon. Calling on the council to ‘do their job’ by enforcing the planning permission that is in place on Dublin Airport, protesters highlighted the ongoing illegal use of…
A protest against the use of flight paths from Dublin Airport that are not in line with planning permission will take place at County Hall, Swords Main Street on Monday (December 12th). The protest will begin at 4.30pm and is designed to coincide with a council meeting which is due to start at 5pm. Organised…
The temporary traffic lights on the Brackenstown Rd between Swords Manor and Knocksedan are likely to be in place until May 2023, engineers have confirmed. Speaking on a motion brought by Cllr Ian Carey to the Area Committee, Fingal Council engineers confirmed that the foundations Brackenstown Road at that point are based on clay this…
Swords has just been earmarked for a new 1,000-student ‘College of the Future’ but what exactly are they? A ‘College of the Future’ is a new concept that will bring a lot of the Further Education provision into one place. It will offer courses that allow students to finish their course and get a job…
A €50m third level institution is being planned for Swords, following a government announcement last week. The proposed ‘College of the Future’ will cater for 1,000 students and is one of a number of new third level colleges being rolled out by Education and Training Boards as part of a national strategy. The government have…
Paul Murphy, from Swords, told listeners of Morning Ireland this week how his 12-week-old son Liam needed life-saving treatment in Sweden after contracting the virus around Halloween. In an incredibly brave interview, Mr Murphy outlined how the virus had saturated the lungs of the infant and that despite treatment in Crumlin he needed to be…
A new four-person community garda unit to tackle the anti-social behaviour has been launched in Swords as a temporary measure. Superintendent Ronan Barry told the Fingal Joint Policing Committee that the new unit has been working to deal with issues relating to attacks on young people and issues in the Ward River Valley. These issues…
Plans for a new high technology and manufacturing area north of Swords are going before Fingal County Council for approval. The new area, called Lissenhall East, will contain office blocks and commercial buildings up to 6-storeys as well as a hotel, a lake, open space and the woodland around the ruins of Meudon House will…
A burst watermain led to huge swathes of Swords and Fingal being without water for days earlier this week. Schools, businesses, and childcare facilities had to close for a number of days because of the outage which was difficult to resolve. Many areas suffered two days without water with a number on higher ground left…
The much loved Swords Castle Christmas Market returns this weekend. The market will be open this Saturday and Sunday from 11am-6pm and the same again the following weekend (3rd-4th December). There will be a variety of food, drinks, arts and crafts, for sale to help you kick off the Christmas Season and get some presents…
The Liam Rodgers Community Centre, in the Swords Enterprise Park, is being used as accomodation again following the recent rise in people escaping the war in Ukraine. From April until September of this year the centre was used to accommodate Ukrainians but as other accommodation came on stream it was returned to its normal use.…
Tier bikes, that came to Swords earlier this year, have had a really strong take up and company is now expanding across Fingal. The electric bikes have been used for some 2,500 hours since they were launched in June and now the company are expanding the number of bikes and the area they cover. The…
Some 19 trees in estates in Swords will be cut down by the end of January. Various reasons have been given for the removals and they included the trees being dead/diseased or causing structural damage to walls or footpaths. The list of locations are given in the image below. Cllr Ian Carey said: “Under the…
The annual Swords Castle Christmas Market will take place over two weekends starting later this month. The market will happen on Saturday November 26th and Sunday November 27th and the following weekend Saturday December 3rd and Sunday December 4th. It usually runs from 11am to 6pm with an outdoor market and some indoor entertainment and…
Many people in Swords, Malahide, Portmarnock, St Margarets, Coolquay, Rolestown and Kinsealy, will experience a significant increase in night noise between Monday and Thursday next week. Dublin Airport have indicated that they will be running night flights between 11.30pm and 4.30am from the North Runway for the first time four days next week. The DAA…
Tonight (Nov 11th) there will be an open training session for girls looking to take up football. It’s for girls aged 4 to 12 and it will take place from 5pm to 6pm at the old astro pitch in Rivervalley. The aim is to rebuild the female section for Rivervalley Rangers and the friday session…
MSD Ireland has opened a new manfacturing facility in Swords to develop its new cancer drug. This is a major investment in the Swords site at Drynam, just north of Holywell, and will see the workforce at the site increase from 350 to 420. The new facility will develop the cancer drug Keytruda which helps…
In recent weeks Fingal County Council has issued a warning letter to the Dublin Airport Authority in relation to the operation of the new North Runway. The letter outlines a number of issues where unauthorised action may be taking place, including the current flight paths of aircraft and aircraft noise not in accordance with what…
The Swords Tidy Towns group secured the Silver Medal in this years national awards and improved their score by 10 points. This makes five years in a row that the Swords group have achieved the Silver standard with the scores continuing to improve. Commenting on the award Cllr Ian Carey said: “I want to extend…
Charlie and Claire Bird were in Swords last week to open the new Pieta centre on Bridge St. The new facility was part funded by the ‘Climb with Charlie’ initiative and a plaque was unveiled to honour his outstanding fundraising efforts. Pieta provide free counselling to those with suicidal ideation, those engaging in self-harm, and…
The project is part of the the Pathfinder Programme of 35 exemplar transport projects to be delivered by local authorities and agencies around the country within the next three years, launched by Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan. Welcoming the project announcement, Joe O’Brien TD stated: “This is great news for Swords. We will see this…
The apartments planned for the old council depot between Pinegrove and Abbeylea will begin construction by the end of the month. The project which will deliver 11 units will see contractors go on site by the end of October with the apartments expected to be completed by the end of 2023. The apartment block will…
The long-awaited all-weather pitch in Rivervalley is on the cusp of completion with officials expecting it to be finished next week. The new ‘go games’ area, pitch upgrades and car park are expected to be available to the public by the end of the year. In response to a question from Cllr Ian Carey, the…
The Swords Cycle Network is a plan to develop connected cycling infrastructure in the town. This week as part of an update on the Capital Programme of Fingal County Council, councillors were given an indicative timeline for the projects and the areas it will apply to. The Swords Cycle Network will come forward as a…
Councillors last night agreed to preserve the greenbelt zoning between Knocksedan, Ridgewood, and Rivervalley. This come on the back of a community campaign to maintain the greenbelt and prevent it being zoned residential. Following a long debate, as part of the preparation of the next Fingal Development Plan, the motion was withdrawn and it won’t…
Swords Town Park will host a Festival of Fire on Halloween Night this year. The Spooky Disco will start at 7pm followed by a magical fireworks display at 7:30pm. Make sure to wear your Halloween costume and bring your torch! This free event is part of the Safer Halloween initiative in partnership with the HSE…
A number of parents from Swords told harrowing stories of their teenager or child being assaulted by other young people in the Swords area. The testimonies came at the public meeting of the Fingal Joint Policing Committee this week, where senior Gardai and officials of Fingal County Council hear the concerns of the public and…
As part of the Railway Order, Metrolink have published detailed designs for the Metrolink stations and tracks in Swords. Some of the elements: New designs will reinstate existing estate boundaries at Seatown, Estuary Court and Ashley. Metrolink will be above ground as it passes Balheary Park, with trains visible from playing pitches. The train will…
Next week there are two public meetings happening that are important for the people of Swords. The first is the Joint Policing Committee (JPC) public meeting for the Swords/Malahide sub-district which is taking place on Wednesday, October 5th. This is where Senior Gardaí and Executives of Fingal County Council answer questions and discuss with the…
Garda Operation Tombola, which aims to minimise anti-social issues around Halloween, has started this week. This means Gardaí will be working to seize fireworks and bonfire stockpiles over the next 5 weeks Commenting on the operation, Cllr Ian Carey said: “Halloween can be a difficult time for the community. Every year we risk serious anti-social…
The last local newspaper for the Swords area will cease publishing in October after close to 40 years in print. The Fingal Independent was the last local title that served the Swords and wider Fingal area. This week the owners, Mediahuis, said: “A structural decrease in revenues in these suburban regions, combined with a very…
This might be of interest to them – a new Swords Youth Choir is looking for members. For those between the age of 13 and 18, the new Swords Youth Choir will aim to promote the positive effects of singing in an ensemble with an emphasis on fun, creativity, and community. The group are aiming…
The next important step in making Metrolink a reality will take place at the end of this month. Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) have informed local representatives that the Metrolink Railway Order will happen on September 30th. A Railway Order is the start of the planning process for the new metro and it is an application…
Only a fool would make predictions – especially about the future. So the saying goes. But there are a number of really positive signs that over the next four years the county town of Swords will see major and transformative investment, that it has so badly needed for so long. Here is the list: Swords…
Fingal County Council will write to the Chief Executive of the DAA to seek a meeting with councillors over the way Dublin Airport is operating the North Runway. A motion, from Cllr Ann Graves, calling for a meeting to be set up between the DAA and Fingal councillors got the backing of all councillors at…
The design team who will work on a major upgrade and development of the Ward River Valley Regional Park have finally been appointed. The Ward River Valley Park masterplan, which has been promised for close to 7 years, has finally got under way with the appointment of Dermot Foley Landscape Architects as the lead on…
As part of the government’s retrofitting programme for social houses, 41 homes have been retrofitted on Jugback Lane in Swords in recent months. Figure released by Fingal, show how 81 social homes across Fingal have been retrofitted year to date with a further 10 or so expected before year end. The works in the Swords…
The draft Sustainable Swords plan has been published and a public consultation has begun. It includes a series of plans for changes to roads and public realm around Swords. In particular, it proposes a large investment and redesign of Swords Main St that will increase the pedestrian area, cycle lanes, and reorientate traffic on the…
Burglaries in Swords have increased by 146% between 2021 and 2022, Garda figure have revealed. A total of 64 burglaries have been recorded this year in Swords compared with just 26 for the same period in 2021. This increase is an outlier in the Fingal DMR North region as burglaries have remained static in Malahide,…
Swords Castle will host a number of talks from popular Irish children’s authors, illustrators and artists as part of a brand new festival. The very first Fingal Festival of Children’s Literature will take place on Saturday September 17th. For details of the event see the flyer below.
Figures released this week show that Fingal County Council underspent its allocation for active travel by €5.7m in 2021. The council were allocated €14.8m for walking and cycling infrastructure last year but just over €9m was spent. This means that Fingal County Council could not spend close to 40 per cent of its allocation in…
The campaign to preserve a section of green belt in south Swords from development has launched a petition. The group called Save the Swords Green Belt are hoping to stop the development of lands between Rivervalley and Knocksedan. A submission has been made calling for the lands in question to be developed for housing as…
The new north runway at Dublin Airport has come into operation today. The €320m investment will substantially increase the capacity at Dublin Airport and is part of a long awaited expansion of the facility. Commenting on the openning Cllr Ian Carey said: “Communities around the airport have not been looking forward to this day. “The…
The west bound lane of traffic on Bridge Street in Swords is to be close for a month from this weekend. This for the laying of essential water pipes and is connected to the ongoing road works on Church Road. The closure will last from August 22nd until September 17th. The closure notice reads as…
New figures have revealed that only one extra community garda has been added to the Swords station in the last decade despite the population increasing by 20%. Information released by the Department of Justice, following a Parliamentary Question from Cllr Paul Mulville, show how police numbers have not kept pace with the population increase in…
Just as the DO NOT SWIM notice on the iconic Velvet Strand in Portmarnock was lifted last week an extension to the DO NOT SWIM notice in Balbriggan was announced. The notice on the North Strand in Balbriggan, which was first issued on July 25th, has now been extended after tests continued to find elevated…
Sustainability and biodiversity are the themes of National Heritage Week 2022 which kicks off this Saturday. Over the course of the week there will be 1,300 events going ahead around the country to celebrate our rich natural, built and cultural heritage. Some highlights from this year’s National Heritage Week programme in the Swords Local Electoral…
Fingal County Council, as the relevant planning authority, has rubberstamped the decision to allow for an increase in night time flights at Dublin Airport. The decision now brings into place the new rules around night flights at Dublin Airport as put forward by the Aircraft Noise Competent Authority (ANCA). By ANCA’s own admission, the decision…
Farmers around Swords will be able to receive payments for land with up to 50 per cent given to scrub, thicket, woodland habitat, and rock. These areas were previously ineligible for farm payments, and this led to farmers removing these high nature value habitats. This process was devastating for wildlife that relies on these pockets…
You wait for one ebike scheme to come along and then two arrive at once. A new ESB ebikes scheme, run by Bleeper bikes, is now available on Main St. Like the Tier ebike scheme that launched last month, these are electric bikes that will provide you with extra power up to 25 kmph. Unlike…
We thought we had seen the last of the SHD (Strategic Housing Development) but in recent days another has been filed for the Fosterstown area in Swords, next to Boroimhe. The proposed development, known as Pinnock Hill SHD, consists of 219 apartments and a creche on an a site of 1 and a half hectares.…
Prof Niall Moyna, known for appearing on the hit RTE show Operation Transformation, has told this week of being knocked from his bike on the Seatown Roundabout in Swords. The DCU academic outlined in a series of tweets how he was struck while taking a right turn on the roundabout and landed on his head…
The school bus service, which is for children who have a long distance to their nearest school, has been made free by the government but you must register in the next week. School children who are eligible for the scheme must register before July 29th to get free fares for the coming year. Commenting on…
Families in Swords, and across Fingal, have come forward to help with the recent wave of people displace by the war in Ukraine. Some 379 properties have been pledged to help Ukranians in Fingal, as of July 14th. Of those 311 are rooms within a home where the people will live with the family. This…
It is Ireland’s largest occupied building so as you can imagine the views from the top are incredible. The new air traffic control tower in Dublin airport sprung up in the last two years and at 87.7m high it puts the old one in the shade. At the official opening of the tower last month,…
The annual Fingal 10K will take place in Swords this weekend and parts to the town will be closed off to accomodate the race. The Fingal race is an established part of the Dublin Race Series and attracts a big crowd to the town. The race starts at 9.30am but Main St, North St and…
Have you noticed those turquoise coloured bikes around Swords? They are new rental ebikes available in Fingal. The company is Tier and the new Fingal rental scheme is their first in Ireland. They come from Berlin and in other countries they rent bikes, scooters and mopeds. The new ebike rental scheme will allow you to…
I’m not sure many people will lament the old mega-nightclub, the Wright Venue. But the building is set for a new lease of life and something really significant, from a technology perspective. The gaming publisher Riot Games is about to launch what they are calling a Remote Broadcast Centre from the old venue. So what…
The future of the long-awaited public transport megaproject Metrolink has been secured, as cabinet agree the business case. The metro which will link Swords to Dublin city centre is now expected to be delivered by 2034. The business case presented to government outlines the projected cost for the project to be in the region of…
Two key roads in Swords will be closed at the end of July for essential works. Church Road, which runs by St Columba’s Church, and Forest Road will be close for the laying of water pipes and resurfacing respectively. The Church Road closure will be for 24 hours and will run from the 25th of…
As the public consultation into the Swords Cultural Quarter beings, Fingal County Council have made public all the architectural images and reports into the proposed new building and landscaping around the castle. Commenting on the launch of the consultation, Cllr Ian Carey said: “Now for the first time we are really starting to get a…
A new sheltered housing complex has been given the go ahead in Rivervalley by Fingal County Council. The three storey building, which will be used to provide independent living space for people over 55, will be located in the centre of Rivervalley in the vacant site between the Church carpark and the community centre. In…
The Aircraft Noise Competent Authority (ANCA) have disregarded over 1,000 public submissions which were made to it in relation to proposed night time noise rules at Dublin Airport. The vast majority of public submissions made to ANCA were calling for stronger restrictions on night time flights to protect the health of the communities surrounding Dublin…
SK Biotek Ireland, the pharmaceutical manufacturer who operate next to Swords Castle, have announced a massive $35m investment in the plant. The facility, which produces cancer therapy and heart drugs, will ‘significantly increase’ its manfacturing capacity at the facility. The investment will lead to a jobs boost for the area as the company plans to…
During the pandemic so many people in Swords did what they could for their community – through small acts of kindness, running erands, checking up on neighbours and lifting people’s spirits. Some of these people were recognised recently at the Fingal Mayor’s Awards. One such group were the volunteers who prepared and delivered care packages…
Funding will go towards appointing family support workers, working with harder-to-engage children and early intervention. Minister Joe O’Brien, TD and Cllr Ian Carey have welcomed funding allocations for Youth Diversion Projects for 2022 in Dublin Fingal amounting to €316,000. Youth Diversion Projects (YDPs) engage with young people through a range of supports, including education, training…
As the number of people investing in electric cars takes off there is more an more pressure on public chargers. To respond to this the Dublin local authorities have a plan to deliver 1,650 new EV charge points by 2025. Right now they are looking for help on where to best locate them. Do you…
The architects and design team behind the Swords Cultural Quarter have given greater detail of what is planned. Ahead of the public consultation starting on July 7th, they informed councillors of the key elements of the plan. The new building will stand at the junction of North St and Seatown Rd and the new cultural…
The sports complex ALSAA, which is contained within the campus of Dublin Airport, has been threatened with closure by the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA). ALSAA, which is the home to many sports teams from Swords and North Dublin, was informed that they must vacate the complex by the end of this month. The move would…
In a remarkable level of honesty, the draft Biodiversity Action Plan for Fingal states that there are 100 urgent actions needed to stop biodiveristy loss but they only have funding to achieve 30. Fingal County Council’s Biodiversity Officer Hans Visser, has made clear that either new funding or a reallocation of council resources are needed…
District heating, where insulated pipes carrying hot water or steam directly to your home, has potential in Swords, according to Dublin’s Energy Agency. In a report on how Dublin can reach its emissions target, CODEMA Dublin’s Energy Agency have looked into the potential of providing district heating in Swords and found that it would be…
Making Swords its own Garda District will be a top priority of the new Chair of the Fingal Joint Policing Committee Cllr Ian Carey. This comments come following his election to the role last week. Cllr Carey said: “I want to do everything I can in the new role to support local garda calls for…
This week the contractor is beginning working on the Brackenstown cycle lanes. The scheme was recently on public display and will provide protected cycle lanes from Swords Manor to St Cronan’s School and from the junction with the Murrough Rd to the entrance of Laurelton. The contractor installed site works compounds at the end of…
It’s far from a polished visitor attraction but despite this Swords Castle was found to be third most visitied or recommended attraction amongst Fingal residents. In a finding that clearly points to untapped potential of the historic monument, Swords Castle has been visited by 32% of those surveyed – ahead of Newbridge House and Ardgillan…
Residents of Swords and Fingal have growing concerns about the lack of leisure facilities according to a RED C poll. The survey of over 1,000 residents found that concerns about the lack of leisure facilities in Fingal have doubled in the last five years. In 2017 just 11% of respondents said they had concerns about…
It will be over a decade from when the Masterplan for the Swords Cultural Quarter was first voted through by councillors until it is completed, latest details reveal The latest progress update on the Swords Cultural Quarter has put a likely completion time for early 2026. First approved in 2015 it will mean that by…
A new access path to the Arches at Ushers Lake will begin construction this summer, the council have confirmed. The new access route is needed for more extensive conservation work that is due to take place there in the coming months. The new path will lead from the Brookdale Green area of Rivervalley into the…
Dumpers who travel to parks and rural parts of Fingal to drop their domestic waste could soon be in for a nasty surprise. Councillors have aproved a budget of €334,000 to pay for the roll out of CCTV systems to catch those destroying our countryside. The funding was approved as one of the capital transfers…
Fingal Greens have welcomed Minister Malcolm Noonan’s announcement detailing his plan to renew the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). The NPWS manages six National Parks and 78 Nature Reserves. Comprising 15 strategic actions, the plan will see the NPWS established as an executive agency and restructured to deliver better outcomes for nature. Cllr Ian…
Travel on public transport in Fingal and across the rest of the country is now half price for people between the ages of 19 and 23, following a commitment secured by the Green Party in the last budget. With the additional 20% fare reduction on all public transport announced as part of the government’s cost…
Some €200,000 will be spent this year on developing a masterplan for the Ward River Valley Regional Park. The spend, approved by Councillors on Monday, will be used to hire consultants to work on the project and in particular a public consultation planned for later this year. The funding comes from a capital transfer following…
With the high volume of Strategic Housing Developments in Swords it can be difficult to track when you need to make a submission by. Here is a list of the applications and the dates you need to make a comment, observation or objection. You will need to pay €20 to make a submission. Ref (LA)…
A Family Fun Day is taking place in Malahide Castle for Bike Week this year. Lots of fun and games for kids as well as food trucks and trishaws for older people, as part of Cycling Without Age. Here are the details: Date: Sunday, 22 May Time: 12 noon to 5pm Location: Front lawn, Malahide Castle…
Garda Superintendent Paul Franey, for the Balbriggan District, explained this week that Gardaí have ‘made the case’ for Swords to become its own district. Swords is currently part of a large district with its headquarters in Coolock. The area includes Coolock, Malahide, Swords, Rolestown and all the way to Coolquay. With a large growing population,…
The number of people homeless in Fingal has risen steadily over the first three months of the year, figures from Fingal County Council reveal. In a recent report to councillors, the Chief Executive of Fingal County Council outlined how the number of people presenting as homeless outstripped those who exited homelessness thorugh the council by…
We need to talk about the Development Plan. Fingal County Council is currently working on a plan that will shape the way the town of Swords will develop in the coming years. We need to make sure that we don’t make the same mistakes of the past and that proper services and amenities go hand-in-hand…
Swords patriot Frank Lawless may never have known that a British Intelligence Officer scrawled the phrase ‘A Dangerous Man’ across his file – but in doing so he could not have paid the rebel a higher honour. The quartermaster of the Fingal Batallion during the Battle of Ashbourne, Lawless was the linchpin of republican efforts…
But why are all these plans coming forward now? In recent weeks, plans have been published for no less than five huge residential developments. The developments, when built, will bring whole new areas to the town and bring a significant increase in population. With hundreds of apartment blocks, houses and duplexes all contained in these…
Another Strategic Housing Development (SHD) application has just been published, this time for the lands between Swords Manor and the Swords Community College. The development will consist of 650 residential units making it the biggest development proposed in the current wave of SHDs. The Mooretown development will consist of 265 houses, 187 apartments and 198…
This huge development planned for the lands adjacent to the old Motorola factory had described in a national newspaper but the detail has now been made public. The developer is seeking permission for 621 residential units on the 14 hectare site. The new development, which will be called Holybanks, will be made up of 118…
The Round Tower and St Columbas Church in Swords have received the maximum grant of €85,000 under the Community Monuments Fund. The money will help fund repair and conservation works to the two structures. St Columba’s Church has had well documented problems with its roof. The main aims of the Community Monuments Fund are the…
A new Strategic Housing Development (SHD) for Fosterstown in Swords has been revealed today. It shows higher buildings and densities than were originally planned for the site under the 2019 masterplan. The original masterplan, developed by Fingal County Council, proposed up to 8 storeys in the eastern part of the site but this has been…
Fingal County Council are going to tender this month for conservation and improvement works to Swords Castle. The new works will involved improvements to the area known as ‘Knights and Squires’ which is to the left of the castle gate, as you look at it from Main St. It is understood the works will involve…
377 residential units in the form of houses, duplex units and apartment blocks, have been proposed for lands to the west of Millers Glen and border the Rathbeale Rd. The development is part of the wider Mooretown/Oldtown area which has had a Local Area Plan since 2011. The application describesthis development as the Oldtown SHD…
You might not be able to see it but County Hall just got a bit more sustainable this week. As part of Fingal County Council’s climate change action plan, solar panels were installed on the roof of County Hall on Swords Main St. The Chief Executive explained in her report to councillors this week: As…
The landmark Lord Mayors pub will be demolished and replaced with an apartment block, as part of new plans for the site just published. The Strategic Housing Development (SHD) proposed for the site will see 149 apartments in four blocks developed on the site, as well as retail units and space for a creche. The…
624 residential units are being planned for a 35 acre site on the Glen Ellen Rd in Swords. The proposed Strategic Housing Development (SHD) has been lodged by Cairn Homes and will include 118 houses and 349 apartments an a site bordered by the Broadmeadown River to the north and the Glen Ellen Rd to…
Joint disease, spinal problems, and teeth ground down from a poor diet, were some of the chronic ailments in the bodies uncovered by local history enthusiasts in Swords Castle. The findings are documented in a new book by Fingal County Council Heritage Officer Christine Baker entiled ‘Swords Castle: Digging History: Excavations 2015-2017′. Launched this week,…
The Liam Rodgers Community Centre is being made available by Fingal County Council for emergency accomodation for those arriving from Ukraine. The community centre in Kinsealy was made available yesterday with the help of the Dublin Fire Service and the Civil Defence. It is one of two centres that Fingal has made available for those…
Many community groups working in Swords are not aware that they can get funding from the council. If you are part of one there is a good opportunity next week to speak to the people with their hands on the purse strings. The Community Development Office of Fingal County Council will be holding an online…
Two problems have emerged during the construction of the sports hub in Rivervalley which has pushed the expected completion back to June or July. Last year the project was expected to conclude in the Spring of 2022 but this has slipped due to six weeks of heavy rainfall over the winter and much higher volumes…
Native trees will be available for free in Swords this weekend as part of National Tree Week. Young Alder, Hawthorn and Birch will be given out to the public at the Ward River Valley this Saturday (March 26th) between 9.30am and 12noon. The trees will be handed out next to the Swords Manor playing pitches.…
The Brackenstown area of Swords will have cycle lanes protected by plastic bollards as opposed to raised kerbs. Fingal County Council officials confirmed to councillors today that raised kerbs will not be used in Brackenstown. This comes following a number of falls relating to kerbs installed to protect cycle lanes in Rivervalley. The proposed scheme…
Last week I was on the Niall Boylan show on the back of the news around the new Airport drop off charges. The discussion moves into the impact on the cost of living and I’m pushed on the issue of carbon tax. The interview was done just before the government’s intervention on the cost of…
An Garda Síochána statistics for 2021 have shown an overall decrease in crime in Swords but public order incidents, assaults, and fraud have increased. The statistics presented to the Joint Policing Committee (JPC) last week revealed how Covid restrictions have led to changes in criminal activity. Major drops in burglary and robbery were recorded in…
Residents in Swords who are living in social housing could be getting good news soon as the council are hoping to retrofit as many as 50 homes this year. The Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme 2022 is still being finalised, and is currently being reviewed by the Department of Housing, but Fingal County Council have indicated…
The Swords area has been identified for a number of different types of electric car charging points as part of a Dublin Metropolitan Area EV report. In good news for motorists, consultants working for Dublin’s local authorities, have identified Swords as a strategic location for infrastructure to accomodate residential charging, rapid charge for commuters and…
Dublin Airport has been given permission this week to create paid drop-off and pick-up zones around terminal buildings. From as soon as the middle of the year, motorists picking up and dropping off passengers will be hit with a charge. The Dublin Airport Authority have said that the charge is part of their ‘sustainability agenda’…
Swords Castle was lit up this week with the colours of Ukraine in solidarity with the people who are resisting the illegal invasion from Russia. It was one of a number of council owned buildings lit up by Fingal County Council at the request of the Mayor Seána Ó Rodaigh. The others lit up were…
The public toilet planned for North Street in Swords started construction this week. In a note to Councillors this week the operations manager stated: The contractor anticipates at this stage that he has approximately 3 weeks of ground works on site before the toilet is installed. There will be some commissioning works following that before…
The Aircraft Noise Competent Authority (ANCA) received a massive response to its consulation on night flights at Dublin Airport with the majority of submissions calling for increased protection from aircraft noise. There was a strong response from Swords residents with 526 using an online tool to object to night flying on the north runway, calling…
Officials from the NPWS have committed today to work with the local authority, and community groups, to improve the Broadmeadow Estuary. It was proposed that a local committee be formed of various stakeholders in the estuary and to set about creating conservation objectives and a work plan to deal with the pressures on the site.…
If you can see your house under the contour lines above or you are concerned about the impact of noise please read on. The Aircraft Noise Competent Authority (ANCA) is about to make a decision which will negatively impact the health of people in Swords for years to come. They are about to recommend planning rules…
Litter wardens for Fingal County Council have been tracking dumping as part of an effort to prepare for the use of CCTV when permitted. Officials have confirmed that litter staff have been using technology to ‘heat map’ site where dumping is prevalent so they can position CCTV in approapriate locations when new legislation comes into…
A new pedestrian crossing at Swords Manor has been given funding as part of the Fingal County Council’s Programme of Works for 2022. This comes following ongoing complaints of dangerous bus parking and speeding in the area making access to the park dangerous for park users. The location had been used frequently by bus drivers…
Shock was expressed from a number of Swords residents yesterday following the removal of a number of mature trees from the Ushers Lake area. On the back of this local Green Party Councillor Ian Carey is calling for the masterplan for the park to progress to consultation immediately. The works were being done by contractors…
Fingal County Council have been given the go ahead by An Bord Pleanála for upgrades to the old Swords Bypass, the R132. In an update to councillors earlier this week the Chief Executive said: “The Council was pleased to recently receive An Bord Pleanála’s notification of the successful granting of planning permission for the R132…
Excuse the information dump. But here are the motions put forward by the Green Party to the Draft Fingal Development Plan. Some got accepted, some didn’t and some were withdrawn. It will become clear what got over the line when the next version goes for public consultation shortly. Thanks to Cllr David Healy for compiling…
Fingal Greens welcome the new Home Energy Upgrade Scheme launched by Minister Eamon Ryan yesterday (February 8th), in what is the biggest home insulation and retrofit scheme ever offered in the State. The scheme will include a new suite of measures that will make it easier for homeowners to undertake home energy upgrades, from individual measures…
Everyone wants to spend less on their bills and live in a warm and healthy home. That’s why insulating your home is a big win-win. Up until now for most people getting major insulation work done on your home has been too expensive and complicated. This week the government changed that, with the announcment of…
Airport noise is about to increase significantly in Swords, Malahide, Portmarnock, Hollystown, St Margarets, Coolquay, Rolestown and more. If current proposals from the Airport Noise Competent Authority (ANCA) proceed, there will be a big increase in night time noise in many Fingal communities. Next week there will be a free online talk from internationally renowned…
A wildlife rehabilitation centre will be delivered in Fingal in the coming years, councillors agreed last night. The objective of delivering a wildlife education and rehabilitation centre on lands at the Turvey Nature Reserve, will be included in the next developent plan. The motion brought forward by Cllr Adrian Henchy (FF) read as follows: That…
Fingal County Council have reaffirmed their commitment to identify a site for a new primary care facility in Swords, in conjuction with the HSE. Following a motion from Cllr Ann Graves (Sinn Féin) at the Development Plan meeting this week, council officials have committed again to work with the HSE to identify a suitable site…
Fingal County Council will encourage the development of ‘car free’ neighbourhoods in the coming years, following agreement at a recent Development Plan meeting. Inspired by the positive experiences of communities in Utrecht and Houten in the Netherlands, councillors agreed wording that would ‘encourage the development of car free neighbourhoods and streets’ in the new Fingal…
Vegetation in the Ward River Valley is to be removed to provide access to Ushers Lake, in the coming week. In addition to access, there will also be vegetation removed from sensitive architectural features. Swords councillors were informed today the following: It is planned to carry out the second phase of essential vegetation removal in…
A major commitment to develop a necklace of open spaces around Swords and to redevelop the Ward River Valley Regional Park will be contained in the new Fingal Development Plan. Following a motion from Green Party Councillor Ian Carey, Fingal officials last night recommended a strong extra commitment around open spaces which will now be…
As part of a major increase in funding for walking and cycling provision in 2022, Swords will receive €4.5m for a number of projects. The Murrough/St Cronan’s road, the Rivervalley scheme, and the Seatown Road cycle lane will all see major funding this year. The plan is also committing money for the development of a…
Just two schools in the Swords LEA have received funding for minor works over the summer months. Minister for Education Norma Foley TD has today (24 January 2022) announced funding of €65 million for the approval of 497 projects under the 2022 Summer Works Scheme. The Old Borough National School in Swords will receive funding…
This week councillors start a series meetings as part of the next phase of the new Development Plan process. Well what does that mean? So… the officials have now created a new draft document that has gone to councillors for consideration and these meetings will deal with changes being put forward by the councillors. The…
A qualified arborist and the area tree inspector have assessed the trees in Swords and they have identified 27 that need to be taken down. The areas and the reasons for removal are listed below and they will be felled in the coming weeks. The reasons for removal include: Diseased and dying trees Trees causing…
New stations that will allow park users to fill their water bottles will be rolled out in the Ward River Valley in Swords. A station will be provided along with the new all weather pitch on the River Valley side and they are looking for other locations within the park with a view to going…
A new and dedicated off-leash area of the Ward River Valley River Valley Park will be fenced off for dog walking, officials told the local area committee. The area will be between the two pedestrian bridges to the east of the park and will include: Double gate entrances at a number of locations Durable hard…
The safe ‘routes to school’ works outside St Cronan’s National Schools in Swords is expected to start in 2022. Also the protected cycle lanes on the Murrough Rd will be part of that project and plans are currently with the National Transport Agency. Fingal Council officials told the Area Committee of the council: “The works…
Some 200 social houses in the Fingal area will be retrofitted next year, more than tripling the 2021 figure. This is a huge increase on the 65 social houses that were retrofitted this year with futher plans to set up retrofitting in the county in the coming year. The plans were revealed at the second…
Swords is an incredible town with a strong community and is a great place to live. But sprawling development has led to car dependendancy and it is holding the town back. The Green Party in Swords have made a substantial submission to the Sustainable Swords project with a view to bringing the amenities and the…
Construction works on the Ward River Valley Recreational Hub will start next Monday the 18th of October. The contract hass been signed with Haffey Sports Grounds and they have advised Fingal County Council that they expect to complete the works in the 2nd quarter of 2022. Here is the latest image of the project.
Footpath upgrades, park improvements, traffic calming and improvements in lighting are to increase in the Swords and North Fingal areas from next year following a county council decision this week. The single biggest increase in the Programme of Works budget was agreed with council officials following a Green Party motion to secure greater fairness in…
The Sustainable Swords project has moved to the next phase of public consultation. They are looking for your opinion on the future of the county town. To help you understand what is going on I have prepared a quick FAQ So what is the Sustainable Swords project? It’s a project designed to set out the…
Rampant dumping, waste water outflow, litter flowing downstream, and human disturbance are all contributing to the destruction of nature on the Broadmeadow Estuary. But last week we saw a change in approach from Fingal County Council that may mark a turning point in the fate of some of Fingal’s nature reserves. A Green Party motion…
The timeline for the All Weather Pitch to be completed and ready for use is Spring 2022, according to the project team. The preparatory work that started earlier this year is completed and the signing of the final contract is ‘imminent’. It is expected that the project will break ground in the coming months and…
I was 11 years old when I discovered the Old Mill and Ushers Lake down the valley in Swords. The crumbling building of the old mill, dangerous sluice gates and the expanse of genuine wilderness right on our doorstep was an adventurous child’s dream. Close to thirty years later and the amazing thing is how…
In recent weeks, councillors were given their first opportunity to change the pre-draft* development plan that was circulated at the start of the summer. I put forward 11 amendments. Here is the list: Achievement of ‘favourable conservation status’ of habitats and species within SACs and SPAs as per the requirements and obligations of the Habitats…
