LNWest17June10

Valid on 21/06/10

Deliveries to: Ballyfermot, Celbridge,

Clondalkin, Leixlip, Lucan

and Palmerstown

Dublin Newbridge624 9710 045 431 281

C.O.D./Laser Cards Accepted

BALLYFERMOT � LUCAN � LEIXLIP � CELBRIDGE � CLONDALKIN � NEWCASTLE � PALMERSTOWN � RATHCOOLE

Large range of tyres for all cars & vansBALLYFERMOTUnit 1 Phoenix SC, Cherry Orchard Industrial Estate, Dublin 10. Tel: 623 1393

CLONDALKIN/LUCAN Unit 1, Esso Service Station, 9th Lock Road, Clondalkin, Dublin 22. Tel: 457 8086 Open Mon - Sat 8.30am to 5.30pm Ballyfermot Branch only: Sun 11am - 4pm

NEW MOBILE TYRE FITTING SERVICEWheel call to your home or office!

Just call 623 1393/457 8086

We won’t be beaten on price.Bank House, 331 South Circular Rd, Dublin 8.

Ph: 453 4011 Fax: 454 9024 Email: [email protected] Ads: [email protected]

LOCALTH

E

17 JUNE 2010WEST EDITION NEWSFREE

LANEWAYS DISGRACE

A local TD EoinÓBroin (SF) hascalled on ‘SouthDublin CountyCouncil to takeurgent action toclean the lanewaysin Deansrath,Clondalkin.’

in the Deansrath areasay the lanewayshave not been clean -ed in several yearsand some locations,the rubbish is almostknee deep.

One Local com-mented: "The laneways In Deansrathare absolutely dis-gusting. They havebecome a breedingground for rats andgod knows what else-you wouldn't see thelike in down townBombay- it’s a dis-grace."

The Local Newshas learned that CllrMatthew McDonagh(SF) has tabled aquestion to theCounty Manager cal l -ing on the Council toensure that thelaneways and alley-

ways at the rear of allhouses in Deansrathare cleaned as a mat-ter of urgency. Thequestion also asksthat the Manager toinform residents ofthe cleaning scheduleinto the future.

"Residents des -erve to live in a safeand clean environ -ment," said Mr Mc -Donagh. "Those res -ponsible for illegaldumping must bestopped. Where dum -ping does take place,the Council have aresponsibility to en -sure that residents donot suffer because ofthe actions of a smallminority." [email protected]

Phone: (01) 620 5592Mobile: 085 210 0831 PARKWESTHannigens

BUY 2 TYRES

GET ONE FREECARWASH

Party Special19th • 21st • 30th •40th • 50th • 60th

Great Deal for 70 peopleFunction Room, Food & DJ

All for only €350

MR Ó BROIN toldThe Local News thathe had been contact-ed by a large numberof residents to com-plain about the stateof laneways at therear of houses inDeansrath, Clon -dalkin.

"Having visitedthe area and seen thestate of the lanewaysit is clear that theCouncil have notcleaned any of thelaneways for a con-siderable period oftime," he said.

Residents living

Eoin O’Broin TD (SF), pictured at one of the

Deansrath laneways. by Catherine Blake

2 THE LOCAL NEWS

www.localnews.ie

For advice on property salesand lettings in the Dublin areaprospective vendors and land-lords are well advised to phoneWilson Moore Estate & LettingAgents the recognized Dublinproperty specialists. “Vendorsare keen to appoint a companythat will supply them with anexcellent service as it’s what peo-ple should expect and deservenowadays in these difficult eco-nomic times” says ChristinaWilson.

“This period of uncertainty iscontinuing and the property mar-ket is suffering because of this”comments Patrick Leonard theSales Director of Wilson Moore.“However we have noticed inrecent times that purchasers whoup until now have been reluctantto view, make offers or agree topurchase are now becoming moreactive and seem keen to committo buy in the near future” headds. Christina continues bysaying “there is fantastic valueavailable at the moment and any-one considering trading up totheir perfect area or dream home

may never get a better opportuni-ty to do so !”

Likewise people who are cur-rently renting should think aboutowning their own home insteadas Patrick explains “when you arepaying rent you are in fact payinga mortgage it’s just not yourown!”. First Time Buyers shouldseriously think about entering themarket at the present time andcheck out the mortgage optionswhich are currently available.

The letting market is not easyat the moment but Wilson Mooreare still looking to list suitableproperties for quality tenants ontheir books. Any landlord whohas a property which is vacant atthe moment should phone themwith the details as soon as possi-ble.

Wilson Moore’s customerfriendly offices are open from 9.00a.m. to 6.00 p.m. Monday toFriday and Saturday 10.00 a.m. to12.00 noon. If you have anyqueries about selling , letting ,buying or renting in the Dublinarea then contact them on 1890 8080 80 for an appointment.

PH: 1890 80 80 80

Advertisement

The Dublin Property Specialists

BY CONSENT

From as little as €600 • Separation Agreements €400

Mobile: 086 1211 820www.divorcebyconsent.com

Email: [email protected]

Have you been separated for at least 4years and agree on all matters

in relation to divorce?We will draft and process your divorce documents for Court.

Most divorces are by consentTHE LATEST fig-ures from the CourtsService show thatthere were 3,588divorces granted bythe Circuit FamilyCourts in the year2008. This figure sh -ows a slight decreaseof 70 divorces fromthe 2007 figure of3,658. An interestingfact is that morewives (58%) thanhusbands (42%) app -lied for divorce in2008.

Another interest-ing figure is that 93%of couples applyingfor divorce agree thesettlement terms oftheir divorce beforethe hearing of theirdivorce application.This means that only7% of divorce appli-cations go to a fullhearing.

There has alsobeen a substantial risein the number of laylitigants who chooseto make their owncourt application fordivorce.

This is particular-

ly so in the case ofcouples who haveresolved all familymatters such as main-tenance, child cus-tody/access, propertyand pension. If thehusband and wife feelthey are unable toobtain and completethe documentationrequired for court,DIVORCE BY CON-SENT is a companythat assists those cou-ples with the process.DIVORCE BY CON-SENT prepares theactual documentationrequired for the Courthearing. The feecharged is from as lit-tle as €600 for a con-sent divorce. Thecompany also draftsSeparation Agree -ments for a fixed feeof €400. This is ahuge saving whencompared to fees of€5,000 to €10,000charged by the legalprofession for con-sent divorce cases,and between €2,000and €3,000 for sepa-ration agreements.

The 2006 Censusshows that there were107,263 separatedpersons in the State inthat year; it can beassumed that this fig-ure has risen sincethen. The downturnin the economy will

see a significantincrease in the num-ber of those separatedcouples choosing toengage DIVORCEBY CONSENT toassist them in formal -ising separation ag -ree ments or process-

by Damien Mara

ing their court appli-cations for divorce.

Damien Mara is anon-practising barristerand is the principal atDIVORCE BY CONSENT.

He can be contactedat 086-121 1820 or byemail to damien@divorce -byconsent.com

New credit legislationbrings no clarity DESPITE assurancesfollowing regulatoryfailures, the govern-ment has again failedto adequately priori-tise consumer inter-ests, said legal rightsgroup FLAC. Thisfollowed the low-keyimplementation of aEuropean Union dir -ective into Irish lawwhich should providebetter protection forconsumers borrowingmoney in Ireland.

The organisationwas commenting onthe enactment of thenew consumer creditdirective byregulation signed byMinis ter BrianLenihan late lastweek. “This is a veryimportant piece of

law that will affectevery consumer whoplans to avail of cred-it in this country.Nonetheless, therehas been very littleforewarning of theproposed changes,nor is there con-sumer-friendly infor-mation available yeton this new law,” saidPaul Joyce, SeniorPolicy Researcherwith FLAC.

According to theorganisation, theexisting 1995 legisla-tion is already com-plex. The new regula-tion is being superim-posed on this struc-ture, making the lawvery difficult to deci-pher.

“To understand

their rights, con-sumers will have tolook at the 1995 leg-islation, which is sub-stantial, alongside theextensive new regula-tion. The consumerwould have been bet-ter served by a thor-ough review of theexisting legislationfollowed by a unified,comprehensive state-ment of the law. Inessence, people willnot be able to easilyunderstand what theirnew rights are whenborrowing money.This is not goodenough, given recentevents in this coun-try," said Mr Joyce.

A FLAC state-ment on the newdirective which lays

out the organisation'sposition and calls forspecific actions sothat consumers willbe aware of their newrights and duties: OnFriday 11 June, therevised consumercredit directive of theEuropean Union wastransposed into Irishlaw by way of a regu-lation. In other words,the new provisionsbecome law withoutany discussion,debate or explanationin the Dail or Seanad.

Precisely becausethe directive is beingtransposed in thisway, it is very diffi-

cult to be sure at thispoint. What is certainis that the existingConsumer Credit Act1995 (which itselftransposed the origi-nal consumer creditdirective) will be sub-stantially changed.

The existing leg-islation is alreadycomplex and hard toread. It now appearsthat there are noimmediate plans toconsolidate the newregulation into theexisting Act, i.e., tohave one piece of leg-islation with all thechanges incorporatedinto it so that it can be

read as a single text.Some examples

of how the new regu-lation might affectyou as a consumer:The next time youapply to borrowmoney from a bank,finance house orlicensed moneylend-er, the lender will beoperating new rulesin terms of the infor-mation the potentialborrower is entitled toreceive before theloan is agreed and theinformation that mustbe included in thecredit agreementwhen the loan ismade.

New rules willalso be in place onyour right to with-draw from the agree-ment where youmight change yourmind (the ‘cooling offperiod’). It will affectyour right to termi-nate the loan agree-ment early and pay avery limited amountof future interest tothe lender. It will alsoaffect how creditunions can lend,although they mayhave fewer new regu-lations imposed dueto their social lendingremit. It is particular-ly unfortunate that the

government has cho-sen to implementthese changes in Ire -land by the leasttransparent methodavailable to them,leaving an immediateinformation vacuumwhen the purpose ofthe directive is to dothe opposite. FLACcalls on the govern-ment to publish clearand user friendlyinformation on thenew provisions assoon as possible andto produce one codi-fied version of theconsumer credit leg-islation as a matter ofpriority.

These two Palmerstown United teams met each other in Tolka Park recently. It was part of the entertainment for the celebrities and seniors challenge match, which proved a great success.

THE LOCAL NEWS 3

Visit us from 10.00am - 5.00pm Monday to Saturday

4 THE LOCAL NEWS

at Paul’s Plaice

FRESH FISH SPECIALS EVERY DAYAll Types of Fish available to Order

Fresh Cod, Ray, Salmon Trout, Mackerel,Mussels, Smoked Cod, Salmon,

Crab Meat, Lobster

Tower RoadCLONDALKIN

3 doors fromTuthills

OPEN: Tuesday-Friday8.30-5.30pm

and Saturday

8.30-3.00pm

Gillian'sBEAUTY SALON

Bringing your innerbeauty to the surface!

34 Superquinn Shopping Centre, Lucan

Telephone: 01 621 6767ALL DERMALOGICA PRODUCTS AVAILABLE:

• Facials • Nail Care • Eye Care • Waxing

• Fake Bake Tan • MassageAsk about our packages for:

Weddings • Debs • Holidays • Special Occasions

ClinicalHypnotherapistKieran Fitzpatrickadvises in hisregular columnon how to achieveyour goals...

Be your ownlife coach

IN ONLY the last article I was talking abouthow the sad and untimely death of radio starGerry Ryan had caused people around himto comment on his lifestyle. In their grief,they were looking for possible causes for histoo early passing.

And so I was talking about how we canall look at our own lifestyles and see if weare subjecting ourselves to some of the con-ditions which are always mentioned whensomeone dies of natural causes at an unatu-rally young age.

I talked in the last article about stress.How we are all under stress in the fast pacedmodern world we live in. I talked about howwe should all set aside time to relax andclear our mind.

I also talked about how exercise andeven something as simple as brisk walking,for which you need nothing but reasonablehealth, no special gear or memberships, isregularly recognised as one of the bestforms of exercise. Walking is not only agood physical exercise, but is often a greatstress buster, where you can pound out yourfrustrations and stresses, clear your mind,enjoy some fresh air and these days even lis-ten to your favourite recordings on youriPod or similar. Or even better, go withsomeone and use it as an excuse to catch upwith friends.

So if we are looking after our exerciseneeds, the other basic and very simple thingwe can do is look at what we are putting intoour bodies. There are the obvious culpritssuch as cigarettes and drugs. If I need to tellyou about these then there is no point!

The next obvious thing would be ouralcohol consumption. Did you know thatdrink causes more health and social prob-lems in this country than cigarettes? But thedrink culture in this country has led to ourdrinking habits being looked at as accept-able, or immune from being looked at at allin some cases.

But that shouldn’t stop you looking atyour own consumption habits. Our bodiesaren’t really designed to process alcohol andso too much of it puts a strain on your wholesystem. Socially we tend to joke about theeffects of drink. But how many of those weburied before their time had bad drinkinghabits?

Have a think about it, you can prolongyour life and enjoy a better quality of life byenjoying most of the “good things” in mod-eration. Drink is a very good example. It isa great way to relax and to socialise andwind down. But when you go beyond mod-eration, your body tells you and it is not jok-ing.

Moderation is the key to healthy foodintake also. Like I was saying about exer-cise. To live a healthier, longer life, youdon’t need to do anything extreme. For exer-cise, regular walking is one of the bestthings you could do. Similarly, with our diet,moderation is the best way. A healthy mix ofgood foods, nothing to extreme and nothingruled out.

Remember for a balanced lifestyle weneed to look at exercise, consumption andstress. We’ve now looked at stress anddrink.

In the next issue of The Local News wecan look at what we eat and how taking careof that need not be a big deal.

Kieran Fitzpatrick ADHP MIAPH(Member of The International Associationof Pure Hypnoanalysts) is a fully qualifiedClinical Hypnotherapist, NLP, Practitionerand Personal Coach. His practice is betweenTerenure and the M50 in Dublin. For moredetails call 087-1227361, e-mail: [email protected] or seewww.kieranfitzpatrick.com

New Clondalkin taxi rank‘Sinn Féin has long argued for a taxi rank in Clondalkin Village. Since beingelected in 2009 I have held discussions with local taxi drivers and CouncilManagement on this issue, stated Councillor Matthew McDonagh. ‘InFebruary of this year I asked the Manager to review and enhance theavailability of taxi ranks for working drivers in the Clondalkin and Lucanareas. ‘At that stage the Manager replied saying that the Councils Road'sDepartment would develop proposals to provide additional Taxi ranks inboth Clondalkin and Lucan. ‘I am pleased to see that this issue has pro-gressed and am hopeful that we will have a fully functioning taxi rank inClondalkin in the coming period.’ The council have agreed to the alloca-tion of a rank for the village.

Funding for Balgaddygets thumbs up

THE LOCAL NEWShas learned that freshgovernment fundinghas been allocatedfor the completion ofpublic amenities inBalgaddy andaccording to LocalTD John Curran (FF)work is due to startthis Summer.

"The BalgaddyEstate was designedto an overallMasterplan in 2000,"explained MinisterCurran. "It wasintended to completethe overall scheme in6 separate phasesincluding a largelandscaped publicamenity space at itsheart associated withthe Balgaddy 'D' por-tion."

Sadly, due to theeconomic downturn,the Balgaddy DHousing scheme wastendered but not con-structed which leftthe overall scheme inthe area unfinishedand lacking amenityfor its residents.Fortunately for localresidents however,capital funding forthe completion of thepublic-realm works

by Catherine Blake at Balgaddy has nowbeen given the offi-cial go ahead much tothe delight of localresidents.

"It’s about time,"one Local said. "Upto now there has beenan unfinished look tothe area and there hasnot been much forteenagers to do, does-n't help with the issueof antisocial behav-iour."

The proposedscheme will include amulti-use games area(MUGA) forteenagers;

a children’s play-ground for youngerchildren; trees andplanting opposite thecompleted dwellingsincluding the neglect-ed space at Méile anRí View in Balgaddy.

The Local Newshas learned that theproject will alsoinclude paths, lightsand planting to theedges of undevelopedsites.

“It is intended tocommence the plan-ning process at theend of June thisyear," said MinisterCurran. "The Capitalmoney allocated bythe Department of

Environment must bespent before the endof 2010, which leavesquite a tight time-frame for public noti-fication, tenders andcompletion of worksprior to the end of2010."

Some ploughingand harrowing worksare expected to takeplace during the drysummer weather tofacilitate the land-scaping works, theseworks are not subjectto the planningprocess and will givethe entire works ahead start.

“I think theurgency of thesedevelopments is to bewelcomed," addedMinister Curran. "Itmeans that residentsin Balgaddy can startenjoying their newamenities much soon-er than expected.Teenagers and youngchildren will espe-cially benefit fromthis boost in capitalfunds into the area. Itis a good news dayfor local families liv-ing in Balgaddy,”[email protected].

Lucan Family Cycle Day As part of Bike Week 2010, South Dublin County Council in conjunctionwith Adamstown Community Partnership will host Adamstown - LucanFamily Cycle Day.

Cycle Safety School (www.cyclingsafetyschool.com) will run a series ofnovelty cycle events for adults and children throughout the day.

Staggs Cycles, Lucan (www.staggcycles.com)will display a range of adult and children’s bicy-

cles and be on hand to offer advice on selectingthe right bike; and maintaining your bike.

Refreshments and prizes will be givenout and the day will conclude with a

group cycle around Adamstown.

Come along and participate in theevents or just have a look atwhat’s on! For more informationlog onto www.adamstown.ie; orwww.bikeweek.ie.

Clondalkin woman wins cash prize!RTE 2fm DJ Andrew O’Connor with a delighted Bernadette Skelly,from Clondalkin who was a winner of Nestlé Ireland’s Aero Win a

Bubble a Day national competition that ran across May. Bernadettediscovered the whereabouts of Aero agent Liam McKenna in Kildare

and went on to burst the Aero bubble winning a significant cashprize of €1,000 just in time for her summer holidays!

Funding boost for local schoolsby Catherine Blake

AMID THE seem-ingly constant threatof teacher strikes,there is finally somegood news for localschool-going chil-

dren. A number oflocal schools are nowset to benefit fromcapital funding tocarry out essentialsmall scale works ontheir premises.

St Joseph’s Coll -

ege, Lucan and HolyFamily National Sch -ool, Rathcoole havebeen given the goahead from the De -partment of Educat -ion to receive fundingunder the Summer

Works Scheme 2010.This funding willallow the schools tocarry out essentialupgrade and repairworks on the schoolsduring the quietsummer months.

Local TD, Minis -ter John Curran (FF)told The Local News:“Lucan CommunityCollege and St. PeterApostle JNS, Neils -town have also been

approved funding bythe Department inorder for them tocarry out works thatimprove access totheir schools for stu-dents with disabili-ties."

According to theminister, the buildingunit of the Depart -ment of Educationwill be in contactwith each schoolshortly in relation to

the amount of fund-ing approved for eachproject. “This fund-ing will provide forbetter learning envi-ronments in eachschool and I amdelighted these workswill be carried outwhile students are ontheir summer breakcausing the leastamount of distur-bance possible,” saidMinister Curran.

THE LOCAL NEWS 5

6 THE LOCAL NEWS

1) Chips & Can/Tea/Water €32) Hot Chip Baguette €33) Garlic Chips & Can/Tea/Water €34) Burger & Chips & Can/Tea/Water €35) Batter Saus & Chips & Can/Tea/Water €36) Junior Box & Can/Tea/Water €37) Beans & Chips & Can/Tea/Water €38) Batter Burger & Chips & Can/Tea/Water €39) Onion Ring & Chips & Can/Tea/Water €310) Coleslaw & Chips & Can/Tea/Water €311) Curry Chips & Can/Tea/Water €3

Sam’sTakeawayMain St. Leixlip, Co. Kildare

Tel: (01) 624 3849Mob: 086 315 0150

FREE Large Mineral with Every Order over €30

DELIVERY & COLLECT Tel: (01) 624 3849 • Mob: 086 315 0150Open Monday to Thursday 12pm-3pm & 4.30pm-1am • Friday to Saturday 12pm-3am

• Sunday 4.30pm-3am • Delivery Service Everyday from 12pm-12.30am

LUNCH MADNESS DEALS

Lunchtime Deals Served Monday to Fridayonly. Excluding Bank Holidays and Delivery.

Freshly cooked, hand peeled & cut chips!

We will

be featured

on RTE in

July!

7 Main Street Leixlip

Tel: 6246888

SPECIAL OFFERSJumpers • Slacks • Jackets • Skirts

Any mix of 4 Items €21.00

LIKE-NU Services• Dry Cleaning

• Curtain Cleaning • Alterations • All Shoe Repairs• Key Cutting • Ironing Service

FREE COLLECTION AND DELIVERY SERVICE

LIKE-NU

THERE IS lots ofchoice and valuearound for consumersnow than for quite along time. Often thereare bargains on ourdoorstep that we maynot be aware of. Forexample LIKE NU in7 Main st in Leixlip

village has an excel-lent offer on at themoment. Why buynew when you canget 4 items drycleaned for only €21.The items can beeither jumpers, sl -acks, jackets, or skirts- whichever you feel

could most benefitfrom a good cleanand a press. Niall, theproprietor also offersan alteration service,shoe repairs, curtaincleaning and an iron-ing service. PhoneNiall 01 624 6888 .

Why not call in to

Leixlip Veterinaryclinic today if youhave a worry or con-cern about a familypet. As matter of factthe more exotic andunusual the better asthe resident vetsTeresa O Driscolland Brenda Manningspecialise in thestrange and unusual.The clinic has beenserving the area, forthe last 16 years andis located onCaptains Hill. Makean appointment on 01624 6282. The clinicis online atwww.leixlipvet.com.The opening hoursare Mon, Tues,Thurs, Fri, 10.30 am-7.00pm.Wed 10.30am -4 pm and then onSat 11.00 -12 pm.

Over the courseof the Summer youwill probably want tospruce up your homea little. I must say afresh coat of paintprofessionally doneis hard to beat forthat feel good fac-tor.Joe Keenan hasbeen a professionalpainter and decoratorfor the last 30 yearsor so. Joe is based inMaynooth and hasdozens of happy cus-tomers. Give Joe acall on 087 2609756and he will be happyto give you advice onyour homesrequirments and histop quality work isguaranteed.

Spoiled for choice in LeixlipHighlights from the

2010 LeixlipFestival

Leixlip Veterinary Hospital

Captains Hill Leixlip Villagewww.leixlipvet.com

Tel: 01 6246282

Mon, Tues, Thurs. and Fri.:

10.30am-7.00 pm

Wed: 10.30am-4.00pm

Sat: 11.00am-12pm

Appointments required before 5pm.

Avian and exotic pets are very welcome.

THE LOCAL NEWS 7

Con O’Leary & Co

SOLICITORS6 The Mall

Leixlip, Co. Kildare

DX No. 97002 Leixlip

Tel: (01) 624 4820 (6 lines) • 624 4721Fax: (01) 624 4721Email: [email protected]

The roa

d to good tasteCafé with a

Diner-Style Twist

100%IRISH

Keep Healthy: Cycle or Walk to Highway 66 for your food!

Open 7 Days for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner from 9.30amThe only place in Leixlip that serves breakfast on a Sunday morning!

OPENING HOURS: Monday to Thursday

9.30am - 1.00amFriday, Saturday & Sunday

9.30am-3.00am

DELIVERY TIMES: 12.30pm-12.30am

Main Street, Leixlip. Telephone: (01) 624 3180

Best freshly madefood delivered to

your door.

The onlylunchtime delivery service in Leixlip!

If on the otherhand you would liketo extend or maybesome repair or reno-vation work. B&Cbuilding and carpen-try services are basedin Celbridge and theowner of the compa-ny Chris Gylnnoffers a full compre-hensive service .Chris will work withyou to carry outminor repair work ora total upgrade toyour property. Hiswork is very compet-itively priced andoffers value andquality for money.

able staff who areonly to happy toadvise you on whichtype of windowsetc... would be mostsuited to your needs.Call 01 8775026 andsee for yourself whatcustomer service isall about. If you wanta nice fresh qualitymeal in leixlip vil-lage call in to Samstakeaway which isactually the secondoldest business inthe village itself. Itsstill going strongsince 1975 wouldyou believe. Fromthe traditional fishand chips to a juicyburger all tastes arecatered for .In factthe chips are hand cutand and peeled sopremium freshness isguarenteed. Look outfor the forthcomingdocumentary on Tr -evor Brennan inwhich Sams's Take -away is featured asTrevor was a loyalstaff member many

years ago.How about a nice

fry in pleasant sur-roundings well lookno further than Route66 on Main Street.They have an exten-sive menu to temptyour palate and pleas-ant welcoming staffas well.This is the

place to be on a

Sunday in particular

as it is the only place

in Leixlip village

offering a full tasty

Irish breakfast on a

Sunday. So call in

and treat yourself

now.

He has a very exten-sive list of previoussatisfied customers.Call today on 0861712219 for adviceon your homes re -quirements.

If you are in needof a new floor. Wellhow about a lam -inated Floor at an un -beatable price with-out the quality beingcompromised. CallAidan Henry todayon 087 243 3417 andhe offers a wholehouse or apartmentdeal for only €799 upto 55 sq yards of lam-inated click systemfully supplied andfitted. Go to www. -henry flooring.comand see for yourself.The entire Dublinarea is covered byAidans very success-ful flooring companyas quality and andvalue go hand inhand.

One of the mostinportant things thatyou can do to im -prove the efficencyof your home is tohave energy rated Arated windows in -stalled. Noel ReidWindows has show -rooms in the Mal -ahide Rd IndustrialPark and offer quali-ty and a very reliableservice. Actually allthe marerials used inthe manufacture withthe exception of oneare all sourced herein Ireland. They havea very friendly reli-

Zinc Nite club was a hugely popular venue during the festival. Our Photo shows local DJ Davy, who was featured on the festival party night.

8 THE LOCAL NEWS

See our full range of Laminated, Semi-Solid &Hardwood Floors. Call for a free quotation in house!

LAMINATED FLOORING

Telephone: 087 243 3417 or (01) 413 8902Visit us online: www.henryflooring.com

3 BEDROOM DEAL - SMALLEST ROOM FREEAverage Price from €499. For a limited time only.

SPECIAL OFFER - EXAMPLE 11 X 11 ROOMIn New Laminated Click System. €179. Supplied & Fitted.

WHOLE HOUSE/APARTMENT DEALLaminated Click System. Now €799

A full apartment or house up to 55 sq. yds. Supplied & Fitted.

Weekly Payment Plan Available. T&Cs apply.

HEGARTY FLOORSANDING

Restoring old floors to former glory!Sanding • Lacquering • Staining

10 Years ExperienceFollow up advice available

For excellent quotes & reliable workmanship

call Des 086 401 3392Email: [email protected]

Specialising in: • Doors • Partitions • Windows

• Kitchens • Wardrobes • Side Gates• All Types of Floors • Shop Fitting

• Attic Ladders & FlooringFully Insured – All Work Guaranteed

Carpentry MaintenanceServicesEst. 30 years

SPECIALOFFERSNOW ONDECKING

Call Noel 087 257 1606 or 01 821 5450

WITH ONLY two weeks left until the end ofthe third annual Pedigree Adoption Drive,Pedigree is encouraging Dublin families tohold sponsored dog walks to raise funds to helpstray or abandoned dogs find loving homes.The Dog Walk Home initiative seeks to raiseextra funds for Irish dog charities in addition tothe €100,000 that Pedigree has already com-mitted to donating. Dog walkers can nominatethe Irish dog charity of their choice when reg-istering to pledge their commitment. All pro-ceeds raised by individual groups will godirectly to their dog charity of choice.

Families can visit www.pedigreeadopt -iondrive.ie to download everything they needfor the initiative. Pedigree is providing partici-pants t-shirts, sponsor cards, posters and routeideas to make getting involved as easy as pos-sible.

Are you gonna walk the dog?

Carer’s Grant paid outCarer’s Allowance,Carer’s Benefit andDomiciliary CareAllowance. Otherfull time carers whoare not eligible forthese schemes mayapply separately forthe Grant. Carerswho are providingfull-time care formore than one personmay be entitled to€1,700 in respect ofeach person that theyare caring for. Forexample, a persongiving full-time careto two people withdisabilities may beentitled to €3,400.

The estimatedexpenditure on thescheme in 2010 isover €153 million.

The Minister alsosaid: “The Govern -ment is very awareand appreciative ofthe contributionmade by carers andhas sought to makeimprovements inservices and supportsfor carers. Over thepast decade, qualify-ing conditions forCarer’s Allowancehave significantlyeased, coverage ofthe scheme has beenextended and newschemes such as half-

rate Carer’s Allow -ance and Carer’sBenefit have beenintroduced and ex -tended.”

The combinedexpenditure on Car -er’s Allowance, Car -er’s Benefit and theRespite Care Grant isexpected to be over€725 million in 2010.

K&D Kitchens &Wardrobes

Reface your kitchen from as little as €995. WARDROBES MADE-TO-MEASURE

NO MESS NO FUSS QUALITY SERVICE call Paddy today for a free est087 413 0658

from only €995

2,856 of the 3,411 dogs abandoned inDublin in 2008, were re-homed and 525 dogswere put down, 93 fewer than the previousyear. These recent statistics released by theDepartment of Environment, Heritage andLocal Government show the positive effect theannual campaign is having on raising theawareness of dog abandonment in Ireland.

39 dogs are put to sleep every day inIreland* and although this number hasdecreased, since the launch of the PedigreeAdoption Drive in 2008, these figures have along way to go. In the hope of continuing tosave the lives of more dogs, Pedigree launchedthe 2010 Pedigree Adoption Drive, which runsfrom 1st April through to the end of June 2010.

In its third year, the Pedigree AdoptionDrive continues to raise awareness of animalwelfare and encourage Irish dog lovers to adopta dog from their local shelter or welfare organ-isation. In addition, for every pack of Pedigreedogfood bought, during the Pedigree AdoptionDrive, a donation goes to help Irish dogs. The

campaign aims to help raise much neededfunds for rescue centres nationwide, Pedigreeplan to match last year’s achievements bydonating €100'000 to Irish dog charities.

65 unwanted dogs are abandoned everyday in Ireland, most of them perfectly healthy

Speaking on behalf of the Irish Society ofthe Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA),Barbara Bent said “We are delighted to contin-ue our relationship with this fantastic campaignfor the third year running. The money raised in2009 went a long way to help us, and othercharities nationwide, to re-home hundreds ofdogs throughout the country. The PedigreeAdoption Drive raises awareness of abandonedand homeless dogs and raises understanding ofresponsible dog ownership.”

To find out more on, from how the adop-tion process works, to training or everyday dogcare, visit www.pedigreeadoptiondrive.ie.

Full Dog Walk Home packs are also avail-able for download on the site.

OVER 71,000 carersare due to receive theGovernment’s Res -pite Care Grant, thevast majority of themthis week This grantof €1,700 is availableto all carers providingfull-time care andattention to an olderperson or a personwith a disability,regardless of theirmeans or social insur-ance contributions.

Minister JohnCurran said: “This

payment helps carersto get some respitefor themselves or forthe person they arecaring for. This pay-ment is made in thefirst week of Juneeach year, since theGovernment intro-duced it in 1999. Thisyear the grant willbenefit over 71,000carers.”

The Grant is paidautomatically to car-ers in receipt ofschemes, such as

Don’t forget tovisit us online

www.localnews.ie

Unit 4 Newtown Avenue, Malahide Road Industrial Park, Dublin 17.

THE LOCAL NEWS 9

OPENING HOURS: Monday, Tuesday,

Wednesday, Saturday 9.00am – 6.00pm

Thursday & Friday 9.00am - 7.00pm

SLANEY ROAD(beside Woodies,

Dublin Industrial Estate)Ph: 830 7426 / 830 1018

SALE NOW ON 10% OFF

ALL CONSERVATORIES

New index to track global energy pricesA NEW energy index, specificto Ireland and designed totrack movement in the whole-sale energy market, waslaunched today by Bord GáisEnergy. The Bord GáisEnergy Index, the first of itskind in the Irish market, ismade up of four key energycommodities, oil, gas, coaland electricity. It tracks themonthly global price move-ments of these commoditiesfactoring in any currencyshifts producing an overviewand insight into the globalenergy sector.

Energy is a significant ele-ment of the Irish economy andit is estimated that Irish busi-nesses spend close to €2bn onenergy every year. By regu-larly tracking and publicisingthe movements and trends in

energy prices, businesses andthe public can plan and under-stand better the impact thissector has on economic activi-ty.

The Bord Gáis EnergyIndex has set 31st December2009 as the baseline date forthe index setting prices at theclose of trading that day at100 points. The index looksback two years to 31stDecember 2007 exposing apeak in June 2008 of 180points, when oil prices were atrecord highs, and a low of 80points in March 2009 as theimpact of the global recessionhit. Jason Scagell said, “Asthe global economy recoverswe anticipate that the Indexwill also rise and we canalready see a rise to 109 inMay from 100 on January

1st.” Jason Scagell concluded,

“The Bord Gáis Energy Indexmeasures the movement ofenergy prices. These pricesare an important barometer ofhow the global economy isperforming and that has a par-ticular relevance to a smallopen economy like Ireland.As a small player in the glob-al energy market, Ireland isalways going to be affected bythe movements of the globalmarket. The Bord GáisEnergy Index will track theglobal trends in energy pricesthat will influence the compet-itiveness of the Irish econo-my.”

The Bord Gáis EnergyIndex will be issued on thesecond Monday of everymonth.

Unemployment rises to new high The number of unemployed people here rose to a new high of 275,000 in March, official figures haverevealed. The latest Quarterly Household Survey shows the number of unemployed people increasedby 7,600 on the previous three months, but the rate of increase slowed significantly since the end oflast year. Out of a population of 4.5 million, the survey also shows that there are 1.85 million peoplein work, an annual decrease of 108,000 or 5.5%.

This compares with an annual decrease in employment of 8.1% in the previous quarter and a declineof 7.5% in the year to the first quarter of 2009. There was an annual decrease of 80,400 or 7.5% inthe number of men in employment, while the number of women in employment decreased by 27,500or 3.1%. The long-term unemployment rate in the first quarter of 2010 was 5.3%, compared with2.2% in the first quarter of 2009.

The largest decline in employment was again recorded in the construction sector where the numbersemployed fell by 50,800 (-28.2%) over the year. Employment in the construction sector has now fall-en by more than 50% since its peak in the second half of 2007. The next largest annual decreases inemployment were recorded in the agriculture, forestry and fishing and Industry sectors where thenumbers employed fell by 20,900 (-20.6%) and 20,300 (-7.7%) respectively.

10 THE LOCAL NEWS

JC Guttering Systems

SPECIAL OFFER 3 Bed Semi-detached House

Fascia, Soffit, Gutters & One Downpipe

From €695(White, Black or Brown)

when you mention THE LOCAL NEWS

Specialist Roofing • New Roofs •Roof Repairs • Flat Roofs • Torch on

Roofing specialist • Slating • Re-roofing • Flashing • Tiling •

Valleys • Chimney Work • Lead Work• Storm Damage Insurance Work

Specialising in Fitting of uPVCFascia Boards, Soffits, Gutters &Down Pipes. Large choice ofcolours. Timber replaced ifnecessary. Felt fitted if required.Whole house fitted in 1 day. Allold Gutters removed fromsite.

For Free quotation call Jim on613 9200 or 087 937 8205St Johns Drive, Clondalkin Dublin 22. and Coolmine Business Park,Blanchardstown, Dublin 15 Fully Insured • VAT Registered

Top 10 Tips from thewww.pickapro.ie professionals

DKGarden Services

GardensDesigned &Maintained

FREE ESTIMATESCompetitive RatesBotanic GardenQualifications• Gravel Driveways

• Patio • Decking/Fencing• Rockeries • Pruning • Tree Felling• Garden & household Rubbish removed

Call Dennis @ 0870552055

ADVERTISE TODAY: Tel: (01) 453 4011 Email: [email protected]

Visit us on the web: www.localnews.ie

Thinking of converting?If you’d like someadditional space,attic conversionsare a greatoption. Thebeauty of atticconversions isthat you areconverting “deadspace” withoutany impact onyour garden orthe rest of yourhouse.

THIS WEEK pick-apro.ie, the website ofhome and garden con-tractors asks atticconversion specialistPatrick O’ Keefe,director of AboutSpace AtticConversions (Phone:01 843 4985 andMobile: 086 8561522) to tell us moreabout what’sinvolved.

First of all Patrick,

is planning permis-

sion required for

attic conversions?

In most cases, no.Planning permissionis not required if yourconversion comprisesof no more then 4roof windows to therear only such as theVelux / Keylite style

roof windows.You do require

planning permissionhowever if you intendto make alterations tothe structure of yourexiting roof, forexample installing adormer window, roofwindows to the frontand or side.

Another point tonote is that if you aremaking structuralalterations you shouldget a “certificate ofcompliance”. Thiscertifies that the workhas been carried outin accordance withthe new building reg-ulations and will beneeded if you want tosell your house in thefuture. What size will my

room be?

Generally speak-ing your finished attic

room will have anarea of approximately35-45% of your exist-ing floor plan atground level.How long does it

take?

On average, ittakes approximatelytwo weeks from startto finish to complete astraight-forward atticconversion, depend-ing on the scoperequired. This timescale is increased asdormer windows &en-suites are includedin the main scope ofthe works. Obviouslythe larger the job /scope the longer ittakes to complete theworks.Are Steel beams

used in attic conver-

sions?

Yes, Steel beamsknown as RSJs areused. RSJ is an abbre-viation of rolled steeljoist and is alsoknown as an I beam,steel beam or girder.The main functions ofRSJ's in the attic areto provide new struc-tural support to theroof and new sus-pended floor as theoriginal support struc-ture is compromisedto facilitate your newattic room.

Important note:The correct gage RSJmust be used to com-ply with buildingregulations, this isdic tated by the spanand load it is requiredto travel and carry foryour conversion.What is a suspended

floor?

A suspendedfloor, also known asan independent floorare anchored to theRSJ's (see noteabove) . This type offloor system is totallyindependent of theceiling located direct-ly below it, thereforethere is no weighttransfer from yournew attic floor to theexisting ceiling orceiling joists below.Can I get a similar

staircase to my

existing one?

The staircase of atraditional house,average at approxi-mately 800mm inwidth. Generally sp -eaking the new stairsleading to your atticare somewhat morenarrow approximately700mm in width. Onsome occasionsbecause of limitations/ restrictions the new

On average, ittakes approximately

two weeks from start to finish to complete a

straight-forward atticconversion, depending on the scope required.

stairs may need to bereduced to as much asno less then 600mmin width. The originalstairs are normallylocated directlybelow the new one. Itis nearly always pos-sible to decorate yournew stairs to matchthat of your originalstairs in terms of baserail / hand rail / posts& spindles. In theunlikely event amatch cannot beachieved, some cus-tomers change theirold banister rails to

match that of the newones.Can modern truss

rafter attics / lofts

be converted?

Yes, althoughmore work is requiredcompared to that of atraditional cut roof.My house is a tim-

ber framed house

can it be converted?

Yes, provided thatthe structural designcan facilitate an atticconversion. If youhave or can obtain theblueprints for yourhouse that clearly

identifies this, thenwe can convert it.

pickapro.ie would liketo thank About Space(Phone: 01 843 4985 andMobile: 086 856 1522) fortheir advice for this article.To see attic conversionscarried out by About Spacecheck out www.pickapro.ie/aboutspace. You will alsofind lots of other homeimprovement specialists –including builders, lan d -scapers, painters, plumbersand electricians. If youoperate a home improve -ment company and wouldlike more information aboutpresenting your work onpickapro.ie, please call uson 01 4966176.

The average price of petrol fell this month by 1.7c to132.7c per litre, according to the latest fuel price surveyfrom the AA. Diesel prices also declined slightly by 1.5ca litre in the last month to an average of 124c. Thisis the first month since October of last year thatprices have fallen. While he welcomed the pricereduction, AA policy director Conor Faughnan said: "Petrol is stillup over 10c per litre and diesel 9c per litre in the last six months."With insurance prices rising as well, the cost of motoring is up sub-stantially in 2010." The AA survey found variations in petrol prices ofup to 14% across the country from 122.9c per litre to 139.9c. Dieselfluctuated by 7.5% from 119.9c to 128.9c.

Petrol prices fall

THE LOCAL NEWS 11

CRCCRCCONROYCONROYRECYCLINGRECYCLINGCOMPANYCOMPANY

Email: [email protected] • www.conroyrecycling.com

CALL: 1850 200 696or 087 125 2489

THE LOW COST SKIPHIRE COMPANY

SUMMER SPECIAL

MIDI 4c.y. WAS €165 NOW

€145STD 6c.y.

WAS €210 NOW

€170

MAXI 8c.y. WAS €230 NOW

€19020 TON RORO

WAS €400 NOW

€380

We don’t talk RUBBISH…

We MOVE IT!

KELLY’S BLINDSWINDOW BLIND CLEANING SERVICE

DID YOU KNOW You can have your

window Roller Blinds Cleaned?ALL AREAS OF DUBLIN

Main Offices: Walkinstown & Tallaght

Branches at Stillorgan, Coolock, Castleknock & Swords

Phone: 450 9950/450 7997/419 8328CARPET & BLIND CLEANING SERVICE

New blinds supplied. Venetian, vertical, roller blinds - cleaning. New chords supplied if required. Carpets,upholstery and blinds cleaned at your home, office, hotel, bar etc. Stair carpets moved, underlay supplied.

Curtains removed, cleaned and rehung. Curtain rails supplied or repaired.

CHIMNEY CLEANING SERVICE. CARPET LAYING SERVICE.

J.GUERIN

24HR CALL OUT SERVICEComplete Bathroom Service AvailableFree Quotations • Gas Certified

Phone:087 946 8486

01 899 6494www.guerinheating.com

Heating and Plumbing

- Gas Boiler Service

- Gas Boiler Raplaement

- Change Over to Gas

- Attic Tank

- Outside Tap

- Radiator Replacement

SPECIALISTS IN CONDENSING BOILERS

Authorised Installer

Credited Installer

ALL HEATING & PLUMBING WORK UNDERTAKEN

CALL US FOR THE

CHEAPEST RATES IN DUBLIN!

FULLY LICENSED

& PERMITTED

Brokers werealso asked about themain constraints onthe mortgage marketat present. Two keyconcerns emerged.The first, fear of jobloss, is regarded asthe main constraint,as potential home-owners weigh up along term financialcommitment againstcontinuing uncertain-ty about employmentand income pros -pects. The second,problems accessingcredit, was also iden-tified as a key con-straint.ACTIVITY in the

Irish mortgage mar-ket remains slow, butthere are indicationsthat some market seg-ments may be closeto a turning point,according to a surveyof mortgage brokersin Ireland carried outby KBC Bank Ire -land.

Speaking on therelease of the survey,Mr. John Delaney,Director, Homeloans,KBC Bank Irelandsaid: “It is fairly clearthat activity remainssoft but there aresome hints that par-ticular market seg-ments and areas arestabilising. The likeli-hood is that condi-tions will vary acrosssegments to a greaterdegree as the yearprogresses. That said,there is little prospectof a marked upturn inhouse prices or mort-gage activity untilthere is a clearimprovement in con-fidence towards the

Irish economy andjob prospects in par-ticular”.

Approximatelytwice as many bro-kers reported reducedbusiness volumesduring the spring asindicated trading con-ditions had increased.However, this repre-sents a notableimprovement on the3:1 ratio that wasreported in the Winter2009 survey.

More than 90 percent of respondentssaid first time buyers(FTBs) had been thestrongest market seg-ment over the lastthree months, whileno fewer than 96 percent of brokers be -lieve FTB’s will bethe strongest segmentof the market over thecoming quarter.

In terms of houseprice declines, amajority of brokers -around 62 per cent -reported that pricedeclines had becomesmaller over the last

t h r e emonths,while justfour per centsaid that pricedeclines hadbecome greater.The remaining 34 percent said theybelieved prices had‘stabilised’. The sur-vey showed that,overall, house pricesare estimated to havedropped by about 40per cent from theirlate 2006 peak.

Austin Hughes,Chief Economist atKBC Bank Ireland,noted that any turn-around in the marketis unlikely to occurrapidly. “The two keyconcerns cited in thesurvey, nervousnessabout job securityand constraints on thesupply of credit willonly ease gradually.

However,the fact that

the drop in Irishhouse prices has beenso large and so wide-spread means thatsome properties arebeginning to lookattractive to potentialpurchasers who havebeen contemplatingbuying for some time.In areas where supplyis limited, the surveysuggests activity lev-els could begin toimprove modestly.However, it is veryclear that mortgagebrokers don’t see anyprospect of a surge inprices anytime soon”.

Mortgage marketreaching bottom?

6.1% mortgage hike in just 1 month Young homeowners are facing a massive squeeze between rising mortgage costs and the soaringprice of State services, as revealed in the latest inflation figures, Fine Gael's Richard Bruton TD haswarned. “Overall prices have now risen for the fourth month in a row. A clear pattern is emerging ofyoung homebuyers bearing the brunt of rising costs. This group has been severely hit by the 6.1%increase in mortgage interest in just one month as revealed in the latest inflation figures.

“This mortgage hike comes on top of the very high increases in health insurance, education costs andtransport over the last 12 months. Rising mortgage costs are adding yet more pressure. The remark-able increase in mortgage interest in just one month comes in spite of the European Central Bank’sdetermination to keep interest rates down.”

12 THE LOCAL NEWS

COLAISTE NAOMH EOIN

(1) Award winning Irish language Summer courses in Drumcondra D.9 and Lucan Co.Dublin in June & JulyOpen to students 8-18 yearsFor further information & an application form visit

www.colaistenaomheoin.com. Tel (01) 298 5287

(2) French language Summer courses in June & July in Drumcondra D9and Lucan Co. Dublin. Open to students 10-18 yearsFor further information & an application form visit

www.lsireland.com. Tel (01) 298 5287

Irish & French LanguageSummer courses

The King's Hospital

For 3 to 5 year olds.

For 6 to 14year olds.

Lunches:

€5 per day

€25 per week

Sports Camp

Palmerstown, Dublin 20.

Tel:643 6537 Fax: 643 6536

Senior Camp €200 per child or €380 for 2 children from the one family

Camp 1 28th June – 9th July

Camp 2 12th July – 23rd July

Camp 3 26th July – 6th August

Kiddie’s Camp €100 per child

Camp 1 5th July – 9th July

Camp 2 19th July – 23rd July

Camp 3 2nd August – 6th August

Fun for all

National bike weekNATIONAL BikeWeek is a week longprogram promoted bythe Department ofTransport as part ofthe “Smarter TravelInitiative” to get usall up and cycling. Itruns all this weekwith a number ofevents near you.Mayor Mick Duffperformed the launch.

Throughout the

week there will besomething for every-one - promotions,cycling events, lec-tures, nature tours inParks, quizzes andcycling competitionsscheduled to takeplace all around theCounty.

Commenting onthe event the Mayorsaid “A number ofevents that captured

my imagination inc -luding National BikeDay encouragingpeo ple to cycle towork” “Also onFriday 18th I will behonored to open thefirst Green Route inthe County along theGrand Canal stretch-ing from the 3rd Lockin Inchicore – a placeI know well out as faras the 12th Lock in

Lucan This is a col-laboration betweenthe ESB Networks,South Dublin CountyCouncil, Dublin CityCouncil and Water -ways Ireland”

Bicycle Main ten -ance Classes onTuesday 15th June2010. The Classeswill cover basic top-ics including how tochange a tube, whichparts of the bike needto be cleaned andhow!

Bike MountedNat ure Tour of Griff -een Park Three local,Irish Language pri-mary schools, St.Thomas Junior NS,Griffeen Valley Edu -cate Together Schooland Gaelscoil EiscirRiada, are taking partin an hour longcycling nature tour ofGriffeen Valley Park.

Cycling IrelandPalmerston Comm -un ity Festival Waters -town Park, Palmers -ton (beside StewartsSports and LeisureCentre) will host aFamily Cycle Day onSunday June 20th.The event will alsoform part of Palmers -ton Comm unity Fes -tival. Events kick offat 11.30 with a Cyc -ling Ireland Race. At1 o’clock there willbe a family cyclearound the cyclepaths in the park andthere will be plenty ofentertainment for allthe family. We en -courage people tocome along and bringtheir bicycles. Otherattractions includeface painters andbicycle demonstra-tions.

Cycle racingreturns to Dublin The headline event in Dublin’s Capital of Sport year takes place onSaturday 19th June when cycling’s Halford’s Tour Series comes to town.The main race takes place at 6pm and sees Ten of Ireland and Britain’s top10 professional teams battle it out on Temple Bar’s famous cobblestonesin Dublin’s very own version of the infamous ‘Hell of the North’ Paris –Roubaix cycling classic. Among the teams competing will be An Post SeanKelly and the iconic Team Raleigh. This is the first time in almost 20 yearsthat Dublin has hosted professional cycling. The race starts and finisheson Lord Edward Street and all are welcome to come and watch whatpromises to be a great evening’s entertainment. Race details and routemap on: www.tourseries.ie

DAA seeks volunteersto test Terminal 2The Dublin Airport Authority is looking for vol-unteers to take part in trials at its new Terminal2 this summer in preparation for its openingthis winter. Around 4,000 volunteers are beingsought to act as would-be passengers as it tri-als the equipments and systems at the new ter-minal. Terminal 2 will cater to long-haul trafficout of Dublin Airport.

THE LOCAL NEWS 13

Phone: 623 6693Open Tues-Sat 10am-6pm

Specialists in alterations:Coats • Dresses • Trousers etc.

Additional services include sewing machine repairs,ladies and gents shoe repairs, key cutting

Jennifer’sAlterations

COME AND SEE OUR WIDE SELECTIONOF CHRISTENING WEAR & GIFTS

Unit 9, PalmerstownShopping Centre.

Large selection of wools, knitting & sewing needles, patterns,buttons, crochet needles & many other accessories

Also children's clothes & mass cards available

KEENEST PRICES AROUND!

PalmerstownCamera Club exhibitionPalmerstown Camera Club formed September2009. We have over 60 members, at various differ-ent levels of their photography but all sharingsame interest to learn more about photography(and making new friends too). Our programme is

mixture of guest speakers, workshops & monthly competitions. We meet every Wednesday night,September to June in Palmerstown Parish centre 8pm-10pm. We also go out on the 3rd Sunday ofevery month on club outings. In July & August we will meet up & go on ‘summer evening outings’,this is a good opportunity to take photographs and learn from some of the more experienced pho-tographers. Feel free to come along any Wednesday evening. Meeting at 7pm at the gates ofPalmerstown Parish Centre. Our website is ‘work in progress’ and hope to have up and running short-ly, check it out www.palmerstowncameraclub.ie

We are looking forward to hosting our 1st annual exhibition planned to coincide with PalmerstownMidsummer Festival 2010 in the parish centre Sat & Sun 26th & 27th June, 10-5pm, Call in & getdetails of our summer schedule If you are interested in joining club, drop down to see us anyWednesday night or Contact Trudy: 086-4061670 or Dee: 085-1479802. Email: [email protected]

Calls for landfills to close without recourse to the courtsEmmet Stagg TD. haslodged a submissionwith the Review Groupset up by the Ministerfor Environ ment Heri -tage and Local Govern -ment to examine the per -formance of the En -viron mental ProtectionAg ency and what newpowers it re quires in itsrole as protector of theEnvironment.

In his submissionDeputy Stagg listed theStrategic themes of theReview covering thelegislative frameworkgoverning the EPA, theEPA`s track record inpreventing or control-

ling environmental harmthrough licensing andpermitting activity andthe EPA`s track recordin ensuring compliancewith lic enses granted.Dep uty Stagg stated thatthe questions posedwere very relevant toPublic Confidence inour Environmental Leg -islation and protectionof the En viron ment.

He went on to statethat the best way to seeif the agency is workingis to review the historyof cases and examine theweaknesses in the sys-tem with a view torecommending chan ges

to the Minister.Deputy Stagg them

outlined the history ofthe 3 year campaign bythe EPA in dealing withNei phin Trading whichculminated with thegranting of an interiminjunction in the HighCourt on May 14thpreventing the accep -tance of further waste atthe landfill at Ker -diffstown until a fullhearing of the HighCourt case.

He enclosed a copyof the EPA`s affidavit tothe Court and outlinedthe unacceptable odoursthat residents had to put

up with in Naas, Sallins,Johns town and Ker -diffstown.

Deputy Stagg posedthe question, Why didthis case take so longand why have residentsto suffer from this envi-ronmental pollution?He stated that the exist-ing legislative frame-work governing the EPAis not appropriate todealing quickly withsuch emerging prob-lems.

He further statedthat the EPA`s trackrecord in preventing orcontrolling environmen-tal harm is weak when

you consider this case.Finally he stated that theexisting deterrents arenot sufficient to preventenvironmental harmand effective en force -ment is impossiblewhen you look at howlong this case took toget to an Injunction.

In relation to newPowers that might beintroduced to ensure theAgency`s ability toensure compliance withenvironmental legisla-tion Deputy Stagg stat-ed that it was criticalthat the EPA be givenExecutive Powers toclose either temporarilyor permanently a lic -ensed facility which isacting in a non compli-ant manner.

He went on to statethat if a restaurant posesa risk to Public Health,the HSE can shut thepremises immediately.

How ever where wehave a landfill posing arisk to public health andcausing a serious nui-sance to the Public ittakes years to deal withit through the Courts.

The Power to closethe facility immediately,once non-compliance isfound, must be vested inthe EPA and let theoperators have the has-sle of going to Court tolift such an order if theyso wish.

We must put confi-dence back into the sys-tem and a sufficientdeterrent to operators ofsuch landfills would beautomatic closure for

non-compliance withlicenses. Deputy Staggposed the question, Whyshould it be the otherway around as it is now?

Deputy Stagg alsocalled for non-executivedirectors to be appointedto the board of the EPAto fulfil a watching brief

for the Minister and forthe Minister to beaccountable in the Dailfor the EPA`s actionsand inactions.

BellezaBRIDAL & OCCASION WEAR BOUTIQUE

Debs Dresses in Palmerstown only.

Palmerstown Shopping Centre Unit 17, 1st Floor, Dublin 20.

Telephone: 01 643 4802

OPENING IN JULYLantz Building, 1st Floor,

2 Charlemont Street, Dublin 2.Telephone: 01 478 9336

Catering for all styles, colours, sizes & budgets!We make note of each students Debs,

only 1 of each style to every debs!Why not avail of our Easy Payment Scheme.

€100 Off selection of 2010 dresses!!Sale Rail with dresses for as little as €50!

Check out www.bebo.com/bellezabridalwear for 2010 Debs Collection!

Designer Bridal Gowns & Bridesmaid DressesDebs & Evening Wear Specialists

10% OFF AllBridal Gowns

plus

1 FREEBridesmaid Dress

Save between €300-€600 with this offer.

20% OFF All Bridesmaid Dresses50% OFF All Flowergirls when ordered with Full Bridal Party

BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT TODAYAll offers above are subject to Terms & Conditions. Booking Deposit Required to avail.

All above discounted offers are valid in both stores until 31 August 2010 only.

www.bellezabridalwear.ie

STOCKISTS OF: ALFRED ANGELO FOREVER YOURS

ETERNITY BRIDALTRUDY LEE

AMANDA WYATTAND MANY MORE…

JUSTIN’S

Barber Shop

Set of Irons

from

€99.00

Golf Bags

from

€35.00

Golf Balls

from

€12.00

for 15 balls

52 Cherry Orchard

Industrial Estate

Ballyfermot

Dublin 10

Tel: 01 6232873

Open to the PublicTuesday to Saturday

10am to 5pm

www.thegolfwarehouse.ie

Mary J. Styles288a Ballyfermot Road. Over the Bed Linen Store

Tel: 085 164 3687Lookingeverywhere forthat somethingspecial towear? Welllook nofurther…Mary J Styleshas dresses andaccessories forthat veryoccasion!

We are open:Monday toSaturday10.00am to5.30pmALTERATIONSERVICEAVAILABLE

Unit 3 La Fanu Road,Ballyfermot

(above Iceland)

Phone: 087 622 6391Opening HoursTuesday to Friday 9.30am – 5.30pm

Saturday 9.00am – 5.00pm

suds launderetteSuds LaundretteWASHING • DRYING • DRY CLEANING • IRONING

Collection & Delivery Ph: 623 0222 or 087 939 4935

OPEN 6 DAYS A WEEKfrom 8.30am – 5.30pm

Le Fanu S.C. Ballyfermot● Dry Cleaning, Washing & Ironing Service available

● Collection & Delivery Same Day Service● Discount for Football Clubs

● Discount for old age Pensioners● Specialist Dry Cleaning Wedding Dresses,

Debs Dresses, Irish Dancing Costumes● Special Discounts on Large Quantities

14 THE LOCAL NEWS

Focus Ireland welcomes recommendations to protectsingle people living aloneFOCUS IRELANDwelcomed the newsthat the Minister ofSocial ProtectionÉamon Ó Cuív hastaken steps to protectsingle people livingalone from changeshis department ismak ing to cut rentsupplement pay-ments.

The housing andhomeless charitymade its comments asthe Government ann -ounced reductions inthe maximum rentlimits for rent supple-ment which it says isvital to ensure the

payment reflects thesharp drop in rentsnationwide due to therecession.

While single peo-ple living alone willbe exempt from thechanges - the rentlimits to all otherhouseholds in mostareas will be cut toreflect the fall in rentsnationwide.

Focus Irelandwarned that in thesecases the Governmentmust take direct ac -tion to ensure thatlandlords act to cutthe rents to reflect thenew reduced rent sup-

plement paymentsand it is not left totenants to carry thiscost. The charity add -ed it would also beunfair to leave it up totenants to negotiate areduction in the rent.

Minister Ó Cuívsaid that the Govern -ment’s priority “is toensure that the 95,000households supportedby rent supplementcan secure qualityaccommodation at afair rent and thatlandlords are notcharging artificiallyhigh rents. Reducingthe rent supplement

rent limits to reflectreal prices will assistus to do that and willpromote a fair rent.”

The new maxi-mum rent limits forthe rent supplementscheme will applyfirstly to new claimsfor rent supplementand will then apply toexisting claims asthey come to bereviewed. The maxi-mum rent limit refersto the maximum rentwhich can be chargedon a property whererent supplement ispayable. In 2009 theDepartment paid over€500m in rent supple-ment.

The amount ofrent supplement aperson can receivefrom the Statedepends on wherethey live in the coun-try, their personal cir-cumstances and whattype of accommoda-tion they have.

Responding tothe announcement,Fo c us Ireland Direc -tor of Advocacy,Mike Allen said: “Itis good that theMinister has listenedto the recommenda-tions made by FocusIreland – and theother members of theMake Room Alliance– to ensure that singlepeople living alonewho depend on rentsupplement to keep aroof over their headswill not have theirrent limits cut.”

He added: “Weknow through thework of our servicesthat people living ontheir own who aredependant on socialwelfare and rent sup-plement are the mostvulnerable to becom-ing homeless. Theyare already living inpoverty as it is so it isvital their situation isnot made worse bycuts to the rent limitsas it can still be very

difficult for a singleperson to find suit-able accommoda-tion.”

Focus Irelandsaid that it agrees thatrents paid through therent supplement sys-tem need to reflectthe reality of fallingrents nationwide.

However, thecharity stressed that itis vital that the De -partment of SocialProtection uses its re -lationship with land-lords to renegotiatethe rents and the onusdoes not fall on thetenant to do renogiatethe rent charged.

Mike Allen said:“It would be totallyunfair if it is left up tothe tenant to have toexplain to the land-lord at the end of thelease that the amountthey are able toreceive through rentsupplement has beenreduced. This wouldleave them in a veryvulnerable position asit would be entirelyup to the landlord ifthey would then cutthe rent to reflectthis.”

He said: “It is upto the Minister toensure the onus isplaced firmly on thelandlord. His depart-ment must communi-cate directly with alllandlords who rentproperties to tenantsin receipt of rent sup-plement paymentsadvising the propertyowners that they needto revise rents down-wards in line with thenew rent limits whichreflect the drop inrents nationwide.”

Focus Irelandsaid that it is vital thatthis happens and theonus is not on the ten-ant to get the landlordto cut the rent toreflect the new rentsupplement limits.

The charity saidthis would help to

avoid the dangeroussituation developingwhere a landlordcould refuse to dropthe rent and the tenant

is then left with thestark choice of eithertopping up the rentpayment out of theirown core social wel-

fare payments or hav-

ing to leave the prop-

erty if they can no

longer afford the rent.

Special Olympics ceremonya wonderful occasionLabour Party Spokesperson on Tourism, Culture andSport Mary Upton TD has congratulated SpecialOlympics Ireland for a wonderful opening ceremonyand is looking forward to successful games over thecoming days. Deputy Upton said: “I had the pleasureto attend the opening ceremony in Thomond Park,Limerick on behalf of the Labour Party. This was awonderful occasion celebrating the very best Irishsport and community have to offer. The event was afitting start to four days of events that will prove tobe unforgettable for the athletes, their families andeveryone involved. Special Olympics Ireland must becongratulated for such a well organised and thor-oughly enjoyable day. The occasion provided a greatopportunity for everyone involved to come togetherand celebrate the Special Olympics spirit. I want towish all the athletes participating in the events overthe coming days the very best of luck and hope thatthey have a memorable and enjoyable experience”.

The Sun Hut205 Le Fanu Road, Ballyfermot

Tel 01 623 9283

Early Bird Special €45 for 60 minutes

available between 10-4pmGuaranteed all over tan - no white spots

Safe, hygienic and self-containedDual airflow for comfort

Tone up now for the holidays/debsUse our Power Plate for 4 weeks for only €85

The Power Plate® provides a large range of exciting fitness options for all

ages and fitness levels, from beginner toadvanced high intensity trainers.

These exercises incorporate musclestrengthening, stretching & toning, along with massage & relaxation.

Key benefits include: increase metabolism, reducestress, increase coordination, improve core

conditioning, stability and reflexes, increaseexplosive strength and power, reduce the

appearance of cellulite, improve muscle and skin tone.

Sun Beds

NEW DEBS DRESS RANGE

THE LOCAL NEWS 15

Bingo party nightTWELVE years agoBill Priestly, camefrom Lon don toIreland and began towork in the bingoindustry for what wasmeant to be a shortstint to help out afriend. Today he isstill here with an Irishwife and 6 kids.

He is now theManager of The GalaBingo which is open7 days a week andfour nights. His cus-tomers range from 18years to 90 years ofage.

He runs this withhis wife Ger , Alongwith a small crewincluding Johanneformerly of WhitehallBingo Club, Bill andhis wife Ger run theGala .

You can win up to€6000 on any givennight and there is alsoa chance to win the€10,000 Jack pot.

The daytime aspect of the

Gala Bingo is a newconcept that Bill hasintroduced to thisclub this is a smallintimate sociable ex -perience where asmall group of peoplegather to play bingo ,it has been welcomedby the players as ithas 3 sessions daily

on the hour from 1pmright through to 3pmand every customerthat comes in, is wel-come to Free Tea andSandwiches, person-ally served by Billand his Good wifeGer.

With the chang-ing times Bill is giv-ing people the optionto play traditionalbook bingo or theGreener option or formedical reasons can-not mark a traditionalpaper book, he hasintroduced automatichand held easy read-able and user friendlybingo machines.

Buses run frommany areas such asCel bridge, Leix lip,Lu can, Finglas, Clon -dalkin and manymore areas,( theseonly run for nighttime sessions) for fur-ther information onthe bus routes youcan contact the halldirectly.

Following up onhis hugely successfultrip to Cork , wherehe took membersfrom his Ballyfermotclub to the new clubin Cork, Bill plans ontaking his next trip tohis sister club inBundoran., where hewill take more

members from Bally -fermot, (membershipis free.)

Bill would like tothank everybody forall the good wishesand support that hereceived from thelocal businesses.

He believes thathe has been very

lucky and one of thekey factors in his suc-cess in Ballyfermot isthe fully lit super-vised FREE car parkat the rear. This hashas also helped day-time customers wheremany park, get theirshopping and wraptheir afternoon up

with a game of bingo.Bill has upcom-

ing family days dur-ing the summerwhere he plans onhaving a full daysentertainment in thecar park which willinclude face painting,carnival rides, enter-tainment plus lotsmore. Further infor-mation will be avail-able in the hall in thecoming weeks.

In recent yearsbingo has attracted anew age group.Bingo is a very inex-pensive night outwhere you can eithergo with friends or onyour own and makegood friends, formany people bingo istheir social life as noteverybody goes totheir pub, the other isthe option of newtechnology whichappeals to the every-one especially nowthat many people arecomputer friendly.

Over the nextfew weeks and dif-ferent nights Bill willbe giving everymember free gifts .

Bill is very keento continue andmaintain the tradi-tional bingo clubssocial athmosphereand friendliness

which has been anintegral part mostcommunities inIreland for centuries.

On Friday June25h. The Galarelaunches its facili-

ties.A drinks recep-

tion for all bingo cus-tomers on arrival, afeast of food and funis on the menu. Do nomiss this great

evening.We here at Local

News would like totake this opportunityto wish Bill and histeam every success inthis venture.

Extension to RowlaghCommunity Centre starts

The extension and upgrade works at Rowlagh Community Centre are due to com-mence this month. Welcoming this announcement Minister Curran said: “RowlaghCommunity Centre was built in the late 80’s and was funded partly by local dona-tions from the community at the time. Funding for this project has been securedfrom the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. “Thebuilding currently accommodates a Sports Hall, a small crèche/playschool andmeeting rooms for local clubs and societies. The Centre is widely used by the localcommunity in Rowlagh and these upgrade works and extension work is great newsfor Rowlagh Community. The proposed works include: The construction of a 3 storyextension totalling just under 500 square metres, the provision of a large multi-pur-pose room at first floor level, the provision of extra storage and fire-stairs and theprovision of heat recovery to the building. The Crèche is to be relocated to theground floor level and this play area will be upgraded to provide access to the gar-den and playground. Improved provision for wheelchairs users will be provided and5 parking spaces are also in the proposed plans. While the work is carried out, thecreche will have to close. It is understood that it will be closed for a year. 'Hopefullythese construction works will provide local jobs to a few people in the local areatoo during the construction phase”, concluded Minister Curran. However, theNeilstown centre is undergoing refurbishment at the moment and there has beenno local labour employed for this work.

Every Sunday Evening

A Night out for a TENNERAll in for a Tenner

Double up for €15

Grand Relaunch Party

Friday 25th June €10,000 Book Pay out

Free Drinks Reception on entrance

Free Bubbly

From Balloons to Tasty TreatsEnjoy it all with us

Grand Relaunch Party

For a Great Night OutBring your Friends

Bill Priestly

16 THE LOCAL NEWS

For the month ofJune we are offering:

FREE EXAMScale & Polish

€50.00

BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT:Phone: 01 6467830 • Fax: 01 6467577Email: [email protected] MEDICAL CENTREMain Street, Mulhuddart, Dublin 15

FREE EXAM

OPEN 6 DAYS. APPOINTMENTS TO SUIT YOUR SCHEDULE.• General Dental • Orthodontic • Implants

• Crowns • Bridges • Tooth Whitening

Your dental healthis important,

your 6 monthlyclean can help

prevent medicalproblems.

MILK! music & arts festivalDETAILS of Euro -pe’s and Ireland’sfirst ever outdoormusic and arts festi-val for the LGBTcommunity, MILK!,have been announ -ced. Taking place onSaturday 14th Aug -ust, in Ballin loughCastle, Co West -meath, 5,000 of Ire -land’s LGBT com-munity and theirfriends are expectedto enjoy the unique‘Mardi Gras’ experi-ence of MILK!

This is the firstyear of the eventwhich was devised tocelebrate inclusive-ness, acceptance anddiversity. OrganiserEmma Jane Dunne,Director, Proud Pro -ductions, said that theline up they havesecured has some-thing to suit all tastesand reflects thediversity of Ireland’sLGBT community.

The Main Stagewill be graced by thepresence of some ofthe hottest acts ar -ound including So -phie Ellis Bextor,Alexandra Burke andAmasis to name but afew. 80’s icons Ban -ana rama and Saman -

tha Fox will joinRight Said Fred inbringing it right backwith some pop clas-sics! While the funkysounds of renownedsuperstar Roisin Mur -phy and internationalDJs including SebFontaine, Bodyrox &Luciana, Andy Moor

and many more willhave crowds dancingto their beat at the‘Pink Palace’. Com -edy sensation, Kath -erine Lynch will alsobe in attendance toentertain festivalgoers!

Running from 12noon to 12 am, Emma

Jane Dunne said thatthe venue will betransformed into a“technicoloured dr -eam world for oneday of outrageous gayfun, think Wizard OfOz meets Alice inWonderland!” Otherhighlights of this oneday colourful

extravaganza includean ex hibition of vis -ual art by some of Ire -land’s and Europe’screative LGBT artistsand will be hosted byour very own RiyadhKhalaf (Growing UpGay).

As well as DJsand music acts, festi-

val revellers can‘chill-out and chat-up’ at the Blue Lag -oon dedicated Chill -out Zone in the beau-tiful walled gardensof Ballinlough Estateor dance the for -bidden dance ‘TheLam bada’ at theBrazilian, Hollywood

and Californian cock-tail bars. A full rangeof culinary delightswill be on offer tofeed the hungry,while the VIP tent andprivate bar will caterfor those looking forthat extra bit ofsparkle on the day!

For more infor-

mation and a full listof acts log ontowww.milk2010.ie.Standard tickets arepriced at €99.99 andVIP tickets are pricedat €125, booking feesapply; tickets can bepurchased online atwww.milk2010.ie

Over 25 Years Experience

FREEESTIMATES

C2REGISTERED

Ring Brendan:

087 243 6300Office: 01 289 3385

NO CANVASSERS

BRENDAN JUSTAll General Building Work

• Domestic & Commercial• Painting & Decorating• Plumbing• Carpentry & Plastering• Electrical• All General Building

Work• Fully Insured

THE LOCAL NEWS 17

Electric Appliances562 South Circular Rd,Rialto.Tel: 4539128 Mob: 087-2502175● Sales n Repairs ● Spare Parts ● Washing Machines● Electric Cookers ● Vacum Cleaners● Tumble Dryers ● Fridges● Microwaves

Just a phone call away!Selection of used appliances in stock

The Bed & Mattress SPECIALISTS

KilleenCourtWe are locatedbehind Woodieson Naas Rd

Prestige Furniture

Telephone: 01 429 7982

www.prestigefurnitureirl.com

MEMORY FOAM SPECIALISTSBest deals in Dublin!

50% SALE NOW ON

• Kitchen Cabinet Refacing makes sense

• 1 to 2 days, NO FUSS installation

• For Free Quotation phone:

David Daly (01) 862 4647

Kitchen Needs a Facelift?Don’t Replace It, Reface It!

Give your kitchen that up-market look foronly a fraction of the cost of replacing

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 9am-9pm

Jackies Dance School picturedduring rehearsals!Children aged from 4-13yrs performed in the Civic Theatre, Tallaghtlast Sunday. The kids performed songs from Grease, Fame,Bollywood, & Michael Jackson. The 8-10yr olds also performed theirhip hop routine to the Jedward song 'Under Pressure' which theywon a Trophy for, taking 2nd place in The Deansrath's Got TalentCompetition last month. For more information about the school or toenrol for September 2010, contact Jackie on 086 108 19 63.

Sex offender may beelectronically taggedA MAN who sexuallyassaulted a 10-year-old girl may becomeone of the firstoffenders to be elec-tronically tagged asan alternative toprison.

The 62-year-old,who cannot be namedto protect the identityof his victim, suffersfrom a serious med-ical condition and thePrison Service hastold the court theymay not be able to

treat him in jail.He has been on

bail since he was con-victed last Februarywhile it was estab-lished if he could beimprisoned or not.

Today JudgeTony Hunt againadjourned sentencingat Dublin CircuitCriminal Court afterhearing that the manwas not in court. Hehad gone into hospitalto have a procedurecarried out last week

but it had not gonewell and he remainedin hospital.

Judge Hunt saidhe would consideralternatives to prisonon “humanitariangrounds” which mayinclude curfews andelectronic tagging.He said he wouldlook at having theman tagged after not-ing there had been tri-als of the system.

“I regard this manas a very significant

threat to the femalehalf of the popula-tion, or at least hewas before his ill-ness,” the judge said.

“If he’s not incar-cerated, and hedeserves to be for alengthy period, therewill be a lengthy cur-few covering most of

professor who hadbeen running on thebeach that morningtold the jury that hesaw a girl lying facedown on rocks with aman standing behindher, molesting her.

The witness toldthe court that therewas “absolutely nodoubt” about it and

added that he knewhe had just witnesseda “serious sexualassault on a child”.

When confrontedby the witness, theman claimed that heand the child hadbeen gathering rocksand she had fallenand he had beenchecking on her.

He then told thewitness that he hadnot being “interfer-ing” with the child.

The witness toldthe court he then toldthe man: “I knowwhat I saw. I am tak-ing your registrationdetails and I will becalling the gardaí.”

the day, save formedical appoint-ments and some sortof exercise which hewould be entitled toin prison.”

He adjourned thecase until the end ofthe month when hewill finalise a sen-tence.

The man hadpleaded not guilty tosexually assaultingthe girl on September21, 2005 and wasconvicted by a jury inFebruary of this year.

During the trial a

An intimateevening withThe High KingsTHE SUGAR Clubannounced SIÚCRA,a new initiative dedi-cated to the perform-ance and promotionof traditional Irishmusic and arts.SIÚCRA will runover the summermonths with a seriesof events commenc-ing with a two weekresidency of an inti-mate evening withTHE HIGH KINGS(Finbarr Clancy,Martin Furey, BrianDunphy and DarrenHolden) opening July5th.

The High Kingswill launch SIÚCRAwith a two week resi-dency on July 5thoffering a rare oppor-tunity to enjoy themin an intimate envi-ronment.

“SIÚCRA willfeature performancesby established andnew artists over thecoming months aswell as sessions withspecial guest hosts.”explains Oisin Davis,General Manager,The Sugar Club. “Wewant to create anopen forum for thedevelopment of tradi-tional music andattract artists andaudiences, especiallytourists over the sum-mer months. We aredelighted to have aninternationally re -nowned act like THEHIGH KINGS on

board for the launch.”THE HIGH

KINGS, earlier thisyear completed avery successful 25date tour and their2nd CD MEMORYLANE (UniversalMusic Ireland) is nowon sale. From leg-endary heritage, therenowned vocalistsand multi instrumen-talist Musicians THEHIGH KINGS carryon the tradition ofgreat Irish music.www.thehighkings.com.

The Sugar Clubhas a reputation fordiscovering and men-toring new artists andhas recognized awealth of talentemerging in tradition-al music as well as anappreciative youngeraudience. Offering anexclusive setting withstate of the art facili-ties, the Sugar Club iswell established as apremier venue withperformers and audi-ences alike. Ideallylocated just offStephen’s Green, TheSugar Club is at theheart of Dublin’s citycentre, close to allamenities, beside itsbest hotels andrestaurants and easilyaccessible by privateor public transport.For detailed informa-tion on facilities etcgo to www.thesugar -club.com.

www.localnews.ie

B & C Building & Carpentry

Services

B & C Building & Carpentry

ServicesFully Qualified Builder Estd 30 years

We specialise in • Extensions

• Renovations• General Maintainance

• Repairs

A to Z of Carpentry Services All work Fully Guarenteed

All work Fully Insured

Tel: 086 171 2219 or 01 628 8610

087 260 9756 or 01 601 6467

Joe Keenan Painter & Decorator

Serving Dublin & Kildare areasPrivate • Commercial • Industrial

Interiors and exteriorsAll aspects of painting

and decoratingTelephone Joe on

Blue Flag and Green CoastAwards for Dublin BeachesThe Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Emer Costello, wishes to congratu-late Dublin City Council on retaining its Blue Flag status at DollymountStrand. Dollymount also retained its Green Coast Award while MerrionStrand achieved it for the first time, as announced by Mr. John Gormley,T.D., Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

“I wish to congratulate Dublin City Council on all their hard work in ensur-ing Blue Flag and Green Coast status on our Dublin beaches. Having twoaward winning beaches in our capital city is a real achievement. Thesefacilities are a wonderful amenity for any city and a source of great prideto us all” said the Lord Mayor.

However six of the country's beaches have been stripped of their blueflags including those at tourist attractions such as Old Head in Mayo,Brittas Bay south in Wicklow and Mullach Mor in Sligo.

An Taisce has announced that 76 beaches have met the Blue Flag's stan-dards for bathing water and quality.

Five beaches however regained their flags in counties Kerry, Cork, Sligoand Dublin.

18 THE LOCAL NEWS

Phone: (01) 620 5592 • Mobile: 085 210 0831 • Email: hannigensparkwest @yahoo.ie • Facebook: Hannigensparkwest • Web: www.bebo.com/hannigens_parkwest

PARKWESTUNDER NEW MANAGEMENT

Friday NightsLocal DJs

NightEd Case, Sonny Byrne, Paddy V,Dave Mooney, Keno Flanagan

All Drinks €3.50 • Admission €5

ESCAPE@ParkwestDJ Keno Flanagan

Saturday Nights 8pm till lateAlso Last Saturday of every month

Old Skool NightWith DJ Davy K, Dean Sherry & Special Guests

Drinks specials every night. R.O.A.R. No Tracksuits, No Trainers, No Trouble Makers!

All Drinks €3.50 • Admission €5

Party Special19th • 21st • 30th •40th • 50th • 60th

Great Deal for 70 peopleFunction Room, Food & DJ

All for only €350

DELI COUNTER & SALAD BAR NOW OPENWraps • Baps • White & Brown Breads • Rolls

Phone in your order and we’ll have it ready when you arrive. Ph: 620 5592

Pick up your Gold Card at the Bar!Book your Office Get Together with us and get FREE Finger Food for parties of 10 or over.

Soup, Sandwich & Tea/Coffee €6.95 • Sandwich, Crisps, Bar & Soft Drink €5.50Hot Joint of the Day Sambo, Chips, Side Salad & Tea/Coffee €8.95

Super Band SundayLive Entertainment

4.00pm - 7.00pm Lunch Served by Our Top Chef

from 12.30pm - 6.00pmPresent this ad and receive a Free tea/coffee after your meal

Email for details of up-and-coming events. Child friendly. All major sporting events on big screens.

HHaannnniiggeennssGrace Doyles birthday celebrations

at Hannigens. Great night out at the Village Inn Clondalkin

THE LOCAL NEWS 19

=

DECIES COUNTYBAR, LOUNGE, FUNCTION ROOM & OFF LICENCE

OFF LICENCE SPECIALSBud cans 6 for €9.99 • Carlsberg cans 6 for €9.99 • Coors Light cans 6 for €9.99

Off Licence Delivery Service. Phone: (01) 626 5019 6pm to 10.00pm - 7 days.

49-51 Decies Rd,Ballyfermot,

Dublin 10. Tel: 626 5019

www.deciescounty.ie

Platform One EntertainmentEVERY MONDAY NIGHT

Cabaret & Bingo Featuring the wonderful Barry & Joe Bingo Prizes

from €10 to €100 plus Weekly Snowball. Lucky Singers Dancingthe way it used to be!

Sunday Football All Big Games Live on our GIANT Screens

Top: Jenny Dean was the winner of Decies County Bar's P1 Factor competition. The P1 Lounge at Decies is now a very popular veue, with

DJs pounding out your favourites. She is pictured performing again,while accompanied by friends on stage at the end of the night.

Enjoying a great night out at Swallows Lounge.

20 THE LOCAL NEWS

2 Bay Windows & FrontDoor (any colour)

€3,000Front Door €1,250Back Door €1,000Porches (any colour)

from €2,000

NEW BIGGERSHOWROOM

UP TO 35% OFFFor a limited time only - special opening offer!

35% discount does not apply to any other special offer

OPEN: Monday to Saturday 9am to 6pm • Evening Appointments Available • Free Quotations

VISIT OUR SHOWROOMS NOW: LoCal 1890 948 219Contact our sales team now for your FREE quotation, day or evening

Office - Clondalkin (01) 620 5628 • Office - Walkinstown (01) 429 9926 • Showrooms - Lucan (01) 621 7639 • Lorraine 086 838 5014

Email: [email protected] or [email protected] • website: www.candswindows.ie

Visit our new showroom – right onthe bridge with freeparking to the rear!Come and visit our large display of high security,energy-efficient, internally glazed windows,doors and porches in a wide range of coloursand designs at very competitive prices that can’tbe beaten.

Reduce your noise leveland lower your heatingcosts next winter. C&S UPVC windows are established as family-owned and run business for over 30 years andoffer a reliable, personal service with prices thatcan’t be beaten!

Why change yourwindows and doors?• Improve Security • Improve Heat Loss by 30%• Improve Sound Insulation• Improve Appearance • Reduce Condensation Level • Eliminate Draughts• Improve the internal appearance

of your home• Trade-only Enquiries Welcome• C2 Registered• County Council work Undertaken• Insurance Claims Undertaken• Repair & Emergency Glass• Repair Service

SPECIAL OFFERFULL HOUSE5 white internally glazed white windows withfront and back door in white upvc fully fittedwith all rubbish removed. (Corporation Style House)

from €4,500

NOW OPEN IN LUCAN VILLAGE