2D Approach To Speeding

Kevin wants Drogheda to be better cut-out for dealing with speeding problems in the area and wants Drogheda Borough Council to follow County Kildare’s example and introduce Phantom Garda cars on the towns roads in an effort to stop speeding traffic.

Kevins call comes on foot of Kildare County Councils new two-dimensional approach to speeding traffic that has been launched with the introduction of life size cut out Garda cars along stretches of the county’s roads. These cars are being used to slow traffic flow and the first car has been so successful that the council have purchased another two.

From a distance motorists see what they believe to be a Garda car and react by slowing down. If I can convince Drogheda Borough Council to undertake this initiative it will see the fake car being placed at various locations throughout the area at varied times and no notice will be given to the public on the placements.
“We have several dangerous stretches of road in and around Drogheda and we have traffic travelling at speed in Mell, on the old Slane Road and the North Road and the Termonfeckin Road to name but a few. These cars if placed by the Council will greatly help reduce traffic speed and will make our roads safer”.

KEVIN CALLANS PROFILE - A Fresh Face for 2008

Kevin Callan, aged 26 from Drogheda is a Fine Gael Representative in the new Drogheda North Area, which is made up of the West Gate and Laurence Gate Wards that were recently joined together by the Department of the Environment and Local Government. Kevin lives in the town with his fiancée Ruth Clinton.

He is a qualified Barrister and works in the Four Courts in Dublin and in the local courts at Drogheda, Dundalk, Navan, Trim and Monaghan. In his role as a barrister, Kevin works with people from all walks of life and people with all sorts of issues and problems. Kevin is also involved in several voluntary groups in Drogheda and sits on the South Louth Community Forum and is also a member of the board of Drogheda Youth Development.

Kevin is also one of three community representatives on the towns Joint Policing Committee and sits on the committee with the Borough Councillors and Oireachtas members for County Louth.

Kevin joined Fine Gael when he was 18 and has served the Drogheda community from that age working with the local Fine Gael Team. Over the years Kevin has been an active community and voluntary activist and ran in the local elections in 2004 for a seat on Drogheda Borough Council where he came very close to winning a seat on the council.
Index to go to the right of this piece

€220,000 on new office for Ahern indefensible waste of taxpayers’ money – Kevin Callan

It is astonishing that close to quarter of a million euro has been spent on a new office suite for former Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, at a time when thousands are waiting for operations, our children are being taught in prefabs and the Taoiseach is talking about serious cutbacks, according to Drogheda North Fine Gael Representative, Kevin Callan. “Figures released by the Office of Public Works which were reported on Morning Ireland have revealed that €220,000 has been spent on fitting out and renovating a new Dáil office for Bertie Ahern.

That such an amount of money could be spent in this way when our health service is in crisis, our children are in dire need of classrooms and serious cutbacks are being proposed is utterly indefensible. “How Brian Cowen can sanction this level of expenditure beggars belief. Expenditure of this kind from a Government that continues to accept massive pay increases while all around live in fear of an economic downturn is a slap in the face. It is reprehensible to think that a quarter of a million euro of taxpayers’ money is to be spent refurbishing an office for Bertie Ahern.”

Contact Kevin directly on: 087 777 6648

Independent Inquiry needed as travel chaos continues

Drogheda North Fine Gael Representative, Kevin Callan has criticised the latest malfunction of a €115 air traffic control system at the Airport which has disrupted tens of thousands of travellers, many from Louth/Meath."The Minister must restore confidence in air traffic control at Dublin Airport by launching an independent inquiry into this matter, publishing the independent Irish Aviation Authority safety reviews and improving procedures in the IAA so that when small glitches are discovered that they are not allowed to progress to the extent experienced over the past days."The Government has spent €115 million on what Minister Dempsey assures us is the most sophisticated air traffic control system currently in use by any country.

This is of little comfort to those passengers who now have had their travel plans thrown into chaos."With airport activity grinding to a halt, then operating at half capacity yesterday and only functioning at 65-70% today - serious questions must be answered with regard to the nature of the problem and how it was allowed to progress so far."An air traffic control system is one of the few systems in the world that should not have glitches or failures. In the event that this occurs, an adequate back-up system should be in place to ensure a seamless service."The Airport has suffered intermittent failures in this system in recent weeks and I understand the problems began after the software in the system was changed.

The Minister must find out immediately if this new software is defective, why replacement software was not available, and why the original software was not reinstalled following continued computer failures."It is unacceptable that many people from Louth and Meath have had their holidays ruined and disrupted, many of them elderly and who have families with children at such a busy time of year."

Contact Kevin Directly on: 087 777 6648

Coughlan makes the wrong cut – Kevin Callan

Local Apprenticeships and upskilling should be protected - Drogheda North Fine Gael Representative, Kevin Callan has condemned the Government's decision to cut €19.15 million from apprenticeships and €440,000 from the 'Skillnets' upskilling programme."Rather than cutting back on apprenticeships and upskilling, the Minister should fight to protect the skills budget.

At a time of rising unemployment, we should invest in training, with particular emphasis on those who do not have the skills or qualifications to gain employment in the new economy. The apprenticeship training within FÁS was one of the few very valuable programmes in the State's training agency. There are still jobs in health care, services and logistics for those who have the skills."The Tánaiste has taken the easy option by cutting back on apprenticeships and skills. Instead, she should have totally overhauled the €1 billion FÁS bureaucracy transferring Community Employment schemes to local authorities, protecting apprenticeships and skillnets, integrating training schemes with the Institutes of Technology and cutting back on Jobstart."Recent financial irregularities in the FÁS advertising budget, exposed by Fine Gael, should have led the Minister to look closely at cutting that budget, but again, the Tánaiste took the wrong option."

Contact Kevin Directly on: 087 777 6648

The old and vulnerable are the first to feel Harney's health cuts as Cowen's recession bites

Final Admission that Minister's 'Fair Deal' will be delayed by at least a yearThe Minster for Health & Children, Mary Harney TD, today finally admitted that her 'Fair Deal' on the funding for nursing home care will not be introduced in 2008 but will be delayed by at least a year, according to Drogheda North Fine Gael Representative, Kevin Callan."Minister Harney first announced her 'Fair Deal' plan in December 2006. It was supposed to apply from 1st January 2008. However, from the word go it has been beset with delays and legal setbacks leading to great confusion among elderly patients and their families on the funding of nursing home care. Now, more than 18 months after its announcement the Minister has finally admitted that her flagship project will be delayed by at least a year."In an attempt to save sinking Exchequer finances, Minister Harney today said that a total of €144.35m is to be saved within the health sector which will undoubtedly affect patient care. Of the €110 million ring-fenced for the care of the elderly, €85 million is now to be used for other purposes. "This is a real slap in the face for families that have held on in desperation for the past 18 months in anticipation of this legislation. I had had one gentleman come to my clinic last week having sold his mother's house.

Having paid out over €300,000 in nursing home fees over the past five years, he now has no money left in the kitty and is at a loss as to how his mother is to be cared for. "This Government's failure to implement the legislation necessary to bring in the 'Fair Deal' on nursing home care is imposing unnecessary hardship and confusion on many elderly people and their families. Yet again, this Government failed to keep their promised to ring-fence funds for the most vulnerable in society.

Now that the Government has blown the boom and squandered the cash, families will be forced to use their savings or get into increasing debt to pay the fees for nursing home care. "In the announcement to reduce payroll bills by 3% by the end of 2009, there was no clarity about how this would affect the Department of Health and the HSE. Credibility is not this Government's strong suit.""It is time for Minister Harney to come clean on her planned cutbacks for 2009."

Contact Kevin directly on: 087 777 6648.

Staggering €300M Spend by HSE in 3 years on staff transport

Drogheda North Fine Gael Representative, Kevin Callan has revealed information showing that HSE officials spent a staggering €292 million on staff transport costs (including mileage costs, air travel and public transport) since 2005.Mr. Callan received the information through a Fine Gael parliamentary question that was tabled by Dr. Reilly to the HSE and added that, with a swath of cuts already hitting the health service, it is clear that the Government and HSE would rather spend badly needed cash on ferrying staff around than on patients' needs."As admitted this week, the Fianna Fáil/PD Government botched their single biggest health reform - the setting up the HSE - and we are now seeing the results of the Government's inability to get a handle on the health service with expenditure on non-essential items such as staff transport sky-rocketing."As the table below shows, since 2005, HSE staff have spent €292 million on transport for themselves with the amount rising every year.Table showing amount spent by HSE on staff transport costs (including air travel, mileage costs and public transport): January 2005 - April 2008

Year Amount

2005 €82,685,094

2006 €85,233,181

2007 €93,396,790

2008 (to 30/4/2008) €30,712,807

Total €2,92,027,872

"Simply put, this staggering amount of cash could and should be put to better use. While some expenditure on staff transport is necessary, splurging €300 million in three years is completely indefensible."It is clear that the HSE would rather spend money on ferrying their staff around than on saving lives. This week, Mary Harney announced that a total of €144.35m is to be saved within the health sector and, of this, €85 million was gutted from the 'Fair Deal' nursing home package. The old and vulnerable are already feeling the pain of Brian Cowen's cutbacks but this pain could be significantly lessened if huge amounts of cash weren't spent on HSE staff transport."During the boom, the vulnerable, the elderly, those with terminal and mental illnesses were left to the back of the queue. Now they are pulled into the front line to take the hit of Cowen's recession."Thirty million has already been splurged this year. Local Patients' needs must come first and, for the remainder of the year, I am demanding the amount spent of staff transport be drastically cut."
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Contact Kevin directly on: 087 777 6648

ESB trying to pull a 'fast one' – Kevin Callan

Drogheda North Fine Gael Representative, Kevin Callan has said the ESB is trying to hoodwink local consumers with its announcement of a €300m 'contribution' to offset electricity price rises."Media reports have confirmed that the ESB has asked the energy regulator to approve electricity price rises of a massive 30%.

The effect of today's announcement will be that the ESB is now 'only' looking for an increase of 21%-22% - price increases that Irish homeowners and businesses simply cannot afford in the current economic environment (and which alone would increase the rate of consumer price inflation by 0.35%). "This is clearly part of a negotiating strategy by the ESB to get the Energy Regulator to approve a massive price hike, and then have local consumers thank them for it."Fine Gael has, for several months, highlighted the €1.5 billion in windfall profits available to the ESB and other power generators from the Government's free allocation of carbon emission allowances over the coming years."Instead of asking the ESB for 'voluntary contributions', Fine Gael has said it would legislate to remove this windfall from the ESB and other power companies, and use the proceeds to finance a 1% cut in VAT. This is only way to make sure consumers don't get ripped off."Ends

Contact Kevin directly on: 087 777 6648

Latest ESB increase will add ¼ percent to inflation rate – Kevin Callan

Another blow for Competitiveness

Drogheda North Fine Gael Representative, Kevin Callan has said the 17.5% increase in ESB prices which has been sanctioned by the Energy Regulator will add a further quarter of a percent to the rate of inflation."This will make it even more difficult for the Social Partners to agree to pay restraint and is terrible news for Irish competitiveness."Electricity costs in Ireland are already among the highest in Europe for domestic and business customers and the Regulator, instead of sanctioning this massive increase, should be pressing the ESB to improve internal efficiencies, as has been previously recommended by a Deloitte Review."It's unrealistic to expect the Regulator to sanction no electricity price increase this year, due to dramatic fuel price inflation, but an interim increase of nearly 20% is an enormous increase for hard pressed consumers and businesses to live with."I will be asking the Regulator to make a detailed report available to the our local oireachtas members, justifying this latest electricity price hike and to outline what he is doing to drive efficiencies within the ESB to ensure that electricity is being produced as cost effectively as possible."

Contact Kevin directly on: 087 777 6648

Mells Blind Spot affecting 80 Motorists a day- Kevin Callan

Mells Blind Spot affecting 80 Motorists a day- Kevin Callan

Local Fine Gael Representative, Kevin Callan has said that residents of the Riverview Estate in Mell are in need of help from Drogheda Borough Council in connection to the junction at the entrance to their estate. The West Gate Ward Representatives comments come on foot of complaints received from local residents who are having difficulty exiting the estate due to a blind spot.

“An accident is waiting to happen at the entrance to Riverview with The fast-moving traffic coming down from Mell towards Trinity Street. A high slope that creates a blind spot and schoolchildren who prefer to cross the road rather than use the pedestrian crossing further up the hill at the National School are combined risks that make it dangerous to just about anybody exiting the estate”.

According to some residents of the Riverview Estate, which has over eighty houses, it is easy to believe that if nothing is done to rectify the situation, it will be just a matter of time before an accident takes place.

The entrance is partially blocked by a high slope, and this cuts off visibility of oncoming traffic at a corner, thus making it even more difficult.

According to one resident, "Some motorists might not realise that there actually is a junction here until the last minute and this is why we need to have something done immediately, I don’t think traffic lights are the answer, but better signs letting people know there is a junction and a mirror across the road from the estate so that when we are pulling out, we can see if there is oncoming traffic”.

Mr. Callan has said that there are several traffic issues in Mell and Trinity Street and that he is preparing a study of this stretch of road this year and will be submitting a report to the Borough Council with several recommendations.

“Mell is a very populated area, it has a hill descending down towards West Street and traffic does travel at speed at times, we also have a problem with traffic jams in Trinity Street at peak times, traffic light settings have to be reviewed and the junction at Riverview needs a solution now, we also have a national school that sits beside a busy stretch of road”.
Mr Callan went onto say that there was a need for more traffic calming measures in Mell and that a review of the traffic in the area was vital.

“We have residents in Riverview who find it hard to get out of their estate in the mornings, people are dropping children to school and going to work but cannot leave the estate as they cant see oncoming traffic, the simple solution is to place a viewing mirror across the road to allow residents to see oncoming traffic, as one resident has already suggested. I will be in touch with the Borough Engineer about this problem as it is serious when people are being inconvenienced in the way that they are”.

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Contact Kevin Directly on: 087 777 6648

A Facelift for Towns Recycling Facilities- Kevin Callan

A Facelift for Towns Recycling Facilities- Callan

After they have given years of service to the people of Drogheda, Kevin Callan is calling on Drogheda Borough Council to undertake a facelift of waste recycling facilities on the Northside of the Boyne. Mr. Callan has highlighted the issue in relation to the sites located at Palace Street, Mell, Bolton Square and on the North Road. The facilities allow for members of the public from Drogheda and the surrounding areas to drop off materials that can be recycled.

Mr. Callans recommendation as West Gate Fine Gael Representative has been sent to the Borough Council. He is calling for the bins in place at the minute to be cleaned and disinfected and that more of an effort should be made by the council to ensure that the facilities are kept clear and are not allowed to overfill.

“People of the town go to great lengths to gather up materials that can be recycled and use the facilities where countless tonnes of materials have been collected for recycling”.
“I recycle and I have seen the state of the facilities and the faces of the bins around the town, they are filthy and covered with beer, wine and other liquids from containers that are placed in the bins. I have spoken with people who use the facilities and many people feel strongly about the issue and want to see the facilities kept cleaner and to have the bins emptied more often”.

“It is my aim to help in encouraging and promoting recycling and if the facilities in the town were more well kept I honestly believe that more people would recycle”.
The facilities in Drogheda have been abused by some people in recent years who have begun dropping off materials in front of the bins that cannot be collected at the sites on the North of the Boyne. These materials include bags of household rubbish.

“I am calling on the council to clean up the facilities in the town, this would not cost a great deal of money from any council budget but would help people who are making an effort to what they can to help the environment. I think that a facelift will go a long way to encourage people to visit these sites and use them more”.

In fact, the prevention of overfilling of bins and perhaps the introduction of extra bins would be one of the welcome by-products of Mr. Callans call.

Kevin is not only calling for the current facilities to be given a clean, he is also proposing a bold new initiative for the local area. The Fine Gael Representative is calling for moveable recycling collection areas that would visit certain estates at certain times of the month that would allow people to recycle on their own doorsteps.

“A lot of elderly people recycle and this would be a great help to them in their efforts. I am calling on Drogheda Borough Council to approve the concept”.

“At the minute when you mention recycling facilities in Drogheda you automatically think of overflowing bins relegated to obscure corners of local car parks. I want that to change and I think that Drogheda needs a pilot scheme that is more accessible, and which provides high-profile recycling facilities that promise to have more capacity and to be cleaner”. If the experiment of mobile facilities to local estates and the cleaning of the current facilities was undertaken by the Council, we will see an increase recycling rates, and then we can have more facilities introduced elsewhere in the county.

According to Mr. Callan, Mobile Recycling Units could be used to collect card and paper, glass jars and bottles, plastic bottles, and food and drinks cans and cartons. "I look forward to working to encourage an increase in the amounts of materials recycled in Drogheda and I am calling on the Borough Council to do all that it possibly can to improve the facilities currently available to the people of the town”.

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Contact Kevin Directly on: 087 777 6648

40% School Transport Charge Hikes Unlikely To Be Reversed - Kevin Callan

40% School Transport Charge Hikes Unlikely To Be Reversed - Callan

Will charges increase for local students again after Easter?

West Gate Fine Gael Representative, Kevin Callan has said that the hike in school transport charges is unlikely to be reversed despite some evidence that they are causing hardship. Information obtained by Mr. Callan shows that school transport charges increased from 33Euro to 46Euro per term for local students in the junior cycle and from 51Euro to 71Euro per term for students in the senior cycle.

“That school charges have been hiked by 40% highlights just how little regard there is for the financial strain such a massive increase will put on families in Drogheda”. “Obviously, with increases in the cost of providing school transport and charges being held constant over a period of time, there may very well be a need to increase charges. However, I would like to know how Minster Mary Hanafin can justify such a massive increase in one go”.

“The Education Department says that revised charges will be introduced at Easter to 'reflect increases in the cost of providing school transport'. Does this mean that further increases are on the way”. The Minister must not only specify why the 40% hike was brought in but also whether further rises are on the way.

“It seems clear that there is no intention of reversing this enormous increase and that further hikes may be on the way. It is to the detriment of families that his is the case”.

Ends

Contact Kevin Directly on: 087 777 6648