Community spirit in Dunshaughlin no thanks to public representatives

Dear sir - I read Cllr Brian Fitzgerald"s (Kilcock) comments last week regarding the letter sent by me the previous week. I would like to clarify some points. No 1: I have not claimed that the swimming pool was to be located in Ratoath. This claim has been in the print media for the last few weeks. In fact only this week it was reported that Minister Wallace has made representations to Minister Martin Cullen to reopen the local authority swimming pool programme. It was then reported that an application would proceed once this happened on behalf of the Ratoath Swimming Pool Project by Meath County Council. In relation to the swimming pool project representations were made two years ago to a Meath county councillor regarding the potential for a community swimming pool in Dunshaughlin adjoining the community centre. The councillor in question advised against the project on the basis that it would not get funding. The Community Centre in Dunshaughlin has draft plans for such a facility which would dovetail with its existing gym, thereby reducing the level of funding needed. Their project would come in at approximately €5 million or half of the proposed facility in Ratoath. With Cllr Fitzgerald"s statement that Meath County Council was merely building up a fund to ensure its contribution would be available, surely this project would be a more realistic and deliverable project in the current financial climate. If the project goes ahead in Ratoath, jobs will be lost in Dunshaughlin as a result. Should one community benefit from public funding at the expense of another in this way. No 2: I was not "knocking" Dunshaughlin, merely stating that our public representatives appear to be neglecting it. Could Cllr Fitzgerald explain why is it that Strategic Issues Papers (SIPS) and a public consultancy programme have been initiated for Ashbourne, Ratoath, Dunboyne and Kilcock but not for Dunshaughlin? Or why is it that as reported this week, Meath County Council have announced that they are providing a "park and ride" facility in Ratoath and are not doing so in Dunshaughlin despite the fact that over three years ago Dunshaughlin and District Chamber of Commerce made representations to them to do so. I am not being negative here or knocking Dunshaughlin as implied by Councillor Fitzgerald but I am asking the question seriously. Perhaps Cllr Fitzgerald should turn some of his negative thinking away from me, a mere constituent , stop "knocking" me and address the real issues ... not shoot the messenger. No 3: I recognise the positives of Dunshaughlin, after all I was not born here but "chose" to live here some 24 years ago. But I am also aware of some of the negatives. Some of our shops and businesses were forced to close in the last few years due to the unending traffic chaos and the lack of parking in the village. In the last few years attempts have been made to transfer the courthouse to Navan, and the car tax facility of the county council office to Ashbourne. The water and waste treatments plants are 18 months away from completion and yet householders in Maelduin have insufficient water pressure. Should they wait until then. Why is Dunshaughlin now short of water ... is it because of over development in Ratoath? No 4: Councillor Fitzgerald is correct in saying that Dunshaughlin has a vibrant community that has worked for generations to make it so. That work is still continuing. It is unfortunate that most of the work is being done by volunteers and is being unaided by our representatives. The local elections next year will give the population of Dunshaughlin an opportunity to voice their opinions as to whether Cllr Fitzgerald is right or that there is some merit to the points that I have raised. I hope that they choose wisely. Yours, Gerry O"Connor, The Downs, Dunshaughlin.