Call for Action on Portarlington’s derelict sites
Call for Derelict sites to be addressed
Sinn Féin TD for Kildare South, Patricia Ryan, has called on the Government to address the blight of derelict sites in Kildare and Laois.
Speaking in Leinster House, Patricia said:
“The programme for Government promises to prioritise a town centres approach to the regeneration of our villages, to bring forward and expand the town and village renewal scheme, bring vacant and derelict buildings back into use and promote residential occupancy. We need to make this a priority so that towns like Monasterevin, Portarlington and Rathangan can have the blight of derelict buildings removed from their main streets and that these will be transformed into much-needed homes. They can also be transformed into business premises so that the daily exodus from Kildare and Laois in search of work will be reduced. This will also have a positive impact on the environment.
The Tánaiste responded by saying that this is very much a priority for Government and that they are determined to make more progress on it. My colleague, Cllr Noel Connolly, brought a motion to yesterday’s Kildare-Newbridge Municipal District Meeting in relation to the derelict buildings on Dublin St in Monasterevin. We are hoping that these sites will be entered on to the Derelict Sites Register. This will mean a levy of 7% of the value of the property will be payable annually to Kildare County Council which will hopefully encourage the owners to make productive use of these beautiful heritage buildings. In their current state they reflect badly on our town, given their prominence on our busiest streets. My colleague in Laois, Cllr Aidan Mullins, has also been very proactive in tackling dereliction in the Portarlington area.
Myself and Councillors Connolly and Mullins will work hard to ensure that these much needed improvements come to pass,” she concluded.