SPECIAL PUBLIC MEETING: The proposal is to build 898 dwellings in Lucan South, plus commercial/retail etc. The decision is due this weekend. I am convening a Special Public Meeting next Tuesday night, 9th February, Penny Hill Lounge, 8.00pm – 9.00pm to consider our appeal to this plan. We will also discuss Lucan’s School issues, including the new Lucan South Secondary School site, campaign for the Educate Together Second Level School, final push for the agreed Gaelscoil Eiscir Riada site, proposed new Primary Schools. I hope to see you Tuesday night 9th February. 

“Major Break-Through in Lucan South Secondary School campaign” 

After years of campaigning, agreement has finally been reached on the site for the New Secondary Schools for the people of Lucan South. Having introduced this campaign in some years ago, Cllr. Derek Keating has campaigned to impress on the government the urgent need for this school. Now Cllr. Keating has again moved quickly to make representations to the Minister for Education and Science Batt O’Keeffe TD, in an effort to have this new secondary school opened in September 2010. Derek has tabled the following Question for the next Area Committee Meeting of the Planning Department in South Dublin County Council:

“To ask the Manager, to agree to make further representations to the Minister for Education and Science on the issue of the Lucan South Secondary School, in noting the long-standing campaign, my earlier motions to the area committee, including my motion of April 2007 following public meetings I convened, which launched this campaign and following which the Lucan South Secondary School Action Group was formed, and now requests the Minister to indicate his intentions to open this local second-level school in September 2010 in the light of the previous local target date of September 2009 not been realised?”

In addition the Lucan South Secondary School Action Group has acknowledged Derek’s consistent efforts by reporting:

“Councillor Derek Keating held the initial public meetings which launched this campaign and has worked consistently on our behalf at both local and council level to keep this issue at the top of the agenda. Cllr. Keating also fought tooth and nail on our behalf to ensure that the Clonburris LAP was amended to make provision for our new school. Cllr. Keating has also provided us with valuable practical support, such as taking on the task of copying 6,000 fliers for us."

To all Lucan and Palmerstown Residents:

I convened another special public meeting on the "Luas to Lucan" proposal on Monday 23rd of November last in Lucan Community College. I am grateful to the three R.P.A. officials for attending this meeting: Mr. Paolo Carbone, Project Manager, Mr. David King, Transport Planning Manager and Ms. Clair Toolis, Public Relations Officer. I am also grateful for the huge turn-out of local residents at the meeting and for the general public helping to make it a lively and informative meeting. The R.P.A. officials outlined the emerging route for LUAS to Lucan, including the recent changes to the proposed route, and the meeting highlighted a number of key difficulties on the proposals for Lucan and Palmerstown including: at the terminus at Lucan Community College, at Gaelscoil Eiscir Riada, on the Old Newlands Road between Moy Glas and Castle Riada estates, on Ballyowen Lane for all the estates including Liffey Terrace, and at Liffey Downs. I have sought and got agreement from the R.P.A. as a next step to meet with individual groups of residents in theses areas and estates and I have passed on the details of those groups of residents to the R.P.A. This more localised level of consultation with the R.P.A. has already begun with a number of local meetings. I am grateful to the many people who have already contacted me on LUAS to Lucan and I invite more residents to contact me. I remain committed to work to ensure that all issues raised by local residents in Lucan and Palmerstown are addressed. For further information, or if you would like to be included in this local consultation process with the R.P.A., please email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or telephone or text me directly at 087 2857435.