Sligo Borough Council has announced details of two major amenity projects in Sligo, the development of a new promenade along Seaview Drive, Cartron and the development of an amenity area on the site of the old swimming pool at Markievicz Road.

The new promenade at Cartron will be developed as an open space area along the foreshore at Seaview Drive, and will include:

The new amenity area on Markievicz Road will include:

Plans and other information are available for inspection at City Hall until Thursday 30th March, and any person wishing to make a submission regarding the proposed developments must do so by Friday 14th April, 2006.

The Norwegian Parliament’s Standing Committee on Transport and Communications visited Sligo last week to discuss a range of topics with Sligo County Council. 

The fourteen strong delegation, led by Committee Chairman Mr Per Sandberg, visited Brussels, Dublin and Sligo to gain a European perspective on subjects such as transport infrastructure and coastal protection. 

The delegation was formally welcomed to Sligo by Cathaoirleach Councillor  Patsy Barry, Chairs of the Strategic Policy Committees Councillor Jimmy McGarry, Councillor Tony McLoughlin and Councillor John Sherlock, and County Manager Hubert Kearns. The first item on their itinerary a meeting in the Council Chamber. They were given a detailed presentation by the County Manager on the issues and challenges facing Sligo in the context of our status as a ‘Gateway centre for Growth.’ Among the issues addressed in the presentation were balanced regional development, the prospects for continued growth in the northwest, and the delivery of a strategic road network.

Mr Declan Breen, Senior Executive Officer, briefed the committee on the history of Sligo Port, its gradual decline over the years, and gave an assessment on its transfer to Sligo County Council in April 2006.

The Committee also visited Mullaghmore to inspect the coastal protection works, and received an in depth report on the project from Cathaoirleach Councillor Barry and Senior Executive Engineer, Gary Salter.

Bernie Chamber, Marketing Executive at Sligo Airport, outlined the pivotal role the airport plays in the development of our tourist market.

The committee expressed a special interest in WB Yeats, and on the final ‘leg’ of their itinerary the delegation stopped at Drumcliffe cemetery to visit his graveside. In his welcoming address in the Council Chamber, Cathaoirleach Councillor Barry placed the visit in context: ‘Situated as we are on the western periphery of Europe, it is rarely we have the opportunity to meet in such a forum with our European neighbours to discuss issues of common interest.

I firmly believe that there is a lot we can learn from such exchanges, and to perhaps achieve a new perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing usin the Northwest of Ireland.

We hope that in this brief visit you will form sense of Sligo and the Northwest, and that we can convey to you our optimism as to the future growth and development of this region.

The Sligo Local Authorities have a pivotal role to play in facilitating and driving social and economic change. While the economic landscape in particular is determined by factors beyond our immediate control, our actions at local level set the context for our continuing growth.

We see the delivery of a proper transport infrastructure as a crucial priority. The opening of the Sligo Inner Relief Road in September 2005 was a landmark achievement in a number of respects. First and foremost, it conveyed a forceful message to the business community, and indeed to potential investors, that the Sligo Local Authorities had the will and capacity to design and deliver major infrastructural projects. We see our role in local government as setting the agenda and providing the proper environment to facilitate future growth. We firmly believe in an inclusive approach to delivering progress, and we work actively with other agencies such as the Chamber of Commerce and the Industrial Development Authority to ensure Sligo develops to its full potential.’

The Cathaoirleach concluded his address by noting that ‘In many respects the issues we face as a Local Authority are no different to the issues faced by authorities right across Europe. For that reason we welcome the visit of our guests from Norway, to learn from your experiences and to see how best we can adapt them to a Sligo context.’

Presented by Con Brio - Sligo Music Series, Aula Maxima, Institute of Technology Sligo Monday 6 March, 8pm

From the Great Performers series at the Lincoln Center in New York to the Great Northern Hotel in Bundoran, the 89 members of the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra have performed in all sorts of settings to all sorts of audiences. And now, on Monday, 6 March, they make their first and very welcome visit to Sligo to perform in the Aula Maxima of the Sligo Institute of Technology.

Tickets at €18 (Con Brio members €15/ Students €10) are available from Luisa Mac Conville at the Institute of Technology Sligo on 071 914 4131 email: mcconville.luisa@itsligo.ie or from Star Records, Veritas bookshop, (corner John St– Adelaide St), Business Innovation Centre, IT Campus, Model Arts and Niland Gallery.

The Spring 2006 edition of Sligo Writing Notes which supports and encourages the development of creative writing in the community is now available from the Sligo Arts Department. Writing Notes is a quarterly brochure edited by Eibhlin Nic Eochaidh. Each issue includes a number of regular features including poetry, short fiction, reviews and opportunities/awards available to writers and poets in the northwest.

Tickets are on sale for the Vogler Spring Festival. The Arts Department of Sligo County Council has announced details of the 2006 Vogler Spring Festival, which will once again take place in Sligo’s historic St. Columba’s Church in Drumcliffe from Friday April 28th to Monday May 1st.

With a total of nine concerts being performed throughout this very special weekend, the festival will introduce an array of celebrated guest artists who join the Vogler Quartet in a programme packed with popular works from the chamber music repertoire, and introducing some lesser known works, in an effort to bring to it’s audience a mélange of musical choices.

Single tickets for the Vogler Spring Festival range from €15 to €25, with season tickets available for €130 with concessions for OAPs, students and the unwaged. For information/credit card bookings, please contact Artscope 00-353-1-5059582 or email info@artscope.ie. 

Tickets can also be purchased from Drumcliffe Tea House and Crafts Shop 00-353-71-914 4956.

Around 50 people attended this free seminar organised by Sligo County Council, representing committees and local community groups that manage graveyards across Sligo. The day was hosted by Cathaoirleach Cllr Patsy Barry who welcomed all present and thanked them for their dedication and commitment. The Seminar was organised by the Heritage Office and the Office of Community and Enterprise of Sligo County Council. One aspect of the Heritage Office’s work is to provide advice and training on the care of historic graveyards.

Speakers included Ralph Sheppard, biodiversity officer, who gave a detailed account of the wildlife that is found in and around our graveyards: From bats that eat 400,000 midges a night to rare lichens; 4000 year old yew trees often found in cemeteries as their foliage is poisonous to wildlife but were a perfect wood for the production of long bows!

Mary Timoney, author of the book on grave memorials across Sligo ‘Had me Made’ inspired us about the diversity and wealth of grave memorials in the county. These ranged from intricate hand carved wooden memorials, iron crosses, porcelain wreaths and beautifully sculptured grave boxes.

Having enthused the audience about the heritage within our graveyards, then Victor Buckley from National Parks and Wildlife Services - National Monuments section – provided detailed advice on the best practice for community groups and the legal protection afforded to graveyards and the implications of that on proposed works.

The Directorate of Community & Enterprise on behalf of Sligo County Council is responsible for the management and upkeep of 64 burial grounds within county Sligo. Acting Director of Services for the Department, Maura Hegarty, was on hand to answer specific questions about the council’s role and responsibilities.

Finally, Sharon Eastwood, Heritage Officer for Sligo County Council provided a detailed bibliography and outlined possible sources of funding for works on graveyards. She outlined over 100+ burial and graveyards and cemeteries are recorded on the Record of Monuments & Places for Sligo and only a minority of these are the Council’s responsibility.

The seminar ended with a discussion on best practice and with feedback on the way in which grants are offered to community groups. Evaluation from the seminar showed that the attendees found it very useful. It is hoped that this will become a regular support for Sligo Communities.

Seminar Packs: Seminar Packs were available to all attendees. Copies of these packs are still available from the Heritage Office of Sligo County Council. E-mail heritage@sligococo.ie or ring 071 9111 255 or 226.

The Draft Replacement Plan process included the auditing of waste management in the Region. It found that recycling rates are heading in the right direction with 20% of household waste and 39% of commercial /industrial waste being recycled in 2004 in the Region due to the increased collection of dry recyclables from households and the provision of additional bring banks, recycling centres and material recovery facilities resulting in an overall municipal waste recycling rate of 29%. At the same time, household and commercial/industrial waste generated in Connaught increased significantly from 1998 to 2004. In 1998, 96% of municipal waste was disposed of at landfills and this has reduced to 71% in 2004. In addition, in excess of one million tonnes of construction & demolition (C&D) waste was reported to be generated in 2004 in the Region.

Sligo County Council in association with the Tidy Towns Unit of the Department of the Environment and Local Government hosted a half day information seminar on Saturday 25th February 2006 to provide practical advice to those directly or indirectly involved in the enhancement of towns and villages e.g. Tidy Towns groups, local community groups or local development organisations.

In his welcoming address the Cathaoirleach, Cllr. Patsy Barry said that he viewed this seminar as a forum for offering tangible advice and support to groups and added that it also allowed groups to engage in networking and sharing of ideas and opinions.

Guest Speakers at the event included Mr. David McLoughlin, Urban and Village Unit who gave an overview of the Tidy Towns Competition and provided some practical tips for any group entering the National competition. Mr. Paul Cusack, National Adjudicator then gave an informative presentation advising groups on the benefit of developing key action plans and programme of activities. He also explained the National key assessment criteria and provided some photographic examples of best practice in these areas. The next groups of speakers represented Keadue Tidy Towns Committee; Mr. Padraig Noone and Mr. Peter McNiff gave an impressive account of the transformation of Keadue from its humble beginnings in the 1970’s to its achievement of the accolade of National Award winners in the Tidy Towns Competition and International Winners in the Entente Florale competition.

They highlighted the need for full community participation and support for any tidy towns effort and were a great inspiration for the groups in attendance.

Finally Ms Sharon Eastwood, Heritage Officer outlined the various funding sources available to groups from local authorities and other funding agencies; in particular the funding available for the conservation of wildlife and natural amenities. Acting Director of Services, Ms. Maura Hegarty launched the revamped local Tidy Towns competition with different prize categories to entice new entrants to the competition which included: Best Kept Housing Estate, Best Kept School, Best Community Managed Bring Bank along with County Awards for different population categories.

All the Tidy Towns groups were represented at the event along with other interested groups/individuals. This year the Office of Community and Enterprise are spearheading a new drive to promote greater community involvement in the Tidy Towns competition.
Civil Defence

Fundraising was carried out by Civil Defence volunteers in response to the call for assistance post the Tsunami disaster which occurred on December 26th 2004. A total of €7,280 was collected with €4,280 donated to Unicef for children’s relief in Sri Lanka and Indonesia and €3,000 donated to Irish Sri Lanka Trust fund for the boat.

Sligo County Council and the Sligo County Development Board hosted a ‘Race against Waste’ seminar in the County Hall on Thursday 2nd March. The forum was opened by the Chairman of the County Development Board, Councillor Jim McGarry, and among the issues being discussed were Waste Management in Sligo, a stepby step guide to implementing ‘Action at Work’, and a case study of environmental action in practice.

2005 is the European Year of Citizenship through Education

The President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, decided to mark this important year by endorsing and presenting the Young Citizen Award. 

This award was targeted at young people between the ages of 12 and 25 who are participating in formal (school) or non-formal (youth organisations and clubs) education and who are involved in voluntary (unpaid) active citizenship initiatives. Active citizenship is about people acting or participating in a socially responsible way in the different communities that they belong to. It is about people learning more about the world and their community by ‘doing’.

‘Doing’ helps people to learn more about how they can make things happen in public life through the knowledge, skills and values that are nurtured and developed through their involvement.

6 individual and 3 Group Nomination met the criteria set by the National Steering Committee of the Young Citizen Award and were presented with a certificate signed by President Mary McAleese at a special awards ceremony in the Clarion Hotel on 22nd February 2006.

The Young Citizen Award was organized in conjunction with Citizenship 2005. ie, the Department of Education & Science and Development Cooperation Ireland.

The initiative was supported by Sligo County Development Board (CDBs) a subcommittee comprising of staff from the Office of Community and Enterprise and members of the County Development Board oversaw the local co-ordination and assessment of applications.

The nominees awarded certificates by the Chairman of the County Development Board, Cllr. Jimmy McGarry and Frank Fox, Dept. of Education and Science at the special ceremony were:

1. Carracastle Foroige Club
This group received the award in recognition of their fundraising efforts to purchase a heart Defibrillator to meet the need of people living in the parish.

2. Cranmore Youth Association
This group received the award in recognition for their work in the organization of youth activities in the Cranmore Estate e.g. football tournaments, Youth discos and this group has helped to generate greater participation of young people in community activities.

3. Curry Foroige Club
This group received the award for their fundraising efforts to provide an Automated External Defibrillator for old people living in the area.

4. David Tansey
David received the award in recognition of his fundraising work of Uganda; a third world country and is hoping to raise enough money to provide a classroom to educate old and young people in the area.

5. Catherine Swift
Catherine received her award in recognition of her active citizenship work on the CRIB Youth Project and the Youth Committee of the Red Rainbow Film Club; recently she was involved in organizing a fun day for Asylum Seekers at Globe House.

6. Kenneth Loftus
Kenneth received his award in recognition of his active involvement in the Cranmore Youth Association and his efforts to engage young people in the area in the association.

7. Aaron Cawley
Aaron received his award in recognition of his participation in the Cranmore Youth Association and his voluntary work with young people in the area. He also represents the views of young people on the Cranmore Community Platform.

8. Simon Costello
Simon received his award for his active participation in the CRIB Youth Project, his to this committee has made him a worthy award winner

9. Roisin Chapman
Roisin received her award for his active citizenship work as Volunteer Youth Leader in the CRIB Youth Project and contributes much of her time to developing the Youth project for young people in Sligo. 

Roisin Chapman and Catherine Swift were randomly selected at a specially lottery in Dublin to represent Sligo at a special event in Áras an Uachtaráin on 14th March 2006; where they will meet the President and be presented with a specially designed pin to mark the 2005 European Year of Citizenship through Education.

With the St Patrick’s Day Celebrations on the horizon, it is the time of year to renew contacts with Sligo people  living and working abroad.

Sligo County Council has maintained very close links with the Sligo Association of Chicago, and a reception was hosted in County Hall last year in honour of their Chairman, Kevin Malee.

Kevin recently informed us that the Sligo Association of Chicago received an award for ‘The most outstanding float’ in the 2005 St Patrick’s Day Parade. The photo shows Kevin proudly accepting the award.

Research demonstrates the important contribution of the Community and Voluntary sector to County Sligo.

The preliminary findings of research into the Community and Voluntary groups in County Sligo reveals a very vibrant sector engaged in a very broad range of activities ranging from community development, youth work, sports and recreation, arts and culture, heritage, enterprise development, support for the elderly, environmental and numerous other activities.

The research, commissioned  by the Directorate of Community and Enterprise, was aimed at supporting the County Community Forum obtain an current profile of the sector with view to publishing a directory of active groups in the county.

Meehan and Tully and Associates conducted an extensive survey of groups in the County from the months of July 2005 to December 2005 under the direction of a steering committee made up of the Directorate of Community and Enterprise and Sligo County Community Forum.   Preliminary analysis of findings based on the returns of 493 eligible group revealed the following characteristics.

A Directory with details of all of the groups will be published later in the year Funding to complete this project has been received from the Department of Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs ‘Cohesion Fund’ and Sligo Leader Partnership.

A recent circular (FIRE02/06) outlines statistics concerning fire fatalities in 2005, based on reports submitted to the DoEHLG by Fire Authorities.

During 2005, a total of 41 deaths occurred as a result of fires in this Country. There were no recorded fire fatalities in the County of Sligo. The statistics also detail, inter alia, the age of victims, the location and type of premises involved and whether a smoke alarm was in situ. When reading these statistics it is startling to note that of the 38 recorded incidents, almost 58% of the premises did not have a smoke alarm installed or it was unknown if one had existed. Of the 34% of premises that had a smoke alarm, 46% were found to be defective. This statistical report, blunt as it may seem, is a stark reminder to us all of the dangers involved in the outbreak of fire. The report also serves as a reminder of the brave and great work carried out by our fire fighters in the course of their daily duties. These people are to be commended for the tremendous contribution they make to society, working in sometimes difficult and hazardous environments. In recent times, there have been numerous publicity campaigns on this issue. The importance of having a smoke alarm fitted in your home cannot be over- emphasised. It is also prudent on us all to become ‘fire safety aware’ and to educate ourselves in the prevention of fire. As the old proverb goes ‘Prevention is better than cure’ and this can certainly be applied to matters of fire safety.

There are three golden rules (the 3 p’s) to follow to ensure your home is fire safe:

-Every fire has a cause and most often there's a common sense, simple method of prevention.

Carelessness with regard to open fireplaces, heaters, cookers, electric blankets and smoking are the leading causes of fire deaths and injuries. Prevention is the key, but in the knowledge that all fires will not be prevented it is essential that every household has an effective system to detect fire outbreak at an early stage making safe evacuation a simple task.

- Smoke Alarms give an early warning. Most fires happen at night when people are asleep. By installing smoke alarms - preferably mains operated with battery back up or a 'long life' alarm - you will have early warning devices which give you time to act before you and your family are overcome by dangerous fumes and smoke.

- your escape drill and Perfect it- Often, when a fire breaks out, confusion and errors follow. If you have a well-practised fire evacuation drill you will be better able to deal with an emergency situation. A well rehearsed fire escape drill can make all the difference: -

For more information visit  the National Safety Council website on www.nsc.ie, or visit the Sligo County Council website on www.sligococo.ie.

ICBAN’s new and improved website can now be located at:  www.icban.com

Section 180 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, refers.

Where a request is received by a Local Authority, from the relevant developer or from the majority of qualified electors who are owners or occupiers of the houses involved, to take an estate in charge, the Authority must, without undue delay, initiate the procedures under section 11 of the Roads Act, 1993.

Substantial work is being done by Planning Authorities to ensure that estates are finished to a high standard by developers and that all planning conditions attached thereto are complied with. However, Planning Authorities must invoke enforcement powers, where necessary, should developers fail to comply in this regard. Delays incurred in the taking in charge of estates inevitably leads to a greater cost to the Authority in the long run and should be avoided. It is also acknowledged that it is not acceptable for individual house owners to be required to live in an unfinished estate indefinitely.

This Departmental Circular stresses the importance of Local Authorities having an adopted policy and procedure for the taking in charge of estates in place. In addition, it advises that Local Authorities should draw down and use the security lodged (finance) by the developer to finish anestate that has not been completed to the satisfaction of the Authority. Guidelines for the effective management of this procedure are also outlined.

Sligo County Council has such a policy in place and developers are made aware of their responsibilities from the outset. Indeed, some of the Council’s planning conditions specifically address this issue in terms of completion of estates, lodging of financial securities and the establishment of management companies.

Sligo County Council will review its policy and procedure having regard to this policy in due course. The Department has requested that all Local Authorities report on this matter. (Circular letter PD 1/06).

In order to celebrate National Tree Week (5-11 March 2006) Sligo County Council’s Heritage Office has erected an exhibition on Hedgerows. This exhibition will be on display in the Foyer of County Hall, Riverside until 23 March and anyone is welcome to view it.

Hedgerows are a vital habitat across Sligo - that is they are important to lots of different wild plants and animals.  They provide food, shelter, roosting and nesting sites for native wildlife. Hedgerows provide an important shelter and enclosure function in agriculture and a cost analysis shows them to be more economical in the longer term than fencing.

Hedgerows can help prevent flooding and improve air and water quality. Hedgerows also are an integral component of our landscape and are one of the things rated by tourists to Ireland.

“This exhibition gives us an opportunity to learn more hedgerows – the green veins of our countryside. They are not just important for wildlife but impact on water & air quality, have an important role in agriculture and are one of things tourist find attractive about our countryside. I am delighted that this exhibition is on view in Riverside”, Cathaoirleach Cllr Patsy Barry.

The Foyer of Riverside, Sligo County Council is open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday.

Information on hedgerows and ways in which communities can conserve wildlife is available from Sligo County Council’s Heritage Office – heritage@sligococo.ie or Tel 071 9111 226 or 255.

The Omagh-Sligo partnership in its programme of community cross border exchanges has facilitated an initial exchange of representatives from Owenkillew Development Association and Moylough Community Association, the exchange took place on the 31st January 2006.

Anne Marie Mossey, gave a brief explanation of the role and workings of Owenkillew Development Association and also gave a guided tour of the Residential Centre and Community Centre. Cllr Michael Fleming explained to the group how Moylough had just completed the Family Arts and Heritage Centre in Moylough.

The group discussed similar issues such as funding and improving capacity building, sustainability and exchange of expertise. It was accepted that lessons could be learnt from each other and that it would be worthwhile developing this cross border partnership.

A second exchange has been arranged to be facilitated in Moylough on 24 March 2006.

If you need further information about the Omagh-Sligo partnership or its community exchange programme please contact Mr Paul Hamilton Tel- 9111802 or e-mail phamilton@sligococo.ie

The Performance Management & Development System focuses on 3 main areas:

Listed below is a reminder of the roles of each person in relation to PMDS.

Further information please email pmds@sligococo.ie

Students will be guaranteed to get their grant cheques early under new legislation being brought to Cabinet shortly by Minister for Education and Science, Mary Hanafin TD.

Under the new grants payment system, students will get a decision on their application within three weeks of the closing date and will receive their grant cheque within a month of the start of the college term, provided they submitted a complete application by 31 May. There will also be an appeals process for the first time for those who have been turned down for a grant and feel that their application should be looked at again.

Announcing her plans, Minister Hanafin said "these reforms are part of the Government's strategy to ensure that students get the support they need when they need it, so that money problems don't stop them from achieving their full potential at college." The college grants system is the Government's main financial aid package for students, with over 56,000 people benefiting from grants worth over €200 million last year.

"In recent years, the focus has been on increasing grant payment levels and targeting extra support at students from the poorest families through new top-up grants. Indeed, the highest level of grant available is now nearly €5,400, compared to just over €2,000 in 1997," the Minister said. "Now we are overhauling the payments system to ensure that all students get their grants as quickly as possible".

Legislation will be brought to Cabinet within weeks and Minister Hanafin intends to have it passed by the Oireachtas by the end of the year so that the new system can be in place for the 2007/08 academic year. The new Student Support Bill will provide for a single agency to administer one grant scheme, in place of the four different schemes that operate at present, and will require that the agency meet the new deadlines set by the Minister.

Application forms for the Higher Education Grant Scheme 2006/07 academic year will be available in mid summer and enquiries should be made to the Higher Education Grants Section of Sligo County Council on (071) 911 1011 or to pbrennan@sligococo.ie.

Report for SPC No. 3 Transportation and Infrastructural Policy prepared by Tom Brennan, Senior Engineer

Traffic and Transportation Plans for Sligo City & Environs since the 1970’s including the most recent Plan prepared in 1995 adopted a strategy of the provision of an Inner Relief Road followed by Western and Eastern Bypass/Relief Roads. These included new Western and Eastern river crossings. The strategy of the provision of an Inner Relief Road first rather than a by-pass resulted from the fact that 85% of the traffic arriving at the city boundary had its destination within the city rather than by-passing.

A by-pass would therefore not provide relief in the city centre from the large volumes of traffic which require to go there. The Western and Eastern Distributor Roads would provide for development on the west and east sides of the city and would further reduce traffic levels in the city centre.

The 1995 Traffic and Transportation Study was based on the then Sligo Borough predicted population growth and employment growth rates to 2018, on the zoning provisions of the 1992 – 1997 Sligo City Development Plan and an estimate of where development was likely to take place.

Growth rates since the mid 1990’s have been far greater than predicted and in addition the National Spatial Strategy has since designated Sligo as a Gateway City.

The current population of Sligo City is approximately 20,000 with 25,000 persons in the immediate Sligo & Environs excluding surrounding settlements. A characteristic of a gateway includes a population of up to 100,000 set in a large urban and rural hinterland.

The Sligo & Environs Development Plan was adopted by members of both local authorities in December 2003 and was prepared with the strategic vision of the growth of Sligo & Environs as a gateway city. This plan aims towards a strategic population horizon of 50,000 to 80,000 over the next 20 to 30 years.

The Sligo & Environs Plan, which was prepared with a 20 year development time frame, provides zoning to cater for a population growth up to 40,000 persons. This is a significant increase on planned development since earlier plans. Since the turn of the century and since the adoption of this current development plan, significant growth has occurred in Sligo. In particular commercial growth has been very strong within the City and the population of the city during a working day is estimated to be well over 40,000 persons.

Actual resident population growth within the city may have lagged behind predictions; however this is being compensated for by a large population growth in surrounding satellite towns such as Ballisodare, Rosses Point and Strandhill.

The Sligo and Environs Development Plan 2004- 2010 has adopted the Traffic and Transport objectives of the 1995 Traffic and Transportation Study and also placed an emphasis on public transport and on sustainable forms of transport. It also attempted to look beyond the current Traffic and Transport Plan and in considering the planned growth of the City and Environs as a gateway city, it introduced the concept of a Western By- Pass.

In order to provide for this current and projected growth it is critical that major transport objectives are brought forward through the planning and implementation stages as soon as possible. With this in mind several projects are currently being promoted as follows:

For further information contact Tom Brennan on 071 9111228.

Once again there is a hectic schedule of events at Tubbercurry Community Library. World Book Day on Friday 3rd March is celebrated with a storytelling session by Liz Weir, the Creative Writing Group will meet on 6th March, and National Tree Week will be marked by a visit on 9th March by Environmental Storyteller Mary Lorraine. A highlight for children will be the ‘Bisto Shadowing Book Club’ gathering on 14th March.

The Networks for Nature Heritage exhibition continues in the offices of Sligo County Council until Friday 24th March. The exhibition will be of interest to anyone with a concern for the protection of our unique heritage.

The closing date for the very popular ‘Pride of Place’ competition is Friday 10th March. This scheme celebrates and showcases community group activities and contributions to society.

The focus is on people coming together to shape, change and enjoy all that is good about their local area.

The competition is divided into a number of categories based on population size, and it recognises and rewards people for their contribution to their local community.

The 2006 ‘Comhairle na Nog’ forum hosted by the County Development Board will take place on 8th March in St Annes Youth Centre.

This annual forum involves a hectic schedule of meetings and workshops, and culminates in the election of Sligo representatives to the 2006 National Dáil na nÓg.

The challenge of working and living in a new community will be one of the many issues addressed in an information evening for Sligo’s migrant workers, which takes place on 9th March 2006 in the Clarion Hotel (7.00pm to 9.00pm).

The purpose of this forum is to provide migrant workers living in Sligo with important information on adapting to a new environment, and interpreters will be available on the evening to translate into Polish, Russian, Latvian and Czech.

The Migrant Information Evening is being hosted under the auspices of the Omagh-Sligo Partnership, and contributors will include Diversity Sligo, the National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism, Sligo Volunteer Bureau, Institute of Technology, Sligo and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.

For further information, contact Paul Hamilton, Community & Enterprise Directorate, Sligo County Council at 071 911802

Nomination forms for the 2006 Cathaoirleach’s Awards Scheme are now available. The Awards Committee, chaired by Cathaoirleach Councillor Patsy Barry, have added a new award category to acknowledge the work carried out in preserving and protecting our valuable heritage.

The six Awards categories are: Art, Community, Environment, Heritage, Schools, Sport.

The awards Committee is made up of: Councillor Patsy Barry (Cathaoirleach), Cllr Martin Baker, Cllr Veronica Cawley, Councillor Michael Fleming, Cllr Paul Conmy and Fergus MacNabb, Administrative Officer Corporate Services.

Nomination forms are available from the Communications Office, Sligo County Council, phone 071 9111016 or by e-mail: communications@sligococo.ie. Forms and scheme details are also available on the Council’s website www.sligococo.ie
The closing date for receipt of nominations is Friday 28th April 2006.

A quarterly meeting of the Local Authority City and County Architects Association, CCAA, was held at City Hall, on 15th February 2006. The theme of the meeting was Urban Renewal and the Gateway City.

The group was welcomed by the County Manager, Mr Hubert Kearns and Town Clerk, Mr. John Mc Nabola.

The County Manager gave a presentation to the meeting entitled “Developing a Creative Environment through Imagination and Regeneration”, After a discussion with the County Manager on the issues affecting co-ordinated development, Seán Martin, Senior Architect, then gave a presentation on the Gateway City. The group then visited the refurbished Courthouse and the High Street area which was the subject of a Masterplan completed by the planning department of the National Building Agency on behalf of the Sligo Local Authorities. Following lunch and a Gallery tour of the Model & Niland Centre, the Group returned to City Hall to conclude their meeting. Fingal County Architect and Chairperson of the CCAA thanked the County Manager and the Town Clerk for their welcome and hospitality and said she looked forward to returning to Sligo to experiencing the fruits of the Gateway City developments in the future.

All staff are receiving specialist training on conserving and enhancing biodiversity within our work areas in March.

This training is looking at how we impact on plants, wildlife and all living things through our work for the Council be it grant allocation, house design, road building, library management, community relations etc.

You will receive advice on best practice, details of relevant national and international legislation, sources of further information, etc.

Most staff have been contacted directly and have been allocated a specific training day. There are a few places left on the 1 hour generic training on Wednesday 8 March - Council Chamber at 09.30, 11.30 or 14:00 If you have not been allocated a place and would like to attend please contact the Sharon Eastwood, Heritage office on 1226 or 1255.

Circular letter HPS 2/04 issued to all Local Authorities on 27/02/04 seeking the preparation of social and affordable action plans for the period 2004- 2008. Housing Authorities continue to play the frontline role in addressing and achieving an effective response to the challenging housing requirements. Apart from their direct involvement in meeting housing needs, local authorities are increasingly involved in meeting these needs through other means such as, Part V housing, co-operation with voluntary housing agencies and also through public private partnerships. These plans were introduced to provide a framework for the integrated and cohesive planning and delivery of specific social and affordable housing measures in each local authority area, based on the relevant Housing  Strategy. The plans were prepared bearing in mind the need to strike an appropriate balance between the different housing programmes and include key performance indicators by which progress can be monitored over the period of the plan. This circular also provided for a mid-term review of these action plans.

The review of the housing action plans, outlined in circular letter HPF 2/06, will focus on key housing areas in order for authorities to complete the reviews. The Department has issued a summary tabular data sheet for completion by the authority and will hold meetings with local authority staff during April/May, the purpose of which will be to review progress and to agree on revisions to action plans. Following these meetings a Housing Action Plan review statement should be submitted to the Department by end June 2006.

This statement should comprise a commentary on overall performance; noting any significant deviations from the original planned targets and the reasons for such deviations; indicating if the overall targets are still valid in light of recent Housing Needs Assessments or for other reasons and explain any proposed changes to the targets for the remaining period of the plan.  The review of the plan should also take account of recent developments in the Rental Accommodation Scheme and Traveller Accommodation programme.

Sligo Local Authorities prepared an Action Plan for 2004-2008 following the adoption of the Housing Strategy. This plan set out agreed key performance indicators and targets as proposed by the Department. The Authorities are currently working on a review of the Action Plan and will submit details to the Department on schedule when finalised.