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Sligo Library Launches Interactive Map Website

Sligo County Library commissioned digital cartographer, Mr. Rainer Kosbi, to create an interactive map website, which will be of great interest to teachers, students, archaeologists and anyone interested in the history of Sligo. The new facility was launched by the Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council Councillor Jim McGarry.

This website will enable the user to explore, without charge and from their own home, every townland in the county as it appeared before Famine times and to discover the existence and explanation of any antiquities in that townland.

For this purpose each sheet of the Library’s 1837 Ordnance Survey County Sligo maps was sent to Dublin to be painstakingly restored and digitised. Then all the county’s townland names and sites of archaeological interest were listed and amalgamated into an extremely user-friendly database which will open up the past with today’s most up to date technology.

To use the site simply go to the Library website (www.sligolibrary.ie) and click on the (local maps collection) link. Then click on (search window) and use the first tip at the bottom of the page for a tutorial.

This is the latest in a series of ongoing projects to make the Library’s wealth of local history material more accessible to the people of Sligo and those worldwide with an interest in Sligo.

Strategic Policy Committee Reviews Social And Affordable Housing Action Plan

Sligo County Council’s Strategic Policy Committee (SPC) on Housing Policy/Social and Cultural Development held a meeting this week and discussed a number of important issues.

Social and affordable Housing Action Plan

Sligo Local Authorities have completed a review of their Social and Affordable Action Plans 2004-2008. The joint plan sets out targets for the Sligo Local Authorities to deliver a specified number of units per year across a range of housing options as well as estimating the number of applications to be processed across the range of housing services.

The review, which has been submitted to the Department of the Environment, addresses issues such as land management, social housing, rental accommodation scheme, voluntary housing, affordable housing and traveller accommodation.

Scheme of allocation priorities for affordable housing

This draft scheme provides the basis for determining the order of priority for allocating affordable housing units to qualified applicants where demand exceeds supply. There are three categories of applicant under the draft scheme – existing tenants/tenant purchasers, applicants included on the council’s current assessment of housing needs, the third category including all other applicants.

Other factors taken into consideration are financial circumstances of the applicant, their accommodation needs and anti-social behaviour.

Sligo Firestation Charity Car Wash

Sligo Firefighters held a very successful charity car wash on Saturday, 28th October. The event ran from 12 to 5pm and raised in excess of €1,600 for Sligo General Hospital’s Oncology Unit.

Health & Safety Conferring Ceremony

25 staff from Sligo Local authorities completed a single subject certificate in Health & Safety at Sligo I.T. in May 2006, and the Graduation Ceremony was held on Friday, 27th October in Castle Dargan Hotel, Ballygawley. Mr. Billy Fitzgerald, Head of the Department of Environmental Science in Sligo I.T. presented the awards.

This course was identified by the Council’s Health and Safety Monitoring Committee as part of a programme to assist staff to address the requirements of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005. The course, which is accredited by HETAC and is recognised both nationally and internationally, commenced in October 2005 and ran for 3 hours on Friday mornings over a period of 18 weeks.

New Recreational Park Overlooking Sligo Harbour

Sligo Borough Council’s Parks Department has commenced work on the removal of the old outdoor swimming pool at Markievicz Road, Sligo. Phase 1 of the project is being funded by grant aid assistance from Peace II and Sligo Borough Council development contributions. The site is being developed as a new recreational park overlooking Sligo Harbour near Hughes Bridge. Work involves the installation of new pedestrian footpaths including disabled access, seating, lighting and landscaping. The contractor for the civil works project is Gerald Love contracts and the project has an expected completion date of April 2007.

Micheal Condren, Senior Executive Parks, notes that the works ‘mark a significant first step in Sligo Borough Councils proposals to develop the Carton foreshore area for recreational and educational purposes. The old walled enclosures of the outdoor swimming pool with rusty barbed wire overhang have historically presented a poor run down image of Sligo on a major arterial gateway to the city. The demolition of the old walls and the new development of public amenity space represents a statement of rejuvenation and hope for the future and ties in with major investment by the Borough Council in recreational infrastructure around Sligo’.

The new park will be a tremendous asset to the people of the city who might like to relax during lunch breaks or walk/cycle to the new facility. The people of Sligo will once again have access to Salmon Point - a place with tremendous panoramic views of Sligo harbour.

Submit Your Views on Draft Heritage Plan

Sligo County Council has published a Draft Heritage Plan for County Sligo 2007-2011 and is seeking your views on how our heritage is managed over the next five years. The closing date for submissions is 15th November 2006.

Managing Our Heritage

Heritage is important to our quality of life whether it is the architecture in our towns, the beach where we walk the dog, the memories of our grandparents, the thatched cottage down the road, to the graveyard where our ancestors are buried, all of this is part of our heritage. What we value today will shape the future of Sligo so this is your chance to shape how Sligo’s heritage is managed over the next five years. County Sligo, like the rest of Ireland, is changing rapidly. To embrace this change we need to make sure that it is done sustainably and that we don’t loose important aspects of our heritage such as wildlife, landscapes, ancient monuments – the many things that make our county wonderful.

County Sligo Heritage Forum

From May to June 2006, many people across the county took time to give their views on Sligo’s heritage, what is important to them, what is under threat and how our heritage can be managed for the future. Specifically, we asked how we could move forward over the next five years in setting an agenda for heritage management at local level – through a new heritage strategy for the county, the draft County Sligo Heritage Plan 2007-2011.

Views were gathered as part of that public consultation process and the County Sligo Heritage Forum records it’s thanks to all who took the time to provide information and express their views. All of those views are valued and have shaped the draft County Sligo Heritage Plan 2007-2011. The Sligo Heritage Forum, is now seeking your views on the draft Plan and the objectives and actions that are proposed to be implemented over the coming five years. The Forum is particularly interested to hear whether the plan reflects the primary issues and concerns raised through the public consultation process. Siobhán Ryan, Heritage Officer with Sligo County Council said that ‘the draft Heritage Plan is guided by the heritage issues that arose through the public consultation process, we are asking the people of Sligo “have we got it right”? This draft plan seeks to promote greater partnership and participation for heritage, so input at all levels is crucial if the roll out and implementation of the draft plan is to be successful.’

Public Consultation

To give as many people as possible an opportunity to comment on the draft heritage plan, a number of measures have been put in place. The Draft Plan will be available for viewing by the public until Wednesday 15th November 2006 inclusive. A copy of the draft is available throughout the Sligo County Library Service network and at the planning offices of Sligo County Council and Sligo Borough Council. The Draft Plan can also be viewed and/or downloaded from www.sligococo.ie.

All written submissions must be with the County Sligo Heritage Office by 15th November 2006, marked ‘Draft County Sligo Heritage Plan 2007-2011’. We look forward to hearing your views!

For further Information contact: Siobhán Ryan, Heritage Officer on 071 9111226/255 or email: heritage@sligococo.ie

Arts and Cultural e-Bulletin

The current edition of Sligo arts e-bulletin is a comprehensive guide to what’s happening in the arts in November, from drama to exhibitions, music, movies comedy and lectures. The bulletin also provides important information on funding and artist opportunities. http://sligoarts.ie/files/docs/November06E-Bulletin.doc

Housing Schemes Nearing Completion

A number of Local Authority housing schemes will be completed by the end of the year.

• Twenty six houses in Ballisodare
• Four houses as the second phase of a Riverstown scheme
• Ten house scheme in Ballintogher
• Six house scheme in Culfadda

A further six affordable houses will be completed in Ballintogher.

Sligo County Council is on target to deliver 361 Social Houses under its multi-annual programme 2004-2008.

Council Adopts Library Development Plan

Sligo County Council has adopted a Draft Development Plan for Sligo County Library, Museum and Cultural Services for the five year period 2006-2010.

In recent years Sligo County Library has made a major contribution to the development of the cultural and artistic life of Sligo. Among its many achievements:

• Providing new libraries at Tubbercurry and Ballymote
• Establishment of the first Public Art Gallery in Sligo
• Creation of the first collection in Ireland that focused on the Yeats family
• Creation of an internationally important Local History & Archive collection
• Completion of the automation of book stock and membership records
• Servicing a library membership that has grown to 16,000.

The Draft Plan provides a strategic framework for developing the library services over the next five years.

Sligo County Library has a long and distinguished tradition of service to the public and is one of the longest established public libraries in Ireland. The Library’s vision is ‘to provide a responsive, accessible and inclusive Library Service for all our customers, which fosters reading, stimulates the imagination and contributes to life-long learning and cultural recreation.’

High Visibility Jacket To Help Road Safety

Sligo County Council is teaming up with Supervalu and manufacturing company Portwest in an effort to improve safety on the road for pedestrians. High visibility jackets will shortly be on sale at cost price in Supervalu stores in Tubbercurry and Ballymote. The Council’s Road Safety Officer, Mr. Val Baynes, sees the launch of the jacket as an important development in ensuring greater safety for pedestrians.

Major Improvement Works on Sligo-Bundoran Road

A major programme of works is being carried out on the N15 Sligo-Bundoran Road between Teesan and Shannoneighter. The new asphalt surface will improve and strengthen this section of roadway. Temporary traffic lights will be in operation over the coming weeks, with an expected completion date for the project of 24th November 2006.

Special Edition of ‘Contact’ Magazine

The Christmas edition of Sligo Local Authorities quarterly magazine ‘Contact’ will be published in mid December and will feature the series of interviews included throughout the past year in ‘Business Sligo.’ Contact will be circulated with the ‘Sligo Champion’ edition of 20th December and will also be inserted in the Christmas edition of ‘Business Sligo.’

Traffic Restrictions on N4

To facilitate bridge works on the N4 Sligo-Collooney dual carriageway, traffic will be restricted to one lane on the north bound carriageways at Collooney bridge and one lane on the south bound carriageway at Ballysodare river bridge, from Friday 3rd Nov until Wednesday 20th Dec 2006.

PMDS Facilitator Development Programme

Sixteen Performance Management and Development Systems (PMDS) Facilitators from Local Authorities in the western region of Ireland recently received their accredited diplomas from the Institute of Public Administration (IPA) following their successful completion of the Institute’s inaugural six-day development programme, which was held in the Regional Training Centre in Castlebar.

The course was developed with input from the Facilitators themselves at a workshop coordinated by Jim Lyng from Cavan County Council, that took place earlier in the year. The focus of the course is to help Facilitators better manage their relationships with managers and their teams. Topics addressed over the duration of the course included coaching styles, facilitation skills, team building and management. The IPA also arranged for a special session on conflict and negotiation skills given by Phil Kildea, prior to the presentation of certificates at the programme.

There was a strong belief among the Facilitators that the skills and knowledge they had acquired would have a much wider application than the PMDS programme alone.

An important underlying principle of the course development was that the training methodologies should maximize the involvement of the Facilitators and so allow for full discussion of the issues and concerns of the delegates. This made the learning directly relevant to their everyday experiences. Although this aim was achieved and there was widespread satisfaction, the course is now under review and it is expected that there will be further enhancements prior to the next scheduling.

Martin Speers from the IPA facilitated the course, which has been run twice and consists of three two-day modules over a three week period. The course was hosted and supported by Marcella Moran and her staff at the Regional Training Centre in Castlebar. Any enquiries about the programme should be referred to Martin Speers or Mary Griffin at the Institute for Public Administration on 01 2403600.

Hedgecutting A Window of Opportunity

Now is the time to get your hedges cut!

A small window of opportunity now exists for landowners and occupiers of land to have their hedges or trees trimmed and cut back. Under the Wildlife Act, between 1st March & 31st August, it is an offence to destroy or cut back vegetation growing in a ditch, unless it is carried out in the interests of public health & safety. Therefore from September to February is the only period within which this task can be carried out. As the time scale for this work is limited, Sligo County Council is requesting that landowners and occupiers of land commence these works as soon as possible, to be completed before 28th February 2007.

Notices have been placed in local newspapers to make landowners and occupiers aware that, under the Roads Act, they are legally obliged to ensure that hedges, tress and vegetation which are adjoining a public road and are likely to cause a hazard to road users should be cut. The Roads Department has also issued notices to landowners and occupiers of land under Section 70 (2b) of the Roads Act 1993.

Road safety has become a major issue for us all and rightly so. In the interests of all road users, hedges and tress that may cause a hazard should be cut back or trimmed as necessary. Sligo County Council would like to thank those who have already taken the opportunity to do this work. Other landowners and occupiers of land are requested to take heed and take action now.

Sligo County Council will take appropriate legal action against those who do not comply. Remember, apart from your legal obligation to comply, ensuring your hedges are cutback and maintained will make a difference to all road users and may also keep you away from the courts.

Further information is available from the P Hughes at 071 911 1951 or J O’Toole at 086- 6067190. You can also contact your local area office:
Ballymote 071-9111662
Enniscrone 071-9111650
Sligo 071-9111954
Tubbercurry 071-9111702

Council Honours Young Sporting Heroes

The Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council Councillor Jim McGarry honoured young sportspeople from the Maugheraboy area at a reception held at County Hall. The Maugheraboy U-10 Gaelic team are National Community Games Bronze medallists, the St Mary’s U-12 Gaelic Team are Sligo County Champions, and they were joined in the celebrations by Gerard Keaney, U-14 Shot-putt champion in the National Community Games finals.

The Cathaoirleach remarked on the vibrant community spirit that underpinned these sporting achievements ‘When dedicated people make the investment of time and effort over countless training sessions to coach and guide their young squad, it is so encouraging to see it all come to fruition on the day. The community games spirit has infused all the athletes we honour this evening, in that teamwork and dedication are as important as success, and the young people who have made this exciting journey will have acquired memories they will cherish for the rest of their lives.’

Check the Register

The Draft Register of Electors is on display at Council Offices, Post Offices and Garda Stations. Anyone wishing to make an amendment to the Draft Register may do so by completing Form RFA 1 and submitting it to the Corporate Services Section, Sligo County Council not later than: 25th November, 2006.

For further information contact: Corporate Services Section, Sligo County Council at 071 9111012.

Schools Invited to Design Anti-Litter Advert

Sligo County Council, Sligo Education Centre and the Gaiety Cinema Sligo are calling on pupils in primary schools, post-primary schools and colleges to design an anti-litter advertisement for cinemas. The winning advert will be played in the Sligo Gaiety Cinema on six different screens for a minimum of six months in 2007.

A novel element of the initiative is that the best three adverts as shortlisted by the judging panel will be put to a public vote. The advert will be accessible on Sligo County Council’s website for the first two weeks in January 2007, and the entry with the most public votes will be declared the winner.

The closing date for the competition is Friday 15th December and the prize will be awarded by Cathaoirleach Councillor Jim McGarry.

Further information available from Sharon Eastwood, Environmental Awareness Officer, Sligo County Council.

Phone: 071 9111908,
E-mail: environ@sligococo.ie

2005 Annual Report Published

Sligo County Council’s Annual Report for 2005 has been published. The report sets out the progress made by the Council across a wide range of areas, from transport infrastructure, housing programmes, water and waste water schemes, developments in planning and environment, and updates from the Council’s main service areas.

The report is published in irish and english and is available from the Communications Office both in printed and CD format, and can also be accessed on the Council’s website, www.sligococo.ie .

Framework For Positive Action On Disability – An Overview

Implications For The Local Authority

The National Disability Strategy

The Government launched the National Disability Strategy in 2004 to underpin the participation of people with disabilities in society. The Strategy builds on existing policy and legislation, from the Barcelona Declaration to the Equality & Employment Laws, and reinforces the Government’s commitment to social inclusion for people with disabilities. It is a framework of positive action measures to mainstream service provision for people with disabilities within the state agencies. The Strategy consists of four elements;

1. Comhairle (Amendment) Bill 2004. This Bill introduces personal advocacy services specifically for people with disabilities. The new service will be administered by Comhairle and envisages the provision of a personal advocate to people with a disability who have difficulty in obtaining, without assistance or support, a social service.
2. Disability Act 2005. This Act, signed on 8 July 2005, establishes;
   • A statutory basis for an independent assessment of individual health needs and where appropriate, educational services for people with disabilities over age 18;
   • Access to main stream public services and actions to support access to public buildings, services and information;
   • Sectoral Plans to be prepared and published by six key sectors;
   • Safeguards for the use of information obtained from genetic testing to ensure that people affected by genetic disorders are not subjected to unreasonable requirements from an employer, insurer or mortgage provider;
   • Obligations on public bodies to be proactive in employing people with disabilities and the monitoring of compliance with those obligations;
   • A Centre for Excellence in Universal Design in the National Disability Authority to promote best practice in the design of the environment and products so they are usable for everyone especially people with disabilities;
   • Rules to facilitate access to broadcast programmes by persons with sensory impairments.
3. Sectoral Plans. Six government departments are required to publish Sectoral Plans which set out programmes for implementation and time frames to achieve. The Sectoral Plan for the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government is now awaiting approval by the Oireachtas. This Plan provides for many positive measures as well as improved rights to integrated public service delivery. Local Authorities must plan for integrated access to all its services including housing, roads and streets, parks, buildings etc, in accordance with the objectives of the Department’s Plan.
4. Multi-annual Investment Programme. The Government has indicated its commitment to making adequate resources available in order to meet the challenges of the Strategy. Sligo Local Authorities received a total of €230,000 in 2005 to commence the provision of accessible services and activities contained in the Sectoral Plan. The amount received in 2006 was €350,000, and significant progress has been made.

The Disability Act & the Local Authority.

Key sections of the Act which pertain to the Local Authority;

• S.25 Access to public buildings.
  A Local Authority must ensure that its public buildings, as far as is practicable, are accessible to people with disabilities not later than 31 December 2015.
• S.26 Access to services.A Local Authority is to ensure that access to services by people with and persons without disabilities is integrated.
• S.26(2) Access Officer.
  A Local Authority must appoint an Access Officer to provide for or arrange for the assistance of people with disabilities in accessing services provided by the organisation. The Access Officer will act as a link between the Local Authority and local disability groups/people with disabilities.
• S.27 Services.
  Services provided to a Local Authority must be accessible to people with disabilities, in so far as is practicable and would not result in delay or undue cost.
• S.28 Access to information.
  When communicating with the public, and when so requested, the Local Authority must ensure that the communication is in an accessible format. Electronic communications should also be in an accessible format and published information relevant to people with intellectual difficulties should also be accessible.
• S.29 Access to heritage sites.
  The Local Authority must ensure that, as far as practicable, the whole or part of a heritage site in its ownership, management or control to which the public has access is accessible to people with disabilities and can be visited by them with ease and dignity. This Section will come into operation on 31 December 2007.
• S.30 Codes of Practice.
  The Minister may request the National Disability Authority to prepare Codes of Practice which when approved will assist Public Bodies in meeting their statutory obligations under sections 26 to 29. A Code of Practice on ‘Accessibility of Public Services and information provided by Public Bodies’ has recently been published. This will ultimately guide the Local Authority in best practice procedures.
• S.31 Sectoral Plans.
  Six Government Departments are required to publish Sectoral Plans which outline measures to be taken in relation to the provisions of the Act and access arrangements for people with disabilities for which that Department has responsibility.
• S.38 Complaints.
  A complaint in writing may be made to the Local Authority in relation to its failure to comply with sections 25,26,27,28 or 29 of the Act.
• S.39 Appointment of an Inquiry Officer
  An inquiry officer shall be appointed by the Local Authority. The Officer will be responsible for dealing with complaints made under S.38 of the Act. The Officer will also draw up a procedure for dealing with such complaints.
• S.47 Employment.
  The Local Authority is required to take all reasonable measures to promote and support the employment of people with disabilities. They shall have regard to relevant Codes of Practice. The Authority is obliged to meet any compliance target that may be set by the Minister.
  
  If no compliance target has been set then no less than 3% of the persons employed by the Authority shall be people with disabilities.
• S.48 Monitoring Committee
  A Monitoring Committee will be established by the Minister. The Local Authority will be required to submit a report to the Committee before 31 March each year in relation to its compliance with this part of the Act.

Sligo Local Authorities’ response to measures contained in the Act will be featured in the next edition.

Green Schools Seminar

Sligo County Council’s environment section organised a major seminar for green schools recently. Nearly 70 teachers attended and 6 new schools joined the programme that evening alone. This means that now over 80% of Sligo schools are now part of the world-wide green schools programme.

Dr. Michael John O’Mahoney, An Taisce, travelled from Cork to share techniques and examples of best practice with the teachers. Sharon Eastwood, Environmental Awareness Officer for Sligo County Council was able to provide a local angle giving information such as suggested venues for school trips or details of exciting litter competitions currently happening in the county.

Attendees received literature and materials to assist with school projects and competitions from Sligo County Council, An Taisce and Sustainable Energy Ireland. Special thanks to the welcoming staff of Sligo Education Centre, where the seminar was held.

Further details from Sharon Eastwood, 071 9111 908.

Successful Event To Demystify Funding For Community &Amp; Voluntary Groups

Funding, Funding, Funding……it is the challenge of every Community & Voluntary group at some stage!! There is the constant battle: raising funds, filling in application forms, getting more money, reporting back to funders on where the money was spent. It is a never ending circle. County Sligo Community Forum & Sligo Volunteer Centre wanted to demystify some of the issues around funding for Community & Voluntary Groups. After all, if groups can spend less time trying to figure out the best way to get funding, they can spend more time on the goals they are trying to achieve to serve the community in County Sligo.

County Sligo Community Forum in conjunction with Sligo Volunteer Centre held a very successful Funding Seminar recently in the Clarion Hotel. The aim of the seminar was to inform Community & Voluntary Groups of the types of funding open to them, how to get started on their idea, hints about filling out the application form and tips on fundraising. The large attendance of representatives from approximately 75 community groups around the County listened to contributions from speakers Declan Breen, Acting Director of Services for Community, Enterprise & the Arts and Ciara O’Hara of the Sligo Volunteer Centre about where volunteers can come into fundraising around the Sligo County Councils support for the Community & Voluntary Sector. The keynote address was from Deirdre Garvey, CEO of The Wheel, a national organisation that provides support services & advocacy for the whole community & voluntary sector. This was followed by a very practical and insightful presentation by local community activist Maeve Whittington from Sligo Social Services Co. Ltd., who spoke of her experience of applying for funding for a variety of projects in her role as community development support. Tom McGettrick, Chairperson of Sligo County Community Forum chaired the day and was delighted that it was of benefit to all who took time out of their schedules to come along.

There was a wide variety of information stands from both local & national organisations that provide funding to various groups. People were free to browse and gather as much information as they could. There were groups such as Sligo County Council Heritage Office, Arts Office, Environment Office & Community & Enterprise, Sligo County Enterprise Board, FÁS, the RAPID Programme, Border Action, Clan Credo, Sligo County Childcare Committee, Western Development Commission & Sligo Sports & Recreation Partnership to name a few.

There were three workshops for groups to attend which incorporated: A - getting your idea off the ground, B - fundraising ideas & C - filling out application forms. These workshops proved to be practical and valuable and the aspect of the day that Community & Voluntary groups want to see more of and spend more time on. Organiser Ciara O’Hara said “It was fantastic to see so many community groups out on a Saturday morning. We are delighted on behalf of the Volunteer Centre and Sligo County Community Forum to be able to offer seminars that are of value to the Community & Voluntary Sector and hope that we can work together to host similar events in the future”. Rita Ann, Support & Development Worker for Sligo County Community Forum can be contacted on 071-911 1814 and Ciara O’Hara from Sligo Volunteer Centre can be contacted on 071-911 1813.

Arts Office &Amp; Ocean Fm Combine Forces On ‘The Third Sunday’

In 2006/2007, as part of its 10th birthday celebrations, the Arts Office will partner with Ocean FM to produce a unique series of radio programmes curated by writer Brian Leyden. Every third Sunday of the month from November 06 to June 07 Sorcha Crowley, presenter of ‘The Arts House’, will be meeting Writers Groups throughout County Sligo. The emphasis will be on fine writing in poetry and story that at the same time explores how place connects with imagination. Each of the eight programmes will present a feature writers group’s own work, poetry, stories, member’s profiles together with a special guest author on the craft and business of writing. Since its establishment in 1997, the Arts Office has worked with many new and established writers groups throughout Sligo. This innovate programme will promote and further the work of creative writing groups throughout the county.

Arts House is aired on Ocean FM every Sunday from 8-9pm. The Third Sunday schedule for November and December is as follows:

Sunday 19th November, Drumcliffe Writers with author Dermot Healy
Sunday 17th December, Tubbercurry Writers with author Eoin McNamee