Councillor John Paul Feeley has welcomed the completion of upgrading work at the access road and carpark at the Shannon Pot, the source of Ireland’s longest river. The work completed in recent weeks included a tarmac overlay of the roadway and carpark which will enhance the facility for locals and visitors who access this popular and scenic location. ‘The Shannon Pot is of itself a noteworthy location as the source of Irelands longest river but in the context of the Geopark, of which it is a designated site, it has a greater significance which explains it is the location where a series of underground streams surface to form the Shannon Pot. The number of visitors to the Shannon Pot is increasing dramaticly. As part of the ongoing development of the Geopark there is monitoring of visitor numbers. From March to the end of August just under 13,000 people visited the Shannon Pot which is a very significant number of visitors given that the monitors a number of years ago recorded about 2,000 visitors. Clearly the investment and promotion is having the desired effect and it is vital that we continue to build on the progress.’ Concluding, Councillor Feeley acknowledged the ongoing efforts of the Council Staff in the area ad in particular the work of Derry Scanlan, Executive Engineer and Tom Joe McGoldrick, Area Overseer who oversaw the project in recent weeks at the Shannon Pot.
Category Archives: Press Releases
‘Restored Dowra Courthouse transforms village’ – Feeley
Fianna Fail Councillor, John Paul Feeley has welcomed the completion of works to restore Dowra Courthouse as a Community Creative Arts Space. The conclusion of works will be marked by the official opening of the restored building by Cathaoirleach of Cavan County Council, Shane P. O’Reilly. ‘The work to Dowra Courthouse has been extraordinary. The restored building has transformed the village. I hope that the building will provide a much needed boost to the village the surrounding area and will in time prove an attraction to visitors and a resource to the people of the locality.’ In recent years the building had fallen into repair. The sitting of the District Court ended some years ago and due to the condition of the premises An Garda Siochana moved to alternative accommodation. Thereafter the building reverted to Cavan County Council.’ ‘One of my priorities when I became a Councillor in 2007 was to see this building restored. I set about a series of meeting with Council Officials, Vincent Reynolds, the CEO of the Cavan County Enterprise Board and others. Through these the restoration of the building was included in the Harnessing Natural Resources, an INTEREG 4A funded programme, and became the flag-ship project in Cavan and the largest single project in the project in the series funded throughout, Cavan, Leitrim, Sligo and Fermanagh.’ The work completed included restoration of the main building, the refitting and conservation of windows, doors and the roof, the demolition of old storage buildings in the courtyard, the provision of a glazed corridor at the rear of the building, the provision new storage buildings, internal lift, disabled access, new walls, entrance gates and other works to the building. ‘The building is now under the stewardship of Cavan County Council and will be available for use for community arts and will have a special emphasis on supporting and encouraging small artists. I hope that building will be a catalyst for further investment in the area into the future.’ concluded Councillor Feeley
€ 62,000 Jetty will enhance Lough MacNean Park – Feeley
Cavan County Councillor, John Paul Feeley has welcomed confirmation that the contract for the provision of a floating jetty at Lough MacNean Park, Blacklion has been awarded and that the work should be completed by early November 2014. ‘The provision of a floating jetty will enhance Lough MacNean Park for all users. It is a significant investment and will be completed in the next few weeks. The funding involved was secured from the INTEREF IVA Programme through the Harnessing Natural Resources Project administered through Cavan County Enterprise Board. I thank the Council staff, especially Derry Scanlan as Executive Engineer and the other staff involved and indeed Vincent Reynolds and his colleagues in the Cavan County Enterprise Board, now the Local Enterprise Office.’ Lough MacNean Park is located on the lakeshore just outside Blacklion. The most recent investment will add to the existing children’s playground, adult activity area, multi-purpose play surface, carpark and toilet and changing block provided through the joint efforts of Cavan County Council and Killinagh Community Council. ‘This is a further investment in the UNESCO Marble Arch Global Geopark which is continuing to attract significant numbers to the area. It is essential that we continue to work for additional investment. This further enhancement will provide an additional attraction for visitors and an additional amenity for the local community.’ The work will be completed in accordance with the requirement of the Geopark and is one of 26 rural community and enterprise initiatives across counties Cavan, Fermanagh and Leitrim. It is spearheaded by the Cavn County Enterprise Board in tandem with Cavan and Leitrim County Councils, Fermanagh District Council, Coillte, Inland Fisheries Ireland and Swanlinbar Development Association. ‘I am delighted with the announcement of this project. I hope that it will be of great use to visitors and local alike. I wish the contractors Dean Public Works Ltd. well with the project.’ ENDS
Minister Kelly ‘a coward’ for not meeting Cavan County Council – Feeley
Fianna Fáil Councillor, John Paul Feeley has called Minister for the Environment, Community & Local government a ‘coward’ for refusing to meet a delegation from Cavan County Council to discuss the Equalisation Fund allocation to Cavan County Council which was an attempt to make up the shortfall in the Local Property Tax. ‘At our Council Meeting to discuss the Local Property Tax, I and the Fianna Fáil Group, proposed that the Council, on a cross-party basis meet with Minister Kelly. His reply to that request is to refuse to meet with us due to a ‘heavy schedule of diary commitments.’ It is extraordinary that the Minister responsible for Local Government would refuse to meet with a cross party delegation from a County Council. We have a mandate from the people of the County to represent them and the Minister in refusing to meet us is ignoring that mandate. It shows a clear lack of conviction on Minister Kelly’s part in his own policies, it is an admission that he cannot justify his own policies which amount to a con-job on counties such as Cavan. We are being punished for being a poorer county and the Ministers refusal to meet with us is clearly an act of cowardice on his part.’ Last month, based on the figures available to Cavan County Council and taking account of the obligations facing the Council in 2015 decided not to alter the rate of the Local Property Tax for the coming year. ‘As a Council, we took a responsible position in relation to the Local Property Tax. We did so to protect services in the County in so far as we can as a Council, despite being starved of resources by Government. I welcome the fact that the Fine Gael Councillors were equally dismayed by the Ministers refusal to meet with us and urged the Minster to come to Cavan to meet with us as a Council.’ Concluding Councillor Feeley called on Minister Kelly to make himself available to hear the concerns the members of Cavan County Council about the financial stability of the Council into the future and ensuring that the people of County Council can have a proper level of service from their local authority.