Your June Update from James Browne T.D.
Your June Update from James Browne T.D.
A chara,
I hope this email finds you and your family well. Below you’ll find a bumper update on my work as a TD for County Wexford and Minister of State for Law Reform. If you need any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me by emailing JamesBrowneTD@oir.ie or phoning 0539235046.
Best wishes,
James Browne T.D.
Sod-turning at Enniscorthy Water Treatment Plant Works
I was delighted to officially turn the sod for critical upgrade works at Enniscorthy Water Treatment Plant near Vinegar Hill. This project is pivotal to supporting future growth and development in Enniscorthy and will support the successful delivery of housing.
County Wexford schools benefit from Department of Education project approvals
An extension project for Piercestown NS has now received initial project approval to extend the school for two special education teaching rooms. The school has developed its facilities following the recent addition of the school’s class for children with additional needs. Last August, the school was approved funding for the provision of additional universal access facilities.
Sacred Heart NS in Newbawn can now proceed to tender stage to deliver an additional mainstream classroom, special educational needs classroom, special education teaching room and sensory room.
St. Fintan’s National School in Taghmon can now pursue a devolved extension project for four special educational teaching rooms while Ballymurn NS can start planning for the development of three special educational teaching rooms.
Fianna Fáil in Government has prioritised the delivery of these projects and I wish every success to the staff, board of management and wider community of these schools in this exciting time for their school’s development.
Additional funding allocated towards repair of County Wexford’s roads
An additional €1,097,000 has been allocated towards the repair of County Wexford’s regional and local roads following excessive rainfall in recent months.
Roads across County Wexford suffered the impact from heavy rainfall in recent months. My Government colleagues and I are directing emergency funds to address the need to repair potholes and other damage on our roads.
Government funding open for applications to create workspaces for artists
Creative Ireland funding available for local authorities to apply for a grant towards creating artists workspaces up to €150k with the Council giving 40% towards the costs. For more info, feel free to email JamesBrowneTD@oir.ie.
Two County Wexford outdoor trails will benefit from significant Government funding
A grant worth €198,000 will support the development of a 13km Blackstairs Mountain walking trail spanning from Killanne, Rathnure, Templeludigan and to Ballywilliam, with car parks established at both trail ends. Meanwhile a grant of the same value will support the 700m roadside paths from Tara Vale to Kitts Lane at the bottom of Tara Hill.
Three County Wexford towns to benefit from Town Centre First Strategies
A grant worth €10,000 towards developing town centre first strategies has been awarded to Taghmon, Castlebridge and Bunclody. A Town Centre First plan will also be created for the Courtown/Riverchapel area.
143 County Wexford community organisations share in grants worth €180,280.85
Following recommendations made by Wexford County Council, the Government’s Department of Rural and Community Development has now approved minor grants for funding 143 locally led, ground-up projects in local communities across County Wexford. The funding awarded comes to €180,280.85.
While these grants are small in nature, they can make a big difference by allowing local community organisations to carry out much needed works in their area. Among the groups benefitting from such funding, there are GAA clubs, animal rescue organisations, community development groups, music groups and many more community organisations. I will continue to work with my Government colleagues to deliver grant funding that makes a real difference to County Wexford communities.
Improved Local Link Wexford services connect with Enniscorthy PCC
Local Link Wexford can now accommodate stops to Enniscorthy Primary Care Centre on its door-to-door services. The services include the 3170 Castlegardens to Enniscorthy town on Mondays, the 423 Castlegardens to Enniscorthy on Thursdays, the 432 Bree to Enniscorthy on Thursdays, the 3180 Boolavogue to Enniscorthy on Thursdays, and the 433 Ballywilliam to Enniscorthy on Fridays.
If someone wishes to avail of one of these services to travel to an appointment to the primary care centre, they can call Local Link Wexford on 053 901 1828 by 3pm the weekday before the relevant service to be collected at their door. Bus seats can be reserved on a weekly basis too.
This is a positive step of progress that I am delighted to deliver for people who need transport to travel to the Primary Care Centre in Blackstoops. This is only the first step as I will continue to fight for improved Local Link Wexford bus services to primary care centres, other areas across County Wexford including an Enniscorthy town bus service.
€668,921 will be allocated towards flood works in Seaview, Bastardstown
Since emergency works were carried out along the initial 100m of coastline, Wexford County Council will now benefit from this Government funding allocation to implement an additional layer of rock armour in order to bring emergency works at the south Wexford location up to long term standard. Wexford County Council will then add additional full rock armour to the second section for the next 55 metres of coastline.
Seven County Wexford biodiversity projects benefit from Govt funding worth €123,172
Dune restoration works where chestnut fencing to the value of €38,250 will be installed at Ballyteigue and Morriscastle beaches. A number of sites across the Enniscorthy Municipal District will be inspected as part of second phase of wetland surveys. A survey will take place to gauge the presence of the nightjar, a nocturnal bird, in County Wexford. The survey will benefit from €12,580 in funding to assist in determining the distribution of this breed of bird as well as identifying important areas of suitable habitat. A follow up survey listing examining trends of the Irish mayfly in County Wexford will also be undertaken by the Council. Wexford County Council outdoor staff and gardeners will benefit from specific staff training thanks to a Government grant to the value of €26,318. Meanwhile ecological surveys will be carried out at Holmestown Waste Facility and the former landfill site at Killurin, Wexford.
19 County Wexford schools approved for Departmental art and creativity programmes
BLAST residency projects are creative collaborations between the artist/creative practitioner, teacher, children and young people in and with the school under the coordination of Wexford’s Education Support Centre. Each residency is worth €1,100 which is fully funded by the Department of Education with the Education Support Centre in Enniscorthy managing the administration of the Artist/Creative Practitioner’s 20-hour residency. BLAST residencies can be delivered throughout the academic year 2024/25 in Our Lady of Fatima NS and Convent of Mercy NS in Wexford town, Monaseed NS, Rathnure NS, Ballyduff NS, Barntown NS, Castledockrell NS, Clonroche NS and St. Joseph’s NS Kilmuckridge primary schools. The programme will also be delivered in Good Counsel New Ross, St. Mary’s CBS Enniscorthy, St. Mary’s Secondary School New Ross and Bunclody Vocational College.
Meanwhile new Creative Clusters will see two groups of three County Wexford schools come together over two years to work on a project of their choice. A Cluster may receive up to €15,000 in funding to help them bring their plans and ideas around a project of their choice to fruition, with support from a local facilitator and the Education Support Centre in Enniscorthy, between 2024 and 2026. The programme is designed to help schools build a project of learning and activities which is tailor-made for their students. In Wexford town, Selskar College, Wexford CBS and the Presentation Secondary School will form one cluster while St. Leonard’s NS, Gusserane NS and Ballycullane NS will also form a cluster.
34 County Wexford small schools benefit from programme extension
A two year extension to the small schools’ project will support the sustainability of 34 small schools across County Wexford. The innovative small schools’ action research project, which was first set up in 2021, has brought small schools together in local clusters, enabling them to collaborate and identify common challenges and trial innovative solutions.
Two County Wexford organisations will benefit from additional allocations of Dormant Accounts Funding
Taghmon Family Resource Centre and Bridgetown School Completion Programe will benefit from grants worth €24,000 and €5,000 respectively. The funding comes from the Government’s distribution of Dormant Accounts Funding. TUSLA will administer the funding distribution, which is designed to increase counselling, psychotherapy and therapeutic services to children and young people, especially those who live in communities experiencing social and economic disadvantages.
22 County Wexford Women’s Groups will share in Government funding worth €36,141.79.
22 County Wexford Women’s Groups have been approved for small grants to assist groups in to enhance/improve their facilities and to purchase equipment. Among the County Wexford groups Women’s Sheds, Camogie and GAA Clubs, ICA Groups, Toddler Groups, Girl Guides and more.
These groups are working tirelessly within communities to provide both young and old with an outlet to socialise, upskill, relax and so much more.
OPW grants permission for a Mass to be held in Dunbrody Abbey
I’m delighted that common sense has prevailed and that the annual commemorative Mass in Dunbrody Abbey will go ahead on Sunday 14th July 2024. Since 2014, this has served as a popular event for local parishioners celebrating the Norman heritage of south Wexford. It was disappointing to see that permission from the OPW had initially been refused. However, I was pleased that, following making representations to Minister Kieran O’Donnell T.D. and the OPW, permission is now granted, and this popular local tradition can continue to be celebrated in a dignified fashion. I commend Fr Gerald O’Leary and Horeswood Parish for their efforts in celebrating this event as a thoughtful reminder of our rich Norman history in County Wexford.
Two County Wexford Projects will deliver Creative Health and Wellbeing in the Community initiatives this year
Live music performances in residential healthcare settings delivered through Wexford County Council’s Rí Rá sessions will continue to enhance wellbeing through creativity. I know that this has proven to be a hugely successful initiative that brings joy to residential healthcare settings across County Wexford.
Meanwhile a collaboration between Wexford County Council and Waterford County Council will use €70,000 in funding to deliver an initiative regarding grief. Different artistic genres and medium will be explored to develop bespoke creative rituals. The rituals will function as self-managed support systems that aid the participants’ travel through the long-term processes of grief. The Government funding is based on using creative pathways to help people deepen their understand of grief following bereavement.