Skerries Tidy Towns are looking to making the town as accessible as possible and would be very grateful if any Wheelchair/Mobility Scooter users and people with limited mobility could complete a survey on accessibility in Skerries. They would also be grateful for any suggestions from people where the town can be improved.
Wheelchair/mobility scooter accessibility survey
You can send the completed survey to mclarecarter@aol.com.
Skerries Tidy Towns will launch their reusable cups in Super Valu Skerries on Tuesday, December 12th, at 2pm. Thanks to James and Super Valu for hosting the launch.
The 12 oz cup comes in four colours. It is made of naturally organic, rapidly renewable bamboo fibre. The lid and sleeve are made of silicone, which is BPA and phthalate free. The cup itself is dishwasher safe, naturally sterile – no taste residue – and should last for years. But when it has come to the end of its natural life, it goes back to nature along with organic compost.
The cups will retail at €9.99 and will be available in Super Valu, Gerry’s, Goat in the Boat, Skerries Mills, C&T’s, Skerries News, Olive, LA Bakery and Gerry at the station.
There will be a free coffee to go when you buy a cup on the day.
Skerries Community College Parents Association will host a presentation by Mr. Enda Murphy, Cognitive Behaviour Therapist and Author, on “Fear, Failure and Managing Expectations” on Wednesday 22nd November in the school hall at 8pm sharp.
Tickets @ €5.00 available in Skerries Bookshop
Enda is a very well know speaker and author, and is regularly on the radio talking about the issue of mental health and our children’s well being.
There are a limited number of tickets for sale, please don’t be disappointed.
You are invited to a public meeting on Skerries Better Energy Community (BEC) programme at 8 pm, 4 December, Old School, Skerries Community Centre
Skerries Community Association (SCA) invites you to a public information meeting to learn how communities can work together to avail of generous grants to retrofit homes, community buildings and business premises, to make them warmer and reduce energy costs. Grants of 80% are available if you are on a fuel allowance, 35% if not, 50% for community buildings and 30% for commercial buildings. At the meeting you will be able to learn more about the practicalities of the scheme and to sign up for a free assessment of the work that would be suitable for making your own house more energy efficient.
In 2016 and 2017, 150 homeowners in mid-Louth benefited from this scheme, which was managed by Dunleer Community Development Board. The total investment to date was €1.2M, and these interventions have made energy savings of 3.6 million Kilowatts.
Skerries Community Association plans to initially partner with the successful scheme in Louth managed by Dunleer Community Development Board, who are making a further application under the 2018 BEC Programme.
http://www.themarkethouse.ie/index.php/about/the-dcdb/207-dcdb-background-and-mission-statement
Funding for Better Energy Communities is provided by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) https://www.seai.ie/grants/community-grants/
To learn more please come along to the meeting. To help us get an idea of likely attendance please email betterenergy@skerriesca.com
Download flyer: Skerries Better Energy Community (BEC) meeting, 4 December 2017
Fingal County Council are drafting bye-laws on special 30 km/h speed limits in selected residential areas, but not for Skerries. We, the public, have until 24 October to make submissions on this.
As currently drafted, the bye-laws will introduce 30km/h speed limits in parts of Swords, Donabate, Balrothery, Balbriggan, Sutton, Baldoyle, Malahide, Kinsealy, Mulhuddart and Ongar. As of now, there are no draft bye-laws for any part of Skerries.
Details and maps are at https://consult.fingal.ie/en/consultation/public-display-road-traffic-special-speed-limitscounty-fingaldraft-bye-laws-no-1-local
You can make your opinion count by making a personal submission to Fingal County Council at https://consult.fingal.ie/en/node/add/civiq-comments?c=8043
Skerries Community Association will also be making a submission to Fingal County Council. Our submission will cover the areas where there are EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST IN INTRODUCING 30 KM/H LIMITS. Give us your feedback by emailing traffic@skerriesca.com with your views. Continue reading
The 2017 Annual General Meeting of the Skerries Community Association is on Friday 8 September in the Little Theatre, Skerries Community Centre from 8 p.m.
Our pre-AGM leaflet containing a review of our committees’ activities has been printed and should arrive at every household before Friday 8 September. It can be viewed online here.
Why not become involved yourself?!?
The Jim Quigley Award for Volunteer of the Year 2017 was awarded to the organisers of Skerries Water Safety Week. The award certificate was accepted by Skerries Safety Week representatives, Máire Jones, Grainne Ward accompanied by Jim Dwyer (Hon. Sec of the Dublin Water Safety Committee).
Himalayan Balsam is a pretty pink plant that was first introduced to Ireland as a garden plant, but it soon found its way out of gardens and into the countryside, where it has been spreading rapidly ever since.
In Fingal, its spread seems to be limited to two sites in Skerries, and the Skerries Tidy Towns group and Fingal County Council are keen to eradicate this invasive species.
The plant is an annual with scented, purplish-pink, slipper shaped flowers in June–August. When the large green seed pods are mature they explode when touched, scattering the seed far and wide to start new infestations next year. The seeds float and are spread further by water movements.
If you have seen Himalayan Balsam around Skerries when out and about, please let us know. To report Himalayan Balsam locations please email your sightings to biodiversity@fingal.ie
Please try to provide a map or a precise location with reference to the proximity of local features.
“En marche!” is the name and slogan of the new political party of Emmanuel Macron who hopes to revitalise France. Equally you could apply it to the group of Skerries walkers who have just spent an enjoyable week walking and hiking in the Canton of Guichen. A 30-strong group of all ages and interests, intent on exploring the walkways and trails, were accompanied by five teenagers, who were able to sample secondary school life during their week-long stay.
For those who may be interested, we have received a copy of Fingal County Council’s Tree Strategy: The Forest of Fingal – A Tree Strategy for Fingal. Note that this is the final document even though it says ‘draft’.