Questions for Ken Ó Héiligh

CMpunked

Tullyallen, Monasterboice. Termonfeckin. Clogherhead.[/QUOTE]

I cant see why any one from these places would be bothered either way if the tolls were there or not, tbh.
Being on the north side of the town, if a journey is needed to be taken to or from dublin, the tolls dont come into it at all.
They dont impact their journeys unless they want to nip to tesco on the way back or something.

locum-motion

Cllr. Ken O Heiligh wrote: »

The Donore Road ramp Tolls are located on the main artery road into Drogheda.

Again with the deliberate and dishonest misrepresentation! You're persisting with this notion that it's a tax on people entering Drogheda, just because that's the fastest route from Dublin. If one wishes to use the tolled section of road to enter Drogheda, one must pay the toll. But it is not "a toll to enter Drogheda", which you persist in implying it is.

Everybody has the option of entering Drogheda without paying a toll, whether they're coming from the North (Dundalk/Belfast), South (Dublin), West (Donore/Duleek), Northeast (Baltray/Termonfeckin) or Southeast (Mornington/Bettystown).

You only have to pay if you choose to use the tolled section of road.

Mr_Hat

Cllr. Ken O Heiligh wrote: »

The Donore Road ramp Tolls are located on the main artery road into Drogheda.

Change the record will you. No one here is falling for your claptrap. If I were you I would request your account is closed. The more you post here, the worse your coming off as.

rpurfield

Cllr. Ken O Heiligh wrote: »

Your original post simply made enquiries about free parking and how beneficial to the town free parking would be. That matter is now resolved so I take it from your comments that you are now seeking 2 hour free parking in the centre of town. At the December meeting of Drogheda Borough Council I put forward a proposal similar to yours but unfortunately none of my fellow Councillors would second the proposal. So it never made it onto the floor for debate.

The Donore Road ramp TOLL is opposed by All members of Drogheda Borough Council and Drogheda Chamber of Commerce. Both these groups represent the majority of people in Drogheda.

the car parks you point out to me are a good walk from the town centre and/or too small to make any impact.hence my second post.as regards tolls i can be in drogheda at one of the town centre car parks(which i then have to pay for ahem) in ten to fifteen minutes on back roads not paying a toll.the only time i pay a toll is if i want to get to or from the northside of the town in a hurry or im heading for dundalk/newry.in fact i live along a backroad to drogheda here and the increase in traffic volume since stamullen got built up would suggest very few out here pay the toll to enter drogheda

Cllr. Ken O Heiligh

CMpunked wrote: »

Tullyallen, Monasterboice. Termonfeckin. Clogherhead. I cant see why any one from these places would be bothered either way if the tolls were there or not, tbh.

I would present the following circumstances.

When applicants apply for social housing to Drogheda Borough Council they may end up being housed in Tullyallen. With this in mind, the ramp Tolls on the Donore Road prevents regular 2 journey trips to the far side and force families to divert down Mell over the Bridge of Peace and up the Rathmullen Road when visiting their extended family, GP, schools, and swimming pool in the Rathmullen area.
There are many other such cases and circumstances that impact negatively due to the Donore Road TOLL.

Cllr. Ken O Heiligh

locum-motion wrote: »

If one wishes to use the tolled section of road to enter Drogheda, one must pay the toll.

The Donore Road access/ egress to Drogheda is a Tolled Road is it not?

Cllr. Ken O Heiligh

Mr_Hat wrote: »

Change the record will you. No one here is falling for your claptrap. If I were you I would request your account is closed. The more you post here, the worse your coming off as.

And your question is?

Lord TSC

Cllr. Ken O Heiligh wrote: »

At the December meeting of Drogheda Borough Council I put forward a proposal similar to yours but unfortunately none of my fellow Councillors would second the proposal. So it never made it onto the floor for debate.

Out of interest, why do you think that is? Why do you think that not one other person would support you on that? Genuinely interested to get your view and what feedback you got as to the reasons why they wouldn't even second such a proposal.

I have received support for the removal of the ramp TOLLS from the outskirts such as Donore Village, Tullyallen, Monasterboice. Termonfeckin. Clogherhead. Mornington. Julinstown and Stamullen.

Obviously you recieved support. If you went to most people and asked if they wanted the tolls abolished, you'd get a positive answer, I would imagine, from everyone. No one likes spending money on a convience, do they? And for the record, I want to state I too would support the ability to travel that road for free. But thats because its a nuisance. It's not something vital to life in Drogheda, and if it remains, it's not as if jobs are going to be lost because of it. It's not that it's a major negative impact on the town.

If you went around and asked people to support the statement "I like money and want to keep as much as possible", you'd get support. If we went to those places and said "Would you like everything in Drogheda shops to be free", you'd get support. That doesn't mean its a viable or credible way forward for the town.

positron

I haven't read the thread and I don't understand what is going on here, but as someone who commutes daily to Dublin, it would bloody brilliant if I can come off the M1 straight into town rather than taking the Julianstown exit (which is what I am doing now). That's my simple selfish view of things, but if I don't talk for myself no one else will, so yeah, please get rid of the tolls coming into town from Dublin direction if possible..! Thank you!

Cllr. Ken O Heiligh

Teamshadowclan wrote: »

Out of interest, why do you think that is? Why do you think that not one other person would support you on that? Genuinely interested to get your view and what feedback you got as to the reasons why they wouldn't even second such a proposal.

I had no explanation offered to me that would clarify the lack of support from my fellow Councillors on such a reasonable proposal.
But there is what is called a 'Pact' system in place and as the only Independent Councillor on the Council I remain free to support either side depending on the issue. This sometime can see good ideas shot down only to resurface as a pact proposal at a later date.

The parking restrictions I proposed to remove would have reduced the intake for the Councils revenue draft budget so the Council officials required a computation detailing where the funding for such a proposal would be reallocated from the budget figures put forward.

Cllr. Ken O Heiligh

positron wrote: »

I haven't read the thread and I don't understand what is going on here, but as someone who commutes daily to Dublin, it would bloody brilliant if I can come off the M1 straight into town rather than taking the Julianstown exit (which is what I am doing now). That's my simple selfish view of things, but if I don't talk for myself no one else will, so yeah, please get rid of the tolls coming into town from Dublin direction if possible..! Thank you!

This thread was set up by Boards members to direct questions to me. I am a member of Drogheda Borough Council and continue to campaign and seek support for the removal of the Donore Road ramp Toll. If you would like to find out more about the campaign please visit www.makedroghedatollfree.com

Cllr. Ken O Heiligh

rpurfield wrote: »

the car parks you point out to me are a good walk from the town centre and/or too small to make any impact.

As I explained there are 3 free car parks within walking distance of the Town centre provided by the Borough Council.
· Scotch Hall has FREE parking after 5 til closing every day FREE all day Sunday & Bank Holidays.
· Laurence Town Centre has FREE parking 5pm-9pm Thursday & Friday.
· Supervalue Stockwell St. Has 2 hour FREE parking when you spend €10 in store.
So if you are heading into Drogheda to do a bit of shopping there is FREE parking available.

Lord TSC

Quick question for the counciller.

In general, how long does it take you to reply to emails? I sent you one last Friday and haven't got a reply yet

Cllr. Ken O Heiligh

Teamshadowclan wrote: »

Quick question for the counciller.

In general, how long does it take you to reply to emails? I sent you one last Friday and haven't got a reply yet

Now that you have all my correct contact details I can look forward to hearing from you?

Lord TSC

Cllr. Ken O Heiligh wrote: »

Now that you have all my correct contact details I can look forward to hearing from you?

To be blunt, probably not. All I asked in the other email was for you to confirm your identity. You've made it pretty clear in this topic you're not interested in discussing the full picture; you've got your little PR stunt going and you're not interested in others who are calling you out on the BS aspect of your posts...

Cllr. Ken O Heiligh

Teamshadowclan wrote: »

To be blunt, probably not. All I asked in the other email was for you to confirm your identity. You've made it pretty clear in this topic you're not interested in discussing the full picture; you've got your little PR stunt going and you're not interested in others who are calling you out on the BS aspect of your posts...

The full picture, would you please explain what this means to you?

You may attempt to put people down with derogatory term but the reality is I have stood for elections and got elected and I continue to be actively involved in the big picture.
It’s pretty easy to sit back and cast aspersions and remain in the shadows. Can you explain what you are doing or planning to do or how you get involved in the full picture.
Should you not wish to post this on Boards you can of course email to me on kenoheiligh@eitcom.net.

Lord TSC

What? By full picture, I mean the fact that you're making it sound like there's one way in and out of town, and it's tolled. It's not. You're making it sound like you're on a campaign with any real traction, when you're not (five years and, by your own admission, you've only got one sign erected in that time). I'm not using derogatory terms; I've avoided coming out with insults, and refrained from using, for example, my disagreements with the parties you've represented in the past or what your political career has involved. I've avoided making this personal. You, on the other hand, have dodged questions about how getting rid of the tolls would cost jobs and would break a contract with a company. You've claimed the toll was the primary cause of unemployment in Drogheda. You've been vague with sources and demand them from others. You've continued to bump topics in which you look bad, despite them nearly being dead and forgotten.

What exactly do you want me to get involved in? I've already said the toll doesn't bother me that much and that I've no intentions of protesting it or whatever. I certainly won't complain if it goes (despite how you've tried to paint people who disagree with you as being pro-toll), but nor am I inclined to "do something about it". I've said this time and time again; for me, you're on here for nothing more than a PR boost and little else, and I think you're never going to achieve much with the toll campaign.

CMpunked

This thread should be locked, there's nothing that could be said in response to that.

Cllr. Ken O Heiligh

Teamshadowclan wrote: »

What? By full picture, I mean the fact that you're making it sound like there's one way in and out of town, and it's tolled. It's not. You're making it sound like you're on a campaign with any real traction, when you're not (five years and, by your own admission, you've only got one sign erected in that time). You, on the other hand, have dodged questions about how getting rid of the tolls would cost jobs and would break a contract with a company. You've claimed the toll was the primary cause of unemployment in Drogheda. You've continued to bump topics in which you look bad, despite them nearly being dead and forgotten.

I've already said the toll doesn't bother me that much and that I've no intentions of protesting it or whatever. I certainly won't complain if it goes (despite how you've tried to paint people who disagree with you as being pro-toll), but nor am I inclined to "do something about it". I've said this time and time again; for me, you're on here for nothing more than a PR boost and little else, and I think you're never going to achieve much with the toll campaign.

I would respectively request that you review the many comments I made on the Donore Road Ramp Tolls. I have clearly stated that this route is the main artery route into the Town and this route should have the Toll removed. You are incorrect I did not say it was the primary cause but that it is a contributing factor to our unemployment figure.
If the campaign does not realise its full potential during the life of the contract the awareness campaign of the constant price increases and the restriction on free movement by vehicles within the Drogheda area in line with free movement enjoyed by our sister Town Dundalk, will impinge on any consideration by the powers that be to extend the contract life of the Drogheda Toll and will be dead in the water.

The topic will remain active as long as the Toll remains and I will insure that its negative impact will not be forgotten.
If for whatever reason I am not around to witness the removal I am happy in the knowledge that the life span of the Drogheda Toll will end and we can move on and compete for inward investment on a level playing field.

Your comments ‘I won’t complain if it goes’ say’s it all really.

Cllr. Ken O Heiligh

CMpunked wrote: »

This thread should be locked, there's nothing that could be said in response to that.

I am sorry to bust the bubble but I have responded to the post. If you get your way and get the thread locked, it only means that you have successfully shut of an opposing view and obviously one you wish not to hear.