Always running for office: Barry Heneghan praises northsiders’ athletic superiority

Part of the TD’s job is to talk up their constituency. Dublin Bay North Independent Barry Heneghan, one of those Government-supporting deputies for whom Opposition speaking time was controversially sought, is no different.

He recently drew the attention of Minister of State for sport Charlie McConalogue to the work of Raheny Shamrocks Athletics Club and how “the northside needs more investment” in running tracks.

He noted the club had “a significant history of producing Olympians not just for the northside but for all of Ireland”, namechecking sprinter Sophie Becker and Olympian Brian Fay, “who I went to school with”.

Irish Olympian Sophie Becker at the homecoming for Team Ireland following the Paris Olympics. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill

“There are way more running tracks on the southside,” he told the Dáil. “I believe the estimate is six or seven public tracks compared with two public tracks on the northside of Dublin. I do not know if this is because previous northside politicians did not raise it enough with the department.”

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Heneghan asked that the Minister commit to possibly looking into Dublin City Council adding a 400m running track to St Anne’s Park in Raheny “to be used by future Olympians”.

McConalogue noted the “wonderful work” done at the club and that it has previously been supported through sports capital grants, which would be open for applications again next year.

“I welcome the fact that the Minister of State said that,” Heneghan replied. “Regarding the lack of running tracks and the number of Olympians, maybe northsiders are just better runners.”

Padel is one of the 'fastest-growing sports globally' but is underserved in terms of infrastructure in Dublin. Photograph: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire

Public support fails to smash squash club’s problems

Public statements of displeasure about a planning application that could jeopardise the future of south Dublin’s Old Belvedere Squash Club have failed to smash away its looming problem.

Dublin City Council this week granted permission for Old Belvedere Rugby Club’s proposal to raze the squash club’s facilities on its Ballsbridge grounds, which it argued had become a “financial drain” on its wider operations.

A slew of observations in support of the squash club, which has a 100-strong membership, landed before the deadline, with many claiming the proposed demolition would be contrary to the council’s policy objective GI49: to protect existing and established sporting facilities.

The RFC wants to replace two squash courts and related facilities with three courts for padel tennis, which it said is one of the “fastest-growing sports globally” but is underserved in terms of infrastructure in Dublin.

It said its plan to add them could see usage rates rise from 20 per cent to about 80 per cent, with the proceeds helping to secure the rugby club’s “long-term viability”.

However, the padel element of the plan will have to wait a little longer as the council has asked the RFC for further information regarding proposed access and parking arrangements, as well as on drainage matters. It will have six months to respond.

While the price of making an observation on the application was €20, the early objectors would have to pay €220 should they wish to serve up an appeal against the council’s decision.

Among the correspondence sought was that between Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and the HSE board's chairman. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien

When does ‘routine’ become ‘vexatious or frivolous’?

Part of a newspaper correspondent’s job is to keep up with those whose decisions govern their beat. The Freedom of Information Act offers a means of doing this but, due to its nature, the system can be hit and miss, with requests liable to be rejected for reasons including that they are “voluminous” or even “vexatious” or “frivolous”.

A recent application from The Irish Times to the HSE seeking correspondence over a two-month period between Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, HSE chairman Ciarán Devine, Department of Health secretary general Robert Watt, and HSE chief executive Bernard Gloster; along with memorandums issued by the chief executive and leadership team, initially fell foul of the “voluminous” view.

The journalist offered to drop the latter element and stated that there tended only to be a small amount of relevant correspondence as well as that the request’s scope was similar to others routinely processed by the HSE over the years without issue.

However, a compromise was not forthcoming from the HSE decision maker who said granting it would cause “interference in the work” of the offices of the chief executive and board.

“Therefore, I must refuse also under section15(1)(g), where the request is, in the opinion of the Head, frivolous or vexatious or forms part of a pattern of manifestly unreasonable requests from the same requester or from different requesters who, in the opinion of the head, appear to have made the requests acting in concert.”

The matter will be appealed.

Eoin Burke and Francesca McAllister from Dublin Zoo announcing the Run for Wildlife event. Photograph: Patrick Bolger

Want to sweat with the sloths and gasp with the giraffes?

Experiences are everything these days. From swimming with pigs in the Bahamas to cuddling koalas in Australia, there seems to be no end to the Instagrammable activities people are coming up with.

Step forward Dublin Zoo, which has announced a novel approach to raising funds for a group working in Indonesia to save the critically endangered Sulawesi crested macaque, of which there are only about 5,000 left in the wild.

The zoo will on July 26th host the Run for Wildlife event which, for a €40 entry fee, allows participants to traverse a 3km route around its Phoenix Park grounds.

Callie was Dublin Zoo’s first cheetah in 20 years. Photograph: Patrick Bolger

“Whether you sprint or jog, every step counts and helps to support the critical work of wildlife protection and habitat preservation,” it said.

The zoo said one of the day’s spectators, Callie the cheetah, could complete the 3km route in less than two minutes. The human record for the 3,000m, 7:17.55, was set by Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen last year.

His mark is unlikely to be beaten but runners will – in addition to being able to sweat with the sloths, gasp with the giraffes and cramp up with the chimps – receive a “bespoke eco-friendly medal” handmade in Indonesia and a Run for Wildlife T-shirt. There will also be early access to the zoo, where entertainment is to be provided by the Indonesian Irish Association and animal selfie opportunities will be abundant.

Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon at the launch of the National Centre for Brewing and Distilling at Oakpark, Co Carlow. Photograph:Finbarr O'Rourke

Minister for Agriculture heading from the 19th hole to Seoul

Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon is a busy man these days with the threat of US tariffs looming over Ireland’s multibillion euro agrifood sector. The Kildare South TD recently reminded the Dáil that some 90 per cent of the food and drink produced in the State was exported and that “any interruptions to that trade [would] have impacts”.

He said the latest round of his trade promotion work would see him travelling to Japan and South Korea in early June.

“I will attend the Seoul Foods Expo, which is the fourth-largest food exhibition in Asia, as well as World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan.”

Even in the face of big threats, it’s worth remembering that all politics is local. According to a diary notice circulated this week, the Fine Gael TD has an engagement at Castlewarden Golf Club before he takes off.

The club was among 67 in Co Kildare he congratulated in September after they secured grants under the Community Sports Facility Fund. Castlewarden received €144,404 to repair a roof, enhance facilities and buy a mower.

Heydon will, the invite says, launch the club’s open week, which begins on June 21st, at a reception in its clubhouse next Friday “in advance of his departure to Asia on a trade mission”. From the 19th hole to Seoul.

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