Planning appointments now available at KCC

Since Monday, Kildare County Council Planning Department has reopened the planning system for attendance by members of the public, by appointment only.

Each appointment will strictly be for one person to attend the allocated time slot. In order to secure an appointment, people will have to provide a reason for the visit as well as details of the documentation they wish to view. Some COVID-19 screening questions will also be asked.

Appointments will be allocated for a time slot of 15 minutes only, in accordance with Government guidance, and must be strictly adhered to. Appointments to view information that is already available online will not be encouraged. Please note that you must comply with the advice of the Department of Health and Department of the Taoiseach by continuing to stay at home whenever possible and only travel within a 5km of home.

Requests for appointments can be made by emailing plandept@kildarecoco.ie General Planning queries will continue to be dealt with by email at plandept@kildarecoco.ie or phone (045 980 845).

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Council to deal with rats 'immediately'

Kildare County Council is to take action on a rats infestation at Pinkeen Stream, which was highlighted on the Diary yesterday, writes Brian Byrne.

This follows direct representations by parents whose children use the nearby Community Playground, who have become increasingly concerned about the numbers of the vermin in and around the stream.

The county Environmental Health Officer visited the area yesterday, and later told one of the parents that it needed to be dealt with straight away.

"He told me it was a much worse situation than he initially thought," says Riggy Reid. "He said it was an infestation, and that they would address it. I'm to call them back next week to tell them how things have gone."

Pictured (top) is the stream itself, which has been an environmental issue since nearby estates were built over the last decade. Below a picture by local journalist Trish Whelan which shows one of the rats swimming in the stream.



"I saw several of the horrors swimming in the water," she reports. "They were huge."