PREVIEW: The biggest issues to be highlighted at the upcoming Kildare-Newbridge MD meeting
A number of pressing issues will be raised at the upcoming Kildare -Newbridge Municipal District (MD) meeting, which will take place on Wednesday, July 15, 2026.
The meeting will notably kick off with the election of the new Cathaoirleach (Mayor) and leas Cathaoirleach (Deputy Mayor) of the MD for the year before Kildare County Council (KCC) adjourns for its Summer break in August.
At present, the Mayor of the MD is Fianna Fáil councillor Noel Heavey, while the Vice-Mayor is his party colleague, Cllr Brian O’Loughlin.
Fine Gael Cllr Peggy O’Dwyer will motion for KCC to review a location for a pedestrian crossing near Tracey Meadows / Rathcurragh (Green Road) in Newbridge.
According to Cllr O’Dwyer, she wants this done ‘in order to facilitate safe crossing for many pedestrians’.
Separately, Social Democrats Cllr Chris Pender will motion for KCC to write to the National Transport Authority in order to request the provision of a new bus stop at Curragh Farm, Newbridge, in order to serve Curragh Farm, Pairc na Manach and the surrounding residential area.
Furthermore, Independent Cllr Tom McDonnell will motion for KCC to remove some of the green area in the College Park region of Newbridge.
Cllr McDonnell wants this carried out in order to create new car park spaces, which he said could help small businesses on Eyre Street.
Moreover, Fine Gael Cllr Kevin Duffy will ask KCC to provide an update on the Monasterevin to Portarlington Brownway feasibility study, following the recent public consultation.
He will also ask KCC to outline the next steps and timeframe for the project.
There will also be a joint motion submitted by Mayor Heavey and his party colleague, Cllr Rob Power, in which they will request KCC to issue a report examining how improvements to safety and access to and from River Liffey ‘could be provided for local swimmers at Yeomanstown near Victoria Bridge’.
On top of that, Fine Gael Tracey O’Dwyer wants KCC to consider the back access road in Saint Brigid’s Avenue, Kilcullen for resurfacing in 2027.
She also wants KCC to put down some chippings in order to fill the pot holes during the interim period.
Lastly, Cllr O’Loughlin will motion for KCC to assess the condition of the stream at the entrance to Fr Moore’s Well in Rathbride, in order to determine ‘whether it is feasible to redirect, clean or otherwise improve the flow of water, ahead of the 200th anniversary celebrations of Fr Moore’s death later this year’.
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme