Kildare County Council Publishes 2024 Annual Report

The full report can be viewed on the Kildare County Council website

Kildare County Council has today published its Annual Report for 2024, providing an overview of the Council’s programme of work delivered last year. 

The full report is available to view here.

Below are some of the key areas highlighted in the report.

Climate Action

In 2024, Kildare County Council says it made significant progress in addressing climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Key initiatives included the HackTheClimate 2024 event, the installation of solar PV panels at the Cotton Mills building, the Kildare County Council Go Car programme, and the Picnic in the Park event. It's reported that the Community Climate Action Programme also saw substantial progress, with twenty-four projects approved for the Community Climate Action Fund grant by the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications.  Grantees have 18 months to complete their projects, and since the grants were finalised in September 2024, four projects have already been completed. The first recoupment from DECC, covering approximately €200,000 of the total allocation of €897,000, was completed in early 2024.

Community

The report states that the Community section of Kildare County Council made significant progress in 2024. They maintained and oversaw over 20 community centres, with new centres purchased and renovated in Rathangan, Carbury, Clane, and Allenwood. The official opening of the new Community Centre in Kilcock was a notable milestone, providing a central hub for local residents and community groups. The Community Recognition Fund allocated €830,007 for enhancements to communities that supported displaced individuals from Ukraine and other countries. The Brigid 1500 festival celebrated St. Brigid's legacy with a diverse programme of events, attracting approximately 80,000 attendees and gaining international media coverage. Kildare County Council supported 1,042 grants, providing €2,412,938 in funding to community organisations. The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) exceeded targets, working with 75 community groups and 913 individuals. The LEADER programme approved three projects worth €256,048, and the Local Enhancement Programme awarded €163,842.45 to 54 community groups.  The Kildare Sports Partnership engaged over 27,000 people through various programmes, and the Kildare Public Participation Network registered 783 members, enhancing community involvement with the Local Authority.

Housing & Regeneration

In 2024, the council delivered direct build units in Ard Sceach, Coill Dubh, and Blackridge, Athgarvan, with 101 units in progress at year-end. Key policies and strategies were adopted, including the Anti-social Behaviour Policy, Estate Management Strategy, Mid East Region Homelessness Action Plan 2024-2026, and The Traveller Accommodation Programme 2025-2029. The Housing Department launched a website to assist housing applicants, resulting in improved information for applicants. Additionally, 422 new and second-hand homes were delivered, and 670 housing applicants were allocated homes. Kildare County Council also won 10 Pride of Place Awards for local authority estates, prevented 209 households from entering homelessness, and completed 9,634 response maintenance jobs on council-owned stock.

Transportation, Mobility & Open Spaces

The new Machinery Yard and Regional Salt Barn became operational, facilitating winter salting operations. Surface dressing and road restoration were completed on 158 kilometers of local and regional roads, along with safety improvements at 12 locations. A record drawdown of €10.5M in National Transport Authority Active Travel funding was achieved, progressing over 35 schemes. Additionally, several new recreational areas were opened, such as Allenwood Playground, DeBurghs Woodland Garden, and Kerdiffstown Park, providing valuable amenities for the community.

Environment 

The completion and opening of Kerdiffstown Park marked a significant milestone, providing a new recreational space for the community, the park's construction was completed with ongoing environmental management and monitoring by the council, in accordance with the EPA licence. Innovative initiatives like the Mattress and Paint Amnesty days resulted in unprecedented levels of waste collection, with 37.3 tonnes of waste paint and 22.92 tonnes of mattresses collected. 

Corporate, People & Cultural Services

In 2024, Kildare County Council supported 40 elected members, serviced 98 statutory meetings, and webcast 14 Full Council Meetings. Significant electoral events were marked, with a Referendum in March, Local and European Elections in June and a General Election in November. Over 26,000 electors were processed, and 28 casual trading licenses were granted. The report says the Customer Service team maintained high performance with 88% of cases responded to within Service Level Agreement targets. The council also made significant contributions to libraries and the arts, including the opening of Naas Library & Cultural Centre.

Innovation

In 2024, Kildare County Council demonstrated remarkable progress and commitment to enhancing public services. The Lean Six Sigma programme continued to grow, focusing on streamlining and improving processes across all departments. The team also completed Design training, delivered a Design Sprint, and launched a Design Thinking Programme for staff, showcasing their dedication to better public services. 

Integration

The Kildare Local Authority Integration Team, established in January 2024, has made significant achievements, according to the Annual Report. The team conducted 41 outreach visits and arranged 175 information clinics, supporting 1,035 people and resolving 1,617 queries. They organised activities such as anti-racism training, workshops on counteracting far-right disruption, and a psychosocial program for GBV survivors. The Accommodation Team held Day-75 Clinics to assist residents in finding accommodation and assessed proposals for both International Protection Applicants and Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection. Through the Irish Refugee Protection Programme, 14 programme refugees were resettled and provided with integration supports.