Gas Price Rise Will Push More Families into Arrears
Sinn Féin councillor Mick Nugent has said the 22% increase in gas prices approved by the Commission for Energy Regulation will push more families into arrears, and called on the government to develop Ireland’s own energy resources.
Cllr Nugent said:
“The news that gas prices are to increase by 22% from October comes as another blow to families who are struggling to make ends meet.”
“It will mean an increase of €160 annually in the average gas bill. Customers of Bord Gais Energy have already been hit by a 12% increase in electricity prices earlier this month.”
“More than 114,000 customers of Bord Gais are now in arrears of two months or more. The latest increase – which will come into effect at the start of winter – will leave even more people facing a choice between heating their homes and running up bills they cannot pay.”
“While the increase reflects rising gas prices on international markets, I share the view of the National Consumer Agency that the customer should not have the bear the whole burden.”
“There is also the bigger issue here of Ireland’s dependence on imported energy when we have vast potential energy resources off our West Coast. The Corrib Field alone contains approximately €50 billion worth of proven gas reserves. These resources, along with our renewable energy potential, should be developed under state ownership in the interests of the Irish people. Instead Corrib gas field has been handed to international corporations who will pay no royalties and hardly any tax to the state.”
“Ireland has the potential to be energy independent within a generation, and in a time of rising energy prices the government needs to make this a central plank of national policy. Otherwise consumers will continue to ne hit by severe price rises like that which Bord Gais has just announced.”
For further information contact Cllr Mick Nugent @ 087-6755793
Friday, July 29, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Housing System Has Fallen Apart – O’Leary
Housing System Has Fallen Apart – O’Leary
The city council’s system of housing provision has fallen apart, and Sinn Féin councillors along with Jonathan O’Brien TD have written to the City Manager requesting an immediate meeting with him and his top housing officials, according to Cllr Chris O’Leary.
Over the past year:
· The number on the waiting list for social housing has increased to 8,931
· The number of vacant houses awaiting repair has risen to 459
· The capital budget for housing has been reduced, and government funding for maintenance and extensions has fallen from €625,000 in 2010 to €558,084 for 2011. Recently the Manager proposed even deeper cuts in maintenance.
· Motions passed by the council to introduce a charter of rights for tenants and to shift the allocations system to a points-based one which would be accessible to members of the public have not been implemented
Cllr O’Leary said:
“At this point, the system of housing provision within Cork City Council has quite simply fallen apart.”
“The government recruitment embargo and budget cuts have left the city council unable to deliver on housing, But even in the areas where the council could make a difference, it is falling down.”
“In the past year Sinn Féin councillors succeeded in having two important motions on housing passed by the council. One would have introduced a charter of rights for housing tenants and housing applicants. This would have guaranteed them a minimum standard of treatment from council officials, so that, for example, voice messages and letters would be acknowledged and people would be informed about the progress of their application. The second motion mandated the introduction of a transparent, points based system under which housing applicants would be given a private PIN number that would let them see how long they stood to wait for a house and where they were on the list. It is the absence of this kind of information which many applicants find most frustrating.”
“Despite these motions being agreed by the council, nothing has been done to implement them by the housing department.”
“The council’s housing department is now a black hole into which claims disappear and from which no information can be extracted. Housing applicants and tenants are routinely treated by officials in a way that denies them the most basic dignity. Elected members making representations on behalf of constituents are finding it impossible to get a response. Letters and phone calls go unacknowledged, and an automated response system which was introduced last year does not work.”
“I have now written to the City Manager, on behalf of the Sinn Féin council team and Deputy Jonathan O’Brien, to request an immediate meeting with himself and the top officials in the housing department. The shambolic farce that is housing provision in Cork City Council cannot be tolerated any longer. The Manager needs to accept that the system has broken down, and begin a radical overhaul of the department’s proceedures.”
For further information or comment contact Cllr Chris O’Leary @ 087-2794307
The city council’s system of housing provision has fallen apart, and Sinn Féin councillors along with Jonathan O’Brien TD have written to the City Manager requesting an immediate meeting with him and his top housing officials, according to Cllr Chris O’Leary.
Over the past year:
· The number on the waiting list for social housing has increased to 8,931
· The number of vacant houses awaiting repair has risen to 459
· The capital budget for housing has been reduced, and government funding for maintenance and extensions has fallen from €625,000 in 2010 to €558,084 for 2011. Recently the Manager proposed even deeper cuts in maintenance.
· Motions passed by the council to introduce a charter of rights for tenants and to shift the allocations system to a points-based one which would be accessible to members of the public have not been implemented
Cllr O’Leary said:
“At this point, the system of housing provision within Cork City Council has quite simply fallen apart.”
“The government recruitment embargo and budget cuts have left the city council unable to deliver on housing, But even in the areas where the council could make a difference, it is falling down.”
“In the past year Sinn Féin councillors succeeded in having two important motions on housing passed by the council. One would have introduced a charter of rights for housing tenants and housing applicants. This would have guaranteed them a minimum standard of treatment from council officials, so that, for example, voice messages and letters would be acknowledged and people would be informed about the progress of their application. The second motion mandated the introduction of a transparent, points based system under which housing applicants would be given a private PIN number that would let them see how long they stood to wait for a house and where they were on the list. It is the absence of this kind of information which many applicants find most frustrating.”
“Despite these motions being agreed by the council, nothing has been done to implement them by the housing department.”
“The council’s housing department is now a black hole into which claims disappear and from which no information can be extracted. Housing applicants and tenants are routinely treated by officials in a way that denies them the most basic dignity. Elected members making representations on behalf of constituents are finding it impossible to get a response. Letters and phone calls go unacknowledged, and an automated response system which was introduced last year does not work.”
“I have now written to the City Manager, on behalf of the Sinn Féin council team and Deputy Jonathan O’Brien, to request an immediate meeting with himself and the top officials in the housing department. The shambolic farce that is housing provision in Cork City Council cannot be tolerated any longer. The Manager needs to accept that the system has broken down, and begin a radical overhaul of the department’s proceedures.”
For further information or comment contact Cllr Chris O’Leary @ 087-2794307
Household Charge Grossly Unfair – O’Brien
Household Charge Grossly Unfair – O’Brien
Sinn Féin TD Jonathan O’Brien has hit out at the government’s decision to approve a new Household Charge of €100 as a precursor to water charges and a property tax.
Speaking last night after the cabinet approved the charge Deputy O’Brien said:
“The government has today imposed another tax on pensioners, social welfare recipients, and people in mortgage arrears – none of whom will be exempt from the tax and many of whom will not be able to pay.”
“The new charge will also drive up rents, as landlords pass it on to their tenants, making it harder for tens of thousands of people in rented accommodation to make ends meet.”
“The flat rate nature of this charge is grossly unfair. Every household, no matter what their income, will pay €100. An elderly person struggling to get by on the state pension will pay the same as a multi-millionaire.”
“The government is describing this tax as an interim measure while preparations are being made to introduce water charges and a property tax. Engineers Ireland have estimated that water meters will cost up to three times the government’s estimate of €500 million. If water meters are introduced it will take many, many years to recover the cost of their installation and even longer to generate real savings.”
“Instead of spending this money on installing meters the government should increase investment in water distribution and in fixing the existing pipe network, where up to 50% of water is wasted. This has the potential to save much more water than metering and would pay for itself in a short time frame.”
“Cork Sinn Féin will be actively campaigning against the household charge in the months ahead.”
For further information contact Deputy Jonathan O’Brien at 086-0274142
Sinn Féin TD Jonathan O’Brien has hit out at the government’s decision to approve a new Household Charge of €100 as a precursor to water charges and a property tax.
Speaking last night after the cabinet approved the charge Deputy O’Brien said:
“The government has today imposed another tax on pensioners, social welfare recipients, and people in mortgage arrears – none of whom will be exempt from the tax and many of whom will not be able to pay.”
“The new charge will also drive up rents, as landlords pass it on to their tenants, making it harder for tens of thousands of people in rented accommodation to make ends meet.”
“The flat rate nature of this charge is grossly unfair. Every household, no matter what their income, will pay €100. An elderly person struggling to get by on the state pension will pay the same as a multi-millionaire.”
“The government is describing this tax as an interim measure while preparations are being made to introduce water charges and a property tax. Engineers Ireland have estimated that water meters will cost up to three times the government’s estimate of €500 million. If water meters are introduced it will take many, many years to recover the cost of their installation and even longer to generate real savings.”
“Instead of spending this money on installing meters the government should increase investment in water distribution and in fixing the existing pipe network, where up to 50% of water is wasted. This has the potential to save much more water than metering and would pay for itself in a short time frame.”
“Cork Sinn Féin will be actively campaigning against the household charge in the months ahead.”
For further information contact Deputy Jonathan O’Brien at 086-0274142
Sinn Féin TD Jonathan O’Brien has hit out at the government’s decision to approve a new Household Charge of €100 as a precursor to water charges and a property tax.
Speaking last night after the cabinet approved the charge Deputy O’Brien said:
“The government has today imposed another tax on pensioners, social welfare recipients, and people in mortgage arrears – none of whom will be exempt from the tax and many of whom will not be able to pay.”
“The new charge will also drive up rents, as landlords pass it on to their tenants, making it harder for tens of thousands of people in rented accommodation to make ends meet.”
“The flat rate nature of this charge is grossly unfair. Every household, no matter what their income, will pay €100. An elderly person struggling to get by on the state pension will pay the same as a multi-millionaire.”
“The government is describing this tax as an interim measure while preparations are being made to introduce water charges and a property tax. Engineers Ireland have estimated that water meters will cost up to three times the government’s estimate of €500 million. If water meters are introduced it will take many, many years to recover the cost of their installation and even longer to generate real savings.”
“Instead of spending this money on installing meters the government should increase investment in water distribution and in fixing the existing pipe network, where up to 50% of water is wasted. This has the potential to save much more water than metering and would pay for itself in a short time frame.”
“Cork Sinn Féin will be actively campaigning against the household charge in the months ahead.”
For further information contact Deputy Jonathan O’Brien at 086-0274142
Sinn Féin TD Jonathan O’Brien has hit out at the government’s decision to approve a new Household Charge of €100 as a precursor to water charges and a property tax.
Speaking last night after the cabinet approved the charge Deputy O’Brien said:
“The government has today imposed another tax on pensioners, social welfare recipients, and people in mortgage arrears – none of whom will be exempt from the tax and many of whom will not be able to pay.”
“The new charge will also drive up rents, as landlords pass it on to their tenants, making it harder for tens of thousands of people in rented accommodation to make ends meet.”
“The flat rate nature of this charge is grossly unfair. Every household, no matter what their income, will pay €100. An elderly person struggling to get by on the state pension will pay the same as a multi-millionaire.”
“The government is describing this tax as an interim measure while preparations are being made to introduce water charges and a property tax. Engineers Ireland have estimated that water meters will cost up to three times the government’s estimate of €500 million. If water meters are introduced it will take many, many years to recover the cost of their installation and even longer to generate real savings.”
“Instead of spending this money on installing meters the government should increase investment in water distribution and in fixing the existing pipe network, where up to 50% of water is wasted. This has the potential to save much more water than metering and would pay for itself in a short time frame.”
“Cork Sinn Féin will be actively campaigning against the household charge in the months ahead.”
For further information contact Deputy Jonathan O’Brien at 086-0274142
Monday, July 25, 2011
Volunteer Denis Spriggs 90th anniversary commemoration
Volunteer Denis Spriggs 90th Anniversary Commemoration-July 17th
Oration by Cllr Mick Nugent
We are gathered today to commemorate Volunteer Denis Spriggs, a member of the 1st Cork Brigade of the IRA who was murdered by British forces 90 years ago this month.
Denis Spriggs joined the IRA aged only 16. He played an active part in the Tan War and, as result of his activities was forced to go on the run. On the 9th July 1921 he had returned home briefly to visit his mother. His presence in the house was betrayed by a neighbour. That night the house was raided by Crown Forces. Denis Spriggs was seized, taken 100 yards from his home to the top of Blarney Street and shot dead. Only two days later, a truce came into effect between the British forces and the IRA.
It is important that we remember the sacrifices made by Denis Spriggs and those like him. Nobody forced him to step forward and join the struggle for Irish independence – indeed, he lied about his age in order to join the IRA. He saw the oppression of the Irish people under British rule, dreamed of a better future, and took action to make it happen. He knew from the start that by doing so he was putting his life on the line, but he did not let this stop him. Like thousands more Irishmen and women of his time, he believed in a better future for his country and as willing to sacrifice himself in order to make that dream a reality.
As an IRA volunteer, Denis Spriggs took up arms in order to establish the Irish Republic declared in 1916. The basis of that republic is set out in the Proclamation: “We declare the right of the people of Ireland to the ownership of Ireland, and to the unfettered control of Irish destinies, to be sovereign and indefeasible.” This is the core republican demand: that the Irish people have the right to control their own country, the freedom to decide their own future.
That is a freedom they have never been allowed to exercise. In the 1918 elections the Irish people declared their desire for independence, only to have the British suppress the First Dáil and impose martial law on the country. It was against this denial of the Irish people’s right to self-determination that young IRA volunteers like Denis Spriggs took up arms. The continuance of partition since 1921 has meant a further denial of Irish freedom. However the limited independence achieved by the 26 counties meant that for many people the struggle for independence appeared to be over. Freedom became something that was taken for granted. For some, talk of national sovereignty even came to sound old-fashioned. They forgot that freedom is not something that is just handed to us; it needs to be fought for and it needs to be defended.
Today, however, maybe we can see once again why national freedom, the sovereignty that Volunteers like Denis Spriggs fought for, really matters. Misgovernment by our political elite and the economic crisis have led to the loss of our economic sovereignty and our dependence on the EU and IMF. This means that the basic decisions about what happens in this country now require the permission of foreign agencies. Only this week their representatives were in Dublin to compile a quarterly report on the country’s progress. Irish government ministers were reduced to the position of schoolboys having their copybooks checked. As a result, economic decisions in this country are now being taken, not on the basis of what is good for the Irish people, but what serves the EU, the IMF, and the international banks and bondholders whose interests they represent.
For ordinary people, this means cutbacks in public services, reductions in social welfare, the unfair Universal Social Charge, new water charges and property taxes – and when they protest the answer of the government is to shrug and say “it’s not our decision”. People’s standard of living is being driven down and families who are struggling to make ends meet are being punished to pay for the sins of bankers and financial regulators, but there seems to be no one to whom they can appeal. This is what happens when you lose your freedom; decisions that affect your livelihood are made for you by others, without any regard for your interests. Today, with the centenary of the 1916 rising less than five years away, it seems the ownership of Ireland lies with international bondholders, and control of Irish destinies in the European Central Bank. This is where a political system stained by corruption and cronyism, and crippled by a lack of vision, has brought us.
The ideal of a sovereign Irish republic that Denis Spriggs gave his life for has never been more relevant than it is today. The demand of James Connolly for the “reconquest of Ireland by the Irish people” has never been more timely. If we are to rise above this crisis, we need to do more than rebuild our economy – we need to remake our politics. We need to create a new republic. Today we again have urgent need of men and women who, like Denis Spriggs, have a vision of a better Ireland and the courage and dedication to make it a reality.
The vision for a new republic can be discovered in the founding documents of an independent Ireland. In 1919, the First Dáil Eireann agreed a “Democratic Programme” which set out the principles that should govern an Irish Republic. It states: “We declare that the Nation's sovereignty extends not only to all men and women of the Nation, but to all its material possessions, the Nation's soil and all its resources, all the wealth and all the wealth-producing processes within the Nation,…we reaffirm that all right to private property must be subordinated to the public right and welfare.”
Imagine what Ireland would look like today if those principles had been implemented, if the republic those words imagined had been established. We would not be burdened with taxes and spending cuts to pay off the debts of private bankers. We would not have seen our natural resources sold off from under our feet.
These are the principles on which republican politics are based. These are the principles of Sinn Fein. Today there are more republicans on the island of Ireland than at any time since 1921. The recent general election was a massive breakthrough for Sinn Féin, with our representation in Leinster House increasing from 4 to 14. We are now the real leaders of the opposition in the Dáil. Here in Cork City Jonathan O’Brien was elected as our first Sinn Féin TD in over 80 years. The 6-county elections saw further advances for Sinn Féin in that part of our country. And further testament to the growing level of popular support for republicanism was the recent Uniting Ireland conference in Cork, where we attracted nearly 600 people and filled City Hall.
Our task now is to build on that support, not just to make further electoral advances but to increase public support for a 32 county socialist republic. The growing political strength of republicanism means that goal is closer now than at any time since partition. But there is still much work to be done before it can be achieved. It is the duty of every one of us to aid in that work. A sovereign 32 county republic is not just the best memorial we can raise to men and women like Denis Spriggs, it is the only way in which the Irish people can achieve freedom, equality and prosperity.
Oration by Cllr Mick Nugent
We are gathered today to commemorate Volunteer Denis Spriggs, a member of the 1st Cork Brigade of the IRA who was murdered by British forces 90 years ago this month.
Denis Spriggs joined the IRA aged only 16. He played an active part in the Tan War and, as result of his activities was forced to go on the run. On the 9th July 1921 he had returned home briefly to visit his mother. His presence in the house was betrayed by a neighbour. That night the house was raided by Crown Forces. Denis Spriggs was seized, taken 100 yards from his home to the top of Blarney Street and shot dead. Only two days later, a truce came into effect between the British forces and the IRA.
It is important that we remember the sacrifices made by Denis Spriggs and those like him. Nobody forced him to step forward and join the struggle for Irish independence – indeed, he lied about his age in order to join the IRA. He saw the oppression of the Irish people under British rule, dreamed of a better future, and took action to make it happen. He knew from the start that by doing so he was putting his life on the line, but he did not let this stop him. Like thousands more Irishmen and women of his time, he believed in a better future for his country and as willing to sacrifice himself in order to make that dream a reality.
As an IRA volunteer, Denis Spriggs took up arms in order to establish the Irish Republic declared in 1916. The basis of that republic is set out in the Proclamation: “We declare the right of the people of Ireland to the ownership of Ireland, and to the unfettered control of Irish destinies, to be sovereign and indefeasible.” This is the core republican demand: that the Irish people have the right to control their own country, the freedom to decide their own future.
That is a freedom they have never been allowed to exercise. In the 1918 elections the Irish people declared their desire for independence, only to have the British suppress the First Dáil and impose martial law on the country. It was against this denial of the Irish people’s right to self-determination that young IRA volunteers like Denis Spriggs took up arms. The continuance of partition since 1921 has meant a further denial of Irish freedom. However the limited independence achieved by the 26 counties meant that for many people the struggle for independence appeared to be over. Freedom became something that was taken for granted. For some, talk of national sovereignty even came to sound old-fashioned. They forgot that freedom is not something that is just handed to us; it needs to be fought for and it needs to be defended.
Today, however, maybe we can see once again why national freedom, the sovereignty that Volunteers like Denis Spriggs fought for, really matters. Misgovernment by our political elite and the economic crisis have led to the loss of our economic sovereignty and our dependence on the EU and IMF. This means that the basic decisions about what happens in this country now require the permission of foreign agencies. Only this week their representatives were in Dublin to compile a quarterly report on the country’s progress. Irish government ministers were reduced to the position of schoolboys having their copybooks checked. As a result, economic decisions in this country are now being taken, not on the basis of what is good for the Irish people, but what serves the EU, the IMF, and the international banks and bondholders whose interests they represent.
For ordinary people, this means cutbacks in public services, reductions in social welfare, the unfair Universal Social Charge, new water charges and property taxes – and when they protest the answer of the government is to shrug and say “it’s not our decision”. People’s standard of living is being driven down and families who are struggling to make ends meet are being punished to pay for the sins of bankers and financial regulators, but there seems to be no one to whom they can appeal. This is what happens when you lose your freedom; decisions that affect your livelihood are made for you by others, without any regard for your interests. Today, with the centenary of the 1916 rising less than five years away, it seems the ownership of Ireland lies with international bondholders, and control of Irish destinies in the European Central Bank. This is where a political system stained by corruption and cronyism, and crippled by a lack of vision, has brought us.
The ideal of a sovereign Irish republic that Denis Spriggs gave his life for has never been more relevant than it is today. The demand of James Connolly for the “reconquest of Ireland by the Irish people” has never been more timely. If we are to rise above this crisis, we need to do more than rebuild our economy – we need to remake our politics. We need to create a new republic. Today we again have urgent need of men and women who, like Denis Spriggs, have a vision of a better Ireland and the courage and dedication to make it a reality.
The vision for a new republic can be discovered in the founding documents of an independent Ireland. In 1919, the First Dáil Eireann agreed a “Democratic Programme” which set out the principles that should govern an Irish Republic. It states: “We declare that the Nation's sovereignty extends not only to all men and women of the Nation, but to all its material possessions, the Nation's soil and all its resources, all the wealth and all the wealth-producing processes within the Nation,…we reaffirm that all right to private property must be subordinated to the public right and welfare.”
Imagine what Ireland would look like today if those principles had been implemented, if the republic those words imagined had been established. We would not be burdened with taxes and spending cuts to pay off the debts of private bankers. We would not have seen our natural resources sold off from under our feet.
These are the principles on which republican politics are based. These are the principles of Sinn Fein. Today there are more republicans on the island of Ireland than at any time since 1921. The recent general election was a massive breakthrough for Sinn Féin, with our representation in Leinster House increasing from 4 to 14. We are now the real leaders of the opposition in the Dáil. Here in Cork City Jonathan O’Brien was elected as our first Sinn Féin TD in over 80 years. The 6-county elections saw further advances for Sinn Féin in that part of our country. And further testament to the growing level of popular support for republicanism was the recent Uniting Ireland conference in Cork, where we attracted nearly 600 people and filled City Hall.
Our task now is to build on that support, not just to make further electoral advances but to increase public support for a 32 county socialist republic. The growing political strength of republicanism means that goal is closer now than at any time since partition. But there is still much work to be done before it can be achieved. It is the duty of every one of us to aid in that work. A sovereign 32 county republic is not just the best memorial we can raise to men and women like Denis Spriggs, it is the only way in which the Irish people can achieve freedom, equality and prosperity.
Volunteer Denis Spriggs 90th anniversary commemoration
We are gathered today to commemorate Volunteer Denis Spriggs, a member of the 1st Cork Brigade of the IRA who was murdered by British forces 90 years ago this month.
Denis Spriggs joined the IRA aged only 16. He played an active part in the Tan War and, as result of his activities was forced to go on the run. On the 9th July 1921 he had returned home briefly to visit his mother. His presence in the house was betrayed by a neighbour. That night the house was raided by Crown Forces. Denis Spriggs was seized, taken 100 yards from his home to the top of Blarney Street and shot dead. Only two days later, a truce came into effect between the British forces and the IRA.
It is important that we remember the sacrifices made by Denis Spriggs and those like him. Nobody forced him to step forward and join the struggle for Irish independence – indeed, he lied about his age in order to join the IRA. He saw the oppression of the Irish people under British rule, dreamed of a better future, and took action to make it happen. He knew from the start that by doing so he was putting his life on the line, but he did not let this stop him. Like thousands more Irishmen and women of his time, he believed in a better future for his country and as willing to sacrifice himself in order to make that dream a reality.
As an IRA volunteer, Denis Spriggs took up arms in order to establish the Irish Republic declared in 1916. The basis of that republic is set out in the Proclamation: “We declare the right of the people of Ireland to the ownership of Ireland, and to the unfettered control of Irish destinies, to be sovereign and indefeasible.” This is the core republican demand: that the Irish people have the right to control their own country, the freedom to decide their own future.
That is a freedom they have never been allowed to exercise. In the 1918 elections the Irish people declared their desire for independence, only to have the British suppress the First Dáil and impose martial law on the country. It was against this denial of the Irish people’s right to self-determination that young IRA volunteers like Denis Spriggs took up arms. The continuance of partition since 1921 has meant a further denial of Irish freedom. However the limited independence achieved by the 26 counties meant that for many people the struggle for independence appeared to be over. Freedom became something that was taken for granted. For some, talk of national sovereignty even came to sound old-fashioned. They forgot that freedom is not something that is just handed to us; it needs to be fought for and it needs to be defended.
Today, however, maybe we can see once again why national freedom, the sovereignty that Volunteers like Denis Spriggs fought for, really matters. Misgovernment by our political elite and the economic crisis have led to the loss of our economic sovereignty and our dependence on the EU and IMF. This means that the basic decisions about what happens in this country now require the permission of foreign agencies. Only this week their representatives were in Dublin to compile a quarterly report on the country’s progress. Irish government ministers were reduced to the position of schoolboys having their copybooks checked. As a result, economic decisions in this country are now being taken, not on the basis of what is good for the Irish people, but what serves the EU, the IMF, and the international banks and bondholders whose interests they represent.
For ordinary people, this means cutbacks in public services, reductions in social welfare, the unfair Universal Social Charge, new water charges and property taxes – and when they protest the answer of the government is to shrug and say “it’s not our decision”. People’s standard of living is being driven down and families who are struggling to make ends meet are being punished to pay for the sins of bankers and financial regulators, but there seems to be no one to whom they can appeal. This is what happens when you lose your freedom; decisions that affect your livelihood are made for you by others, without any regard for your interests. Today, with the centenary of the 1916 rising less than five years away, it seems the ownership of Ireland lies with international bondholders, and control of Irish destinies in the European Central Bank. This is where a political system stained by corruption and cronyism, and crippled by a lack of vision, has brought us.
The ideal of a sovereign Irish republic that Denis Spriggs gave his life for has never been more relevant than it is today. The demand of James Connolly for the “reconquest of Ireland by the Irish people” has never been more timely. If we are to rise above this crisis, we need to do more than rebuild our economy – we need to remake our politics. We need to create a new republic. Today we again have urgent need of men and women who, like Denis Spriggs, have a vision of a better Ireland and the courage and dedication to make it a reality.
The vision for a new republic can be discovered in the founding documents of an independent Ireland. In 1919, the First Dáil Eireann agreed a “Democratic Programme” which set out the principles that should govern an Irish Republic. It states: “We declare that the Nation's sovereignty extends not only to all men and women of the Nation, but to all its material possessions, the Nation's soil and all its resources, all the wealth and all the wealth-producing processes within the Nation,…we reaffirm that all right to private property must be subordinated to the public right and welfare.”
Imagine what Ireland would look like today if those principles had been implemented, if the republic those words imagined had been established. We would not be burdened with taxes and spending cuts to pay off the debts of private bankers. We would not have seen our natural resources sold off from under our feet.
These are the principles on which republican politics are based. These are the principles of Sinn Fein. Today there are more republicans on the island of Ireland than at any time since 1921. The recent general election was a massive breakthrough for Sinn Féin, with our representation in Leinster House increasing from 4 to 14. We are now the real leaders of the opposition in the Dáil. Here in Cork City Jonathan O’Brien was elected as our first Sinn Féin TD in over 80 years. The 6-county elections saw further advances for Sinn Féin in that part of our country. And further testament to the growing level of popular support for republicanism was the recent Uniting Ireland conference in Cork, where we attracted nearly 600 people and filled City Hall.
Our task now is to build on that support, not just to make further electoral advances but to increase public support for a 32 county socialist republic. The growing political strength of republicanism means that goal is closer now than at any time since partition. But there is still much work to be done before it can be achieved. It is the duty of every one of us to aid in that work. A sovereign 32 county republic is not just the best memorial we can raise to men and women like Denis Spriggs, it is the only way in which the Irish people can achieve freedom, equality and prosperity.
Denis Spriggs joined the IRA aged only 16. He played an active part in the Tan War and, as result of his activities was forced to go on the run. On the 9th July 1921 he had returned home briefly to visit his mother. His presence in the house was betrayed by a neighbour. That night the house was raided by Crown Forces. Denis Spriggs was seized, taken 100 yards from his home to the top of Blarney Street and shot dead. Only two days later, a truce came into effect between the British forces and the IRA.
It is important that we remember the sacrifices made by Denis Spriggs and those like him. Nobody forced him to step forward and join the struggle for Irish independence – indeed, he lied about his age in order to join the IRA. He saw the oppression of the Irish people under British rule, dreamed of a better future, and took action to make it happen. He knew from the start that by doing so he was putting his life on the line, but he did not let this stop him. Like thousands more Irishmen and women of his time, he believed in a better future for his country and as willing to sacrifice himself in order to make that dream a reality.
As an IRA volunteer, Denis Spriggs took up arms in order to establish the Irish Republic declared in 1916. The basis of that republic is set out in the Proclamation: “We declare the right of the people of Ireland to the ownership of Ireland, and to the unfettered control of Irish destinies, to be sovereign and indefeasible.” This is the core republican demand: that the Irish people have the right to control their own country, the freedom to decide their own future.
That is a freedom they have never been allowed to exercise. In the 1918 elections the Irish people declared their desire for independence, only to have the British suppress the First Dáil and impose martial law on the country. It was against this denial of the Irish people’s right to self-determination that young IRA volunteers like Denis Spriggs took up arms. The continuance of partition since 1921 has meant a further denial of Irish freedom. However the limited independence achieved by the 26 counties meant that for many people the struggle for independence appeared to be over. Freedom became something that was taken for granted. For some, talk of national sovereignty even came to sound old-fashioned. They forgot that freedom is not something that is just handed to us; it needs to be fought for and it needs to be defended.
Today, however, maybe we can see once again why national freedom, the sovereignty that Volunteers like Denis Spriggs fought for, really matters. Misgovernment by our political elite and the economic crisis have led to the loss of our economic sovereignty and our dependence on the EU and IMF. This means that the basic decisions about what happens in this country now require the permission of foreign agencies. Only this week their representatives were in Dublin to compile a quarterly report on the country’s progress. Irish government ministers were reduced to the position of schoolboys having their copybooks checked. As a result, economic decisions in this country are now being taken, not on the basis of what is good for the Irish people, but what serves the EU, the IMF, and the international banks and bondholders whose interests they represent.
For ordinary people, this means cutbacks in public services, reductions in social welfare, the unfair Universal Social Charge, new water charges and property taxes – and when they protest the answer of the government is to shrug and say “it’s not our decision”. People’s standard of living is being driven down and families who are struggling to make ends meet are being punished to pay for the sins of bankers and financial regulators, but there seems to be no one to whom they can appeal. This is what happens when you lose your freedom; decisions that affect your livelihood are made for you by others, without any regard for your interests. Today, with the centenary of the 1916 rising less than five years away, it seems the ownership of Ireland lies with international bondholders, and control of Irish destinies in the European Central Bank. This is where a political system stained by corruption and cronyism, and crippled by a lack of vision, has brought us.
The ideal of a sovereign Irish republic that Denis Spriggs gave his life for has never been more relevant than it is today. The demand of James Connolly for the “reconquest of Ireland by the Irish people” has never been more timely. If we are to rise above this crisis, we need to do more than rebuild our economy – we need to remake our politics. We need to create a new republic. Today we again have urgent need of men and women who, like Denis Spriggs, have a vision of a better Ireland and the courage and dedication to make it a reality.
The vision for a new republic can be discovered in the founding documents of an independent Ireland. In 1919, the First Dáil Eireann agreed a “Democratic Programme” which set out the principles that should govern an Irish Republic. It states: “We declare that the Nation's sovereignty extends not only to all men and women of the Nation, but to all its material possessions, the Nation's soil and all its resources, all the wealth and all the wealth-producing processes within the Nation,…we reaffirm that all right to private property must be subordinated to the public right and welfare.”
Imagine what Ireland would look like today if those principles had been implemented, if the republic those words imagined had been established. We would not be burdened with taxes and spending cuts to pay off the debts of private bankers. We would not have seen our natural resources sold off from under our feet.
These are the principles on which republican politics are based. These are the principles of Sinn Fein. Today there are more republicans on the island of Ireland than at any time since 1921. The recent general election was a massive breakthrough for Sinn Féin, with our representation in Leinster House increasing from 4 to 14. We are now the real leaders of the opposition in the Dáil. Here in Cork City Jonathan O’Brien was elected as our first Sinn Féin TD in over 80 years. The 6-county elections saw further advances for Sinn Féin in that part of our country. And further testament to the growing level of popular support for republicanism was the recent Uniting Ireland conference in Cork, where we attracted nearly 600 people and filled City Hall.
Our task now is to build on that support, not just to make further electoral advances but to increase public support for a 32 county socialist republic. The growing political strength of republicanism means that goal is closer now than at any time since partition. But there is still much work to be done before it can be achieved. It is the duty of every one of us to aid in that work. A sovereign 32 county republic is not just the best memorial we can raise to men and women like Denis Spriggs, it is the only way in which the Irish people can achieve freedom, equality and prosperity.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Sinn Féin to Protest Against Water Charges Today
Sinn Féin to Protest Against Water Charges Today
Cork Sinn Féin will be holding a protest against the proposed introduction of water charges in the next budget today at 1pm in Daunt Square. The event is part of a national day of action on the issue, involving Sinn Féin members and public representatives across the country.
Speaking in advance of the protest in Cork, Cllr Chris O’Leary, the leader of the Sinn Féin group on the council, said:
“The government’s proposal to introduce a flat-rate household charge from next year is grossly unfair. It will be another regressive tax which, like the Universal Service Charge, will fall most heavily on the least well off. Families who are already struggling with unemployment, reduced pay, increased mortgage payments and higher energy bills cannot carry this extra burden.”
“Advocates of water charges claim they are needed to make householders save water and reduce waste – but the biggest waste takes place in the mains water system, before it ever reaches the taps. Figures in the city council’s 2010 annual report showed the amount of water being lost in the system increased last year from 51% to 55%.”
“Moreover, the plans by Fine Gael to transfer responsibility for water supply to a new utility company show plainly that privatisation is the next step in their agenda.”
“Sinn Féin is completely against the imposition of domestic water charges. The fact is there are obvious alternatives – fixing our leaky water mains, and encouraging water-harvesting and grey-water recycling in homes. Today’s protest is only the first step in our campaign of opposition to water charges and the privatisation of local services.”
For further information or comment contact Cllr Chris O’Leary @ 087-2794307
Cork Sinn Féin will be holding a protest against the proposed introduction of water charges in the next budget today at 1pm in Daunt Square. The event is part of a national day of action on the issue, involving Sinn Féin members and public representatives across the country.
Speaking in advance of the protest in Cork, Cllr Chris O’Leary, the leader of the Sinn Féin group on the council, said:
“The government’s proposal to introduce a flat-rate household charge from next year is grossly unfair. It will be another regressive tax which, like the Universal Service Charge, will fall most heavily on the least well off. Families who are already struggling with unemployment, reduced pay, increased mortgage payments and higher energy bills cannot carry this extra burden.”
“Advocates of water charges claim they are needed to make householders save water and reduce waste – but the biggest waste takes place in the mains water system, before it ever reaches the taps. Figures in the city council’s 2010 annual report showed the amount of water being lost in the system increased last year from 51% to 55%.”
“Moreover, the plans by Fine Gael to transfer responsibility for water supply to a new utility company show plainly that privatisation is the next step in their agenda.”
“Sinn Féin is completely against the imposition of domestic water charges. The fact is there are obvious alternatives – fixing our leaky water mains, and encouraging water-harvesting and grey-water recycling in homes. Today’s protest is only the first step in our campaign of opposition to water charges and the privatisation of local services.”
For further information or comment contact Cllr Chris O’Leary @ 087-2794307
Sinn Féin to Protest Against Water Charges Today
Sinn Féin to Protest Against Water Charges Today
Cork Sinn Féin will be holding a protest against the proposed introduction of water charges in the next budget today at 1pm in Daunt Square. The event is part of a national day of action on the issue, involving Sinn Féin members and public representatives across the country.
Speaking in advance of the protest in Cork, Cllr Chris O’Leary, the leader of the Sinn Féin group on the council, said:
“The government’s proposal to introduce a flat-rate household charge from next year is grossly unfair. It will be another regressive tax which, like the Universal Service Charge, will fall most heavily on the least well off. Families who are already struggling with unemployment, reduced pay, increased mortgage payments and higher energy bills cannot carry this extra burden.”
“Advocates of water charges claim they are needed to make householders save water and reduce waste – but the biggest waste takes place in the mains water system, before it ever reaches the taps. Figures in the city council’s 2010 annual report showed the amount of water being lost in the system increased last year from 51% to 55%.”
“Moreover, the plans by Fine Gael to transfer responsibility for water supply to a new utility company show plainly that privatisation is the next step in their agenda.”
“Sinn Féin is completely against the imposition of domestic water charges. The fact is there are obvious alternatives – fixing our leaky water mains, and encouraging water-harvesting and grey-water recycling in homes. Today’s protest is only the first step in our campaign of opposition to water charges and the privatisation of local services.”
For further information or comment contact Cllr Chris O’Leary @ 087-2794307
Cork Sinn Féin will be holding a protest against the proposed introduction of water charges in the next budget today at 1pm in Daunt Square. The event is part of a national day of action on the issue, involving Sinn Féin members and public representatives across the country.
Speaking in advance of the protest in Cork, Cllr Chris O’Leary, the leader of the Sinn Féin group on the council, said:
“The government’s proposal to introduce a flat-rate household charge from next year is grossly unfair. It will be another regressive tax which, like the Universal Service Charge, will fall most heavily on the least well off. Families who are already struggling with unemployment, reduced pay, increased mortgage payments and higher energy bills cannot carry this extra burden.”
“Advocates of water charges claim they are needed to make householders save water and reduce waste – but the biggest waste takes place in the mains water system, before it ever reaches the taps. Figures in the city council’s 2010 annual report showed the amount of water being lost in the system increased last year from 51% to 55%.”
“Moreover, the plans by Fine Gael to transfer responsibility for water supply to a new utility company show plainly that privatisation is the next step in their agenda.”
“Sinn Féin is completely against the imposition of domestic water charges. The fact is there are obvious alternatives – fixing our leaky water mains, and encouraging water-harvesting and grey-water recycling in homes. Today’s protest is only the first step in our campaign of opposition to water charges and the privatisation of local services.”
For further information or comment contact Cllr Chris O’Leary @ 087-2794307
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Sinn Féin Rejects Council Plan to Slash Maintenance-Nugent
Sinn Féin Rejects Council Plan to Slash Maintenance-Nugent
Sinn Féin councillor Mick Nugent last night expressed his shock and outrage at plans to slash the City Council’s budget for maintenance by €700,000. The proposal was contained in an interim financial report presented to the council by the City Manager last night.
Cllr Nugent said:
“There can be no question of targeting the council’s already inadequate housing maintenance budget to make up the shortfall in its finances.”
“According to the Manager, revenues from a number of sources, including parking charges and government funding, have come in below expectations in the year to date. As a result, he is proposing to cut €700,000 from the budget for housing maintenance.”
“As things stand, there is a massive waiting list for maintenance. Many families have been forced to endure years living in houses which are damp, leaking or otherwise unfit. Housing has suffered in the last two sets of council estimates and cannot be cut back any further.”
“The Manager’s proposal is one more example of cutbacks being targeted at the most vulnerable and those least able to bear them. Questions must also asked about why council revenue is so far under target so quickly after the estimates that were passed last December. Sinn Féin rejects any suggestion of further cutbacks to the budget for housing maintenance and will oppose them in the council chamber.”
For further information contact Cllr Mick Nugent @ 087-6755793
Sinn Féin councillor Mick Nugent last night expressed his shock and outrage at plans to slash the City Council’s budget for maintenance by €700,000. The proposal was contained in an interim financial report presented to the council by the City Manager last night.
Cllr Nugent said:
“There can be no question of targeting the council’s already inadequate housing maintenance budget to make up the shortfall in its finances.”
“According to the Manager, revenues from a number of sources, including parking charges and government funding, have come in below expectations in the year to date. As a result, he is proposing to cut €700,000 from the budget for housing maintenance.”
“As things stand, there is a massive waiting list for maintenance. Many families have been forced to endure years living in houses which are damp, leaking or otherwise unfit. Housing has suffered in the last two sets of council estimates and cannot be cut back any further.”
“The Manager’s proposal is one more example of cutbacks being targeted at the most vulnerable and those least able to bear them. Questions must also asked about why council revenue is so far under target so quickly after the estimates that were passed last December. Sinn Féin rejects any suggestion of further cutbacks to the budget for housing maintenance and will oppose them in the council chamber.”
For further information contact Cllr Mick Nugent @ 087-6755793
Thursday, July 7, 2011
O’Brien Criticises TDs Over Hospital Vote
O’Brien Criticises TDs Over Hospital Vote
Sinn Féin TD for Cork North Central Jonathan O’Brien has criticised Fine Gael and Labour TDs for failing people on the Northside by voting against a Sinn Féin bill calling on the Government to halt its policy of cuts and closures to hospital services.
Deputy O’Brien asked why local TDs Dara Murphy and Kathleen Lynch did not vote to stop health cutbacks, including the closure of the Orthopaedic Hospital, by supporting Sinn Féin's bill.
"For too long access to quality health services in Ireland has depended on how much money you earn and where you live. This is being further compounded by the Government's policy of downgrading services at a number of hospitals across the country. In my own constituency, the closure of the Orthopaedic means there will not be a single public hospital serving the people of Cork’s Northside.”
"In the Dáil yesterday we presented local TDs with a clear option, to support the Sinn Féin motion and support the retention of services at hospitals like the Orthopaedic. Do otherwise and guarantee the opposite. The TDs made their position clear."
“I am particularly disappointed that local TDs like Dara Murphy and Kathleen Lynch, who had been vocal in their support of the Orthopaedic during the election campaign, voted against the Sinn Féin motion – particularly as one Fine Gael TD, Denis Naughton from Roscommon, crossed the floor to support us. The people of Cork’s Northside will rightly ask these TDs what became of the promises they made on the issue during the election campaign.”
For further information contact Deputy Jonathan O’Brien at 086-0274142
Sinn Féin TD for Cork North Central Jonathan O’Brien has criticised Fine Gael and Labour TDs for failing people on the Northside by voting against a Sinn Féin bill calling on the Government to halt its policy of cuts and closures to hospital services.
Deputy O’Brien asked why local TDs Dara Murphy and Kathleen Lynch did not vote to stop health cutbacks, including the closure of the Orthopaedic Hospital, by supporting Sinn Féin's bill.
"For too long access to quality health services in Ireland has depended on how much money you earn and where you live. This is being further compounded by the Government's policy of downgrading services at a number of hospitals across the country. In my own constituency, the closure of the Orthopaedic means there will not be a single public hospital serving the people of Cork’s Northside.”
"In the Dáil yesterday we presented local TDs with a clear option, to support the Sinn Féin motion and support the retention of services at hospitals like the Orthopaedic. Do otherwise and guarantee the opposite. The TDs made their position clear."
“I am particularly disappointed that local TDs like Dara Murphy and Kathleen Lynch, who had been vocal in their support of the Orthopaedic during the election campaign, voted against the Sinn Féin motion – particularly as one Fine Gael TD, Denis Naughton from Roscommon, crossed the floor to support us. The people of Cork’s Northside will rightly ask these TDs what became of the promises they made on the issue during the election campaign.”
For further information contact Deputy Jonathan O’Brien at 086-0274142
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Cork City councillor calls on local TDs to support Sinn Féin Dáil motion
Cork City councillor calls on local TDs to support Sinn Féin Dáil motion
Sinn Féin Councillor Mick Nugent has called on all Cork TDs to support the Sinn Féin Dáil motion on the impending crisis in the health services.
The motion which has been tabled by the Sinn Féin Dáil team calls on the Government to live up to their electoral commitments and ensure equal access to safe and efficient hospital services for all, without discrimination.
Speaking today Councillor Nugent said:
“Our health system is at breaking point. We are facing an impending crisis in our public hospitals due to the shortage of junior doctors from 11 July.
“This is not news. We have known for years that the hospital system is totally over-reliant on junior doctors. Successive Governments have recognised this but have failed to address the problem and now it is looming again, worse than ever.
“We now look set to lose A&E departments in hospitals across the state. Fine Gael and Labour made repeated pre-election commitments to maintain services at smaller hospitals. These commitments have proved worthless as they impose savage health cuts because they value senior bank bondholders more than they value patients in our public health services.
“The Sinn Féin Dáil motion calls on the Government and all those TDs who made firm promises to their constituents that they would protect hospitals including Roscommon, Navan, Letterkenny, Portlaoise, Loughlinstown, Ballinasloe, Limerick, Clonmel, Mallow, Bantry and St.Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital in Cork City, to stick by their word and stand up for the people who rely on these hospitals.
“We want the Government to stand by its electoral commitments and ensure equal access to safe and efficient hospital services for all, without discrimination based on income or geographic location.
“I am calling on all Cork TDs to support this important motion in the Dáil and to stand up for the people that elected them.”
ENDS
Note to editors: Text of private members’ motion below.
The motion will be debated on Tuesday with a vote on Wednesday.
GNÓ COMHALTAÍ PRÍOBHÁIDEACHA
PRIVATE MEMBERS’ BUSINESS
“That Dáil Éireann calls on the Government to stand by its commitments and ensure:
— the continuation of all existing accident and emergency services at hospitals across
the State as promised by candidates of the Fine Gael and Labour parties in advance of
the General Election, including Roscommon, Navan, Letterkenny, Portlaoise, St.
Columcille’s (Loughlinstown), Portiuncula (Ballinasloe), the Mid-Western
(Limerick), Clonmel, Mallow and Bantry;
— the retention of key services such as orthopaedic services at St. Mary’s Hospital, Cork
and the return of comprehensive breast cancer services to Sligo, also as committed by
candidates of the parties now in Government; and
— equal access to safe and efficient hospital services for all, without discrimination
based on income or geographic location.” — Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, Gerry Adams,
Michael Colreavy, Seán Crowe, Pearse Doherty, Dessie Ellis, Martin Ferris, Mary
Lou McDonald, Sandra McLellan, Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, Jonathan O'Brien,
Aengus Ó Snodaigh, Brian Stanley, Peadar Tóibín.
Sinn Féin Councillor Mick Nugent has called on all Cork TDs to support the Sinn Féin Dáil motion on the impending crisis in the health services.
The motion which has been tabled by the Sinn Féin Dáil team calls on the Government to live up to their electoral commitments and ensure equal access to safe and efficient hospital services for all, without discrimination.
Speaking today Councillor Nugent said:
“Our health system is at breaking point. We are facing an impending crisis in our public hospitals due to the shortage of junior doctors from 11 July.
“This is not news. We have known for years that the hospital system is totally over-reliant on junior doctors. Successive Governments have recognised this but have failed to address the problem and now it is looming again, worse than ever.
“We now look set to lose A&E departments in hospitals across the state. Fine Gael and Labour made repeated pre-election commitments to maintain services at smaller hospitals. These commitments have proved worthless as they impose savage health cuts because they value senior bank bondholders more than they value patients in our public health services.
“The Sinn Féin Dáil motion calls on the Government and all those TDs who made firm promises to their constituents that they would protect hospitals including Roscommon, Navan, Letterkenny, Portlaoise, Loughlinstown, Ballinasloe, Limerick, Clonmel, Mallow, Bantry and St.Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital in Cork City, to stick by their word and stand up for the people who rely on these hospitals.
“We want the Government to stand by its electoral commitments and ensure equal access to safe and efficient hospital services for all, without discrimination based on income or geographic location.
“I am calling on all Cork TDs to support this important motion in the Dáil and to stand up for the people that elected them.”
ENDS
Note to editors: Text of private members’ motion below.
The motion will be debated on Tuesday with a vote on Wednesday.
GNÓ COMHALTAÍ PRÍOBHÁIDEACHA
PRIVATE MEMBERS’ BUSINESS
“That Dáil Éireann calls on the Government to stand by its commitments and ensure:
— the continuation of all existing accident and emergency services at hospitals across
the State as promised by candidates of the Fine Gael and Labour parties in advance of
the General Election, including Roscommon, Navan, Letterkenny, Portlaoise, St.
Columcille’s (Loughlinstown), Portiuncula (Ballinasloe), the Mid-Western
(Limerick), Clonmel, Mallow and Bantry;
— the retention of key services such as orthopaedic services at St. Mary’s Hospital, Cork
and the return of comprehensive breast cancer services to Sligo, also as committed by
candidates of the parties now in Government; and
— equal access to safe and efficient hospital services for all, without discrimination
based on income or geographic location.” — Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, Gerry Adams,
Michael Colreavy, Seán Crowe, Pearse Doherty, Dessie Ellis, Martin Ferris, Mary
Lou McDonald, Sandra McLellan, Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, Jonathan O'Brien,
Aengus Ó Snodaigh, Brian Stanley, Peadar Tóibín.
Residents Must Be Heard on Knocknaheeny Plan- Nugent
Residents Must Be Heard on Knocknaheeny Plan- Nugent
Sinn Féin councillor Mick Nugent has welcomed the publication of plans for the next phase of the Knocknaheeny Regeneration Project, but said there needs to be improved consultation with residents before the plan is finalised. He was speaking after last night’s meeting of the council’s Housing Committee.
Cllr Nugent said:
“I welcome the announcement of plans for the next phase of the Knocknaheeny Regeneration Project, which are long overdue.”
“However lessons need to be learned from the experience of previous phases. There needs to be greater consultation with the local community, to deal with people’s concerns and ensure that all residents are able to buy in to the project. In this respect I believe the consultation period needs to be extended beyond the date of early August which has been indicated.”
“A number of other issues also need to be addressed. How does the council plan to re-house residents who will be moved out of their homes during the regeneration project, especially those who currently own their properties? This is of particular concern given the shortage of social housing in the city and the length of the housing waiting list.”
“Given that work on the regeneration project is not slated to commence until 2014, and will take several years to complete, the council also needs to put in place a maintenance plan for the upkeep of its housing stock in Knocknaheeny in the interim. It also needs to give residents specific dates for the completion of various phases of the project, so they can plan around the maintenance of their own houses, gardens, etc.”
“Sinn Fein plans on holding a public meeting in Knocknaheeny in the near future which will offer residents the opportunity to have their say on the council’s plans. The feedback we receive will also inform the party’s submission to council on the regeneration plan. Details of the meeting will be forthcoming shortly.”
For further information contact Cllr Mick Nugent @ 087-6755793
Sinn Féin councillor Mick Nugent has welcomed the publication of plans for the next phase of the Knocknaheeny Regeneration Project, but said there needs to be improved consultation with residents before the plan is finalised. He was speaking after last night’s meeting of the council’s Housing Committee.
Cllr Nugent said:
“I welcome the announcement of plans for the next phase of the Knocknaheeny Regeneration Project, which are long overdue.”
“However lessons need to be learned from the experience of previous phases. There needs to be greater consultation with the local community, to deal with people’s concerns and ensure that all residents are able to buy in to the project. In this respect I believe the consultation period needs to be extended beyond the date of early August which has been indicated.”
“A number of other issues also need to be addressed. How does the council plan to re-house residents who will be moved out of their homes during the regeneration project, especially those who currently own their properties? This is of particular concern given the shortage of social housing in the city and the length of the housing waiting list.”
“Given that work on the regeneration project is not slated to commence until 2014, and will take several years to complete, the council also needs to put in place a maintenance plan for the upkeep of its housing stock in Knocknaheeny in the interim. It also needs to give residents specific dates for the completion of various phases of the project, so they can plan around the maintenance of their own houses, gardens, etc.”
“Sinn Fein plans on holding a public meeting in Knocknaheeny in the near future which will offer residents the opportunity to have their say on the council’s plans. The feedback we receive will also inform the party’s submission to council on the regeneration plan. Details of the meeting will be forthcoming shortly.”
For further information contact Cllr Mick Nugent @ 087-6755793
Monday, July 4, 2011
Second Sinn Féin Summer School to Discuss Debt Crisis
Second Sinn Féin Summer School to Discuss Debt Crisis
The Sinn Féin summer school Scoil Samhradh na Saoirse will take place for the second time in Ballyvourney next weekend (8th and 9th July). The debt crisis and the economy will be a major topic of discussion at this year’s summer school, with speakers including SIPTU President Jack O’Connor making contributions alongside Sinn Féin Finance Spokesperson Pearse Doherty.
This is the second year the party has run the summer school, which is designed as a vehicle for debate on the major issues facing the country. Last year’s summer school included a number of prominent speakers, including Cork Hurling Captain Donal Óg Cusack.
This year’s summer school will be opened by Cllr Toireasa Ferris, while Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams will give the keynote address.
The Reverend Mervyn Gibson will address the conference on the future of loyalism on Friday night, while Jimmy Barry Murphy and artist Robert Ballagh will be among a number of speakers discussing the need for a new Irish revival on Saturday morning.
Saturday afternoon will focus on the debt crisis in Ireland and abroad. Speakers will include Pearse Doherty TD (Sinn Féin Finance spokesperson), Jack O’Connor (President of SIPTU), Mary Smithwick (Politics Editor of the Evening Echo), Huginn Freyr Thorsteinsson (Political Advisor to the Finance Minister of Iceland), Yanis Varufackis (Professor of Economics University of Athens), and Tom McDonnell (Policy Analyst at TASC).
The conference will be closed by Mary Lou McDonald TD, Vice-President of Sinn Féin.
For further information or comment contact DJ O’Driscoll @ 087-7435064
The Sinn Féin summer school Scoil Samhradh na Saoirse will take place for the second time in Ballyvourney next weekend (8th and 9th July). The debt crisis and the economy will be a major topic of discussion at this year’s summer school, with speakers including SIPTU President Jack O’Connor making contributions alongside Sinn Féin Finance Spokesperson Pearse Doherty.
This is the second year the party has run the summer school, which is designed as a vehicle for debate on the major issues facing the country. Last year’s summer school included a number of prominent speakers, including Cork Hurling Captain Donal Óg Cusack.
This year’s summer school will be opened by Cllr Toireasa Ferris, while Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams will give the keynote address.
The Reverend Mervyn Gibson will address the conference on the future of loyalism on Friday night, while Jimmy Barry Murphy and artist Robert Ballagh will be among a number of speakers discussing the need for a new Irish revival on Saturday morning.
Saturday afternoon will focus on the debt crisis in Ireland and abroad. Speakers will include Pearse Doherty TD (Sinn Féin Finance spokesperson), Jack O’Connor (President of SIPTU), Mary Smithwick (Politics Editor of the Evening Echo), Huginn Freyr Thorsteinsson (Political Advisor to the Finance Minister of Iceland), Yanis Varufackis (Professor of Economics University of Athens), and Tom McDonnell (Policy Analyst at TASC).
The conference will be closed by Mary Lou McDonald TD, Vice-President of Sinn Féin.
For further information or comment contact DJ O’Driscoll @ 087-7435064
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