Press Release- Jobless 'Recovery ' a Bitter Irony to the Unemployed

Jobless “Recovery” a Bitter Irony to the Unemployed
Sinn Féin Councillor Jonathan O’Brien said figures showing Ireland is technically out of recession will come as a bitter irony to the 444,900 people on the dole.

Cllr O’Brien stated:

“The government and the financial pundits claim the recession is over. This will come as a bitter irony to the 444,900 people on the dole – including 5,800 who have lost their jobs in the past month.”

“The government’s policies of austerity and cutbacks have only succeeded in depressing the economy further. While the political focus remains on the public finances and saving the banks, nothing is being done to create jobs. As a result, we now face a jobless “recovery” that will do nothing to ease the financial pressure felt by families across the country.”

“In the past two months over 12,000 people have signed on, while thousands more have emigrated. Fianna Fáil’s obsession with keeping a zombie bank afloat at Anglo Irish is squeezing the lifeblood out of the economy.”

“Ireland may have technically emerged from recession, with a growth of 2.7% in GDP but this is insignificant to the hundreds of thousands of Irish people on the Live Register today. There is no economic recovery when there is still an absence of jobs.

“It is about time that the Government realised that deflationary policies will cripple growth, retard job creation and leave us with out-dated infrastructure. Sinn Féin has put forward detailed policies on job creation with more than eighty individual recommendations. It is time to take real measures to stimulate the economy and reverse course on its failed policies.”

For further information contact Cllr Jonathan O’Brien @ 085-2133907

Press release

Stag Hunting Furore Says a Lot About Fianna Fáil

The furore over tonight’s vote to ban stag hunting says a lot about the priorities of government backbenchers, according to Cork Sinn Féin Councillor Jonathan O’Brien.

“This government has shovelled billions at the banks, while targeting cutbacks at the most vulnerable in society. Social welfare payments have been cut, services for children with special needs reduced, and health and education budgets slashed. Now ministers are hinting that the old age pension may be next for the chop.”

“Fianna Fail backbenchers and independents Jackie Healy Rae and Michael Lowry trailed obediently through the lobbies to vote for government policies which have rewarded the very people who wrecked the economy while penalising ordinary workers. Where was the backbench revolt when the government was pumping more than €20 billion into Anglo-Irish bank? Government TDs have shown little concern over the cutbacks to social welfare payments or the government’s failure to do anything for the 440,000 unemployed. But proposals to ban stag-hunting and regulate dog-breeding have them scurrying to the nearest microphone to shout defiance.”

“Last week seven Fianna Fail TDs went on the record to oppose the legislation. Now Independents Michael Lowry and Jackie Healy-Rae have stated they will vote against it.”

“That dogs and deer, rather than this government’s appalling economic policies, should trigger a back-bench rebellion says a lot about the priorities of government TDs. The economic pain of ordinary people is less important to them than the right of the Ward Union Hunt to chase stags over the plains of Meath. Once more government politicians have shown themselves totally detached from the concerns of ordinary people.”

For further information contact Cllr Jonathan O’Brien @ 085/2133907

Volunteer Commemoration

A commemoration took place last Sunday 27th June to mark the 37th anniversary of the death on active service of Volunteer Dermot Crowley. Dermot along with two Tyrone comrades, Pat Carty & Sean Loughran were killed near Omagh Co Tyrone on the 25th June 1973 and every year Cork Republicans gather at Dermot's graveside to remember his sacrifice and pay tribute to his memory.

The commemoration was chaired by Pat Coughlan of the Vols Ahern/Crowley Cumann and the oration was given by Arnie O'Connell, those assembled on the day were led to the cemetery by the Youghal Vols RFB.

Sinn Féin to Oppose Royal Visit

Sinn Féin Councillor Jonathan O’Brien has described as “totally unacceptable” the Taoiseach Brian Cowen’s welcome for a visit to Ireland by the Queen of England, Commander-in-Chief of the British Army, and said the party will oppose any royal visit. The Taoiseach’s welcome came on the day he refused in the Dáil to give a commitment to raise the issue of collusion with the British Prime Minister.

Cllr O’Brien stated: “It is totally unacceptable that the Taoiseach is, on the one hand, welcoming and preparing for a visit to Ireland by the Queen of England, Commander-in-Chief of the British Army, while on the other hand he refuses to pursue the British Prime Minister and the British government on the issue of collusion.”

“While the Saville Report was a welcome development in vindicating the dead of Bloody Sunday it was only the tip of the iceberg of British state killings in Ireland.”

“For example Sinn Féin has repeatedly called on the British government to give to an international judicial figure all files in its possession relating to the Dublin and Monaghan bombings of May 1974, in which 33 people died, and other acts of collusion in the 26 Counties during the conflict. The Taoiseach has admitted that he had failed to raise this with Gordon Browne during his premiership.”

“Sinn Féin opposes the proposed state visit of the Queen of England, Commander-in-Chief of the British armed forces. Until there is complete withdrawal of the British military and the British administration from Ireland, and until there is justice and truth for victims of collusion, no official welcome should be accorded to any officer of the British armed forces of any rank.”

For further information contact Cllr Jonathan O’Brien @ 085-2133907

Volunteer Commemoration

Volunteer Dermot Crowley Commemoration (37th anniversary), Sunday 27th June 1pm assemble at Rathcooney Fruit Farm for march to Rathcooney cemetery, speaker Arnie O'Connell, Youghal RFB in attendance, organised by the Vols Ahern/Crowley Cumann.

Press release

O’Brien Welcomes Saville Findings

Cork Sinn Féin Councillor Jonathan O’Brien has welcomed the findings of the Saville enquiry into Bloody Sunday, saying that its vindication of the victims was long overdue.

Cllr O’Brien said:

“The Saville Report vindicates the fourteen dead and the injured of Bloody Sunday. It vindicates also the brave relatives of the dead and the people of Derry who have campaigned for truth and justice for over thirty-eight years."

“The people of Derry and of Ireland and people across the world have long known that the killings by the Parachute Regiment of the British Army were, in the words of the Saville Report ‘unjustified and unjustifiable’. It is highly significant that the British Government has now had to acknowledge that truth as a result of this Report.”

“The lies of the Widgery Tribunal have now been fully exposed. For three decades the British government used that lying report to justify the murders committed by its Army on Bloody Sunday.”

“This Report should now spur the Irish Government on to press the British government to comply with the unanimous all-party motion adopted by the Dáil nearly two years ago which called on the British government to release to an international investigation all facts it possesses on the Dublin and Monaghan bombings of 17 May 1974.”

“The final act of justice will be when every remaining soldier of the British Army is at last withdrawn from the Six Counties.”

For further information contact Cllr Jonathan O’Brien @ 085-2133907

Press Release

O’Brien welcomes extension of funding for Dial to Stop Drug Dealing

Sinn Féin’s Councillor Jonathan O’Brien has welcomed today’s announcement that funding for the highly successful Dial to Stop Drug Dealing initiative has been extended till the end of the year and repeated his call for the scheme to be put on a permanent footing.

Cllr O’Brien also called on members of the public to continue using the free phone number and to help to raise awareness of the scheme.

Speaking today Cllr O’Brien said:
“The Dial to Stop Drug Dealing free phone number has been a highly successful initiative which Sinn Féin has long campaigned for. I welcome today’s announcement that funding for the scheme is to be extended to the end of the year but reiterate my call for it to be put on a permanent footing.
“I am also calling on members of the public to continue using the free phone number and to raise awareness of the scheme by advertising the number on social networking sites and any other means available.”

The Dial to Stop Drug Dealing number is 1800220220

For further information contact Cllr Jonathan O’Brien @ 085-2133907