City Council Put on Notice – Change is Overdue
Nearly 80 people turned up in Togher Community Centre last night for the first in a series of public meeting on housing which Sinn Féin is holding across the city.
Speaking at the meeting, local councillor Henry Cremin said:
“Tonight we are putting the council on notice that change is overdue. Housing policy is broken, and we cannot wait any longer for it to be fixed. Council tenants and those on the social housing list are being denied basic respect. People must wait years for a house, wait for maintenance, wait even for the common courtesy of a reply to their queries from the housing officials in City Hall.”
“After tonight, we will be holding further meetings like this across the city and organising a series of protests at City Hall. We are committed to this campaign, committed to getting people their rights, and we are in it for the long haul.”
Outlining Sinn Féin’s policy proposals to the meeting, Cllr Chris O’Leary stated:
“There are over 8,000 families on the waiting list for social housing in Cork City. Meanwhile there are an estimated 300,000 vacant houses across the state. More than one in six private houses built is vacant. We are calling for these vacant houses to be made available to the people who need social housing.”
“For this to happen there needs to be a change in government policy. In the meantime there is a lot the council can do by itself. Sinn Féin wants to see a transparent, points based housing list so everyone knows where they are placed and why decisions are taken. We want tenants whose homes need maintenance to be able to carry out the work themselves and have the cost deducted from their rent. We are looking for a charter of rights for tenants to guarantee them a basic level of service from the council.”
Many of the large crowd indicated they were on the housing list or waiting for maintenance requests or transfers. Speakers from the floor expressed their frustration with the endless delays and with their treatment by City Council. Council officials were invited to attend the meeting but failed to turn up.
The next meeting will take place in Mahon Community Centre on Tuesday 28th September at 7.30pm.
For further information contact Cllr Henry Cremin @ 086-2662874 or Cllr Chris O’Leary @ 087-2794307.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Sinn Féin to hold Public Meeting on it's Housing Campaign.
Unite to Change the System – Sinn Féin Launches a Series of Public Meetings highlighting it's Housing Campaign.
"Housing policy in Cork City is not working, and it is time for the people most affected by its failure to unite and change the system". This was the message from Sinn Fein’s Cllr Henry Cremin today as he announced details of the first in a series of public meetings the party is holding on housing across the city. This will take place in Togher Community Centre at 7.30pm this Thursday night.
Cllr Cremin stated:
“The council’s housing policy is not working. There are over 8,000 families on the waiting list for social housing in Cork City. Much of the existing social housing stock in the city is of poor standard with people waiting years for maintenance. Meanwhile there are an estimated 300,000 vacant houses across the state. More than one in six private houses built remain vacant. Many of these ghost estates are situated in Cork City and County. This represents a shocking waste of resources in the face of dire need.”
“Everyone should be able to access good quality housing at an affordable price. However this is not possible for tens of thousands of people in our city. At the core of the problem is government policy, which has been to gradually withdraw from social housing provision and let the market provide. But the market has failed. The past ten years have seen the inflation of a massive housing bubble which put house prices beyond the means of many first time buyers, followed by a property crash that devastated the construction sector and has thrown tens of thousands on the dole. The credit crunch also means that many potential home buyers are being denied mortgages.”
“Sinn Féin wants to see the central role in housing policy given back to local authorities. Local government should be given adequate funding to tackle the waiting lists and improve maintenance. Vacant dwellings in the control of NAMA should be made available to those on the social housing list. Councils should also be empowered to provide genuinely affordable housing for sale in the open market.”
“For this to happen there needs to be a change in government policy. In the meantime there is a lot the council can do by itself. Sinn Féin wants to see a transparent, points based housing list so everyone knows where they are placed and why decisions are taken. We want tenants whose homes need maintenance to be able to carry out the work themselves and have the cost deducted from their rent. We are looking for a charter of rights for tenants to guarantee them a basic level of service from the council.”
“Thursday’s meeting is about mobilising the people most affected by the failures of housing policy to demand change. It is about communities uniting to make a difference. I hope we will have a good turnout from the residents of Togher, as well as others across the city who have witnessed at first hand the failures of the council’s housing policy. This campaign is only beginning. In the coming weeks and months we will be carrying our message into communities and housing estates right around Cork.”
For further information contact Cllr Henry Cremin @ 086-2662874
"Housing policy in Cork City is not working, and it is time for the people most affected by its failure to unite and change the system". This was the message from Sinn Fein’s Cllr Henry Cremin today as he announced details of the first in a series of public meetings the party is holding on housing across the city. This will take place in Togher Community Centre at 7.30pm this Thursday night.
Cllr Cremin stated:
“The council’s housing policy is not working. There are over 8,000 families on the waiting list for social housing in Cork City. Much of the existing social housing stock in the city is of poor standard with people waiting years for maintenance. Meanwhile there are an estimated 300,000 vacant houses across the state. More than one in six private houses built remain vacant. Many of these ghost estates are situated in Cork City and County. This represents a shocking waste of resources in the face of dire need.”
“Everyone should be able to access good quality housing at an affordable price. However this is not possible for tens of thousands of people in our city. At the core of the problem is government policy, which has been to gradually withdraw from social housing provision and let the market provide. But the market has failed. The past ten years have seen the inflation of a massive housing bubble which put house prices beyond the means of many first time buyers, followed by a property crash that devastated the construction sector and has thrown tens of thousands on the dole. The credit crunch also means that many potential home buyers are being denied mortgages.”
“Sinn Féin wants to see the central role in housing policy given back to local authorities. Local government should be given adequate funding to tackle the waiting lists and improve maintenance. Vacant dwellings in the control of NAMA should be made available to those on the social housing list. Councils should also be empowered to provide genuinely affordable housing for sale in the open market.”
“For this to happen there needs to be a change in government policy. In the meantime there is a lot the council can do by itself. Sinn Féin wants to see a transparent, points based housing list so everyone knows where they are placed and why decisions are taken. We want tenants whose homes need maintenance to be able to carry out the work themselves and have the cost deducted from their rent. We are looking for a charter of rights for tenants to guarantee them a basic level of service from the council.”
“Thursday’s meeting is about mobilising the people most affected by the failures of housing policy to demand change. It is about communities uniting to make a difference. I hope we will have a good turnout from the residents of Togher, as well as others across the city who have witnessed at first hand the failures of the council’s housing policy. This campaign is only beginning. In the coming weeks and months we will be carrying our message into communities and housing estates right around Cork.”
For further information contact Cllr Henry Cremin @ 086-2662874
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
'Last Man Standing Competition'
Last Man Standing
We are starting the game again this Saturday, remember you pick a team from this weekends fixtures, if you team wins you stay in but the trick is you have to pick a different team to win every week, the 'Last Man Standing' wins the prize ,generally half the pot so get your first selection in! Just €10 entry as usual..remember our last winner took €450!
Barclays Premier League
Saturday 18th September all 3pm unless stated
Stoke City v West Ham Utd 12.45
Aston Villa v Bolton Wanderers
Blackburn Rovers v Fulham
Everton v Newcastle Utd
Spurs v Wolves
West Brom v Birmingham City
Sunderland v Arsenal 5.30pm
Sunday 19th September
Man Utd v Liverpool 1.30pm
Wigan Athletic v Manchester City
Chelsea v Blackpool 4pm
Good Luck!
Feel free to contact the Sinn Féin office with your selection Tel 021/4311389 087/6755793.
We are starting the game again this Saturday, remember you pick a team from this weekends fixtures, if you team wins you stay in but the trick is you have to pick a different team to win every week, the 'Last Man Standing' wins the prize ,generally half the pot so get your first selection in! Just €10 entry as usual..remember our last winner took €450!
Barclays Premier League
Saturday 18th September all 3pm unless stated
Stoke City v West Ham Utd 12.45
Aston Villa v Bolton Wanderers
Blackburn Rovers v Fulham
Everton v Newcastle Utd
Spurs v Wolves
West Brom v Birmingham City
Sunderland v Arsenal 5.30pm
Sunday 19th September
Man Utd v Liverpool 1.30pm
Wigan Athletic v Manchester City
Chelsea v Blackpool 4pm
Good Luck!
Feel free to contact the Sinn Féin office with your selection Tel 021/4311389 087/6755793.
Sinn Féin Sets Out It's Stall For New Council Term
Sinn Féin Sets Out its Stall for New Council Term
Sinn Féin’s group leader on Cork City Council, Jonathan O’Brien, today set out the party’s priorities for the new council term. He was speaking after himself and his colleagues Cllrs Chris O’Leary, Henry Cremin, Thomas Gould and Fiona Kerins held a meeting with the incoming City Manager at which they discussed a range of issues affecting the city.
Cllr Jonathan O’Brien stated: “Over the past year Sinn Féin has established itself as the opposition on Cork City Council. While other parties are content to divvy up places on committees and collect their expenses, want to change the system and make the council more responsive to the needs of the people it is meant to serve.” “In July we launched our housing campaign, “Let’s End the Wait”, demanding quality, affordable housing for all. As part of that campaign we published a policy document outlining a series of measures which the council could implement to cut social housing lists and improve the conditions of tenants.
These included introducing a transparent, points based housing list, providing a charter of rights for tenants, and allowing tenants carry out emergency maintenance and deduct the cost from their rent. We also called for properties in NAMA to be handed over to the council and given to those on the housing list or sold at an affordable price. That campaign continues through the autumn with a series of public meetings in all wards of the city, and we will keep up the pressure in the council chamber until housing policy is changed.”
“Protecting services is also a priority for Sinn Féin. The public refuse service and the city car parks are threatened with privatisation. This would result in less choice and higher prices for service users, as well as putting jobs at risk. We will stand against any attempt to privatise council services, as well as against the threatened imposition of water charges. This will inform our approach to the estimates. Ordinary workers and householders cannot be made pay for the disastrous mistakes of a few. While the council needs to cut costs, we should trim the fat of conference fees and junkets rather than targeting services that ordinary people depend on.” “The way the council works needs to change as well. In this day and age it is no longer tolerable for a cosy cartel to divvy up positions and take decisions behind closed doors. Council must be more open and transparent.
We want the estimates process to involve consultation with and a meaningful input from all the elected members. We want the public to be assured of the best possible service from the council. We want councillors to be able to divert their conference fees to useful projects in their wards, such as traffic-calming measures or community sports grants.”
“With five city councillors, Cork Sinn Féin goes into this council term stronger than ever before. We are determined to use that strength to make a difference – to reform housing policy, protect services and make local government more accountable.” For further information contact Jonathan O’Brien @ 085-2133907.
Sinn Féin’s group leader on Cork City Council, Jonathan O’Brien, today set out the party’s priorities for the new council term. He was speaking after himself and his colleagues Cllrs Chris O’Leary, Henry Cremin, Thomas Gould and Fiona Kerins held a meeting with the incoming City Manager at which they discussed a range of issues affecting the city.
Cllr Jonathan O’Brien stated: “Over the past year Sinn Féin has established itself as the opposition on Cork City Council. While other parties are content to divvy up places on committees and collect their expenses, want to change the system and make the council more responsive to the needs of the people it is meant to serve.” “In July we launched our housing campaign, “Let’s End the Wait”, demanding quality, affordable housing for all. As part of that campaign we published a policy document outlining a series of measures which the council could implement to cut social housing lists and improve the conditions of tenants.
These included introducing a transparent, points based housing list, providing a charter of rights for tenants, and allowing tenants carry out emergency maintenance and deduct the cost from their rent. We also called for properties in NAMA to be handed over to the council and given to those on the housing list or sold at an affordable price. That campaign continues through the autumn with a series of public meetings in all wards of the city, and we will keep up the pressure in the council chamber until housing policy is changed.”
“Protecting services is also a priority for Sinn Féin. The public refuse service and the city car parks are threatened with privatisation. This would result in less choice and higher prices for service users, as well as putting jobs at risk. We will stand against any attempt to privatise council services, as well as against the threatened imposition of water charges. This will inform our approach to the estimates. Ordinary workers and householders cannot be made pay for the disastrous mistakes of a few. While the council needs to cut costs, we should trim the fat of conference fees and junkets rather than targeting services that ordinary people depend on.” “The way the council works needs to change as well. In this day and age it is no longer tolerable for a cosy cartel to divvy up positions and take decisions behind closed doors. Council must be more open and transparent.
We want the estimates process to involve consultation with and a meaningful input from all the elected members. We want the public to be assured of the best possible service from the council. We want councillors to be able to divert their conference fees to useful projects in their wards, such as traffic-calming measures or community sports grants.”
“With five city councillors, Cork Sinn Féin goes into this council term stronger than ever before. We are determined to use that strength to make a difference – to reform housing policy, protect services and make local government more accountable.” For further information contact Jonathan O’Brien @ 085-2133907.
City Manager Must Come Clean on Privatisation
Manager Must Come Clean on Privatisation – O’Leary
Sinn Féin councillor Chris O’Leary last night called on the city manager to come clean regarding plans to privatise local services. He was speaking after the manager failed to answer a question he posed about the council’s plans for the future of local services including the city car parks, refuse service, housing maintenance, and water supply. Cllr O’Leary stated:
“In the wake of the county council’s decision to sell of its waste collection service, there is growing concern that the city council will embark on a programme of privatising local services to raise funds. The response from the city manager tonight will have done nothing to reassure either council employees or the people who use these services that this is not the case.” “The failure of the manager to answer the detailed points put in my question will simply fuel suspicions that the council is already moving to withdraw from direct service provision in the city.
It is interesting that he stated that the council was not in negotiations “in the strict sense” about the privatisation of services while later saying he would examine outsourcing the management of a range of services to the private sector.” “Privatisation is not the answer to revenue shortages. It will place jobs at risk and cost the city and the consumer more in the long term. Sinn Féin is completely opposed to the dismantling of public services whether it is in the form of outright privatisation or disguised as outsourcing.”
“The manager needs to be upfront with the city’s democratically elected representatives about his plans.” For further information contact Cllr Chris O’Leary @ 087-2794307.
Sinn Féin councillor Chris O’Leary last night called on the city manager to come clean regarding plans to privatise local services. He was speaking after the manager failed to answer a question he posed about the council’s plans for the future of local services including the city car parks, refuse service, housing maintenance, and water supply. Cllr O’Leary stated:
“In the wake of the county council’s decision to sell of its waste collection service, there is growing concern that the city council will embark on a programme of privatising local services to raise funds. The response from the city manager tonight will have done nothing to reassure either council employees or the people who use these services that this is not the case.” “The failure of the manager to answer the detailed points put in my question will simply fuel suspicions that the council is already moving to withdraw from direct service provision in the city.
It is interesting that he stated that the council was not in negotiations “in the strict sense” about the privatisation of services while later saying he would examine outsourcing the management of a range of services to the private sector.” “Privatisation is not the answer to revenue shortages. It will place jobs at risk and cost the city and the consumer more in the long term. Sinn Féin is completely opposed to the dismantling of public services whether it is in the form of outright privatisation or disguised as outsourcing.”
“The manager needs to be upfront with the city’s democratically elected representatives about his plans.” For further information contact Cllr Chris O’Leary @ 087-2794307.
City Council Rejects Water Charges
City Council Rejects Water Charges
Cork City Council last night passed a motion by Sinn Féin councillor Fiona Kerins setting out its opposition to any proposal to introduce domestic water charges.
Welcoming the council’s decision, Cllr Kerins said: “We all recognise that clean water is a precious resource that costs money to produce but this is already paid for through general taxation. Introducing an extra charge is a regressive form of double taxation. “The Government and the Green Party in particular are trying to bring in this charge in the guise that it is a measure to help preserve water. Yet government officials have admitted that metering will only reduce household water consumption by 16%. Meanwhile up to 40% of all treated water is being lost through leaking pipes and poor infrastructure. For anybody who was genuinely concerned to preserve water, fixing our leaking pipes should take precedence over wasting millions of euros fitting water meters to households.
“But of course the introduction of water charges is not about preserving water. It is about targeting already hard pressed households for additional revenue streams for Government, while businesses who already owe almost €30 million in water charges to local authorities are not being pursued for payment. “The Government should be focussed on fixing our crumbling water infrastructure while educating people about the importance of water preservation and assisting in the introduction of water saving technologies. This would not only be the most sensible approach but the best and most fair way to preserve water. For further information contact Cllr Fiona Kerins @ 085-1091758.
Cork City Council last night passed a motion by Sinn Féin councillor Fiona Kerins setting out its opposition to any proposal to introduce domestic water charges.
Welcoming the council’s decision, Cllr Kerins said: “We all recognise that clean water is a precious resource that costs money to produce but this is already paid for through general taxation. Introducing an extra charge is a regressive form of double taxation. “The Government and the Green Party in particular are trying to bring in this charge in the guise that it is a measure to help preserve water. Yet government officials have admitted that metering will only reduce household water consumption by 16%. Meanwhile up to 40% of all treated water is being lost through leaking pipes and poor infrastructure. For anybody who was genuinely concerned to preserve water, fixing our leaking pipes should take precedence over wasting millions of euros fitting water meters to households.
“But of course the introduction of water charges is not about preserving water. It is about targeting already hard pressed households for additional revenue streams for Government, while businesses who already owe almost €30 million in water charges to local authorities are not being pursued for payment. “The Government should be focussed on fixing our crumbling water infrastructure while educating people about the importance of water preservation and assisting in the introduction of water saving technologies. This would not only be the most sensible approach but the best and most fair way to preserve water. For further information contact Cllr Fiona Kerins @ 085-1091758.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Sinn Féin to Seek Clarification from City Manager on Future of Refuse Service
Sinn Féin Councillor Jonathan O’Brien is to seek clarification from the incoming City Manager about the future of the public refuse service.
Cllr O’Brien said:
“There is increasing concern about the future of the public refuse service in Cork. A number of employees have approached me recently to express their fears that the council may shortly move to privatise this service. This comes only weeks after the sell-off by the county council of its refuse collection service to Country Clean.”
“Cork City needs a public refuse service. Thousands of low-income families across the city depend on the waiver scheme. Council workers are anxious about the future of their jobs. It is also important that there is public competition to ensure waste collection does not become the monopoly of one or two private companies. When refuse charges were introduced Sinn Féin argued that they were the first step to privatisation. Unfortunately it looks like we are being proved right.”
“Rather than selling off the service, and leaving thousands of people who receive a waver with additional bills, the council should be lobbying government for a risk-equalisation scheme whereby private operators would contribute towards the cost of the waiver. This would ensure the viability of the service into the future, protecting jobs and low-income families.”
“At Monday’s council meeting I will be asking the City Manager to clarify his intentions about the future of the service.”
For further information contact Cllr Jonathan O’Brien @ 085-2133907
Cllr O’Brien said:
“There is increasing concern about the future of the public refuse service in Cork. A number of employees have approached me recently to express their fears that the council may shortly move to privatise this service. This comes only weeks after the sell-off by the county council of its refuse collection service to Country Clean.”
“Cork City needs a public refuse service. Thousands of low-income families across the city depend on the waiver scheme. Council workers are anxious about the future of their jobs. It is also important that there is public competition to ensure waste collection does not become the monopoly of one or two private companies. When refuse charges were introduced Sinn Féin argued that they were the first step to privatisation. Unfortunately it looks like we are being proved right.”
“Rather than selling off the service, and leaving thousands of people who receive a waver with additional bills, the council should be lobbying government for a risk-equalisation scheme whereby private operators would contribute towards the cost of the waiver. This would ensure the viability of the service into the future, protecting jobs and low-income families.”
“At Monday’s council meeting I will be asking the City Manager to clarify his intentions about the future of the service.”
For further information contact Cllr Jonathan O’Brien @ 085-2133907
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