Deputy
Working for you in Government
FEIGHAN
A better healthcare system I have been to the forefront in securing a multi-million investment plan for Roscommon Hospital which will secure its long-term future and safeguard the jobs there. At the heart of these major investment plans are the €2m Endoscopy Suite, a Medical Rehabilitation Centre and a Palliative Care Centre, costed between €3m and €4m. The plan also includes the introduction of a range of new services – some already in place - such as plastic surgery, urology, a rheumatology telemedicine outpatient clinic and the appointment of a new Consultant Physician with special interest in Respiratory Medicine. Indeed, the hospital is planning a 40 % increase in day case surgeries for 2012 - clear evidence of the key role it will play for local communities. Along with this air ambulance service, the advanced ambulance service with paramedics in operation and the planned new ambulance base in Ballaghaderreen represent significant additions to life-saving response measures being put in place to support Roscommon Hospital.
FRANK
newsletter SUMMER 2012
Working for you in Government
Deputy Frank Feighan with Health Minister James Reilly and Justice Minister Alan Shatter at the launch of the new regional air ambulance service in Custume Barracks, Athlone.
A message from Taoiseach Enda Kenny T.D.
Delivering for you
Developing health services and infrastructure in Leitrim hasalso been at the top of my working agenda. I am delighted that the long-awaited Ballinamore Primary Care Unit has been given the green light by the HSE with construction expected to begin by early 2013. I will also be continuing to press hard for the progression of a 60-bed community hospital planned for Carrick-on-Shannon. To date approximately €400,000 in compensation has paid to former Arigna miners under a special fast-track disability arrears scheme. I welcome the continued progress being made in relation to paying long-due compensation to miners who suffered serious health problems as a consequence of working in Irish mines. Recognition of their plight would not have come about only for the sterling work of a number of people, including Arigna representative, Charlie Hopkins, Vice-Chairman of the National Coalminers Group.
I am honoured to serve as Taoiseach during a period of renewal for this country. I am proud to lead a government that is united and single minded in its pursuit of reviving this country’s future. As part of this Government, Deputy Frank Frank Feighan is an outstanding and dedicated public representative equally committed to this challenge. Since his election to Dail Eireann in 2007, Deputy Feighan has worked tirelessly for you. His commitment and track record of achievement were firmly recognised by you who gave him a strong mandate for a second time in the 2011 General Election. Deputy Feighan understands the demands of Government and the challenges it presents. He understands that difficult decisions have to be made to fix an economy wrecked by a previous Government out of touch with ordinary people. Together with Deputy Feighan and my colleagues, my Government will put people first and make Ireland a country we, our children and our children’s children can be proud to live in. Yours sincerely,
A message from your local Government T.D. In February 2011 you, the people, placed your faith in me for a second time to represent you in Dail Eireann. Two weeks later, I became part of a strong government which made a commitment to the Irish people to get the country back on the road to recovery. With a West of Ireland Taoiseach, this Government will be working hard to help deliver real reform across the economy, improve our competitiveness and ensure that we can get jobs and growth back into the economy again. The Taoiseach has said repeatedly that recovery is the core objective of this Government. But as we all know, there is no magic solution – what we have to do is keep our focus on the task at hand, and do the hard work, day by day. Being in Government presents difficult decisions, decisions which require courage in the face of adversity. The decision to make changes to services at Roscommon County Hospital has been a very difficult one, causing upset and anger among many people. But we cannot get away from the fact that management and consultants – the people at the coalface in Roscommon Hospital - were increasingly worried about patient care. The decision to close Roscommon’s A & E was very regrettable but patient safety could not be compromised in any way. And despite some reports, Roscommon Hospital is not facing CLOSURE; indeed, I have exercised my influence in Government at the highest level to ensure a multi-million investment programme is being rolled out which will see more activity than ever before at the hospital. Roscommon Hospital’s future has never been safer. Finally, I would like to thank you for your continued support and encouragement. These are difficult times for our country and our people. However working together, we will have a country that we can all continue to be proud of. Yours sincerely,
A Government of delivery - making ireland better
Frank Feighan
• Maintained current rates of income tax, bands and credits encouraging job growth.
Frank Feighan, TD
• Introduced a comprehensive restructuring and recapitalisation banking plan.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny
• Maintaining current income tax rates while addressing the national deficit.
Deputy Feighan pictured with Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Republic of Ireland Manager Giovanni Trappatoni.
• Completion of comprehensive review of expenditure targeting waste in Government spending. • S uccessful delivery of renegotiation of EU/IMF Programme of Support resulting in greatly reduced interest rates and the extension of loans to 15 years. • Planned legislation cutting the number of TDs at the next election.
CONTACT DETAILS: FRANK FEIGHAN TD
• N ew laws modernising our bankruptcy and personal insolvency regime offering heavily indebted people a way back to productivity
BOYLE
LEINSTER HOUSE
BALLAGHADERREEN
CASTLEREA
BALLINAMORE
Bridge St., Boyle Tel: 071-9662115/ 071-9662608 Fax: 071-9663956 Email: frank.feighan@ oireachtas.ie
Kildare Street, Dublin 2 Tel: 01-6184289 Fax: 01-6184799 Email: frank.feighan@ oireachtas.ie
The Square Tel: 086 8331234 Email: frank.feighan@ oireachtas.ie
Tel: 086 1788254 Email: frank.feighan@ oireachtas.ie
Main St., Ballinamore Tel: 071-9662608 Email: Mary.McKiernan@ oireachtas.ie
FrankFeighan_A4 newsletter 1
20/06/2012 12:26
DEPUTY
FRANK FEIGHAN Infrastructure
Agriculture
The Ballaghaderreen by-pass will create considerable job opportunities during the construction phase and will provide enhanced local business and employment opportunities once completed. Furthermore, the new by-pass will make Ballaghadereen and its surrounding areas a more attractive place to invest in, relieving traffic congestion and reducing journey times for motorist using this very busy stretch of the N5 Dublin to Westport route. The allocation of funding for non-national routes serving Roscommon has also been maintained this year, ensuring Roscommon’s road network continues to be among the best in the country.
Direct payments from Europe to farmers represented over 70% of farm income in 2011. Working closely with Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney, I will ensure proposed CAP reforms have minimal impact upon local farm incomes. I am constantly looking at new and innovative ways of attracting agrirelated employment opportunities to the region – plans for a ‘green food hub’ in Roscommon creating job opportunities and further spin-off for this region is proof of my commitment.
Pictured discussing the €50m bypass construction project for Ballaghaderreen, L to R: Cllr Michael McGreal, Cllr Michael Creaton, Cllr Liam Callaghan and Deputy Frank Feighan.
Deputy Feighan pictured with Minister for Enterprise, Jobs and Innovation Richard Bruton at the launch of the Boyle Enterprise Centre.
Education
Environmental issues
Sports & Leisure
I have been centrally involved in the sensitive negotiations in securing a better and fairer compensation package for turf cutters affected by new EU Environmental directives. I want to pay tribute to the affected turfcutters on the ground who clearly understand the reality, difficult and all that may be, for all of us associated with a long-standing tradition. This is evidenced by the large take up of the generous compensation and relocation scheme offered by the Government. To date, more than 2,000 applications have been received with more than 600 compensation payments being made to date. Those payments represent €835,000 paid in compensation so far this year out of a total 2012 allocation of €5 million. The relocation scheme option is now being developed as well.
€3.8 million has been ring-fenced for a new swimming pool for Ballaghaderreen which has the potential to become a major sporting and leisure facility in the region. Funding of €125,000 and €396,000 have been allocated to Carrick-on-Shannon and Castlerea swimming pools respectively to upgrade their heating systems, resulting in more energy efficient facilities. These announcements following a similar allocation of €365,250 for Roscommon swimming pool and Leisure Centre, improving its energy efficiency and access for people with disabilities.
Community development I have delivered the sum of €186,000 for the Castlerea Community Group which will be used by the group as a Community Centre possessing a sports hall, meeting room and other facilities.
Deputy Feighan pictured with Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Finance Minister Michael Noonan.
Your local Fine Gael team Cllr. Sean Beirne 087-9130931, Cllr. Christy Brady 086-3301999, Cllr. Liam Callaghan 086-3325839, Cllr. Michael Creaton 086-3647435, Cllr. Marie Egan-Paul 086-0681491, Cllr. Jan Flanagan 086-0667163, Cllr. Gerry Garvey 087-9887404, Cllr. Ernie Keenan 086-0779412, Cllr. Michael McGreal 087-9679507, Cllr. Ollie Moore 086-8595186, Cllr. John Naughten 087-9019334, Cllr. Keith Suffin 086-1758885, Cllr. Gordon Hughes 087-6418120, Cllr. John McCartan 087-2517432, Cllr. Tom Mulligan 086-6000520, Cllr. Gerry Reynolds 087-2542092, Cllr. John Ward 087-7936498 FrankFeighan_A4 newsletter 2
Working for you in Government
I will continue to oppose any cuts to mainline funding in the education sector, which would reduce the capacity of our schools to equip young people with the necessary skills needed in tomorrow’s competitive workplace. Major school projects are also moving apace. Ballinamore Community School and Athlone Community College are included in €1.5 billion being allocated for major school projects where construction will commence this year. Funding has also been secured for schools in Roscommon and Leitrim as part of a multi-million programme to replace rented prefabs with permanent classrooms. The new initiative forms part of the Government’s €430 million education infrastructure plan for this year alone.
Job Creation Thankfully, significant employers located in the region are continuing to lead the way in job creation with other companies following. The Vistamed plant in Carrick-on-Shannon is creating 79 new jobs at its facility while expansion plans will see Harmac Medical products in Castlerea creating 100 new jobs over the next five years. I am also encouraged by the keen interest in this region shown by Minister for Enterprise Richard Bruton, who played a key role in the safeguarding of 250 jobs at one of the region’s largest employers, the MBNA facility in Carrick-on-Shannon. Locally, I was delighted to be involved with the recent launch of Boyle Enterprise & More Centre, which offers a hi-tech office environment to support emerging entrepreneurs in the North Roscommon area. The centre, spearheaded by Boyle Chamber of Commerce, is the culmination of almost ten years of research and development.
Tourism I welcome the Government’s decision not to increase VAT rates in the hospitality sector, ensuring Ireland and in particular Roscommon continues to be a major tourist attraction. Following a hard-fought campaign for more than a decade, which I spearheaded, I am delighted that Lough Key Forest Park has now developed into a top tourist destination with an array of top class leisure facilities. I am also delighted that substantial Government funding has enabled the development of an international standard rowing facility on Lough Rynn, near Mohill. Recently, I ensured funding for an extensive conservation and stabilisation works programme at Boyle Abbey.
At the formal launch of the new owners and trainers’ lounge, Roscommon Racecourse: Dick O’Brien, Roscommon Race Committee; Deputy Frank Feighan; 2012 Roscommon Rose Christabelle Feeney; Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney and Robert McConn, Roscommon Race Committee.
20/06/2012 12:26