Michael Conaghan TD LOCAL NEWS UPDATE working with Cllr. Sheila Howes Autumn 2013
ENERGY EFFICIENCY INVESTMENT In September, our colleague Minister Pat Rabitte was in Cherry Orchard to launch a community energy project, which will see all 77 NABCO homes in Cherry Orchard Court receive wall and roof insulations, replacement windows and high efficiency heating systems. Free home energy upgrades have been completed in 100,000 homes around the country through the Better Energy Warmer Homes scheme while a further 150,000 homeowners have availed of the Better Energy Homes grants for insulation and heating upgrades. As a result of these schemes, thousands of families are benefiting from warmer homes and an estimated €400 savings in heating costs each year. They have also resulted in a €600m investment in the small buildings sector and 3,800 full-time jobs. Funding will continue to be provided for these schemes next year. If you are interested in making an application and would like help doing so please contact the office on 618 4033.
Minister Pat Rabitte TD in Cherry Orchard
JOBSPLUS A new Department of Social Protection scheme launched by our colleague Minister Joan Burton is a major boost for long-term unemployed people. JobsPlus offers employers between €7,500 and €10,000 over two years to hire people unemployed for more than 12 months into a full-time job.
CONTACT MICHAEL
Dáil Éireann: Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2
Phone: 618 4033 Mobile: 086 1753747 Email: michael.conaghan@oir.ie
facebook.com/ MichaelConaghanTD
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Michael Conaghan with Minister Joan Burton launching JobsPlus
We strongly advise anyone signing on for credits or Jobseeker’s Allowance to check they are an eligible employee at www.jobsplus.ie and to highlight this in job applications. In a very competitive job market it is important to emphasise to prospective employers everything that makes you an attractive hire.
INTERNET SKILLS TRAINING As part of the government’s National Digital Strategy, the Ballyfermot IT Centre (BITC), Le Fanu Road, has been allocated €56,000 to train people in basic internet skills. This is very good news for Ballyfermot and surrounding areas. As businesses and government increasingly move their services and information online there is a risk that people who do not use computers and the internet will be left behind. A further €700,000 will be released in December to organisation around the country.
ADDITIONAL SPECIAL CLASSES
YOUTH GUARANTEE
St Michael’s National School is one of 113 primary and post-primary schools around the country to benefit from the extra special classes for children with significant needs announced by our colleague Minister Ruairi Quinn. Special classes allow children who cannot be educated in mainstream class, for example some children with autism or a specific speech and language disorder, attend their local school. This means that fewer children with special education needs will have to travel long distances to schools. It will also result in a greater awareness by the children in mainstream classes of the special needs of some children in society. Everyone benefits from this development.
The EU is providing €8 billion to fund Youth Guarantee programmes in Ireland and other areas throughout Europe with high rates of young people out of work. These programmes are intended to offer people under 25 quality employment, training, an apprenticeships or further education within four months of finishing their education or becoming unemployed. Most of these funds will be spent in 2014 and 2015.
WANT TO GO ON A TOUR OF DÁIL ÉIREANN? I regularly organise tours of the Houses of the Oireachtas for constituents and various community groups. If you want to visit your parliament, please feel free to contact me on 618 4033 or michael.conaghan@oir.ie and I would be happy to organise a tour for you.
CONTACT MICHAEL CONAGHAN TD
Dáil Éireann Leinster House Kildare Street, Dublin 2
ADVICE CLINIC
Cllr Sheila Howes with Emer Costello MEP at youth unemployment conference
Phone: 618 4033 Mobile: 086 1753747 Email: michael.conaghan@oir.ie
facebook.com /MichaelConaghanTD
Working with
Saturday 11am -12noon in Tim Young’s Pub, Le Fanu Road, Ballyfermot Monday 12pm – 1pm in Mourne Road Hall, Drimnagh
Eric Byrne TD 01 618 3223 eric.byrne@oir.ie
Cllr Sheila Howes Cllr Michael O'Sullivan 087 374 6052 087 1370972 sheila.howes@dublincitycouncil.ie getmos@gmail.com
Emer Costello MEP 01 874 6109 emer.costello@europarl.europa.eu