LABOUR NEWS Keeping in Touch
MICHAEL MCNAMARA TD Autumn 2011
WORKING FOR YOU Dear Constituent, This newsletter contains local and national news and updates on what Labour has been doing as part of the National Government. Should you wish to discuss a matter of concern to you, please do not hesitate to contact me. The Labour Party has entered Government at one of the most difficult periods in our country’s history. The economic damage left by Fianna Fáil and the Independents who supported them is potentially ruinous. We have made a positive start, by restructuring our banking system, introducing a well received Jobs Initiative and by renegotiating the EU/IMF deal. It will take time to turn our economy around, to halt forced emigration and to help foster job growth and we take this responsibility extremely seriously. The upcoming budget will see painful
decisions being made, however the Labour Party are determined to ensure that all measures taken will be fair and will protect the most vulnerable.
What’s inside... l Government achievements l Renegotiating the EUIMF Deal l JobBridge
I have been appointed to two Dáil committees, Natural Resources/Agriculture and Foreign Affairs/Trade. I have spoken in fourteen Dáil debates and have received answers to sixteen written questions in relation to school transport, aquacultural licences, road networks and health services.
l Political Reform
Finally if there is anything myself and your local Labour team can do to assist you please do not hesitate to contact us.
l Clinic details
l Local News l Restoring the Minimum Wage l Labour Delivers in Government
CONTACT ME t: 065 689 3639 / 061 479 020 e: michael.mcnamara@oir.ie w: labour.ie/michaelmcnamara
Michael McNamara TD
Michael McNamara
GOVERNMENT REPORT ON MORTGAGE ARREARS: LABOUR DELIVERS The publication of the Government Report on Mortage Arrears is a major milestone on the road to dealing with the mortgage arrears crisis and shows that, once again, Labour is delivering in Government. The mortgage arrears problem is one of the most pressing economic and social problem that Ireland faces, and Labour is determined to tackle it head on. The recommendations of the report contain many of the key principles and arguments put forward by the Labour Party over the past few years. Key elements of the Report: The mortgage arrears crisis is a human crisis, that is keeping thousands of families in a state of fear and distress, and which is acting as a drag on our economy. It is now time to confront it. Up to now, there were only two solutions to mortgage arrears: forbearance or foreclosure. Labour has strongly supported the forbearance policy, insisting that families should where at all possible stay in their homes. People cannot, however, stay in Limbo forever – we now need to see solutions put forward other than the simple choice between forbearance and foreclosure. The Government Report on Mortage Arrears contains proposals for a set of targeted and tailored measures that will provide new options for families that find themselves in distress. There will be no blanket debt write off – people will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. Every solution will have consequences, such that nobody will be better off if they simply stop paying their mortgage. The targeted interventions include: l Reform to the bankruptcy law and the introduction of a non-judicial debt settlement process to strengthen the hand of the
borrower l At least 100 mortgage advisors to help home-owners who will be making difficult decisions, and to level the playing field
with the banks. The banks will pay for this service l Two new mortgage-to-rent schemes, one involving housing associations and one involving Local Authorities l A ‘split mortgage’ scheme that will divide a mortgage into what a person can reasonably be expected to bit, and the residual
that will be ‘warehoused’.
GOVERNMENT ACHIEVEMENTS
JOBBRIDGE
GOVERNMENT REPORT CARD l Delivering on Jobs: Restoring the minimum wage to €8.65 per hour and protecting JLCs Lowering Employer’s PRSI Cut VAT on tourism services by a third 5,000 new internship places created Home insulation scheme to create 2,000 jobs l Delivering on Reform: Pay cuts for Taoiseach and Ministers Measures to increase Dáil sitting days by 50% Comprehensive review of taxi industry Introducing legislation to combat white-collar crime
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Introduction of pay ceiling for new posts in public service l Delivering for Communities: €5million to alleviate difficulties with unfinished estates €75 million to improve roads, commuter train stations, etc. New Special Delivery Unit to tackle hospital waiting lists
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JobBridge is a new National Internship Scheme that is aiming to provide 5,000 internship places to the unemployed over the next two years. It is part of the Governments 'Jobs Initiative' which will offer 20,900 education, training and work experience places for the unemployed as well as the 'Springboard' initiative which will provide 6,000 places on a range of 200 part-time courses. The aim of the National Internship Scheme is to assist in breaking the cycle where jobseekers are unable to get a job without experience, either as new entrants to the labour market after education or training or as unemployed workers wishing to learn new skills. The scheme will also give people a real opportunity to gain valuable experience to bridge the gap between study and the beginning of their working lives. Interns will receive an allowance of €50 per week on top of their existing social welfare entitlement. This will be payable for the period of the internship. This scheme is a step in the right direction for getting Ireland working again. You can find out more at www.JobBridge.ie
POLITICAL REFORM The onset of recession showed the need for radical reform of our political system. For too long, successive Fianna Fáil administrations neglected Oireachtas reform and consequently our democracy suffered. It was left to The Labour Party to champion this issue and our manifesto contained several robust proposals to restore vitality to our political system. I greatly welcome, therefore, the measures introduced by the Government which will reform how the Oireachtas works.
RENEGOTIATE THE EU-IMF DEAL One of Labour’s key promises in the General Election was that we would work to renegotiate the EU-IMF Bailout deal. The terms of the deal negotiated by Fianna Fáil last November were too harsh, and would not allow our economy to grow. In September, we were able to announce that the government had succeeded in securing new terms for the deal: l The changes to the interest rate negotiated by the Government
and reductions in the IMF interest rate will be worth some €10 billion over the current estimated 7.5 year average term of these loans. For budget 2012 – the saving is estimated to be some €900 million with the estimated saving for 2013 at over €1 billion.
l The average maturities of the loans will be extended – this has
the effect of improving our debt sustainability and also of improving liquidity for Ireland. l These actions are very positive for Ireland and improve our
debt sustainability but there is a need for us to be realistic, there are a lot of difficult decisions to be made. The Commission, when announcing the proposed change to our EFSM rate cited the fact that Ireland is meeting its programme so there is a need for us to continue meeting the programme. l This Government is committing to making these difficult
decisions and restoring our sovereignty but we will continue to negotiate key elements of our programme. The Government has made a very good start but there's a lot more that needs to be done.
Under the Government's plans, Dáil sitting days will increase by 50%, sitting earlier on Tuesdays and once a month on Fridays. In addition, Oireachtas committees powers will be greatly enhanced to ensure greater scrutiny of legislation. Moreover, backbench TDs will be given far more influence with the power to introduce their own private member's bills. I believe these initiatives will ensure a more accountable and transparent Oireachtas.
RESTORING THE MINIMUM WAGE One of the cruellest measures taken by the dying Fianna Fáil government was to cut the minimum wage by €1, from €8.65 per hour to €7.65. This represented a cut of 12% for the poorest workers in our society, and would have undoubtedly led to wage cuts for other low-paid workers too. My Labour Party colleagues and I campaigned during the election to reverse this unfair and unjustifiable decision, and one of our first actions in government was to announce that the minimum wage would be restored to its former level. I have been delighted to support the legislation which will bring this about as it passes through the Dáil, and it will come into effect in July. The reversal of this decision will be worth €40 a week to the lowest paid workers.
LOCAL NEWS WESTWAVE PROJECT HAS BEEN AWARDED SEAI GRANT
€200,000 FOR LEISURE CENTRE WORKS
The potential of wave energy off the West Clare coast, which is being examined by the ESB, received a timely boost after Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) awarded it a grant of €238,000. The grant is awarded under the Ocean Energy Prototype Research and Development Programme, which focuses on the development and deployment of ocean energy devices and systems, with an emphasis on industry-led projects and payable on attaining of specific milestones during the preconsenting phase of the project during 2011/2012.
Shannon Swimming and Leisure Centre is to receive a sum of over €200,000 to improve access for people with disabilities and to carry out works to improve the buildings energy efficiency.
€2.5 MILLION EXTRA RESTORATION FUNDS As part of the Jobs Initiative, Clare County Council will receive an additional €2.5 million under the Restoration Improvement Programme. The road-funding budget for the county was announced in January, with Clare getting more that €6.5 million of the total national figure of €149,986,905 for the programme. Now, as part of Minister for Transport, Tourism, and Sport Leo Varakar’s transfer of funding from projects “which would have created jobs this year” to what he called “shovel-ready transport projects”, Clare is to get an additional €2.5m.
LEE’S ROAD COMPLEX GETS FUNDING BOOST New playground facilities are to be brought to Ennis with the announcement of grant funding for the playground at Lee’s Road at the town. The funding which has been granted to Ennis Town Council by Minister of State Michael Ring will see €34,000 spent on the provision of equipment at the complex.
NEW COASTGUARD BOAT FOR DOOLIN The 9m Delta rib is specially designed for the sea conditions of the west coast of Ireland and can travel at 48 knots or the equivalent of 50mph. The new rib, worth in the region of €250,000 has been supplied by the Department of Transport and has replaced one of the unit’s existing boats which has been relocated to Costello Bay, Ros a Mhíl.
KILLALOE BRIDGE GETS GREEN LIGHT
TRANSPORT PROJECTS GET MAJOR FUNDING
The Shannon Bridge river crossing and associated link roads in Killaloe and Ballina costing an estimated €40.6 million, have finally gotten the green light. Environment Minister Leo Varadkar has approved the publication of the Statutory Orders by Clare County Council for the construction of the Killaloe bypass (€11.93m), the Shannon bridge crossing (€12m) and upgrading works costing €16.6m on the existing regional road linking Ballina and Birdhill.
€300,000 has been allocated to Clare County Council to provide improved walking and cycling infrastructure in Shannon, Ennis, Kilrush, Killaloe, Lahinch and Kilkee. The funding has been granted for sustainable transport projects in County Clare in a bid to boost tourism.
SHANNON IN LINE TO GET NEW LYNX CARGO FACILITY Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Leo Varadkar has signed off on a Heads of Agreement for the delivery of a Lynx Cargo facility at Shannon. A Heads of Agreements document outlines the type of issues to be dealt with in a partnership and is often one of the last steps before a final contract is signed.
CLARE FIRST COUNTY TO ROLL OUT TÚS SCHEME Seven Clare people became the first unemployed people in Ireland to get a year-long job under the new Tús scheme. The scheme which is being run under the supervision of the Clare Local Development Company (CLDC) gives unemployed Clare people the chance to get €20 extra a month to take on a job at a community or social project around the county.
Funding is allocated under the Government’s Jobs Initiative on sustainable travel projects, where short term job creation will be maximised and there will be a positive benefit to local tourism.
NEW MOORINGS TO BOOST EAST CLARE TOURISM The new moorings at Killaloe have been developed by Waterways Ireland and jointly funded by Fáilte Ireland. The €2m project involved the installation of 775 metres of moorings, the underpinning of the old canal wall, the installation of the flood control gates and the completion of a looped walk along the shore and canal wall. This project has been funded by Waterways Ireland and Fáilte Ireland under the Lakelands and Inland Waterways Strategic Initiative. This Initiative is a partnership jointly chaired by Fáilte Ireland and Waterways Ireland, with Shannon Development, Fermanagh Lakeland Tourism, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and Tourism Ireland as partners.
A MESSAGE FROM EAMONN GILMORE TD – TÁNAISTE AND LABOUR PARTY LEADER
LABOUR DELIVERS IN GOVERNMENT LABOUR in Government has lost no time in rolling up our sleeves, and getting down to the business of getting Ireland working again.
Due to reforms in the Dáil, including Dáil sittings on the 1st Friday of each month, the West Clare Clinics will now take place on the 3rd Friday of each month. Constituency Offices: Courthouse View, New Road, Ennis, Co. Clare Tel: 065 68 93639 Skycourt, Shannon Town Centre, Co. Clare Tel: 061 479 020 Ennis and Shannon Clinics every Friday by appointment.
“From taking the decision to restructure the banking system, making €12 billion of extra credit available to Irish businesses every year, to the Jobs Initiative in May, focusing on stimulating labour-intensive sectors of the economy, we have started to rebuild our broken economy. “We are only six months into our first term of office. There is a long, hard road yet to travel. But our destination is clear. And we intend to make every day count.”
EAST CLARE 1st Saturday of Every Month Scarriff 9.30am Market House Killaloe 10.30am Family Resource Centre Clonlara 11.30am Community Sports Centre Meelick 12.30pm Meelick Tavern NORTH CLARE 2nd Friday of Every Month Ennistymon 2.00pm Community Centre Kilfenora 3.00pm Parish Hall Lisdoonvarna 4.00pm Ritz Hotel Ballyvaughan 5.00pm Community Hall WEST CLARE 3rd Friday of Every Month Miltown Malbay 2.00pm Community Centre Kilkee 3.30pm Community Centre Kilrush 4.30pm Kilrush Youth Centre
Eamon Gilmore TD Tánaiste and Labour Party Leader
YOUR LOCAL LABOUR TEAM WORKING FOR YOU Cllr Pascal Fitzgerald
Cllr Tony McMahon
Clare County Council 087 8794906 ppfitzgerald@eircom.net
Shannon Town Council 086 2359277 anthonymcmahon20@eircom.net
Michael McNamara TD Cllr Greg Duff
Cllr Paul O’Shea
Shannon Town Council 087 9677404 gregduff1@eircom.net
Ennis Town Council 086 0677762 pa.oshea@hotmail.com
Constituency offices: New Road, Ennis, Co. Clare T: 065 68 93639 Skycourt, Shannon, Co. Clare T: 061 479 020
Michael McNamara 0612