Progress Report on School Projects:
Big Boost for Apprentices:
I have devoted immense effort and time as a TD for Dublin West and Minister to secure approval for new schools and refurbishment of existing schools to meet the needs of a growing population in Dublin West. I am pleased to report this month on further progress as set out in the list below.
Many large companies have now started to recruit apprentices for the first time in years. First up was Irish Rail to be followed quickly by both Eircom. And only recently, the ESB announced it is to recruit 300 apprentices over the next five years.
PRIMARY SCHOOLS Hansfield Educate Together: New 1,000 pupil school. Gealscoil an Chuilinn Tyrellstown: New 16 classroom school, along with 7 special needs classrooms. Powerstown Educate Together: New 16 classroom school, along with special needs classrooms and 2 ASD classrooms.
This is a genuine breakthrough which will bring huge benefits to young jobseekers. I want to see an expanded and enhanced role for apprenticeships. For too long, apprenticeships have been undervalued. In Government we’re busy promoting their value to industry, particularly in areas such as the food and drink industry, medical devices and financial services, which are actively considering the potential of new apprenticeships. We’ve announced a new Apprenticeships Council to put this issue at the heart of our plans in Government. This is the best route to higher pay levels. Skills can command much higher pay rates as the economy grows and employers start to hire again. I want the new jobs being created to be higher up the value chain commanding higher incomes. For more information see: www.fas.ie/en/Training/Apprenticeships
Joan
Saint Mochta’s Clonsilla: New 32 classroom school on the existing site, with the retention of the ‘White School’. The designs for the new school have recently been submitted to Fingal County Council as part of the planning process. Ashtown: A new Educate Together school is to be established in the Pelletstown / Ashtown area, opening in September 2015.
SPORTS CAPITAL GRANTS A new round of sports capital funding worth €40million has been announced, to enable sporting organisations to upgrade their facilities and equipments. I would encourage local clubs and organisations to register for funding before Friday, 10th April by going online to www.sportscapitalprogramme.ie
BURTON TD IRELAND AT WORK AGAIN
St Patrick's Corduff: The Building project at St Patricks, once complete, will provide a new 20 classroom Junior School and a 16 classroom Senior School on the existing school site. This project is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning.
Spring 2015
Joan Burton TD
Turning the sod at Hansfield Educate Together secondary school
SECONDARY SCHOOLS
The dramatic recovery in the public finances means the Government can now make plans for long-term investment in education and roads as well as income tax concessions. We are seeing a strong recovery in consumer confidence, strong export figures, and improved prospects for the tourism industry. Without a doubt there is a boost in consumer confidence. For everybody who has been at work – taken tax hikes, taken pay cuts – it’s possible now to see a route to restoration.
Hansfield Educate Together Secondary School: Hansfield turned the sod on a new Educate Together secondary school. The school opened in interim accommodation in September 2014, and work commenced on a new three storey school building in November. Le Cheile Secondary School Tyrellstown: New 1000 pupil school. The school opened in interim accommodation in September 2014. Castleknock Community College: 10 classroom extension plus new Sport Hall to provide accommodation for 1100 pupils. Building project at planning stage. Project to provide additional accommodation to cater for 1,000 pupils and a Fingal Co Council community facility.
The latest employment figures confirm the optimistic picture of Ireland’s recovery. Employment is rising rapidly and unemployment is falling. 3,300 jobs are now being created every month.
Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection Leinster House, Dublin 2 Phone: 01 618 4006
Email: joan.burton@oireachtas.ie www.joanburton.ie
Unemployment has fallen month by month and is now just above 10%. We can be confident that it will fall into single digits before long.
The Live Register for the Blanchardstown area has fallen by 13.6% in February compared to the same month last year, while the Navan Road area saw a drop of 10.4%.
Working with your local Labour Team
We can now fix our minds on how we can build the recovery.
Luttrellstown Community College:
There are more resources available now, and Ireland is also now able to borrow funds internationally at very low interest rates.
The building project for Luttrellstown Community College is currently at the Stage 2A architectural planning stage. This project will provide the balance of accommodation to cater for 1,000 pupils and a Fingal Co Council Community Facility.
It will be exceptionally tricky in every sense to keep the recovery on track. There is a pent up demand among people who have endured a lot through job losses, emigration, higher charges and taxes.
This project is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning. Funding has been provided for 8 classrooms.
Cllr. Mary McCamley Mulhuddart Area
Cllr. Brendan Carr Cabra/Finglas Area
Mobile: 087 6501441 marymccamley@gmail.com
Mobile: 087 207 5921 brendan.carr@dublincity.ie
In my view, we should use these funds in a way that secures the future by sensible investment in housing, water services, broadband, and to improve education and training. 0612
Hartstown Community School:
Did You Know? The agreement between Fianna Fail and the Troika indicated that the budget for 2015 would require €11.4 billion to service Ireland’s national debt. Labour in Government has reduced this burden by as much as €4 billion for this year.
New Primary Health Care Centres
Paternity leave: Good News for Irish Dads As Labour Party Leader I have pledged to introduce paid paternity leave of two weeks, should the public finance position continue to improve. Ireland is in a minority of Western countries in not having mandatory paid paternity leave. All evidence suggests that paternity leave has many benefits for fathers as well as the mother and the young baby. By the end of this year, we'll set out the steps that will enable us to introduce two weeks' paid paternity leave, so that new mums and dads can both afford to spend precious time with their new baby. You might have spotted a new building on the Navan Road, beside the Deaf Centre. It’s the new Primary Care Centre, which will provide a wide range of medical services for residents of Navan Road, Ashtown and Pelletstown. This follows on from the brand new centre that was opened in Blanchardstown last year at Grove Road. Both centres offer a range of services including public health nursing, physiotherapy, and speech and language therapy. The Community Mental Health Team will also be located at these centres, made up of a social worker, psychologist, community psychiatric nurses and occupational therapists. These new centres, along with another planned for Corduff, will offer local residents easy access to a wide range of social and health care services in one location.
MORE GOOD NEWS ON JOBS FRONT IBM 40 jobs in the location of a new Software Operations Service Centre in Damastown.
Bristol Myers 400 New Pharma jobs and 600 Construction jobs in major new bio-medical manufacturing facility.
Meeting with the Breakfast Club in St. Philip the Apostle National School, Mountview
Did You Know? BACK TO WORK FAMILY DIVIDEND I have introduced a Back to Work Family Dividend which is now taking applications. This enables jobseekers returning to work to hold on the element of the welfare payment they receive for their children – roughly €30 a week for each child. This is in addition to any other family supplements the family may have. It’s a very valuable new support, because it means that, over two years, families will receive the following additional payments: Number of children
Additional payment
One child
More than €2,300
Low Pay Commission Begins Work
Two children
More than €4,600
The new Low Commission has begun its review of Ireland’s minimum wage and is expected to deliver its first verdict by mid- July.
Three children
Almost €7,000
Guidewire Up to 80 new IT jobs in Blanchardstown Corporate Park.
Contact Blanchardstown Primary Care Services: 01 8297233
This is the next step in the Labour Party’s efforts to reward work and bring greater fairness for low paid workers as the economic recovery takes hold. Having a job is the best protector against poverty. And fair wages and conditions are essential to that. Recent US experience has shown that paying workers better leads to better morale and higher productivity. So it can be a win –win for both employers and workers.
With graduates of the Feeding Ireland’s Future programme in Ballycoolin
With pupils from St. Brigid’s National School, Castleknock marking its 150th anniversary