WORKING TOGETHER for
Update fromTramore’s T.D.
Ciara Conway A Chara,
I grew up here in Tramore - so doing the best I can for our beautiful town is a priority for me. Tramore has come on in leaps and bounds over the past few years, and that’s thanks to the efforts of local groups and the community and of course it’s no harm having a T.D. looking out for Tramore! With that in mind , please find an update on what I’ve been working on locally. There’s plenty of good news to share and I’m particularly delighted that the go-ahead has finally been given for a permanent building for Gaelscoil Philib Barún! I’m also delighted the Waterford Crystal Case has been settled as it will bring peace of mind and clarity to former workers and their families. That’s just the tip of the iceberg - so keep reading for more good news, and please feel free to contact me with any issues you might have.
CIARA CONWAY DELIVERS ON BUILDING FOR GAELSCOIL PHILIB BARÚN TRAMORE Gaelscoil Philib Barún is finally to get a permanent building - ending a 30 year campaign. We got the present we’d all been waiting for when, a few days before Christmas, the Education Minister, Jan O’Sullivan approved Tramore’s Gaelscoil for a place on school building programme . Getting a school building for Gaelscoil Philib Barún has been a priority of mine since my election - and I couldn't have asked for a better Christmas present for Tramore. A delighted Daithí de Paor took my phonecall backstage at the Christmas Concert and was able to announce the good news to all the children and parents. Congratulations to the Board of Management, An Príomhaide Daithí de Paor, all the parents and most importantly the pupils. I’m particularly delighted that the Education Minister, Jan O'Sullivan listened to my representations and was able to approve this new building. The Minister and I met with the Board of Management during her recent visit to Waterford so I’m delighted she was able to act on the request. Building work is due to begin this year, so we look forward to seeing the progress.
Best wishes,
Tramore’s T.D.
Happy to meet you on any issue in Tramore - just call 086 1022958.
Constituency Office: 36 Mary Street, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford Phone: 058 24514 Email: ciara.conway@oireachtas.ie
Pictured are L-R Principal Daithi de Paor Minister for Education and Skills Jan O'Sullivan, Clare Brennan, Chairperson of Parents Association, Ciara Conway T.D. and John Wall, Board of Management.
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WATERFORD CRYSTAL PENSION SETTLEMENT Agreement has been reached in the Waterford Crystal Pensions case. That’s great news for former workers and their families - and it will also benefit our local economy. This is something that we've all wanted to see resolved and I’ve been working on various aspects of this matter since taking office. The Tánaiste had an important role to play in this process - a fact that has been acknowledged by UNITE as you can see from the letters below recognising the support of Tánaiste Joan Burton and the Labour Party on this issue. The nature of the Crystal negotiations meant that a lot was being done behind the scenes, but given the delicacy of negotiations it was impossible to say much publicly about the process. Now that the LRC agreement has been approved by the union members, contact is being made with those who qualify for a payment. The settlement applies to 1774 members of the scheme. Contact is now being made with scheme members.
WORLD CLASS LIFEGUARDS SOON TO BE TRAINED IN TRAMORE The National Lifeguard Training Centre will soon be opening on the prom. The iconic building is just beside the Surf Club and features a wave design. It has been built at a cost of around half a million euro, including funding of 200,000 euro from Waterford Leader. The Tramore Lifesaving Club has done great work with this project and as a former lifeguard myself it’s great to know that Tramore will making waves in terms of water safety. It’s another welcome addition to the Prom which looks great these days with Moe’s and the refurbished Sandcastle - and I’m sure we’ll have a ripple effect in terms of local tourism.
CIARA CONWAY SECURES FUNDING OF €1,153,000 TO BUILD 18 HOMES FOR ELDERLY IN TRAMORE Tramore’s T.D. Ciara Conway played a key part in securing funding of over €1.1 million euro to build housing for the elderly in Tramore, in a project co-ordinated by the Tramore Voluntary Housing Association. “I was delighted that my colleague, Minister Jan O’Sullivan - who was then the Minister for Housing - agreed to back the project to build houses in Tramore.These homes, 18 in all, will transform the landscape just across the road from Ardscoil na Mara," said Deputy Ciara Conway. Minister Jan O'Sullivan with the Tramore Voluntary Housing Association. The Minister has awarded over “To say that funding for social €1.15 million for construction of Social Housing in Tramore L- R Michael Quinn, Director housing in Tramore is overdue is an understatement - particularly of Housing Waterford and City Council, Mary Morrissey, Director TVHA, Agnes Aylward, Director given that this is the first funding TVHA, Anne Harpur, Architect, Margaret Gillett, Director TVHA, Minister for Housing Jan O'Sullivan, Cllr Joe Conway, Chair of Tramore Sheltered Housing Committee, Sandra Thompson, Director TVHA, from the state to build housing John G. Hearne, Director TVHA, Helen O’Sullivan, Director TVHA, Ciara Conway TD and Dee Jacques of this kind in Tramore since the 1820’s! Minister Jan O’Sullivan took the time to meet with the Voluntary Housing Association, she examined the plans carefully and visited the sites for the proposed development - it’s fair to say she was impressed by the proposal,” said Ciara Conway. "The location of this project, designed by architect Anne Harpur, is ideal.”
“The houses will be right beside the church, shops, and the primary care centre at the top of the town. The site of this project is on land that was owned by the Department of Education under Minister Ruairi Quinn recently - so here we have further evidence that Labour in government is working to do all it can to tackle housing issues and protect the most vulnerable in society.”
WELCOME TO TRAMORE EDUCATE TOGETHER
NEW LIGHTS AND BENCHES AT THE DONERAILE
The new Tramore Educate Together school is now up and running. I visited the school recently and the pupils have settled in well and the school is going from strength to strength. There is a wonderful atmosphere in the school and a great team of parents supporting the teachers and management committee.
New low-lights and benches have been installed along the Doneraile.
Local parents are supporting the new school with more than 30 enrolment applications for the 2015 Junior Infants class, and dozens more applications for each year through to 2019. The next step will be to secure a more permanent home for Educate Together. I will continue to work on this with the committee and congratulations in the meantime to Principal Eilish Kelly!
It’s thanks to funding of €25,200 that was recently made available to the Tidy Towns Committee and the Local Authority under the Public Area Enhancements scheme. The Doneraile is a fantastic walking and viewing spot so it’s great to see this money being put to such good use. Credit must go to the Tidy Towns Committee in Tramore for all the excellent work they’re doing in terms of keeping the town looking beautiful – well done to Anne Cheasty and all the team for the great work they’re doing.
LAFCADIO HEARN GARDENS PROGRESSING AT TRAMORE HOUSE Tramore’s link with Japan is through a writer who spent his childhood summers here - and there’s great work underway up at Tramore House to mark that link and celebrate his influence. The Lafcadio Hearn Gardens are being developed by Tramore Development Trust and the plan is to have an official opening at the end of June. I was able to help out by getting a Community Employment Scheme for Tramore - and the CE workers are helping to transform the gardens at Tramore House. You can check out the progress on Facebook by liking the ‘Lafcadio Hearn Gardens’ Tramore Page.
Minister Joan Burton and Ciara Conway TD discussing plans for Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Garden at Tramore Housewith Sonomi Leslie and Agnes Alyward, Project Leader of Tramore Development Trust.
ALL ABOARD! - TRANSFORMING TRAMORE’S TRAIN STATION Local groups are working together with the Council and Tramore’s T.D., Ciara Conway to look at ways to use the building of Tramore’s old train station . The building is in a perfect location, not far from the prom - and a number of organisations are coming up with ideas as to how to put it to good use. One plan could see the station used as a Tourist centre and Museum, but that’s just one aspect of it’s planned enterprise use. The first step is to get the building back into public ownership and after that it will be full steam ahead as the bid is launched to transform another little bit of our beautiful town.
MINISTER VISITS DIRECT PROVISION CENTRES Minister of State for Equality, New Communities & Culture, Aodhán O’Ríordáin and Ciara Conway T.D. visited Atlantic House in Tramore and Birchwood in Waterford City recently. The Minister was keen to see conditions inside the Direct Provision Centres – and he is the first, and only Minister to visit centres in Waterford. Minister Ó Ríordáin outlined his plans to reform the Direct Provision system in Ireland at a meeting in Waterford. A Working Group chaired by Judge Bryan McMahon has been set up to report to Government on improvements to the protection process. The Government is publishing a Bill that aims to speed up the asylum process and reduce the amount of time people spend in the direct provision system.
INCLUSION PARK TRAMORE The Inclusion Park in Tramore is open and it’s already a big hit with children – and their parents! The Park is an area for children of all abilities to come together to play, and because it’s disability-friendly it promotes the idea of inclusion for all. The Park is beside the Duck Pond and it’s right beside a huge car park, so why not pack a picnic and have a fabulous afternoon in Tramore’s newest amenity!
CIARA CONWAY TD Constituency Office: 36 Mary Street, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford Phone: 058 24514 Email: ciara.conway@oireachtas.ie
@ciaramconway facebook.com/ciaraconwaylabour @ciaramconway #Tramore
Happy to meet you on any issue in Tramore - just call 086 1022958. 0612