Eamon Gilmore TD Labour Party Leader Representing the people of Dun Laoghaire
Spring 2010
ONE IRELAND: jobs, reform, fairness Eamon addresses Labour Party Conference The focus of Eamon’s recent speech at the 2010 Labour Party National Conference in Galway was jobs, reform, and fairness. Eamon spoke about: ■ The creation of a strategic national investment bank to promote job creation. ■ A graduate & apprentice programme to provide work experience for 30,000 young people. ■ How in its first Budget, Labour will establish a dedicated Jobs Fund, to finance measures that create and support employment. Such as a PRSI break for companies that create new jobs. “Labour is the party of work – and jobs are what will rescue our country from the depths of this recession.” “It is the Labour Party’s objective at the next election, whenever it is held, for a new government, led by Labour”. You can view Eamon’s entire speech or get full details of Labour Party polices by visiting www.labour.ie. Alternatively if you would like a hard copy please phone 01 6184825.
The Galway conference also saw Eamon assert: ■ That Labour in Government would review the entire NAMA project and would establish a comprehensive inquiry into the banking crisis. ■ That Labour will not go into Government with Fianna Fáil after the next General Election. ■ Labour’s proposal for a Constitutional Convention to draft a new Constitution. The current Irish constitution was adopted in 1937 and since then there have been 28 amendment referendums and a large number of proposals for reforms in different areas. Many of these could be described as “piecemeal” approaches to specific problems. Labour’s approach is a global one, a new constitution for a fairer republic in our new century. Other speakers at the Conference included…Ruairi Quinn TD, Spokesperson on Education, launched Labour’s fifteen priorities in Education. Joanna Tuffy TD, Environment Spokesperson proposed the creation of a National Water Strategy. Jan O’Sullivan TD, Spokesperson on Health, outlined how Labour’s Universal Health Care policy will deliver a unified and fair health system. The Labour Party was been making the case for this important policy change for over a decade. Pat Rabbitte TD, Spokesperson on Justice, called for the involvement of the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) in the investigation of rogue bankers. Joe Costello TD, Spokesperson on European Affairs and Human Rights, said that Labour in Government would restore the Combat Poverty Agency “in the current crisis, more then ever, we need a strong, independent voice for those that are less well off ”.
EAMON GILMORE TD Labour Party Leader
T: 6183566 F: 618 4574 E: eamon.gilmore@oir.ie
ADVICE CENTRE Every Monday from 9.30 am (except Bank Holidays) Park House, Library Road, Dun Laoghaire
Become a supporter of Eamon Gilmore TD on Facebook
ONE IRELAND: jobs, reform, fairness DÚN LAOGHAIRE / RATHDOWN BUSINESS PROMOTION GRANTS Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, at its meeting on 21st December 2009 agreed to a Labour proposal to establish a €300,000 Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Business Promotion Grants scheme. The objectives of the grant are: ■ To help generate and sustain business activity in the County. ■
To encourage firms in an area to work collectively to promote and sustain business activity in their area.
■
To encourage businesses to work in partnership with Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and other public agencies.
Details of this scheme were announced at the April meeting of Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council. If you would like more information on this scheme please contact the Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Chamber on 01 284 5066 or Wessel Badenhorst, Community and Enterprise Development Officer with the Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council,, on 01 2054700.
DIAL TO STOP DRUG DEALING
FREE RAIL TRAVEL WELCOMED
www.dialtostop.ie 1800 220 220
Eamon Gilmore TD has welcomed the announcement that all senior citizens, including Irish pensioners visiting from abroad, are now entitled to free rail travel here.
‘Dial To Stop Drug Dealing’ is an independent initiative by a wide coalition of community groups, supported by the National Drugs Strategy, which allows people to report suspected drug dealing. They don’t ask for your name, they don’t trace your call or record your number. What they do is pass on your information to the Gardaí and then monitor what happens after that. Do you suspect someone of selling drugs, do you know where the drugs are being sold or stored? To find out more about this service please consult the website www.dialtostop.ie.
“My party colleague Deputy Emmet Stagg fought a tireless campaign to have free travel extended to all Irish pensioners including those who have lived and worked in the UK for many years. While this scheme currently applies to rail travel only, we will continue to campaign to have this measure extended to all public transport”. Extending free rail travel to all Irish pensioners is a small token of appreciation to all those who so generously sent money back home supporting their families and the Irish economy at a time it was badly needed.
ONE IRELAND: jobs, reform, fairness LABOUR PROPOSES LAW TO RESTRICT THE SPREAD OF HEAD SHOPS Pat Rabbitte, Labour’s Spokesperson on Justice, has called on the Government to take on board the Labour Party’s Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2010 which would control where ‘Head Shops’ may be located. As the law stands local authorities are powerless since no specific planning permission is required for a change of use from one existing retail use to another. Deputy Rabbitte said that “Head Shops are pushing mephedrone related products and other legal highs that ought to have been banned by Government” Labour believes that the Government response to the establishment of ‘Head Shops’ has been too slow and that action is needed on the issue.
DILLON BYRNE RECEIVES HONOUR Councillor Jane Dillon Byrne was honoured at this years Labour Party Conference in Galway with a Long Service Award, presented to her by the Party President, Michael D Higgins TD. Jane joined the Labour Party in 1963. She was elected in 1974 to the then Dun Laoghaire Corporation and has successfully retained her seat since then on, what we now know to be, the Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council. She was the first woman to be elected Chaoirleach in 1975, which was a personal highlight for her. Jane works effectively to protect the environment, planning and to improve facilities and the quality of community life for all. Jane is a promoter of the Arts and is a former member of the Arts Council and is currently a member of the Pavilion Theatre. Jane is a founder member of the Irish section of Amnesty International. She swims every day at the forty foot and has taught generations of children to swim. After the presentation Eamon Gilmore said “Jane Dillon Byrne is an experienced Councillor who has devoted her entire political life to serve the people she represents in the Dun Laoghaire Ward and is a valued member of the Labour Team”.
RE-DEVELOPMENT OF DÚN LAOGHAIRE BATHS MOVES A STEP CLOSER
CHANGE CAN’T HAPPEN WITHOUT YO U !
The Labour Councillors were informed at a recent meeting that the plan for redevelopment of the Dún Laoghaire Baths site will be presented to Councillors in May 2010.
DOING NOTHING to hold this government to account is NO LONGER AN OPTION. THE LABOUR PARTY is offering a real alternative to the failed policies of Fianna Fáil and the Greens.
The public will then have an opportunity to make submissions on the proposals.
Contact Eamon Gilmore TD to get involved e: eamon.gilmore@oir.ie
t: 618 3566
f: 618 4574
ONE IRELAND: jobs, reform, fairness Bringing Dun Laoghaire issues to the Dáil Eamon Gilmore continues to pursue the lack of progress on development of the National Rehabilitation Hospital in the Dáil Chamber. To date the Minister for Health has been non-committal as to the time frame for a decision on the business plan submitted by the Hospital to her Department. Eamon used his Dáil time to call on the Constituency’s three Government Ministers to prioritise the building of the hospital. He reminded the Government that there has been a commitment to redevelop the Hospital, which is badly in need of a new building, since 2002. “Every Member of the House is familiar with this hospital…Everybody speaks very highly of it. I stood in that hospital yesterday in a 19 bed ward of mixed genders that had two open bathrooms at the end of the ward. It was from the 19th century…I talked with the people there about the need to build a new hospital. They went to tender at the end of 2009 and accepted a tender at the beginning of 2009. They are still waiting.” Dáil Éireann 23rd March 2010
Labour Party Councillors vote against Carrickmines Retail Proposal Ireland currently has the 3rd highest zoned retail density in Europe. Despite this fact, and the dozens of empty shop units all around the County, a proposal was recently put forward by Fianna Fáil and a number of Fine Gael Councillors to rezone land at Carrickmines for a 10,000 sq ft retail development. The plan for Carrickmines would in turn see land zoned for retail in Cherrywood reduced. This could potentially undermine the money that has been spent on infrastructure development in Cherrywood including the new Luas station that is scheduled to open this year. Labour Party Councillors have opposed the Carrickmines re-zoning proposal as it does not comply with the Regional Planning Guidelines and it goes against the planning advice from DLR County Council Planners. Instead of zoning new land for retail development The Labour Party is committed to the creation of employment in the County’s existing retail centres and the re-development of sites like Shankill Shopping centre.
Yo u r L o c a l L a b o u r Te a m
LOCAL NEWS in brief CLLR. NIAMH BHREATHNACH has asked Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council to pursue Iarnród Éireann about its obligation to control litter along the Dart line.. DÚN LAOGHAIRE RATHDOWN COUNTY COUNCIL has announced proposals to upgrade The Metals walkway – full details are available on www.dlrcoco.ie/themetals.. CLLR. DENIS O’CALLAGHAN has sought details of the lands under the control of NAMA in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown.. THE MANAGEMENT OF DÚN LAOGHAIRE RATHDOWN COUNTY COUNCIL informed Councillors at a meeting in December 2009 that the Sallynoggin Library was to close as a result of the Council's inability to replace staff arising from the Government recruitment embargo. The Labour Party opposed the closure of the library but Council management recently went ahead with the closure of the library. However due to the representations of Labour Party Councillors a new Community Library has opened in Holy Child School, Sallynoggin.
If you would like to receive an email edition of Eamon Gilmore’s constituency newsletter please email: eamon.gilmore@oir.ie
– Working with Eamon Gilmore TD
Cllr. Denis O’Callaghan
Cllr. Carrie Smyth
Cllr. Niamh Bhreathnach Cllr. Stephen Fitzpatrick
Cllr. Jane Dillon Byrne
49 Rathsallagh Park, Shankill, Co. Dublin. P: 086 2785609 E: denisoc@cllr.dlrcoco.ie
3 Bayview Drive, Killiney, Co. Dublin. P: 086 3835051 E: carriesmyth@cllr.dlrcoco.ie
12 Anglesea Avenue, Blackrock, Co Dublin. P: 086 6078193 E: nbhreathna@cllr.dlrcoco.ie
Silchester House, Silchester Road, Glenageary, Co. Dublin. P: 086 6078150 E: jdbyrne@cllr.dlrcoco.ie
Derrymore, Coliemore Road, Dalkey, Co. Dublin. P: 086 7814519 E: sfitzpatrick@cllr.dlrcoco.ie