Higgins lorraine business galway east 3426

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SENATOR LORRAINE HIGGINS

OUR VISION FOR BUSINESS IN GALWAY EAST The Labour Party Spring 2014

LABOUR’S BUSINESS MANIFESTO TO HELP OUR TOWNS 1. Reduction in Rates Businesses are shouldering the burden of financing local government. However, with the property tax being made available to local authorities it does not make sense to continue to tax businesses who are job creators in our communities in this way. As a Labour Group we will strive to have your rates reduced within our local government structures.

2. Adjustment of Parking Charges It is important that the Council offers businesses and their customers flexibility by giving people the first half hour free parking on the streets. Abbeyfeale and Portadown already have this so why not, Athenry, Oranmore, Loughrea, Gort, Portumna, Tuam who should all benefit in the same way so they can encourage people into their town centres. In particular we believe there should be free parking periods from 9.3010.30 and after 5pm Monday to Saturday with no parking charges on Sundays. We will work towards trying to implement this.

3. Traffic Management Review This is essential to ensure our towns become more friendly to citizens, shoppers, visitors and tourists and that traffic flows more easily. Some towns have different obstacles: Athenry with the railway crossing and a one-way system which affects Loughrea also. There is also a need to review the operation of traffic lights in all of our towns and see if are they having a detrimental impact on traffic flow.

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4. Marketing and promotion of our towns A percentage of each towns business rates should be retained for marketing and promoting those towns both nationally and internationally. Money should be allocated for branding the unique selling point of all our towns and devising strategy to encourage more visitors.

We need to have a new vision as to how we can encourage people into our town centres so we can help business and create jobs. A marketing strategy and a marketing fund is key to delivering on this.

5. Irish Rail pricing structure should be reconsidered If we lived in commuter areas in Dublin we would benefit from reduced train fares. So why not for the towns of Galway East? This would suit commuters, tourists and travellers alike especially on routes from Galway to Athenry, Oranmore, Gort and Ballinasloe. We will lobby for change in this policy to encourage people into our towns.

SENATOR LORRAINE HIGGINS Seanad Éireann: Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 618 3186 Email: lorraine.higgins@oir.ie

Web: www.lorrainehiggins.com Follow Lorraine on:

Constituency Offices: Piggott Street, Loughrea McDonald’s Lane, Athenry Tel: 091 842200

WORKING WITH YOUR LOCAL LABOUR TEAM

Dessie O’Brien 087 8346441 dessiebriensbar@gmail.com dessieobrien

Cllr Johnny Walsh 087 9973008 0612

Madge Dean 0879107231 madgedean1@gmail.com Madge Dean