SEÁN KENNY TD KEEPING IN TOUCH Spring 2014
Dublin Bay North Constituency
WORKING TOGETHER FOR POST-BAILOUT IRELAND Labour is proud of Ireland exiting the bailout on 15 December 2013. This is an important moment for our country. The economy is starting to recover. Jobs are being created. In 2011, Fianna Fáil left Ireland with only five months of funding to pay for public services, wages and pensions. By 2013, Labour in government has ensured Ireland exits the Bailout and has €25bn in reserve. We have ended the bank guarantee and the promissory note. We liquidated Anglo. Had we not done what we have done, our country would be going into a second bailout. Labour prioritised jobs, education and health, implementing an Action Plan on Jobs. We reduced the costs of education and introduced free GP care for 5s and under. We protected core welfare rates and ensured decent working terms and conditions. We are determined to do more to help hard-pressed families and individuals who need a break. The Bailout exit is a means to an end.
And because Labour is the Party of work, the creation of jobs is our priority. By working together, we can and must complete the job of economic recovery. But for the first time since the crisis began, we can dare to hope again.
We still have a distance to travel before people feel a turnaround in their daily lives.
MASSIVE BOOST OF 58,000 JOBS IN 2013 Jobs Increases in 2013
Creating jobs is the best route to growth and the fight against poverty. To date: ■ 58,000 jobs were created in 2013.
60,000
■ 1,200 on average are being created per week.
■ Over €500 million pro-jobs measures planned for 2014. ■ There has been a 6% increase in the number of skilled positions available year on year.
48,000 New Jobs Created
■ Unemployment has reduced from 15.1% in 2012 to 12.8% to the 3rd quarter of 2013.
36,000 24,000
12,000
■ 1,007 new jobs due to JobsPlus alone. ■ 20,200 education, training, work and apprentice places ringfenced for young people.
0
■ €2.5m invested in 2014 in funding young entrepeneurs e.g. Micro Finance Ireland. CONTACT SEAN KENNY TD
2011
Address: Dáil Éireann, Kildare Street, Dublin 2 Email: info@seankenny.ie sean.kenny@oir.ie Phone: 01 848 1806 (Home) 01 618 3744 (Dáil) Web: www.seankenny.ie facebook.com/SeanKennyTD
@SeanKennyTD
Member of Oireachtas Committees: Transport and Communications; Justice, Defence and Equality and Joint Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions
2012
2013
IMPROVED FINANCES –RENEGOTIATED DEBT Labour was determined to re-negotiate the bad debt deal done by Fianna Fáil and the Greens. Ireland’s debt is now under control: ■ The promissory notes are gone. The annual payment of €3.1bn has
been stopped. ■ Anglo-Irish bank has been closed. ■ The interest rate on the bailout loans was reduced from 6% to
3.5%. ■ €7bn was secured in burden-sharing with junior bond-holders. ■ The EU has agreed in principle to separate banking debt from
sovereign (taxpayers’) debt. Work is continuing apace on a possible Banking Union and retrospective access to the ESM. €25bn in cash balances exist to provide a buffer, should there be a down-turn in the external environment.
ROADMAP FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH The Medium-Term Economic Strategy 2020 has been launched. It seeks to end the boom bust approach to economics. No more ‘if I’ll have it I’ll spend it’ Fianna Fáil waste of taxpayers’ money. Instead, the government sets out a clear roadmap so the economy serves society.
INCREASED INVESTMENT BOOSTS DOMESTIC ECONOMY
■ Jobs are at the heart of the Strategy. ■ Full employment is the over-arching aim. ■ Tackling household debt and mortgage distress prioritised. ■ Opportunities for young and those who have emigrated identified. ■ Sound public finances and a functioning banking system deemed vital. ■ Protecting the vulnerable and eliminating poverty are key aims.
The future will still contain some difficult choices. We must face these choices honestly if we are not to see a return to the failed politics and economic despair of the past. Full report at: www.finance.gov.ie/documents/publications/reports/2013/mtesfin2013.pdf
€79 BILLION HORIZON 2020 COMES TO IRELAND Horizon 2020 is the new €79 billion programme for research and innovation in the EU. Ireland aims to win €1.25 bn – an average of €3m per week – over the 7 year programme.
Investing in Ireland’s critical infrastructure will help to literally rebuild Ireland. That’s why: ■ €17.1bn has been approved for a major
Government Stimulus Plan, including the building of new schools, roads and transport links. ■ €200m for the National Children’s Hospital
from sale of the National Lottery. ■ 4,300 construction jobs are expected for the
education sector alone. ■ 2,700 new classrooms have been
constructed since Labour took office, providing high quality classrooms for over 66,000 children at a cost of €800m. ■ Tax Relief for Home Improvements coming
on stream in 2014. ■ Unfinished housing estates to be completed
with €10m of funding. ■ Homes for the elderly, disabled and
homeless with €100m additional funding. ■ €205 million to fund 14 schemes like the
Wild Atlantic Way and National Sports Centre.
SEÁN KENNY TD KEEPING IN TOUCH SPRING 2014
LOCAL NEWS PLANNING PERMISSION REFUSAL BEAUMONT HOSPITAL RING ROAD Seán Kenny TD welcomed the recent decision by Dublin City Council planners to refuse permission for the re-alignment of the hospital ring road as applied for by Beaumont Hospital (Plan No: 2193/13). The planning application was strongly opposed by local residents in the Beaumont area on the grounds that the intensification of development on the hospital campus would create serious traffic congestion on the surrounding road network at Oscar Traynor Road and Collins Avenue. The planners report, on which the decision is based, states that while there are serious concerns regarding the proposed re-alignment, there is no objection in principle to the provision of a vehicular entrance to Rockfield Nursing Home provided there is no connection provided to the adjacent Beaumont Woods Estate.“I fully agree with the Dublin City Council planners view that the proposed re-aligned roadway, would prejudice the delivery of adequate public transport facilities through the campus, would perpetuate car dependency and encourage commuting by private car. The Hospital were requested to submit and updated Mobility Management Plan by way of a planning additional information request” Seán said.
DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL JUNK COLLECTION 2014 Dublin City Council Waste Management Services will carry out a junk collection in the early months of 2014 in the following remaining areas of the North Central Area: Kilbarrack, Edenmore and Raheny. Residents will be notified a few days in advance of this collection taking place on their road.
HYDRAULIC ANALYSIS NANNIKEN RIVER Dublin City Council has made finance available for a hydraulic study of the River Nanniken. The first stage in the process is to tender for a service provider to carry out the study. The typical time frame to procure a service provider to carry out a study of this nature is approximately 9 months after which the study can commence.The study time will depend on the extent of the brief and it is not possible at this stage to give an accurate indication of how long the study will take. It is anticipated that the brief will include the entire length of the river including tributaries. A typical hydraulic analysis will endeavour to identify existing flows in to a culvert and assess its hydraulic performance. It will seek to identify where the weaknesses or pinch points are in the culvert and by building a hydraulic model of the culvert will identify a range of options and associated costs to improve the hydraulic performance.
GREATER DUBLIN DRAINAGE SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT Following feedback from the fourth public consultation held in Summer 2013, the Project team decided to organise further Information Sessions in the local community around the Proposed Wastewater Treatment Facility. The GDD project team staffed Outreach Information Stands in January 2014 at Civic Centre, Coolock. For full details of this process see www.seankenny.ie/news Seán Kenny TD publicly opposed the location of the North Dublin Sewage Treatment Plant at Clonshaugh at a well attended Public meeting held in the area last year. Seán also made a submission to the Greater Dublin Drainage Office strongly conveying his opposition to the proposed Clonshaugh Sewage Treatment site This Fingal Council proposal is based on the Water Services Act 2007 and is expected to go to An Bord Pleanala under the Strategic Infrastructure Development Act 2006 later this year.
IMPROVEMENT WORKS AT LOCAL PRIMARY SCHOOLS 2013/2014 St. Fiachra's Senior NS Beaumont
2 Classrooms & 4 x 16m2 SET Rooms
Greenlanes National
Mechanical Works
School Clontarf Scoil Íde National School Raheny
1 x 80m2 Mainstream Classroom
Scoil Mhuire National School Howth
3x80m2 Mainstream classrooms
Seán Kenny TD with Local Representative Alison Gilliland and Cllr. Brian McDowell
Belgrove Senior Girls School Clontarf
Structural
CHILDREN’S PLAYGROUND AT EDENMORE PARK
Springdale National School Raheny
2 x 80m2 Mainstream Classrooms, 1 x 13.5m2 Office & 1 x 13.5m2 SET Room
Dublin City Council Parks & Landscape Services proposes to complete the installation of the children’s playground at Edenmore Park which was included in the 2013 works programme but has been delayed due to procurement difficulties and poor weather and ground conditions on site.
Scoil Aine Raheny
2 x 80m2 Mainstream Classroom
St. Brigid's Convent NS Killester
2 x 80m2 Mainstream Classrooms, 1 x 13.5m2 Office & 1 x 13.5m2 SET Room
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN YOUR AREA? For regular updates on meetings of Dublin City Council North Central Area Committee, and meetings of Fingal County Council Howth-Malahide Area Committee see www.seankenny.ie/news
SEÁN KENNY TD KEEPING IN TOUCH SPRING 2014
SEÁN KENNY TD SPEAKING ON PROTECTED DISCLOSURES BILL 2013 IN THE DÁIL ON 5TH FEBRUARY 2014 “The public generally becomes aware of an incident of whistleblowing when things have gone wrong – usually when the whistleblower has been dismissed or has suffered or been made to suffer in some way. When it appears that the whistleblower has been motivated by genuine and well-founded concerns, public opinion tends to support the whistleblower on the grounds that they have done a public duty. Unfortunately however, the message that emerges from media reports of whistleblowing tends to be negative that those who put their heads above the parapet and speak out are liable to be penalised in some way…(this Bill will) help to strengthen and reinforce political will to confront corruption. In addition, the willingness of the public to engage in anti-corruption efforts through whistleblowing as well as voicing concerns and demands is likely to greatly enhance attempts to uncover corruption when it occurs and to undo its effects.” For full details of Seán’s weekly Dáil and Oireachtas committee contributions see www.labour.ie or facebook.com/SeanKennyTD
Constituency Advice Centres Every Monday 10am - 10.45am Unit 1, Rear Community Sports Hall, Darndale
Every Saturday 10.30am - 11.30am Concorde Lounge, Edenmore Shopping Centre
Every Monday 11.15am - 12 noon Donnycarney Community and Youth Centre (Le Chéile)
Every Saturday 11.30am to 12 noon Foxhound Inn, Greendale Shopping Centre
Every Thursday 7pm - 8pm Ard Scoil La Salle, Raheny Road
Deputy Seán Kenny acting as Ceann Comhairle
Every Saturday 12 noon to 12.30pm Donaghmede Inn
(Excluding Bank Holiday Weekends and months of July and August)
USEFUL CONTACTS/WEBSITES JobBridge - National Internship Programme Ph: 1800 303 515, www.jobbridge.ie Springboard - Training Courses www.bluebrick.ie Citizens Information Ph: 0761 07 4000, www.citizensinformation.ie
Better Energy: Warmer Homes: Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) Ph:1800 250 204, www.seai.ie Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) Ph: 0761 07 2000 Mon - Fri, 9am - 8pm www.mabs.ie
YOUR LABOUR TEAM WORKING FOR YOU
Seán Kenny TD CONTACT SEAN KENNY TD
Aodhán Ó Ríordáin TD Alison Gilliland
Cllr Brian McDowell
01 618 3209 aodhan.oriordain@oir.ie
087 222 1628 brian.mcdowell@labour.ie
086 6015154 alisongilliland.ie@gmail.com
Address: Dáil Éireann, Kildare Street, Dublin 2 Phone: 01 848 1806 (Home) 01 618 3744 (Dáil) Email: info@seankenny.ie sean.kenny@oir.ie Web: www.seankenny.ie
EMER COSTELLO MEP 086 383 1805 emercostelloMEP@gmail.com
facebook.com/SeanKennyTD @SeanKennyTD 0612