ANN PHELAN TD KILKENNY NEWS Summer 2015
MINISTER ANN PHELAN DELIVERS FOR KILKENNY The Regional Action Plan for Jobs is part of the commitment to fix the economy and create jobs in Kilkenny. Last year Enterprise Ireland-assisted jobs amounted to nearly 400 in Kilkenny, and since the term of this Government 269 IDA-supported jobs have been created here. Since the beginning of 2015 several significant Jobs announcements have been made in Kilkenny, such as Glanbia, KBC Bank, SmartPly and TransferMate. The brewery site development will create 500 jobs in the City. Jobs remain my top priority. Now that the national unemployment figure has decreased to 9.8% we have to double our efforts to get it down further.
LIVE REGISTER DOWN AGAIN IN KILKENNY The latest Live Register figures show a 11.3% drop in Live Register figures in Kilkenny City in the last year. Live register is down by 18.6% over the past two years.
KILKENNY UNEMPLOYMENT
DOWN
18%
IN THE LAST 2 YEARS
Ann Phelan TD Constituency Office 18 Patrick Street, Kilkenny Phone: 056 77 56 000 Mobile: 086 329 4420 Email: ann.phelan@oireachtas.ie Web: www.annphelan.ie
INTREO OFFICE For anyone trying to find work, the Intreo Office offers employment and financial assistance to jobseekers. With the roll-out of the Intreo offices throughout the country, the Tanaiste is succeeding in transforming the Department of Social Protection from a passive benefits office to a pro-active employment service. I recently visited local companies who have hired people through Job Activation Programmes, and heard first-hand about some of the jobs stories. Employers are encouraged to use the First Steps and JobsPlus Youth programmes which offer employment routes for young jobseekers.
Tanaiste Joan Burton visits Intreo Offices around the country, including Kilkenny Intreo Office
PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS TO BENEFIT Public sector workers have taken cuts during the economic crisis, and deserve to get something back now that the economy recovers. The current negotiations focus on giving back to the low and middle income earners. It has to be remembered that the cuts the Public sector workers took enabled the state to finance support for those workers who had lost their jobs in the private sector. In Iceland the Public sector experienced a 50% pay cut. In Greece monthly salaries have been on the knife-edge. In Ireland we avoided compulsory redundancies and mass strikes thanks to the co-operation of the Public Sector workers. RE-STARTED RECRUITMENT INTO PUBLIC SERVICE, INCLUDING GARDAI The recruitment moratorium for public jobs has ended and the state is now recruiting Gardai, teachers and SNAs. There are now 98 gardaí in the Kilkenny City area.
NEW BEREAVEMENT ROOM FOR ST LUKE’S HOSPITAL I recently officially opened a new counselling and bereavement room for families using the maternity services at St Luke’s General Hospital CarlowKilkenny. The Solace Room was funded under the Design & Dignity Grants scheme, operated and co-funded by the Irish Hospice Foundation, (IHF) and the Health Service Executive, (HSE). A grant of €48,240 was awarded for the project. The scheme aims to transform the way hospital spaces are designed for people at the end of life, and to set the standard for other hospitals to follow. The room provides a dedicated space for bereaved parents following the loss of a baby prematurely or the sudden death of a full term child. It also serves as a private space where bad news can be broken.
85%
OF KILKENNY & CARLOW GPS SIGNED UP FOR UNDER 6’S
FREE GP CARE €7.8M FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN KILKENNY I have announced a €7.8million rural development fund for Kilkenny. The funding forms part of the Government’s €250 million funding for the Leader element of the rural development programme, for which I have been given responsibility. LEADER funding will be used to support sustainable economic development projects for rural communities ranging from tourism, agri-food and other business activities. This money will be targeted at tackling social inclusion, rural isolation as well as increasing the capacity of rural communities to participate in their own economic development.
TOURISM SECTOR SUPPORT The Government is supporting local festivals and events to boost tourism activity in Co. Kilkenny with €107,000 support in 2014 and 2015. Kilkenny Medieval Mile, exhibition centre in St Mary’s Church, River Garden Walk and tourist friendly Streetscape improvements have benefitted from investment. Failte Ireland: ‘STRONG GROWTH FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES SO FAR THIS YEAR’ 66% of hotels nationally are reporting growth. Eight in ten hotels expect increased business in 2015. In addition, six in ten restaurants predict larger visitor volumes than last year. Retention of the 9% VAT The 9% VAT rate for the Hospitality and Tourism Sector has been vitally important. The lower rate of VAT set at 9% is aiding what was once a flagging industry. The introduction of the rate was a much needed job stimulus and provided the tourism industry with a vital boost in Kilkenny. Tourism is the largest employer here and I have campaigned hard to ensure the 9% VAT rate continues to support this industry.
Kilkenny CBS students displayed their considerable musical talents and played to welcome Minister Jan O’Sullivan into the school at a recent visit. Several Kilkenny City schools have been upgraded recently as part of investment in education.
BUILDING SCHOOLS & CLASSROOMS Loreto Secondary School, CBS, St Patrick’s NS, St John of God, St Patrick De La Salle BNS, Colaiste Pobail Osrai, Kilkenny College and Gaelscoil Osrai have had additional accommodation / prefab replacement recently as part of the significant School Building Programme.
PROVIDING HOMES FOR FAMILIES The largest investment in social housing in decades was announced earlier this year. In April Minister Alan Kelly announced housing targets for Kilkenny County Council amounting to €43 million. This investment should see 41% impact on the Co Kilkenny housing list. The schemes will target the refurbishment of vacant social housing units and local authorities will have the option of both building and acquiring housing. The average cost of building a social housing unit is €185,000.
KILKENNY CITY SPORTING ADAPTATION GRANTS ORGANISATIONS GET MEAN MORE JOBS €2.4 million is being made available in Kilkenny FUNDING for housing adaptation grants, energy efficiency James Stephen’s GAA Club, O’Loughlin Gaels GAA Club, Kilkenny Racing Pigeon Club, Evergreen FC and Kilkenny Aqua Canoe Club got a boost from the allocation of sports funding. €860,714 was allocated to 23 sports clubs and organisations in Co. Kilkenny under the Sports Capital Grant.
upgrades and the refurbishing of local homes. It is expected that up to 50 jobs will be created on the back of this housing investment. Contact my office for any queries on Adaptation Grants.
OVER €11 MILLION ON KILKENNY ROADS 2014 total allocation for Kilkenny roads was €11 million towards upkeep and road improvements.
Cllr Tomás Breathnach
Cllr William Paton
Cllr William Quinn
Cllr Maurice Shortall
086 0704114 087 678 7115 breathnachtomas@eircom.net willfpaton@gmail.com
086 1659115 QuinnWm49@yahoo.ie
087 7543906 mauriceshortall@eircom.net
Ann Phelan TD @AnnPhelan1 Ann Phelan
18 Patrick Street, Kilkenny Phone: 056 77 56 000 Dáil Office: 01 618 3416 Email: ann.phelan@oir.ie
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