KERRY NEWS Arthur J. Spring TD Summer 2015
JOBS PLAN WILL UNLOCK KERRY’S POTENTIAL The Government’s Regional Action Plan for Jobs for the Southwest has been launched. The plan is focused on Kerry & Cork is part of new €250million regional jobs strategy which would see the creation of 40,000 extra jobs in the region over the coming years. The Plan will target key sectors including agrifood, tourism, life sciences, manufacturing and ICT, as well as emerging sectors like multimedia and the green economy, energy and marine. Key Targets for the Action Plan from a Kerry perspective include: ■ A 20% increase in export-led jobs to 2020 by developing the areas of ICT, business services and high-value manufacturing which includes the development of a €25 million euro manufacturing facility for Tralee. ■ Developing the region as an international centre of excellence in agri-engineering, agri-food and seafood production. ■ Increasing overseas tourist numbers and revenue leveraging the brand of the Wild Atlantic Way ■ Kerry County Council to progress the county accessing the natural gas network. ■ Explore the feasibility of a large scale renewable District Heating plant and network for Tralee and develop and Pilot the Biomass Resource District Heating in the Towns of Tralee and Killarney. ■ Undertake a feasibility study of a Technical Marine and Marine Sciences education, training and research centre in Kerry. ■ Progress plans to expand Fenit Harbour and develop new business through the port.
ARTHUR J. SPRING TD Labour Party Office, Rock Street, Tralee Tel: (066) 7125337 Email arthur.spring@oir.ie Web: www.labour.ie/arthurspring /arthurjspring @SpringAJ
STANDING UP FOR WORKING FAMILIES PUBLIC SECTOR WAGE AGREEMENT
STRONGER PROTECTIONS FOR WORKERS
The government and public sector unions have come to an agreement which will result in significant wage increases for public sector workers including teachers, clerical staff and Gardaí. Next year public servants will receive a €1,003 pay rise for the lowest earning workers on up to €30,000 and 733 euro for middle to high earners on up to €60,000 and €100,000.
The rights of workers will be legally protected in jobs where there is a Registered Employment Agreement, thanks to new legislation. This is a very important priority for the Labour Party. It means rules about their pay and working conditions will be enforced.
PROVIDING HOMES FOR FAMILIES Kerry will benefit from phase one of the new housing programme, the first major direct build social housing project in a number of years will begin with housing projects planned for construction in The Park Killarney, Killeen Tralee as well as a number if single dwellings around the county. Over the coming years the Government will invest €62 million on housing for Kerry. Kerry County Council has been set a target to provide 1052 units between now and 2017. This will take pressure off the current social housing list and will also create a number of construction jobs. Nationally over 100 projects are to commence, with 3000 construction jobs and 1700 housing units to be built as part of Phase one of the social housing strategy. Vacant houses will also be refurbished with almost €1 million provided to Kerry to bring 46 vacant housing units back into productive use. These houses will be fully refurbished and provided to tenants as a priority.
FREE GP CARE FOR UNDER 6’S & OVER 70’S The Government has begun rolling out the phased introduction of a universal, free GP service. It marks a shift towards promoting health and wellbeing that will benefit our health system as a whole. It marks a shift towards promoting health and wellbeing that will benefit our health system as a whole. It is also an important milestone in achieving Labour’s priority of enhancing primary care and keeping people well in their own community. Many people worry about the cost of bringing their child to the doctor and parents often have to bring young children to the doctor a couple of times a year. So free GP care for children under 6 will make a real difference to a family's household budget. Labour in government has also ensured that adults aged over 70 will benefit from free GP care. This means that from this summer, up to 300,000 children and older people who currently have to pay to see their GP will no longer have to.
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KERRY GENERAL HOSPITAL
€13.2M CAPITAL INVESTMENT SINCE 2011 €4.5m
New Emergency Department
€4.5m
Facilities Refurbishment
€2.2m
New Endoscopy Day Unit
€2.0m
Acute Mental Health Unit Information provided by the HSE
SPORTS GRANTS FOR KERRY CLUBS A number of Kerry sports clubs and organisations have benefitted from the latest round of Sports Capital Grants. €927,000 has been awarded to Kerry, amongst the beneficiaries were: ■ Spa GAA Club was awarded €80,000 in the 2014 Sports Capital Grant. ■ Listowel Community Centre awarded €100,000 ■ Kerry District League has been awarded a €200,000 grant towards their all-weather pitch in Mounthawk Tralee. ■ Kerry Cricket Club receives €42,000 and Killarney Rugby €100,000. ■ €90,000 for Camp Community Council and €15,000 for Castlegregory GAA
BUILDING SCHOOLS & CLASSROOMS More than €44 million was provided for major school building and modernisation projects in Kerry between 2011 and 2015. Labour in government has made education a priority and I will continue my work to ensure Kerry schools are fully resourced. Some of the schools to benefit include: ■ New Classroom and Resource room for Faha NS ■ New Classrooms for Coláiste Gleann Lí, Tralee ■ New extension for Mounthawk Mercy School with seven classrooms, four resource rooms, more canteen space and a toilet block. ■ New Blennerville National School with 8 classrooms, P.E. hall & 3 special needs rooms ■ Four science labs and conversion works to create three general classrooms for the Intermediate School Killorglin ■ New extension for Causeway Comprehensive School and new Classrooms for Killury NS ■ New Presentation Secondary School and Nagel Rice NS for Milltown
DELIVERING HIGH SPEED BROADBAND FOR KERRY High speed broadband is vital for the Kerry economy, for businesses and families. By 2016 most of Kerry’s town and villages will be connected to fibre broadband. Where commerical operators cannot provide broadband the government will intervene and ensure rural communities are connected. Eircom recently announced that 28 new locations in Kerry will be connected to high speed broadband including Asdee, Knocknagoshel, Finuge, Dromartin and Portmagee.
€2.1 MILLION FOR HOUSING ADAPTATION GRANTS Older People and People with a Disability in Kerry are set to benefit from an allocation of €1.7 million for housing adaptation grants for private homes. This will allow extensions to be built for people with a disability as well as housing adaptations to improve mobility aid (such as stair lifts, access ramps etc.) with more funding set to come later in the year. A further €400,000 will be made available for local authority house adaptations and extensions to meet the needs of tenants with a disability and to deal with overcrowding.The grant funding will also provide a boost to the construction industry.
NEW GARDA VEHICLES FOR KERRY €10 million euro has been allocated nationally for new Garda vehicles, 12 new patrol cars are currently being delivered to the Kerry Garda Division. The provision of these new vehicles is being accompanied by the recent recruitment of new Gardai.
Arthur J. Spring TD /arthurjspring @SpringAJ
Senator Marie Moloney Cllr Terry O’Brien
Cllr Graham Spring
064 6632034 marie.moloney@oir.ie
087 6506887 cllrgraham.spring@kerrycoco.ie
087 2634196 cllrterry.obrien@kerrycoco.ie
Constituency Office: Labour Party Office, Rock Street, Tralee, Co. Kerry Tel: 066 7125337 Email: arthur.spring@oir.ie Web: www.labour.ie/arthurspring
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