LOCAL LABOUR UPDATE LUCAN AND PALMERSTOWN EDITION from Joanna Tuffy TD, Spring 2013
Overleaf... ■ help for those in debt ■ grants for community gardens ■ EU Presidency ■ Comhairle na nÓg ■ Junior Cert Reforms ■ Anti bullying Framework
WHAT OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE FOR JOBSEEKERS? The levels of unemployment are unprecedented – including in Palmerstown and Lucan. My priority as your local TD is to make this the Government’s main focus this year. A number of initiatives were announced in the budget. While more needs to be done, there are opportunities out there for local people in search of employment and who need experience, education and training. Here are some of the schemes that may suit you:
There is also Postgraduate Certificate in Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Enterprise in UCD starting in May. Keep an eye on www.springboardcourses.ie if you want to increase your prospects of finding work by adding to your qualifications.
Eligibility: You can be in receipt of one of a number of social welfare payments including Jobseeker’s but also Carer’s Allowance and the Widow(er)’s Pension amongst others - all listed on the Springboard site. Momentum - www.momentumskills.ie You might also be eligible if you are actively seeking If you are unemployed for 12 months or longer you employment and either signing on for credits or may be eligible to apply for one of the projects on previously self-employed .There is no minimum time the Government's new Momentum programme. for these eligibility criteria. Projects include education and training in areas of high employment in the future. Some projects are aimed at those 25 and under. Momentum projects include work placements and links to identified job vacancies and employers. Lists of projects are available on the Momentum website www.momentumskills.ie where you can search by area or by category such as Dublin and or Sports/Leisure or Engineering related. Eligibility: You must either be in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance/benefit for 12 months or more, or signing on the live register for Social Insurance credits for 12 months or more. Periods on Youth Reach and certain other schemes may be counted towards the 12 months required. You must apply through your nearest employment services office to confirm your eligibility and get assistance in identifying a suitable Momentum project. Participants continue to receive their jobseekers payments while on the course. Springboard - www.springboardcourses.ie Eligibility requirements for Springboard cover more types of participants. The courses are free and are delivered by private and state providers including third level colleges. Examples are a Certificate in Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Operations (currently advertised on the Springboard website) based in Dublin that could help you gain an entry level position within the Pharma/Medical Device Industries. It commences in April and is being run in conjunction with the Institute of Technology Tallaght.
Joanna Tuffy holding information sessions at her office.
What opportunities are there for Jobseekers?? INFORMATION SESSION 11am -1pm Friday 1st March 2013 @ Constituency Office of Joanna Tuffy TD Dispensary Lane, Lucan, Co. Dublin
Jobbridge - www.jobbridge.ie 3000 extra JobBridge places were announced in Budget 2013 by the Minister for Social Protection,Joan Burton TD. JobBridge is a Government initiative designed to offer jobseekers an opportunity to enhance their skills and add new ones through an internship lasting 6-9 months. The internships are very diverse with a range of employers, both public and private. A report last October found that 52 % of JobBridge 'finishers' were currently in paid
employment since finishing their internships. You can apply at www.jobbridge.ie. Eligibility: You must have a live claim and be in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance/Jobseekers Benefit/One Parent Family Payment/Disability Allowance or signing for Social Insurance Contribution credits for at least 3 months (78 days). TUS - www.welfare.ie The Tús initiative is a community work placement scheme providing short-term working opportunities for unemployed people since 2011. Unemployed people who are eligible for the scheme will be identified and contacted by their social welfare local office and offered the opportunity to participate in the scheme. If they agree they will be referred to their local development company where they will be recruited for a suitable placement when it becomes available. You can read more about the selection process on www.welfare.ie. Social Employment and Community Employment Schemes There are to be 3000 Social Employment places nationwide run by local authorities who are being encouraged by the Department of Social Protection to apply to sponsor these places. 2000 extra Community Scheme places are to be provided bringing the total places above 25,000. More details in the Ballyfermot and Clondalkin Employment Services Offices. Where to get information: As well as the websites listed above, you can obtain information on jobseeker opportunities from Citizens Information service in Lucan and Palmerstown. In addition, if you wish to contact me, I can arrange to post you out information and forms.
HOW TO CONTACT YOUR LOCAL REPS
Joanna Tuffy TD Dáil Eireann, Leinster House, Dublin 2
Robert Dowds TD 01 618 3446 robert.dowds@oir.ie
Cllr. Eamon Tuffy 086 386 3173 etuffy@sdublincoco.ie
Dáil Office: 01 6183822 Constituency Office: 01 6218400 Email: joanna.tuffy@oireachtas.ie Web: www.joannatuffy.ie Joanna Tuffy TD @joannatuffytd
Cllr. Caitríona Jones 087 203 4427 cjones@sdublincoco.ie
Emer Costello MEP 01 874 6109 emer.costello@europarl.europa.eu
FUNDING COMMUNITY GARDENS THAT ENGAGE UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE
HAVE YOUR SAY ON JUNIOR CERT REFORMS
EU JOB GUARANTEE FOR IRISH YOUTH
The Community Foundation for Ireland is awarding small grants under a Community Growers Fund for Community Garden projects that engage unemployed people in community garden and allotment projects in an urban setting in Dublin, Kildare, Meath, and Wicklow.Grants will range from €1,000 to €10,000 depending on size of site and level of preparatory work needed. Some larger grants will be made available in certain circumstances, if a project can demonstrate exceptional potential to make an impact. More information, including the criteria for the grants and the application forms are available at communityfoundation.ie. The closing date for Round 4 is 28th February 2013.
GRANTS FOR RESPITE CARE, ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP PROGRAMMES & ADVOCACY PROGRAMMES FOR OLDER PEOPLE These grants are been offered by the Community Foundation under its Caring Community Grants Scheme. The closing date is the 29th March. 20 Grants of up to €2,500 are available to organisations providing or enabling emergency and out-ofhours respite only to family carers; 10 Grants of up to €7,500 are available to organisations working towards inclusion of older people in active citizenship roles. And 10 Grants of up to €7,500 are available to organisations working towards inclusion of older people in advocacy roles. See www.foundation.ie
HELP AVAILABLE FOR THOSE IN MORTGAGE ARREARS AND DEBT The Personal Insolvency Act has been made law. This Act provides for certain categories of people to work their way out of debt by reaching agreement with their creditors. The new mechanisms under this act are Debt relief, Debt Settlement Arrangements and Personal Insolvency Arrangements. There is also a shorter period for discharge from bankruptcy brought in under this legislation. The legislation won't provide the way out of debt for everyone but it will help some people in unsustainable debt. Under the legislation an Insolvency Service is due to be established and when this happens debtors should be able to start accessing the mechanisms for debt relief under this bill. There are services that will advise people in debt and or mortgage arrears including the Free Legal Aid Service, MABS and the Citizens Information Service. Banks are also regulated by the Central Bank and the Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process. Some mortgage holders are eligible for Mortgage Interest Supplement through the Department of Social Protection. If you’re affected by debt and need someone to point you in the right direction please feel free to contact me for advice.
Cllr Caitriona Jones, Cllr. Eamon Tuffy and I held an information session on planned Junior Certificate Reforms in my constituency office this month. The proposed reforms that are to be phased in beginning with English in 2014 and extending to all subjects for students beginning first year in September 2017. The proposals include that 40% of the marks for each subject will be awarded for school based components, such as oral exams in language studies, or work completed during second and third year. We were there to provide information,answer questions and let members of the local community with an interest in Education have their say. We are now passing on feedback and questions to the Minister for Education and we intend to continue this consultation work with constituents. If you could not attend but would like to talk to us about the planned reforms please email me or phone me or call to my office in Dispensary Lane, Lucan, Village.
DUBLIN MID-WEST APPLICATIONS INVITED FOR €500,000 AWARDS PROGRAMME Social Entrepreneurs Ireland is now open for applications for this year’s Awards Programme, with a total cash fund of €500,000 to support individuals with new solutions for social challenges in Ireland. The Awards Programme will see eight social entrepreneurs selected to partake in one of two support Programmes: the Impact Programme and the Elevator Programme. Three social entrepreneurs will be selected for the Impact Programme and will each receive direct funding of €130,000 over two years, as well as over €70,000 worth of training, mentoring and support. Five social entrepreneurs will be selected for the Elevator Programme and will each receive direct funding of €22,000 over one year, as well as over €10,000 worth of training, mentoring and support. The deadline for applications is Monday 18th February. Full details of the application process, eligibility criteria and an overview of the Awards Programme can be found online at www.socialentrepreneurs.ie.
Ireland holds the Presidency of the European Union until the end of June. As part of this I will be co-chairing two meetings in Dublin Castle of Chairs of Committees in the Parliaments of EU member states and the European Parliament - a meeting in April on the issue of Youth Unemployment and in June on the Digital agenda. I hope that the outcome of Ireland's term of holding the Presidency is that a Youth Guarantee is adopted by the EU that would guarantee young people unemployed for a certain length of time either a job, or a place on a suitable training programme. I will also urge that the EU counter austerity by investment in education, and capital works that will create jobs.
ANTI BULLYING FRAMEWORK Minister Ruairi Quinn has launched an Anti Bullying Framework for schools. It is a template for schools to tackle bullying and involves a whole school approach.
COMHAIRLE NA nÓG ADDRESS OIREACHTAS EDUCATION AND SOCIAL PROTECTION COMMITTEE As Chair of the Oireachtas Education and Social Protection Committee I Chaired a meeting addressed by representatives of Comhairle Na nÓg and Dail Na nÓg who spoke of work they had done on the issue of the social, personal and health education curriculum and sexuality and relationship education and mental health promotion in schools. The representatives gave evidence of a lack of consistency in the delivery of these subjects in schools and the need for initiatives to tackle this deficiency. If you are a young person interested in having your say in politics you might like to find out more about the work by the local Comhairle Na nÓg - South Dublin County who can be contacted through the Community Services Department in South Dublin County Council. Phone 414900 (ext. 4183) or email ncarton@sdublincoco.ie Joanna Tuffy TD
OUT AND ABOUT IN LUCAN AND PALMERSTOWN
Cllr. Caitriona Jones and Joanna Tuffy TD at Archbishop Ryan SNS Art Exhibition
Cllr. Jones, Robert Dowds TD, Joanna Tuffy TD and Cllr. Eamon TUffy with Liffey Sound Maria Murphy at Launch by Liffey Sound
Labour's Tony Stafford takes Event to mark long and distinguished service of Michael Gannon part in Palmerstown Festival
Cllr. Jones and Deputy Tuffy with Minister for Education Michael Gannon and Michael Brennan at event to mark Eamon Gilmore, Michael Gannon, Jack O'Connor and & Skills Ruairi Quinn at Adamstown Community College Michael's long and distinguished service for Labour Movement Joanna Tuffy TD
Local activist Conor Reilly speaks at Labour Conference
Timebank launch by Cllr. Caitriona Jones as Mayor with Paul Rowe of Educate Together and Joanna Tuffy TD 0612