Barry McElduff Monaghan Book Signing this Saturday

The Sinn Féin bookshop on Monaghan Town’s Dublin Street will this Saturday host the renowned republican raconteur and wit, Barry McElduff from County Tyrone. No stranger to County Monaghan Barry McElduff will be here on this occasion to launch his new book under the title of his famous catchphrase Keep ’Er Lit. During the 2011 Assembly elections, Tyrone MLA Barry ended a very worthy political interview on BBC TV by cheerily urging host Noel Thompson to “Keep ’er lit” hardly the language expected of long serving politicians. But, Barry is not a normal politician. He is a Sinn Féiner, a republican and he is great craic. People of all political persuasions can agree to that. Now Barry (a former columnist with An Phoblacht) has produced a handy tome of 92 short stories and anecdotes garnered from his experiences of republicanism, GAA and community activism and titled Keep ’Er Lit. In his introduction to Wee Barry’s wee book, Tyrone GAA All-Ireland winner Peter Canavan says: “Me and Barry went in two different directions: I wanted desperately to win an All-Ireland and Barry wanted desperately to free it.” Peter describes the collection as “Barry’s unique take” on Tyrone, Ireland and life in general. The book signing will take place on this Saturday, 1st December, from 3-5pm at the Sinn Féin shop on Dublin Street, Monaghan Town.

Sinn Féin to Protest against March handover of €3.1Billion to Anglo Irish Bank

County Monaghan Sinn Féin this week outlined details of a series of protests and demonstrations against the government’s intention to hand over a further €3.1 Billion to Anglo Irish Bank on the 31st March next.

The party will be holding information stalls and accompanying protests in Carrickmacross from 11am to 12noon and in Castleblayney from 1-2pm this coming Saturday to which members of the public are invited to attend. Further events will take place in Ballybay and Clones and the party’s activities will culminate in a county-wide mobilisation in Monaghan Town on March 10th.

Speaking in advance of this weekends protests the chairperson of County Monaghan Sinn Féin, Matt Carthy, said:

“Fine Gael and Labour promised the electorate that there would not be ‘another red cent’ handed over to Anglo Irish Bank by way of paying bondholders or promissory notes. They reneged and have simply taking over from where Fianna Fáil left off by crippling local economies and targeting struggling families while paying Billions upon Billions over to un-guaranteed, unsecured bondholders.

“On the 31st March Fine Gael and Labour intend to hand over a further €3.1 Billion to Anglo Irish Bank. This is money that is being cut from the health services, from schools and from local services including Garda stations and rural transport. It is money that is being taken from struggling families by measures including the VAT hike and the new household charge.

“This Saturday’s protests in Carrickmacross and Castleblayney are an opportunity for the people of Monaghan to shout “Stop!”. I am asking all of you who want to see a better, fairer approach to our economic crisis to come along and voice your demand. It is time the government parties heard the concerns of the people they are supposed to represent.”

Protest: Carrickmacross (Assemble- Market Square) 11am – 12noon
Castleblayney (Assemble- Main Street) 1-2pm

McKenna raises Medical Assessment Unit with HSE Forum

Feasibility report due before end of the month

Sinn Féin Councillor, Brian McKenna raised the issue of the Medical Assessment Unit at Monaghan General Hospital at the HSE’s Regional Forum when it met earlier this week.

In a question to the HSE executive Cllr. McKenna asked when it is expected that the feasibility report into the development of a M.A.U at Monaghan General Hospital will be completed. He pointed out that it was now almost three months since this work was commenced that people were led to believe that it would be completed within 6 - 8 weeks.

In a written response by HSE Area Manager, Leo Kinsella, Cllr. McKenna was informed that:

“A representative group has been established by the HSE to undertake a feasibility study on the development of a Medical Assessment Unit in Monaghan Hospital. This independent feasibility study will establish if there is a clinical need for a Medical Assessment Unit in Monaghan Hospital for the Monaghan population and establish the pay and non pay costs and internal/external support services associated with the establishment and running of a MAU in Monaghan.

“The project will demonstrate evidence of the local health demographic and local health data of the Monaghan population relevant to medical assessment unit services.

“The group commenced its work on Monday, 17th October, 2011 and the timeframe for completion of the project is 6 – 8 weeks. A report will be completed by end January 2012.

“The membership of the Group are as follows:-

“Dr. Louise Doherty, Specialist in Public Health Medicine, HSE North West;
Dr. James Hayes, Consultant Physician and Clinical Director, Cavan General Hospital;
Ms. Eileen Whelan, Director of Nursing, Louth/Meath Hospital Group, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital;
Ms. Ruth Murdiff, (Service User Panel Representative);
Mr. Robert Dancey, (Service User Panel Representative);
Mr. Gerry Clerkin, Risk Advisor, Risk Management Department, Cavan and Monaghan Hospitals;
Mr. Cathal Hand, Development Officer, Primary and Community Care, HSE Cavan Monaghan;
Dr. Ilona Duffy, General Practitioner, Monaghan.”

Speaking afterwards Cllr. McKenna welcomed that some progress had been made on this issue to date and that the feasibility report is scheduled to be published by the end of January. The Sinn Féin representative stated that his party would continue to press the HSE and the government to deliver the promised Medical Assessment Unit at a matter of urgency and priority.

Sinn Féin TD, senator and councillors meet Lagan Brick workers

Sinn Féin Cavan-Monaghan TD, Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin this afternoon (Thursday) met with the protesting workers at Lagan Brick in Kingscourt, Co Cavan. He called on the firm’s owners to engage with the workers at the Labour Relations Commission and expressed solidarity with the workers’ protest at what he called their “disgraceful treatment by the company”.

Deputy Ó Caoláin was accompanied at the meeting by Sinn Féin Senator Kathryn Reilly, Cavan county councillor Paddy McDonald, Monaghan county councillor Matt Carthy and local party activist Martin Malone.

Speaking after the meeting, Deputy Ó Caoláin said:

“The Lagan Brick workers have Sinn Féin’s full support in their protest at the disgraceful treatment they have received from the owners of Lagan Brick.

“They were told at an hour’s notice, ten days before Christmas, that their jobs were gone and that the plant would close. There was no negotiation, no proper redundancy procedure and no redundancy payment beyond statutory redundancy.

“One of the 25 workers we met this afternoon has given 43 years’ service to the company. Every one of them has over 20 years’ service. They have maintained a 24-hour vigil at the plant since they were laid off on 15 December.

“Lagan Brick claims that the Kingscourt plant must close but workers believe that the company’s position is not as it has claimed and that it is viable. They fear that following their lay-offs the company may well seek to employ agency workers at lower rates of pay and poorer conditions.

“The workers have agreed to talks at the Labour Relations Commission. I appeal to the Lagan Brick owners to engage in this process without further delay and to reach a just resolution.

“The Sinn Féin elected representatives at today’s meeting agreed to raise the issue in the Oireachtas and at council level. I also undertook to liaise with other political party representatives in an effort to construct an all-party united front in support of the workers’ demands.”