Pat Treanor criticises reduction of funds for community employment

Clones Sinn Féin Councillor, Pat Treanor, has criticised the cutting of funding for the community employment and jobs initiative schemes in last weeks budget.

Speaking during the weekend Cllr. Treanor said:

“The announcement by the Minister for Finance of €50million of savings to be made in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment will have ramifications for the Community employment sector and indeed for social welfare.

“The proposed measure to reduce allowances for community employment and the jobs initiative will have the serious repercussions of undermining the valuable contribution being made by these schemes and will dissuade people from taking them up, keeping them on social welfare.

“Sinn Féin believes that more attention should be devoted to the development of the Irish social economy and both the Jobs Initiative Scheme and the Community Employment Scheme are central to this. The social economy transcends the often exploitative relationship between worker and employer and encourages empowerment, collective approaches to production and ecological stability.

“It is increasingly recognised that the social economy has an important role to play in society particularly by enhancing the economy within communities suffering social and economic exclusion. The social economy is necessary to build a strong, stable and egalitarian economy and Sinn Féin oppose vehemently any moves to reduce allowances for the Jobs Initiative and Community Employment schemes being run through FÁS. These schemes are productive both for the community and those who are unable to find work.

“Reducing allowances for the Jobs Initiative and Community Employment schemes is short-sighted and will be detrimental.

“For years Jobs Initiative has played a significantly important role in the lives of droves of people – it has given them confidence, it has given them access to training, self development, and allowed them to experience working in the mainstream when all other options were closed under the free market.

“Jobs Initiative and Community Employment workers have become an invaluable support in the communities they work in. These schemes have become the only lifeline to employment that many people, especially those in the disability sector, can access. To reduce these allowances will seriously undermine the work of thousands of people across this State, including countless in County Monaghan.”

Savage budget from an economically illiterate Government – Ó Caoláin

Sinn Féin Dáil leader Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin TD has described today’s budget as a savage budget from an economically illiterate Government.
Speaking this evening Deputy Ó Caoláin said:
“This is a savage budget, an economically illiterate budget and a budget that attacks low and middle income earners.
“The Minister told us the worst is over. Tell that to the families whose Child Benefit has been cut tonight. Tell it to the unemployed young people whose welfare has been cut by half.
“This Budget is anti-children, anti-young people and anti-jobs.
“The most vulnerable are being punished for the sins of the very wealthy and their political cronies in this Government who have wrecked the Irish economy.
“This Budget imposes prescription charges for medical card holders, it increases the threshold for the Drug Payment Scheme, meaning sick people will have to pay more for their medicines.
“Not only is there no jobs strategy in this Budget, it is anti-jobs because it takes many millions out of the pockets of ordinary families and out of the economy.
“The Minister spoke of the last big push and a return to growth. He is deluding himself and trying to delude the people. We have over 423,000 people unemployed, an increase of over 146,000 in one year. Many of these are young people and he is cutting their payments to €100 per week.
“There was an alternative approach for this Government to take which was put forward by Sinn Féin. It was an alternative which would have seen the economy on the road to recovery based on fair and equitable measures. Instead what we got was a savage budget from an economically illiterate Government that can only lead to further ruin.”

Sinn Féin Minister Addresses Regional Assembly

{Sinn Féin representatives at the recent meeting of the Border, Midlands & Western Regional Assembly (l-r) Cllr. Matt Carthy (Monaghan County Council), Gerry Kelly (Six-County Junior Minister) and Marie Therese Gallagher (Donegal County Council). }

Monaghan County Councillor Matt Carthy has welcomed as “extremely positive” the engagement between the members of the Border, Midlands and Western Regional Assembly (of which he is one) and Gerry Kelly who is a Sinn Féin Junior Minister in the Six County Assembly.

Speaking after the Assembly meeting, which was held in Ballaghaderreen, Co. Roscommon, South Monaghan Sinn Féin Councillor, Matt Carthy, said that said that there is a growing need for strong, focused co-operation through all sectors of business and government across the island to produce practical, mutually beneficial outcomes. He stated that the demand for a United Ireland must be made louder than ever as it is clear that partition has failed every corner of Ireland. He welcomed Gerry Kelly’s remarks especially on those areas which could have a significant and positive impact on the County Monaghan economy in the short term. It is clear, he said, that the Dublin government alongside their Stormont counterparts must work together to immediately develop a harmonised All-Ireland economy. “That is the only way forward if this country is to develop its full potential” he said.

In a wide ranging address to the Assembly by Mr. Kelly highlighted the need for All-Ireland integration particularly in the current economic climate. He said there was a recognition, across all parties in the Northern executive, of the importance of co-operation with their neighbours on a North/South and East/West basis and that importance is reflected in their Programme for Government.

Economy

Mr. Kelly said: “The key issue facing both jurisdictions presently is the economic downturn. At the North South Ministerial Council Plenary meeting in January 2009, the First Minister and deputy First Minister and other Executive Ministers outlined the steps that are being taking to mitigate the effects of the downturn, including access to credit and establishing the Cross Sector Advisory Forum. In turn the Taoiseach and Irish Government Ministers outlined the steps they are taking, particularly on infrastructure, innovation and banking. It was agreed by all that there was a need for continuing practical and mutually beneficial North South cooperation to assist in Government efforts to deal with the challenges of the downturn.

“Looking to the island as a whole the apparent lack of trade interdependence currently between the two economies of Ireland may also suggest that the two jurisdictions are missing out on lost opportunities to co-operate and gain mutual economic benefit. In making the transition to innovation-oriented economies both the North and the South face the challenge of increased global competition. Every source of competitive advantage must be sought and all island economic co-operation can be one such source. The Comprehensive Study of the All-Island Economy makes clear the strong economic imperative behind driving North/South co-operation. Appropriate areas for action for co-operation arise where the border creates impediments to faster economic growth, and where public goods such as infrastructure and public services could be more efficiently provided on a co-ordinated basis. The gains from collaborative action fall to both economies and will lead to mutual advantage” he stated.

Infrastructure

Mr. Kelly outlined some of the Infrastructure projects that are currently being progressed and Cllr. Carthy has welcomed the fact that a key element of this includes the re-opening and development of the Ulster Canal.

Mr. Kelly also stated that they are continuing to take forward co-operation to help deliver real benefits in areas such as infrastructure, trade and business, tourism, education and in tackling major issues such as child protection, suicide prevention, barriers to mobility, the environment and transport.

He outlined that, in Education for example, work is being taken forward on important issues such as special education including the all island Centre of Excellence for children and young people with Autism Spectrum Disorders at Middletown.

The Sinn Féin Minister also outlined the positive steps that had been taken to combat illegal dumping on a cross border basis and to work together on other environmental issues.

Brian McKenna slams ‘sneaky’ Taoiseach visit

North Monaghan Councillor, Brian McKenna, has stated that the visit by Taoiseach Brian Cowen to Monaghan on Monday was ‘sneaky’. The Sinn Féin representative slammed the fact that Mr. Cowen, just like his predecessor Bertie Ahern, has continuously refused to visit Monaghan General Hospital or to even meet with local councillors to discuss the issue of health services in this county.

Cllr. McKenna welcomed the news for the VEC and congratulated all elected opinion and VEC officials for their efforts in securing the new facility at the former barracks.

However, according to Cllr. McKenna “The manner of Brian Cowen’s visit says more about the Taoiseach and the Fianna Fáil party than anything else. Considering that the Taoiseach has refused numerous requests to visit Monaghan General Hospital or to even meet local councillors to discuss the issue it is strange that he can sneak into the county on a Monday morning without giving advance notice speaks volumes.

“His refusal to meet the elected representatives of County Monaghan to hear their concerns and the concerns of the people following the closure of services in our hospital is nothing short of a disgrace. Fianna Fáil, in a very underhanded way, ensured that Acute Medical Services at Monaghan General Hospital, were withdrawn only after the local elections.

“Now Fianna Fáil Councillors and TD’s are doing all in their power to have the issue ‘forgotten’ by the electorate. The fact that these local Fianna Fáil Councillors and TD’s collude in secret visits to County Monaghan by Ministers and the Taoiseach shows the commitment, or lack of it, that they have for the retention and development of services at our hospital”.

Cllr. Brian McKenna also stated that he, and his Sinn Féin colleagues, would always welcome good news for our county. He said that his party were particularly pleased that the site of the former barracks (which regrettably was closed down by this government) would be now used for the development of MIFET, gaelscoil, gaelcholáiste and other VEC facilities especially as the original proposal in this regard emanated from his colleague, Seán Conlon. However Sinn Féin he said would “not allow the Taoiseach or any other member of government to sneak into the county while so many other services and initiatives had been robbed from Monaghan by Fianna Fáil, not least from our local hospital.”