Brady calls for an emergency extension to the fuel allowance payment

Wicklow Sinn Fein County Councillor John Brady has called for an
emergency extension to the fuel allowance payment for the elderly and
those in receipt of social welfare payments. Brady wants the
government to reverse the cut of 6 weeks to the payment which was
introduced in Budget 2012.

Brady stated “The fuel allowance payment to the elderly and those on
social welfare is an essential payment of €20 a week to help cover the
cost of heating the family home. The Fuel Allowance season was reduced
by 6 weeks in Budget 2012 from 32 weeks to 26 weeks for all
recipients; it’s now paid for 6 months from mid-October to mid-April.
The last payment is due in two weeks; however there is no end in sight
to the cold weather”

Brady continued “The reduction of 6 weeks for the payment coupled with
higher fuel prices and the coldest March in 50 years has left
vulnerable people struggling to heat their homes.”

Brady went on “It has been estimated that 3,000 excess winter deaths
of people aged over 65 were recorded in Ireland between 2005 and 2009,
over 400 were directly linked to the temperature inside their homes. A
survey released in December found that more than half of older people
in Ireland go without food or clothing in order to meet the costs of
heating their homes. Almost one in ten older people surveyed said they
use their ovens to provide extra heat during cold snaps.”

Cllr Brady concluded “I am appealing to the Minister for Social
Protection Joan Burton to provide an emergency extension to the fuel
allowance. I am also calling on Wicklow Labour TD Anne Ferris to come
out of her self imposed exile and take a stand on this issue. Ferris
had been very vocal on this issue in the past and very critical of the
previous government. However there has been nothing from her in
relation to the cut of 6 weeks to fuel allowance that her government
imposed, she can now make amends for that by demanding an emergency
payment to the most vulnerable.”

Distress as Wicklow Housing Adaptation Grant for the elderly and people with disabilities cut by 40%

Wicklow Sinn Féin County Councillor John Brady has said the cut of 40% to the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability, Mobility Aids Grant and Housing Aid for Older People Grant will have a devastating effect on the elderly and people with disabilities. The grant given to Wicklow County Council by the Government has been cut by a staggering €387,676.31 in 2013

Cllr Brady said “This is a serious blow for elderly people and people with a disability. The purpose of the grants are to allow the person adapt or modify their homes to enable them continue living there. In Decembers budget the national allocation was reduced from €54m in 2012 to €35m in 2013. Wicklow County Council received notification of their 2013 allocation on 1st March; it has been cut by a staggering €387,676.31.”

Brady continued “These schemes have provided a life-line in the past to many older people and people with disabilities, it has enabled people who have qualified for the payment to convert downstairs rooms into toilets or shower rooms, or to fit a stair lift.  The means-tested grants can pay up to 95-100% of the cost of the work depending on which grant is applied for. These further cuts will mean that fewer people will be able to afford to adapt or modify their homes this year, the waiting period for funding will get longer, and inevitably people will no longer be able to live in their homes. Instead, some may be forced into residential care.”

“These cuts follow on from other cuts aimed at people with disabilities and the most vulnerable in society, recently the Department of Health announced that it planned on axing the mobility allowance and motorised transport grant for those with disabilities. Fine Gael and Labour are clearly picking on the most vulnerable in our society and are hell bent on forcing the ordinary people of Ireland to hurt the most for the gross mismanagement of the State by Fianna Fail.”

Cllr Brady went onto say “Housing staff in Wicklow County Council have had to take the difficult decision to write out to elderly applicants who had previously applied for funding to have necessary repairs or improvements carried out to their houses and notify them that their application will not be considered and that the council have to adhere to 3 priority lists circulated by the Department of the Environment on behalf of Minister for housing Jan O’Sullivan.”

Brady concluded “These cuts will clearly affect the most vulnerable people in Wicklow and will inevitably cost the State substantially more if people are forced from their homes and into residential care. I am calling on the 4 Government TDs and Labour and Fine Gael councillors to lobby their Minister for Housing Jan O’Sullivan to reverse these appalling cuts in an attempt to help the elderly and disabled remain living at home where they can have a better quality of life.”

Wicklow's Government TD's given their P45's by the people of Wicklow

Wicklow Sinn Féin on behalf of Wicklow residents delivered P45's to
Wicklow's government TD's at a protest held on Saturday last which was
against the austerity budget.

Speaking after Saturdays protest Councillor John Brady said "The
budget was about priorities and choices. There was scope for Fine Gael
and Labour to deliver a budget that was fair and to enact measures
that would protect ordinary families. However, the Government decided
to attack those on low to middle incomes while ring-fencing the
wealthy. Many promises given to the people of Wicklow and across the
state have been broken by this government and by Wicklow's 4
government TD's.”

Cllr Brady continued "At the large protest on Saturday i delivered
P45's to both Simon Harris and Anne Ferris from the people of Wicklow.
The four Government TD's in Wicklow received a mandate from the people
and they promised to do things different to the last Fianna Fáil one.
However they have hit Wicklow residents with a tax on the family home,
more PRSI, cuts to child benefit, increased college registration fees
and motor tax. I just don’t see where many of these families will find
the money to survive. They are still coping with the impact of this
Government’s last budget. The contract they entered with the people of
Wicklow has been breached and the 4 government TD's now have a choice
to reject the budget or fill in their P45's.”

Brady went onto say “The Labour Party in particular should be ashamed.
This is a party who claims that it stands up for working people and
defends the most vulnerable in society. Yet here we have more broken
promises from Gilmore & company. They made very loud vows not to cut
child benefit or to raise student fees prior to going into government.
However, they have simply flung these promises out the window. Anne
Ferris even had posters erected around Wicklow calling on people to
vote for her to protect child benefit, Anne Ferris has a lot of
explaining to do to people on the ground in the communities of Wicklow
who voted for her on that basis. Fianna Fáil would have been proud of
this budget as they designed a lot of these measures.”

Cllr Brady concluded “I don’t know how much more people can take. You
can sense the anger. People feel betrayed by the false promises given
to them before the last election, promises that have now been thrown
out the window."

Sinn Fein are to host a series of public events in Wicklow in opposition to the budget.

Sinn Fein are to host a series of public events in Wicklow in
opposition to the budget.

Speaking after Budget 2013 has been presented to the Dáil, Wicklow
Sinn Féin Councillor John Brady said he wants the public to know
exactly what it means for them.

Cllr Brady said “Over the weekend Sinn Fein will be holding a public
rally in Bray to allow people to hear first hand what this Budget
means for them and their families and to mobilise opposition to the
hugely unfair tax on the family home. This Government has little to be
proud of and they have matched Finna Fáil in terms of unfairness. They
have presented to us a Budget, which again reaches into the pockets of
lower and middle income earners while protecting those on higher
incomes. This budget is anti-children, anti-family and anti-jobs."

Arklow Sinn Féin representative James Charlton said “The Fine Gael and
Labour Government has stooped to new lows with the regressive tax on
the home – a tax which punishes working families and young couples in
negative equity, a tax which takes no account of the ability of people
to pay, a tax which will see those who cannot afford to pay chased to
the grave by the Government and charged interest for the luxury. We
realise that it is not enough to simply oppose this tax, to speak
empty words or to lead people up the garden path; credible, workable
and fair alternatives need to be put forward. On Thursday 13th
December we will hold a public meeting in Arklow at 7.30 in John Joe's
to give details about the budget and to launch our 'Tax Wealth, Not
Homes' campaign."

Cllr Brady added "A wealth tax of 1% on those with a net wealth of
over €1 million, such as that proposed by themselves, would generate
up to €800 million. Such a measure is in place in other countries such
as France, Spain and Iceland. We have published Wealth Tax Legislation
and intend to bring it before the Dáil at the earliest opportunity.
Sinn Féin opposes the government’s tax on the family home. We are now
calling on people to make a stand against the imposition of this
unfair home tax. There is time to get the government to reverse this
decision. This home tax is the brainchild of Fianna Fáil. If the
government is allowed to legislate for it, then it will be the tipping
point for families across the state. The government – Labour and Fine
Gael - are ignoring the plight of the people and together we must make
it clear to them that enough is enough. The budget has yet again
proven that this Government has not listened to the people; that it is
detached from the realities faced by ordinary families. This campaign
is an opportunity to send a clear message to this Government on behalf
of the people of Wicklow– Tax Wealth, not homes."

Brady went onto say "From 2008 to 2010 Labour and Fine Gael voted
against austerity budgets and attacked the policy. They promised
change- not one more red cent to the banks, protect child benefit and
so on……they didn’t mean it. They have implemented over €7 billion in
taxes and cuts after riding into office on a wave of public support
for an end to austerity. So much for the brand new dawn. They are
ignoring a fact that is as plain as day-austerity isn’t working. Now
they are bringing in a home tax, a cut in child benefit and an end to
the first part of every worker’s weekly wage not being taxed by PRSI.
These cuts and taxes will simply push many over the edge if they are
not opposed."

Brady and Charlton concluded “We are calling on individuals, community
representatives and activists to try attend either event to demand
fairness and make their voice heard on behalf of themselves and
vulnerable members of their community.”

Public events will be held on the following dates:

Rally Town Hall Bray
Saturday 8th December @1pm


Public meeting and launch of Tax Wealth, Not Homes Campaign
Thursday 13th December 7.30pm
John Joe's Arklow

Labour TD Anne Ferris was elected to the Dáil by lying to the people and she must resign - Brady

Wicklow Sinn Féin Councillor John Brady has called on Wicklow Labour
TD Anne Ferris to resign immediately from the Labour Party and from
the Dáil because of her party's support for the budget which includes
many cuts that will impact most on children and families.

Cllr Brady said "Before the last election the Labour party received a
mandate from the people of Wicklow and people like Anne Ferris were
elected to the Dáil based on guarantees that they would not cut child
benefit. They ran ads in the media and Anne Ferris even had special
posters printed and erected around Wicklow saying a vote for her would
be be vote to protect child benefit. I have spoken to many Wicklow
people who actually voted Labour and for Anne Ferris in the last
election because of their commitment not to cut child benefit and its
quite clear that she received a mandate from the people on that basis"

Cllr Brady continued "In the budget the Labour party have completely
ditched anything they ever stood for by pushing through these cuts
that will impact on families and children the hardest. The incomes of
households with children are already falling further and faster. The
CSO Survey on Income and Living Conditions demonstrates that the
incomes of households with children fell five times more than the
incomes of childless households between 2009 and 2010"

Cllr Brady concluded "It is clear that Anne Ferris got elected to the
Dáil to represent the people of Wicklow by lying to them and i am now
calling on her to do the honorable thing and resign immediately and
let someone else who will stand up for the ordinary people of Wicklow
have an opportunity to do so".