Wicklow Sinn Féin has announced details of its Easter Commemoration.

Wicklow Sinn Féin has announced details of its Easter Commemoration.

Sinn Fein County Councillor John Brady has announced the Wicklow
County Easter commemoration will assemble at Bray Town Hall on Easter
Saturday at 1.30pm and parade to the 1798 monument on Castle Street.

This year's oration will be delivered by Eoin O Broin. Eoin is a Sinn
Fein Ard Comhairle member and Dublin Mid West activist; he is the
author of a number of books and is Sinn Fein political advisor in
Leinster Hse.

Cllr Brady stated "Easter is an important time for Irish Republicans
and we would ask that as many people as possible join with us in what
is the main Easter Commemoration to be held in County Wicklow. We
would also ask that people would wear an Easter Lily as a token of
remembrance to all those who died for Irish Freedom," Clr. Brady said.

Cllr Brady continued “The Wicklow County commemoration this year will
be held in Bray on Easter Saturday 30th March. Everyone is welcome. As
we near the 100th Anniversary of 1916, it is important that as
republicans we keep the memory and the vision of the 1916 Proclamation
alive and part of the politics and discourse of the Irish people. The
vision contained within the proclamation is now more relevant and
required than ever before.”

NAMA confirms it has No properties in Wicklow suitable for Social Housing

Sinn Féin councillor John Brady has called on the Fine Gael/Labour
Government to change their failed social housing policy and to bring
forward a Social Housing Initiative to allow the immediate
commencement of the construction of social housing projects across the
Country to help try resolve the housing crisis in Wicklow. His appeal
to the Government follows confirmation from NAMA that there are no
suitable housing units for social housing on their books in Wicklow.
The Government has said it expects to reach its target of getting
2,000 residential units from NAMA across the state for social housing.

Cllr Brady said "Their is a serious housing crisis in Wicklow and the
current housing policies of Fine Gael/Labour are compounding the
problems for families who are on housing lists with the local
authorities in Wicklow. The Government has adopted a policy of
building no more council houses, this is partially because of the
number of vacant properties across the state on the books of the
National Asset Management Agency (NAMA). However following a question
i had submitted to Wicklow County Council it has been revealed there
are no suitable housing units in Wicklow currently held by NAMA."

Cllr Brady continued "A total of 27 properties, in 3 estates in County
Wicklow were initially identified as potentially suitable for Social
Housing in 2012. 2 of the estates are in Bray and 1 in Greystones.
After further investigation by the Housing Agency, none of the
properties have been deemed suitable for social housing. The estate in
Greystones and one of the Bray estates are no longer available and the
remaining estate in Bray is not suitable due to the size of the
properties."

"There are over 5,000 families on housing waiting lists in Wicklow,
families are now being told that it could be 10-12 years before they
are even considered for a council house. This is completely appalling,
I have always argued that Wicklow is not like other Counties, we don't
have expanses of ghost estates across the County that can be used for
social housing and this has now been proven in the response i have
received. The other Government housing initiatives have also failed
completely. Private landlords have not signed up to the Rental
Accommodation Scheme (RAS) in the numbers they were hoping and only 1
build to lease scheme has progressed in the County, this is mainly
because developers cant secure the funds to progress any major housing
developments. Many people in receipt of rent allowance are now in dire
straits because their allowances have been cut and their landlords are
simply refusing to reduce rents to reflect the reduction, this has
resulted in many families being forced from their rented properties
and desperately looking for a council house."

Cllr Brady went onto say "The current Government policy of not
building any more social housing is a flawed one. Over the last 5-10
years the local authorities in Wicklow have spent millions of Euro
purchasing land for housing, 2 sites alone cost Bray Town Council and
Wicklow County Council over € 9 million, the plans for hundreds of
houses have been drawn up at great expense by the councils in Wicklow,
but unfortunately these plans have been shelved by the Government and
the local authorities have been told that there will be no council
houses built for at least the next 2 years."

Cllr Brady concluded "Over 5,000 families in Wicklow are on the
housing list in Wicklow. It is safe to say their is a housing crisis
and the current Government policy is adding to this crisis. We don't
have the vacant ghost estates like other Counties and the response
from NAMA proves that. The Labour Minister for Housing Jan O'Sullivan
must look at the failed policy of not building council houses and
reverse it. What is required is a Social Housing Initiative, this will
stimulate the building and construction industry, both through funding
additional dwellings and increasing expenditure on repairs and
maintenance. This will help stimulate businesses which supply
construction materials and help to retain jobs in the industry and
also house the thousands of families currently lingering on lengthily
housing lists. The Minister has up until now refused to met public
representatives from Wicklow, I intend on writhing to the Minister and
asking her again to meet a delegation from Wicklow and i will be
requesting special meetings of the councils to take place to address
the housing crisis in Wicklow."

Wicklow County Council Budget pushed through by Hypocrites in Fianna Fáil, Labour and Fine Gael

Wicklow County Councils annual budget was pushed through at Mondays
council meeting, but it has been described by Sinn Féin County
Councillors John Brady and John Snell as hypocritical, unfair and
doing the Governments dirty work of introducing unfair stealth taxes.
After a lengthily debate the budget was pushed through by Fianna Fáil,
Labour and Fine Gael with Sinn Féin opposing it.

Speaking after the meeting Sinn Féin County Councillor John Brady said
"The Wicklow County Council budget meeting which was held on Monday
last was nothing short of a joke. We seen the established party's of
Fianna Fáil, Labour and Fine Gael circle the wagons to protect their
own lavish expenses whilst agreeing a budget which cuts from frontline
services and does the Governments dirty work of paving the way for the
introduction of the Home tax and Domestic water Charges."

Cllr Brady continued "Myself and my party colleague John Snell went
into the budget meeting with the intention of protecting frontline
services, funding to community groups and ring fencing funding for
economic development and at the same time tackling the lavish expenses
some of the select Councillors are given. Unfortunately what we
witnessed at the budget meeting was the circling of the wagons by the
establishment parties on the council. Sinn Féin put forward an
alternative budget proposal that would have seen cuts of 20% to the
lavish expenses paid to some Councillors, this proposal included cuts
to the Chairpersons allowance which is €37,918.60 a year and including
his other expenses and allowances results in a total of €60,628 a year
or €1,165.92 a week. We also proposed further cuts of 20% to the
€6,564 paid to the vice chair of the council which is given on top of
his other payments, a cut of 20% which is given to the 5 chairs of the
Strategic Policy Committees (SPC) which is €1,500 per meeting and
further cuts to the Junket fund which contains over €100,000."

Cllr John Snell went onto say "The cuts that Sinn Féin proposed would
account for some of the funding that was needed to balance the books
it would have shown leadership and not to be hypocritical by imposing
cuts whist protecting their own lavish expenses. Unfortunately after a
lengthily debate on the Sinn Féin proposal and every excuse given not
to cut their expenses the Sinn Féin proposal was voted down by the
majority of Councillors."

Cllr Brady stated "The budget that was adopted by Labour, Fianna Fáil
and Fine Gael is an attack on frontline services and results in
funding being cut from the maintenance of local authority housing, the
fire-service, Economic and Development promotion, and Beeches to name
a few areas. The passing of the budget also paves the way for the
introduction of domestic water charges with €171,000 provided for
domestic water meter surveying staff. The budget also makes provision
for the unjust Home tax which i stated at the meeting would be final
nail in the coffin of many families who are already on the breadline
living with distressed mortgages and in negative equity and coupled
with domestic water charges would compound the difficulties families
are enduring. The County Manager Eddie Sheehy also stated that there
was no provision in the budget for the payment of property tax on
local authority houses even though the government said that local
authorities will have to pay for the tax for local authority
dwellings, he informed the meeting the council will now have to carry
out an evaluation exercise on local authority houses to calculate what
they owe starting from 1 July and he refused to rule out rent
increases to those in council houses."

Cllr Brady concluded "The budget which was adopted by the County
Council and rejected by Sinn Féin is unjust and unfair and has been
imposed on the people of Wicklow by hypocrites who are only too
willing to do the governments dirty work whilst protecting their own
outrageous and lavish expenses."

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".