Brady is battling for the last seat, every vote matters

I have just got the results of a leaked opinion poll that was carried out in Wicklow/East Carlow. It shows me in a mammoth battle along with 2 other candidates for the 5th and final seat. Every single vote is going to be critical, so it's vital that everyone makes a huge effort to get out on Friday and vote No.1 John Brady. We missed winning the seat by 112 votes in 2011.

If you want a strong voice in the Dáil, if you want a alternative progressive government, if you want an end to the chaos in housing and our health service. Well then vote No.1 John Brady.

Let's not hit the bar again this time, let's make history by electing the first Sinn Féin TD in Wicklow in over 90 years. Please share this to ensure people get the message and make the effort to get out and vote.

Brady humbled and honoured to get endorsement from nephew of Kevin Barry

Sinn Fein candidate for Wicklow /East Carlow Cllr John Brady has said he is humbled and honoured to have received the endorsement of Kevin Barry; the nephew of murdered Irish Volunteer Kevin Gerard Barry:

“In 1920, at only 18 years of age Kevin Barry was executed by the British, his murder outraged nationalist Ireland and his memory has been immortalised in music and poetry”

“In the final days of this election campaign, Wicklow Sinn Fein were delighted to welcome First Minister Martin McGuinness on the campaign trail. The entire Sinn Fein entourage where very much looking forward to our stop at Rathvilly in East Carlow where we were scheduled to meet with locals and do a canvass in the area. Myself and Martin McGuinness were honoured to have the nephew of executed republican icon Kevin Barry in attendance (also named Kevin Barry), he regaled us with stories of his family’s long history in the area and the precious memories of his famous uncle which have been proudly passed down through the generations.”

Councillor Brady went on to say how Kevin Barry’s words were an inspiration:

“Over the last few months of canvassing across Wicklow and East Carlow I have been privileged to engage with some of the most marvellous people, ordinary citizens struggling with extraordinary challenges; not least our older citizens who have been so shamefully ignored by successive Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Labour controlled governments. Kevin Barry spoke eloquently of the need for change last weekend, he represented a pure and proud history untainted by the crass selfish interests that have done so much damage to the fabric of Irish society. I was truly humbled and honoured that he would single me out for endorsement in the upcoming election, his words reinforced my views of how important it is to stand up for those who feel rejected, ignored and abandoned in an Ireland whose political class have failed to live up to the principles of the 1916 proclamation. Kevin Barry’s endorsement drives me further in my quest to deliver an Ireland of equals, a fairer recovery and a voice of conviction for the people of Wicklow and East Carlow. ”

“Sinn Féin will stand with those in mortgage distress” – Councillor John Brady

“Sinn Féin will stand with those in mortgage distress” – Councillor John Brady


Sinn Féin General Election candidate for Wicklow/East Carlow, Cllr John Brady has stated that his party has a robust and deliverable strategy to address the mortgage crisis.

Councillor Brady said;

"Figures for the third quarter of 2015 tell us that 92,291 family homes are in arrears. These numbers which are the most recent from the Central Bank show that four families are losing their homes every single day. This shocking statistic is an indictment of the outgoing government. Instead of employing empty rhetoric and promises to try keep their seats, Government TDs here in Wicklow and East Carlow should be hanging their heads in shame. Just last December, seven Wicklow families had repossession orders granted against them. Fine Gael, Labour, and Fianna Fail before them, have allowed the mortgage crisis to reach this point. They have failed to adequately intervene as more and more families get pushed into homelessness. "

"The outgoing Fine Gael and Labour government has failed to tackle the crisis. Government TDs Anne Ferris, Simon Harris and Andrew Doyle have stood back and watched as thousands of families live in fear, waiting on letters from the bank, dreading the next bill and distressed that they might well end up on the street.

Councillor Brady went on to say that his party have witnessed the painful reality of families at the end of their rope:

“Sinn Fein have stood with families in courthouses all over the state, and watched families handing over keys to the banks. Those at risk of losing their homes have been neglected by this Government and their plight has been ignored by Fine Gael and Labour TDs in Wicklow. The banks were bailed out of financial difficulty by public funds and now those same banks evict families from their homes. Why is there is no debt forgiveness for ordinary families?”

"Government policies, and schemes like mortgage-to-rent have been disasters, failing to adequately address the crisis. Fine Gael and Labour have changed the law to make it easier for banks to repossess family homes. They have worked with the Central Bank to weaken the Code of Conduct so that banks could put more pressure on homeowners. Schemes to prevent repossessions or so-called, ‘voluntary surrenders’ have been abysmal failures."

"Sinn Féin wants to offer real relief and durable protection to those in mortgage distress. The majority of people in these situations are the victims of circumstances beyond their control, they deserve the help of the Government."

“Sinn Fein in Government will empower the Central Bank to set caps on interest rates chargeable by banks. We will ensure consumer protection is a key priority of the Central Bank. We will mandate the Central Bank to publish data regularly on Irish interest rates, to ensure the public can see how these rates compare to EU norms.

"Sinn Féin will seek to address the issue of personal debt in a progressive way. We will ensure debt collection services are regulated, with a strong and legally enforceable Code of Conduct. In government, we will provide for a cap on the rates charged by those lending money in order to bring to an end the exploitative practices of some institutions."

Speaking on the issue of protections for the family home, Cllr Brady said;

"There are inadequate legislative protections for the family home; we will introduce robust safeguards for the family home in legislation. Putting people out of their homes is a drastic step and devastating for families. We reject the notion that repossessions are accepted as 'solutions'. Sinn Féin will seek amendments to the Mortgage Arrears Resolution Targets to put pressure on banks to find fair solutions for those in mortgage distress."

Wicklow is Not for Sale-Brady

Speaking as the election campaign entered its final few days, Sinn Fein candidate Cllr John Brady has said that the public should not be taken for granted:

“From canvassing across Wicklow and East Carlow it is clear to me that the electorate are intelligent, sophisticated and motivated. However, there is also a sense of deep frustration and despair.
The people are fully aware that despite Fine Gael promises, the crisis in Health is now worse than it was in 2011. They are fully aware that Fianna Fail’s connections and associations with bankers, financiers and developers contributed greatly to the collapse of the economy. They are also aware that the Labour Party broke every promise they made at the time including those on water charges and university fees. It is therefore not surprising when people feel demoralised and disappointed when it comes to promises being made by the traditional establishment parties.”

Councillor Brady said that having experienced the economic crash and the subsequent imposition of austerity, people are wise to the intentions of parties making promises they simply cannot fulfill:

“Both the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), have openly criticised the policies of Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and Labour who intend to either abolish or slash the Universal Social Charge to disproportionately favour higher earners. Their plans will seriously undermine the state’s ability to meet public service demands; more worryingly it will erode the tax base in a way that will render the country vulnerable to external global economic shocks. We simply cannot allow the country to be walked into another economic catastrophe because of the lazy indifference of our traditional party establishment who are hungry for power and foolishly believe they can simply buy the election.”

In conclusion Councillor Brady said that there is now an opportunity for voters to elect a progressive government which will always prioritise people over privilege:

“Wicklow, along with the rest of the country is not for sale. Our people deserve to be represented by people who are talented, committed and dedicated. Sinn Fein have a proven record both in the Dail and at council level, standing up for the rights of citizens including those with disabilities, older citizens and workers. Whether it’s fighting for the abolition of water charges and the property tax or repealing cuts to vital public services, we are unyielding in our determination to create a fairer society. Sinn Fein have fully costed, prudent and responsible policies that will put people, business and public services ahead of private selfish interests and brown envelope back handers. I along with the other Sinn Fein TD’s will take home the average industrial wage; we are not here for personal profit or the prestige of power. We are ready and willing to offer an alternative to the political delinquency of Fine Gael, Labour and Fianna Fail.”

Labour's health proposals are nothing but false empty promises - Cllr John Brady

Sinn Féin General Election candidate for Wicklow-East Carlow, Councillor John Brady, has described the Labour Party proposals for health care as "nothing but false and empty promises."

He also spoke out against Labour Party Leader Joan Burton's claim, that the crisis in this state is over.

Councillor Brady said;

"The Labour Party is responsible for a huge range of broken promises in relation to health care and addressing the health crisis.

“These broken promises and pledges have included reform of the HSE, the introduction and implementation of Universal Health Insurance and free prescriptions, and the safeguarding of the disability allowance.

"The Labour Party and Fine Gael willingly made a political choice to bring our health system to near ruin. The health care policies of the coalition has been the emphasis on the erosion of our public health service and replacing it with private health care.

"The Labour Party, including their TD in Wicklow-East Carlow, Anne Ferris, have failed in counteracting the worst of Fine Gael's right-wing agenda. It is due to their policies that that 92,998 patients were on trolleys in 2015 - a 37 percent increase from 2013.

“However, as Labour Party is asking to be returned to Government in coalition with Fine Gael it makes their false empty promises even more irrelevant, a coalition led by Fine Gael will continue to prioritise tax cuts for higher earners than on delivering a quality health care system at the expense of ordinary people.

“I found it ludicrous that Joan Burton would claim, on live the television, that "the “crisis is over”, if anything the crisis has gotten worse. It was incomprehensible for the Tánaiste to make this claim while our public services are being decimated. The crisis is very much a reality and it has seeped down into our hospitals in the most catastrophic of ways.

"Unlike the last coalition, citizens and our public services will be better off under Sinn Féin's vision and credible policies for health care, which have been costed.

“We are committed to introducing fully free and easily accessible healthcare, increasing capacity whilst also prioritising mental health care.”

Cllr John Brady welcomes public apology from former Fine Gael Councillor Mick Glynn following settlement of defamation action

Sinn Féin General Election Candidate Councillor John Brady has welcomed the public apology offered to him by former Fine Gael Councillor Mick Glynn, which he read out at Wicklow Circuit Court today.

Cllr Brady had brought Circuit Court defamation proceedings against Mick Glynn, a former Fine Gael councillor, in respect of an unfounded allegation made by Mick Glynn in a press release issued to the media and repeated on his website during the early stages of the 2014 local elections.

Today at Wicklow Circuit Court in Bray, Counsel for Mick Glynn informed the court that the case had settled and read out the following apology on behalf of his client:

“I Mick Glynn of Headlands, Bray, acknowledge that the claim made by me in February 2014 that Councillor John Brady of Kilbride Grove, Bray, staged bogus photographs of a find of hazardous drug waste in a housing estate in Bray was not true and I apologise for the publication”.

Reacting to the settlement of the Circuit Court proceedings, Cllr Brady said: “While I am disappointed that this situation had to involve solicitors and the courts, I welcome Mr Glynn’s apology and I accept it in good faith.

“It is a pity that the untruth went unaddressed for two years but now it has been resolved.

“We are all entitled to our good name and I felt it was very important that I defended mine" said Cllr Brady.

"The law plays an important role not only in protecting public representatives from false statements of fact about their personal character, but also in protecting constituents in making informed decisions at election time. It is of great importance that the electorate exercises its choice of candidates on the basis of facts and competing policy positions rather than unfounded allegations.

“I am presently focused on my general election campaign and representing the people of Wicklow.”

Sinn Féin would deliver for ordinary families in Wicklow - Cllr John Brady

Sinn Féin General Election candidate for Wicklow/East Carlow Cllr John Brady has stated that a Sinn Féin led government would focus on delivering a real break for struggling families in Wicklow.

Councillor Brady said that Sinn Féin would go about bettering the lives of ordinary families by scrapping the Local Property Tax, abolishing water charges and taking 277,000 workers out of the USC bracket.

He said;

"During their time in office, Fine Gael and Labour Party delivered budgets that have ring-fenced the wealth of the most well-off in society. To pay for this they placed a huge burden on average workers and families in Wicklow and East Carlow and they left thousands of people on hospital trolleys. 1,500 children are in emergency accommodation throughout the state.

“In stark contrast, Sinn Féin wants to see a fair recovery for the people of this constituency and we want to ensure it is sustainable. In government, we will introduce a progressive tax system. We will ease the burden on ordinary workers and families, including those who are self-employed, and ask those who earn the most to pay their fair share.

-We will abolish the Local Property Tax, saving 1.8 million homeowners an average of €244 per year.

-We will scrap water charges, saving a family of two adults €260 per year.

-We will remove 277,000 workers from the USC.

-We will ease the tax burden on the self-employed, moving towards the equalisation of the Self-Employed Tax Credit with the PAYE Tax Credit.

"Fine Gael have tried to cook the books with their figures and their local TDs have yet to explain the €2 billion hole in Michael Noonan's plan. In their desperation to cling to power, they are willing to return us to the boom and bust style economics of Fianna Fáil. This is reckless in the extreme and it would lead to the prolonging of the nightmare scenario currently being experienced by families who depend on accessible and robust public services.

"I have no doubt that ordinary families in Wicklow and East Carlow would be far better off under a Sinn Féin led government."