Sinn Féin spokesperson for Social Protection John Brady TD has called on the Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar to reverse changes made by his predecessor Joan Burton TD that deny lone parents access to education.
Teachta Brady said:
“The barriers created for lone parents by Fine Gael and Labour has been highlighted this weekend by Erica Fleming, a homeless lone parent who has been refused the Back to Education Allowance after securing a place in Trinity College.
“Last year, those in receipt of One-Parent Family Allowance with children over the age of seven lost the payment. Erica Fleming was just one of these people and was transferred to Family Income Supplement. Under the One-Parent Family Allowance Erica would have been entitled to Back to Education Allowance under Family Income Supplement she is not.
“As a part-time worker receiving Family Income Supplement lone parents do not qualify for the Back to Education Allowance. In fact they need to be unemployed for 234 days to receive the allowance.
“As a direct consequence of changes made to lone parents last year Erica Fleming is being denied the opportunity to be educated because of the social welfare payment she receives. Her social welfare payment is preventing her from accessing education and this must be rectified immediately.
“The Back to Education Allowance should do just that, it should be an incentive to return to education instead, welfare policies for lone parents are barriers to employment and to education.
“It makes no sense whatsoever that access to education is only available to lone parents who lost their One Parent Family Payment if they are unemployed for 234 days.
“Both my office and Deputy Louise O’Reilly’s office are working on this matter. We have contacted Minister Varadkar directly this morning and we await his reply.”
Sinn Féin TD for Wicklow/East Carlow john.brady@oireachtas.ie
Thursday, 11 August 2016
Government trying to lock workers out of receiving pension entitlements - Brady
Sinn Féin spokesperson for Social Protection John Brady TD has said that there is nothing positive or progressive about increasing the threshold for part-time workers in order to receive the contributory State pension.
Speaking this morning, Teachta Brady said:
“This new Budget proposal looks to increase the threshold to qualify for the contributory State pension from €38 to €70 per week.
“The Government are telling part-time workers to earn more in order to receive their State pension on retirement. So, how do the Government suggest workers go about doing this?
“One in four workers are part-time workers, there has been a huge increase in zero hour contracts and precarious employment in recent years. The idea that part-time workers are simply able to increase their wage by €32 is ludicrous but not at all surprising.
“To even consider this move is just another reminder of the ever growing distance between the Government and the people on the ground.
“Only a few weeks ago, Sinn Féin brought forward a bill that sought to give protections for low-hours and zero-hours workers. This is what the Government should be looking at instead of trying to lock workers out of receiving their pension entitlements.
“Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael once more joined forces to block this progressive legislation aimed at protecting ordinary workers.
“Sinn Féin is strongly opposed to this proposal. The Government should work harder at moving people away from low-paid, precarious employment and towards a living wage with proper pension entitlements for all workers.”
Speaking this morning, Teachta Brady said:
“This new Budget proposal looks to increase the threshold to qualify for the contributory State pension from €38 to €70 per week.
“The Government are telling part-time workers to earn more in order to receive their State pension on retirement. So, how do the Government suggest workers go about doing this?
“One in four workers are part-time workers, there has been a huge increase in zero hour contracts and precarious employment in recent years. The idea that part-time workers are simply able to increase their wage by €32 is ludicrous but not at all surprising.
“To even consider this move is just another reminder of the ever growing distance between the Government and the people on the ground.
“Only a few weeks ago, Sinn Féin brought forward a bill that sought to give protections for low-hours and zero-hours workers. This is what the Government should be looking at instead of trying to lock workers out of receiving their pension entitlements.
“Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael once more joined forces to block this progressive legislation aimed at protecting ordinary workers.
“Sinn Féin is strongly opposed to this proposal. The Government should work harder at moving people away from low-paid, precarious employment and towards a living wage with proper pension entitlements for all workers.”
Brady welcomes Wicklow National Park extension
Sinn Féin TD John Brady has welcomed the news that the State are finalising the purchase of lands in the Wicklow Mountains.
Teachta Brady said:
“I welcome the news that the Government are in the final stages of purchasing the almost 5,000 acres of land in the Wicklow Mountains.
“I had called on the Minister and the Government to purchase these lands from NAMA to ensure that they would be held by the State and to secure the extension of Wicklow National Park.
“This is very positive news for the people of Wicklow and particularly, those living nearby who were concerned about these lands being sold to a private entity for possible development.
“I am delighted that Minister Ring has also confirmed that this land will be added to Wicklow National Park, Ireland’s largest park.
“This purchase will mean that Wicklow National Park will become one of the largest national parks in Europe.
“This purchase provides a unique opportunity for further tourism potential in the area. I commend the Minister for moving quickly to secure these lands without delay.”
Teachta Brady said:
“I welcome the news that the Government are in the final stages of purchasing the almost 5,000 acres of land in the Wicklow Mountains.
“I had called on the Minister and the Government to purchase these lands from NAMA to ensure that they would be held by the State and to secure the extension of Wicklow National Park.
“This is very positive news for the people of Wicklow and particularly, those living nearby who were concerned about these lands being sold to a private entity for possible development.
“I am delighted that Minister Ring has also confirmed that this land will be added to Wicklow National Park, Ireland’s largest park.
“This purchase will mean that Wicklow National Park will become one of the largest national parks in Europe.
“This purchase provides a unique opportunity for further tourism potential in the area. I commend the Minister for moving quickly to secure these lands without delay.”
Parents continue to struggle under burden of ‘free education’ –Brady
Commenting on the latest figures of back to school costs issued by Barnardos, Sinn Féin spokesperson for Social Protection John Brady TD has said parents continue to struggle financially under the burden of so-called ‘free education’.
Teachta Brady said:
“There is no such thing as free education. The Government may not be aware of this but parents, who are the ones actually paying, are only too well aware.
“The annual Back to School costs survey carried out by Barnardos is evidence of this fact. Parents right around the country are feeling enormous pressure preparing for this time of year.
“The findings of the survey show that to send one child to primary school costs €340 and to secondary school costs €775. These costs are huge and for parents with more than one child of school going age these costs are crippling.
“It is not about buying a school uniform and school books and that’s the end of it. There are additional costs that add to this and they vary from one school to another such as the use of iPads or the emphasis placed on voluntary contributions.
“The Government are driving people further and further into debt and into the arms of loan sharks who charge massive interest rates. With that, the Government are also placing huge pressure on voluntary organisations such as St. Vincent de Paul to assist families with additional costs. These organisations are left to spend millions annually to fill the gap left by Government cuts.
“I have asked the Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar during Priority Questions to increase the Back to School Clothing & Footwear Allowance as one measure to help struggling families at this time of year. He gave no commitment but with Budget 2017 approaching pressure needs to be put on the Minister and Government TDs to ensure that the Budget does this.
“Barnardos have said that investment by the Government of €103 million would provide all primary school books, remove the voluntary contribution and classroom resources fees, restore the capitation rates back to 2010 levels and provide free transport for those using the School Transport Scheme. This would take some of the financial strain off parents who have children starting out at primary level. It would be a start.
“The cuts made to Education by Fine Gael, Labour and Fianna Fáil before them has led to these increased costs. In many cases, schools are left relying on voluntary contributions from parents year on year to help run the school.
“Sinn Féin has proposed a number of measures, including the restoration of the Back to School Clothing & Footwear Allowance, the extension of the School Meals Programme by 15%, increased capitation to primary and secondary schools by 10% over a Dáil term and an increase in the Schools Book Grant by 30%.
“The Government need to wake up to the reality on the ground for parents and the actual costs of sending children to school in the real world. Budget 2017 must show action on these costs and not empty words.”
Teachta Brady said:
“There is no such thing as free education. The Government may not be aware of this but parents, who are the ones actually paying, are only too well aware.
“The annual Back to School costs survey carried out by Barnardos is evidence of this fact. Parents right around the country are feeling enormous pressure preparing for this time of year.
“The findings of the survey show that to send one child to primary school costs €340 and to secondary school costs €775. These costs are huge and for parents with more than one child of school going age these costs are crippling.
“It is not about buying a school uniform and school books and that’s the end of it. There are additional costs that add to this and they vary from one school to another such as the use of iPads or the emphasis placed on voluntary contributions.
“The Government are driving people further and further into debt and into the arms of loan sharks who charge massive interest rates. With that, the Government are also placing huge pressure on voluntary organisations such as St. Vincent de Paul to assist families with additional costs. These organisations are left to spend millions annually to fill the gap left by Government cuts.
“I have asked the Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar during Priority Questions to increase the Back to School Clothing & Footwear Allowance as one measure to help struggling families at this time of year. He gave no commitment but with Budget 2017 approaching pressure needs to be put on the Minister and Government TDs to ensure that the Budget does this.
“Barnardos have said that investment by the Government of €103 million would provide all primary school books, remove the voluntary contribution and classroom resources fees, restore the capitation rates back to 2010 levels and provide free transport for those using the School Transport Scheme. This would take some of the financial strain off parents who have children starting out at primary level. It would be a start.
“The cuts made to Education by Fine Gael, Labour and Fianna Fáil before them has led to these increased costs. In many cases, schools are left relying on voluntary contributions from parents year on year to help run the school.
“Sinn Féin has proposed a number of measures, including the restoration of the Back to School Clothing & Footwear Allowance, the extension of the School Meals Programme by 15%, increased capitation to primary and secondary schools by 10% over a Dáil term and an increase in the Schools Book Grant by 30%.
“The Government need to wake up to the reality on the ground for parents and the actual costs of sending children to school in the real world. Budget 2017 must show action on these costs and not empty words.”
Friday, 29 July 2016
Massive Clean Up Operation at Greystones illegal dump
In the wake of the shocking dumping incident which occurred adjacent to Charlesland in Greystones recently, Sinn Fein TD for Wicklow/East Carlow John Brady has said he is delighted the area has now been cleaned up and rendered safe:
“Myself and Sinn Fein Councillor Nicola Lawless were horrified at the extent of the dumping. Thankfully now the area involved has been cleaned up and the refuse removed. The Land adjacent to Charlesland is in private ownership so the owner had to hire private contractors to clean up the mess. Approximately six truckloads had to remove around a hundred tonnes of waste from the site. I am thankful that the owner of the land and the contractor acted quickly, however between the time the refuse was dumped and it was cleared away, the local fire services were dispatched to the area on nine separate occasions to deal with fires set amongst the refuse and debris. This highlights just how dangerous the situation was to local residents and the local environment.”
Councillor Nicola Lawless said that the issue is not completely resolved:
“Whilst it is certainly a relief to have the area cleaned up, the issue is not fully resolved. During the clean-up operation a large quantity of evidence was collected amongst the waste. This evidence will now be used by An Garda Síochána and the local council to ascertain who was responsible for the dumping and from where the rubbish originated. It is my hope that those who are genuinely culpable will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. We simply cannot allow a situation to occur where we are seen to go easy on those who would deliberately and maliciously do damage onto our communities with this sort of reckless behaviour. I would appeal to the people of Greystones and indeed the wider Wicklow public to be ever vigilante, and report incidents of dumping no matter how big or small to the local authorities.”
Teachta Brady concluded by saying that he will continue to apply Pressure on Fine Gael and Fianna Fail to expedite the issue of refuse charges:
“We in Sinn Fein have been fighting with the government constantly regarding their failure to adequately address the question mark that hangs over the whole area of refuse collection and bin charges. The incident in Greystones could be a dire warning of what might follow if those two parties continue to drag their heels on the issue. We need certainty regarding waste charges now, not in nine months’ time. We need legislative tightening and prosecution certainty to deal with those who would actively and willingly damage our environment and endanger our local communities.”
“Myself and Sinn Fein Councillor Nicola Lawless were horrified at the extent of the dumping. Thankfully now the area involved has been cleaned up and the refuse removed. The Land adjacent to Charlesland is in private ownership so the owner had to hire private contractors to clean up the mess. Approximately six truckloads had to remove around a hundred tonnes of waste from the site. I am thankful that the owner of the land and the contractor acted quickly, however between the time the refuse was dumped and it was cleared away, the local fire services were dispatched to the area on nine separate occasions to deal with fires set amongst the refuse and debris. This highlights just how dangerous the situation was to local residents and the local environment.”
Councillor Nicola Lawless said that the issue is not completely resolved:
“Whilst it is certainly a relief to have the area cleaned up, the issue is not fully resolved. During the clean-up operation a large quantity of evidence was collected amongst the waste. This evidence will now be used by An Garda Síochána and the local council to ascertain who was responsible for the dumping and from where the rubbish originated. It is my hope that those who are genuinely culpable will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. We simply cannot allow a situation to occur where we are seen to go easy on those who would deliberately and maliciously do damage onto our communities with this sort of reckless behaviour. I would appeal to the people of Greystones and indeed the wider Wicklow public to be ever vigilante, and report incidents of dumping no matter how big or small to the local authorities.”
Teachta Brady concluded by saying that he will continue to apply Pressure on Fine Gael and Fianna Fail to expedite the issue of refuse charges:
“We in Sinn Fein have been fighting with the government constantly regarding their failure to adequately address the question mark that hangs over the whole area of refuse collection and bin charges. The incident in Greystones could be a dire warning of what might follow if those two parties continue to drag their heels on the issue. We need certainty regarding waste charges now, not in nine months’ time. We need legislative tightening and prosecution certainty to deal with those who would actively and willingly damage our environment and endanger our local communities.”
Wednesday, 27 July 2016
Sinn Féin MEP Liadh Ní Riada opens Wicklow/East Carlow TDS office in Arklow
John Brady TD Arklow Office Open for Business
Speaking after the official opening of Sinn Fein TD John Brady’s Arklow office, Teachta Brady said he was delighted to have a ‘go to’ point for the constituents of South Wicklow:
“It is the fulfilment of a personal ambition to ensure that Wicklow/East Carlow constituents have the best possible opportunity to reach out to myself and Sinn Fein with as little inconvenience as possible to them. Wicklow/ East Carlow is a vast constituency, but now that we have offices in Both Bray and Arklow, I am looking forward to meeting people from all over the constituency. Fundamental to the notion of representation is a genuine commitment to work directly for the benefit of those who live and work in the community. Myself and my team will do all we can to help constituents deal with the many social and economic challenges afoot.”
Teachta Brady said he was delighted to welcome Sinn Fein MEP for the Ireland South Constituency Liadh Ni Riada to Arklow for the official opening,he also thanked the local community for the warm welcome they have extended to him and his staff:
“Our MEP Liadh Riada was the perfect choice to officiate at the official opening. Her work in Europe addressing issues that impact rural communities - most specifically our fishing industry – is second to none. She also has a huge commitment to my area of concern which is Social Protection. Already we are inundated with calls and requests expressing fears and concerns over the state of the nation’s Health, Housing and Rural Business Infrastructure, despite the obvious stresses on many families across the County, I have been moved by the warmth of the welcome we have received from local people and businesses.”
Speaking after the official opening of Teachta Brady’s Arklow Office, the Sinn Fein MEP said that we now have an opportunity to turn our recent success into results for the people on the ground:
“Thanks to the electorate in South Wicklow and beyond we now have Sinn Fein representatives in almost every corner of the country. Opening this office I am delighted to be part of a team who is determined to provide quality representation and outreach to the people of Wicklow/East Carlow. Sinn Fein’s recent successes in Election to Europe, the Oireachtas and Local Councils ensures that we have the necessary mandate to continue the struggle to build an Ireland of equals. I look forward to working closely with John Brady to deliver for the people of Wicklow/East Carlow.”
TD John Brady’s offices are in Bray: Office Hours Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm, Tel: 01-2762623. Arklow: Office Hours Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 10am to 3pm, Tel: 0402-41853.
Brady welcomes Government move to acquire 5,000 acres of land in Dublin Mountains
Sinn Féin TD for Wicklow/East Carlow and party spokesperson on Social Protection John Brady has welcomed the news that the Government intend to buy almost 5,000 acres of land in the Dublin Mountains from NAMA.
Teachta Brady said:
“Back in early June, I called on the then Minister for Arts, Heritage & the Gaeltacht to purchase this land from NAMA. I followed this up with a Parliamentary Question directly to the Minister asking him to acquire these lands.
“These lands are surrounded by the 200,000 hectares of the Wicklow Mountains National Park which is Ireland’s largest national park.
“This purchase by the State would provide a unique opportunity to expand the National Park increasing its tourism potential. This would be a very positive and welcome move.
“I also welcome other public representatives coming on board with this and echoing our calls for this land to be purchased since it was identified.
“I am delighted that the Minister has followed up on my calls for him to do this. I welcome that he has acknowledged the importance of these lands and their importance to the national park. I am glad that negotiations are said to be at an advanced stage and I am hopeful that a deal will be reached without delay.
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