Sinn Féin - On Your Side

Ráitis is déanaí


Toggle

Sinn Féin MLA Áine Murphy has welcomed confirmation that the Western Trust will take up the GP contract for Brookeborough and Tempo practice to ensure local people can continue to access a GP.

The Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA said: 

“It is welcome news that Western Trust have confirmed that they will take over the contract for Brookeborough and Tempo Surgery from September 1st.

“This will be a huge reassurance to patients that they can continue to access services at this surgery as normal.

“The Department of Health must now redouble their efforts to secure a permanent GP contractor for this practice and will continue to work with the Department to ensure that happens.

 “Our entire health service and health workers are under huge pressure. They need a health minister and an Executive in place and taking decisions to tackle the problems facing health and social care.” 

Toggle

Sinn Féin spokesperson on Public Expenditure, Rose Conway-Walsh TD has called for more action and less noise from government to address the crisis of escalating mortgage interest rates, and the failure of to pass on the same increases to savers.

Speaking after Minister Harris acknowledged the unfairness of banks, Teachta Conway-Walsh said:

“Minister Harris is a Senior Minister in a Government that is turning its back on households struggling with escalating mortgage interest rates and savers that have seen no increase in the interest they receive. 

"These households are victims of profiteering banks and a dysfunctional government.  

“There are several actions that must be taken as a matter of urgency.  These include convening a meeting with Central Bank and retail banks to examine their role in supporting households to deal with the massive income shock they are experiencing. 

"Banks are making similar profits now as they were during the property bubble while struggling mortgage holders live in fear of falling behind with their monthly payments that have increased by hundreds of euro.  The banking levy must be extended and expanded.

“For months now Sinn Féin has urged government to introduce temporary and target mortgage interest relief to ease the burden of increased interest rates. 

"It is in nobody’s interest for thousands of homeowners to fall into arrears.  The personal cost of severe financial stress as well as the impact on the economy is something that cannot be ignored. 

"Bank of Ireland have recognised the risk when they made provision of €158 million for potential bad loans, over three times the provision it made last year.

“Households who, without their consent, have had their mortgages sold off to vulture funds are facing up to 10% interest rates. 

"This is completely unsustainable and unbearable.  We have requested that these mortgages be taken back by the original banks. 

"Kite flying and grand standing does nothing to alleviate the real hardship being endured by mortgage holders.  Hardworking families cannot continue to pay the price for an incompetent and patchwork government."

Toggle

Sinn Féin spokesperson on Education, Sorca Clarke TD, has expressed deep concern over the number of unfilled teaching positions advertised as the new school term rapidly approaches.

Teachta Clarke said:

“Currently there are over 1,100 posts advertised across the country, 647 in primary education, and 459 in post-primary, just weeks before the new school term is due to begin. 

“Vacancies are particularly high around Dublin and other cities with the cost of living and the lack of affordable housing being given by both principals and teachers as significant factors.

“Every unfilled position is cause for concern. Some of the positions unfilled are for those who work with the most vulnerable children in our society, children who need ongoing support to reach their potential. 

“The inability to fill these posts, is in part caused by the Government's failure to adequately address the cost of living crisis and meaningfully increase the supply of affordable homes, puts increased pressure on principals and undue anxiety on parents.

“Many teachers and other vital school staff, particularly newly qualified, are reliant on the private rental sector where rents are too high and unaffordable.

“The private rental sector is broken. It is affecting workers across all sectors and educators are not immune to bad government policy.

“Just last week, Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on Housing Eoin O’Broin launched our submission to the Department of Housing's public consultation on the private residential rental sector.

“In this we have set out what short term emergency measures are required to protect renters from rising rents and the threat of homelessness.

“We have also set out a wider set of reforms for the private rental sector to address the structural weaknesses of that sector caused by decades of bad housing policy.

“It has never been harder to be a renter. The sector has never been so insecure or so expensive.

“All of this is because of decades of bad policy from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil. Over the last twenty years they have presided over a rapidly growing private rental sector that is unstable, insecure, and expensive. 

“We need a stable and affordable private rental sector.”

Toggle

Sinn Fein spokesperson for Mental Health Mark Ward TD has said a letter sent to the HSE by the Children’s Ombudsman warning of major failures in upholding the rights of children to access healthcare deserves an urgent and credible response.

The Dublin Mid-West TD said:

“The letter that the Children’s Ombudsman Niall Muldoon sent to the HSE is yet another damning indictment on how health services are provided to some of the most vulnerable children in the state.

“We have got to the stage where successive Governments have not provided the appropriate and timely health care to our children.

“We have a situation where there are over 4,500 children waiting on a first-time appointment with the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS).

“When this Government was formed in 2020 there was just over 2,000 children on the waiting list for CAMHS. This equates to a staggering 109% increase under this Government’s watch.

“The Ombudsman rightly points out that there were too many children waiting beyond six months for an initial appointment. In fact, information I received states that we now have over 700 children waiting over a year for this initial appointment.

“CAMHS is only for a small percentage of the children’s population, for those with moderate to acute mental health problems. However, if children do not get the early intervention, they need they are going to need the more acute services.

“The Government have allowed a situation to develop that has led to over 19,000 children waiting on an appointment for primary care psychology with over 6,000 of these children waiting over a year.

“Information I received in response to a Parliamentary Question stated that Mental Health National Clinical Programmes did not receive any funding for new posts to expand clinical programme services in 2023.

“There is no urgency, ability or understanding by this Government to fix the problems they created in children’s mental health care.

“Sinn Fein have proposed several solutions which the Government have ignored.

“Now you have the Children’s Ombudsman joining the calls from parents and opposition parties about the dereliction of duty to Children by the State. This letter is shocking and deserves an urgent, credible and serious response outlining how these unsustainable situation will be resolved.“The longer Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are in government the more damage they will do. It’s time for them to go.”

Toggle

Sinn Féin spokesperson for Justice, Pa Daly TD, has called for the Garda reserve regulations to be updated, and for recruitment to the reserve to resume. 


Teachta Daly said:


“Currently, Gardaí tell me that they are waiting for the publication of updated regulations for the Garda Reserve before they can recruit to the reserve. This could help to relieve the pressure frontline Gardaí are currently under. 


"Sinn Féin have been clear for a number of years that recruitment into An Garda Síochána has been below what is necessary to keep up with the needs of the public. There is now an increasing crisis in both recruitment and retention.


“This leads to a negative cycle of Gardaí becoming stretched and burnt out, which leads to further retention issues. Every potentially impactful measure must now be examined to try to stop this negative cycle. 


“This includes the recruitment of new Garda Reserve members, who could aid in certain duties, freeing up full time members of the force for policing duties. 


"However this is not possible due to the lack of up to date regulations, and Garda Reserve numbers have dwindled. I am calling on the Minister for Justice to take action as soon as possible."

Toggle

Sinn Féin TD for Dublin Fingal, Louise O’Reilly, has condemned alleged assaults in Temple Bar which resulted in the hospitalisation of three tourists yesterday.

Teachta O’Reilly said:

“Yesterday‘s incident in Temple Bar was deeply shocking and totally unacceptable. My thoughts are with the three people receiving hospital treatment for their injuries and I wish them a speedy recovery.

“Dubliners, those who call this city home, tourists and Gardaí, all deserve to be safe in our capital city but are being failed by Fine Gael.

“Sinn Féin have outlined our proposals to tackle crime in Dublin.

“We are calling on the Minister to increase intake capacity for Garda training in Templemore with the introduction of a new hybrid training model that would increase the numbers who can complete training and attest as sworn members, ending the scandal of under-recruitment.

“She must substantively engage with Gardaí and their representatives to identify and remedy the cause of increased resignations from An Garda Síochána.

“We need a meaningful and ambitious Garda recruitment campaign, and updated recruitment criteria to make the Gardaí more reflective of modern Irish society, including groups that are currently under-represented.

“We must also establish public transport policing on specific DART, LUAS, Irish Rail, and Dublin Bus services to ensure that passengers are protected and can feel safe.

“A sticking-plaster approach to policing our capital city will not cut it - we need real reform to keep communities safe.”

Sinn Féin's 'Keeping Communities Safe' document can be read here.

Toggle

Following the publication of the Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023 Sinn Féin TD for Limerick City Maurice Quinlivan, Senator Paul Gavan and Sinn Féin party leader on Limerick Council Cllr. Sharon Benson have criticised the legislation, stating that it falls significantly short of what Government had promised at the time the plebiscite was held.
 
Teachta Quinlivan said: 
 
“While Sinn Féin broadly welcome the legislation, having considered it over the last number of days I can only conclude that the people of Limerick may have been sold a pup both when they were polled on this issue back in 2019 and comments from Government members since.
 
“The then Minister John Paul Phelan produced a white paper on the issue prior to the plebiscite in 2019, and people voted for the establishment of a directly elected Mayor for Limerick on the information available to them at the time.
 
“Much of the noise following the plebiscite in 2019 was that we would see a significant number of powers removed from central Government and allocated to the new Mayor, but none of this is evident in the legislation that was published recently.
 
“As the Bill stands, all that has been given to the Mayor is soft power, many of which the present CEO and local councillors already possess, most of which will not go far in enhancing participative local democracy in Limerick, leaving us with a broadly ceremonial role with very little autonomy or authority. This is both a disappointment and a missed opportunity.”
 
Sinn Féin party leader on Limerick council Cllr. Sharon Benson said:
“The role of the Mayor and the resources that will be made available for the new office need to be defined clearly. 

“It is very unfortunate too that it has been scheduled to coincide with the Local and European elections given it has been on the political agenda for over 5 years now. Government inaction has obviously delayed this.
 
“Our party will seek to amend this legislation as it goes through the Oireachtas with a view to enhancing local democracy as requested by the people of Limerick, and having a Bill that is reflective of what the people of Limerick were led to believe they were voting for back in 2019.”
 
Senator Gavan added: 
 
“This Bill hasn’t lived up to my expectations and appears to be a bit of a fudge on the part of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.

“How the newly elected Mayor operates in Limerick will be watched closely by other Local Authorities given it is the first of its kind, and I feel that instead of reforming local democracy in a way that gives local community a sense of ownership over their own affairs, the Government have opted for a model that will make anyone who was cynical about the need for a Mayor feel validated in their scepticism.
 
“This Bill was an opportunity to give power back to local structures that have seen their powers stripped back incrementally since the 2014 reforms.
 
“I believe this is an opportunity missed, largely due to a lack of both courage and ambition on the part of government. I really hope that the Minister is open to the amendments that we will be bringing forward in the Dáil and the Seanad.
 
“Given this Mayor will set the precedent for all others going forward, it is important that we get this legislation right, and not set out on a path where it is doomed to fail.”

Toggle

Speaking this afternoon Sinn Féin spokesperson on enterprise, trade, and employment, Louise O’Reilly TD, has said the widespread use of legal firms by state and semi-state bodies to complete Freedom of Information requests raises serious questions.

Teachta O’Reilly said:

“The Freedom of Information system is one of the most effective mechanisms available to ensure transparency amongst public bodies and state agencies, therefore, the practice of using legal firms to answer FOI requests is contrary to the spirt of the FOI system. 

“When the Freedom of Information Bill passed through the Dáil in 1997 the Minister of the day stated, ‘Freedom of information is a legal right for every person to ask for and get access to records held by public bodies… It recognises in law that public bodies should be directly accountable to the ordinary public they are there to serve’.

“Notwithstanding complex cases or staffing issues, FOI is something that should be done in-house. Therefore, I was confused and concerned when I received a Parliamentary Question response that IDA Ireland paid legal firms €165,000 to complete FOI requests since 2019.

“In addition, a series of FOI requests, as reported recently in the Irish Examiner, outlined how organisations such as Trinity College Dublin - €60,213, RTÉ - €12,289, DCU - €6,280, UCC - €6,026, and ComReg - €2,964 paid thousands to legal firms to complete FOI requests in recent years.

“The extent to which FOI requests are being outsourced to legal firms is concerning on two fronts, firstly it runs contrary to the spirit of the FOI system itself, and secondly it raises serious questions regarding value for money spending of public money.

“It is imperative that state and semi-state bodies explain why they are paying huge sums of money to legal firms to handle answering FOI requests which could, and should, be carried out in-house.

“The fact that these bodies have not sought additional Government funds to carry this work out in-house indicates that they are happy to pay to outsource this work, generally at the expense of the taxpayer.

“Any public body using outside legal resources for FOI request should be required to run value-for-money exercises against those requests to ensure money is not being wasted on a role that could be performed within the body itself.”

Toggle

Sinn Féin spokesperson on Foreign Affairs Matt Carthy TD, has outlined Sinn Féin’s commitment to strengthening relationships between Ireland and Australia.

He was speaking to a gathering of Parliamentary Friends of Ireland this afternoon at the Parliament of Victoria in Melbourne.  The event took place at the end of week of engagements between Mat Carthy and Sinn Féin’s Finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty with Ministers and parliamentarians at a federal and state level in Brisbane, Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne. 

Matt Carthy said:

“Ireland and Australia have many shared values and in this room have a shared vision – it is a vision in which ordinary workers, families and communities come first.  Affordable housing, strong public healthcare and an effective response to climate change are central to this vision. 

“We in Sinn Féin know that deepening the special relationship between Ireland and Australia is important to shaping a better future.  

“The current Irish government has not done enough to develop the connections between our two countries.  

“If elected to government Sinn Féin will work tirelessly to strengthen our diplomatic, political and economic relationship with Australia. We want Ireland to be Australia’s go-to contact in the European Union. 

“Our world is changed and changing. Russia’s criminal invasion of Ukraine and the ever escalating Climate Crisis shows that the need strong muliti-lateral institutions has never been more important.   

“Ireland’s influence in the world was never dependent on military or economic force.  Instead it has been through a principled military neutrality and independent foreign policy, coupled with the power wielded by our diaspora, that has allowed Ireland to punch above our weight and advocate for peace, justice and equality in every corner of the globe.

“I believe that the strengthening of the friendship between Ireland and Australia can be a beacon to the world of these enduring principles. 

“Our relationship is special, it has endured across time and tides, and I believe it can be made even stronger still. 

“We remember our shared history, but today our responsibility is to reach for a new future for Ireland and Australia, and a better future for the peoples of our two great countries.”

Toggle

Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing, Eoin Ó Broin TD, has called on government to immediately reintroduce the ban on no-fault evictions. 

The call was made as figures released by the Residential Tenancies Board today showed a dramatic increase in eviction notices issued by landlords from April to June.

Teachta Ó Broin said:

“RTB figures released today show a dramatic increase in eviction notices issued by landlords between April and June of this year. The total number of notices was 5,735, up from 4,735 the month previous.

“The primary driver of the increase in landlords selling their property. There has been a dramatic 38% increase in this category of eviction notice compared to the previous quarter with 3,633 notices issued on grounds of sale in Q2 compared to 2,631 in Q1.

“These figures show that the number of people at risk of homelessness is set to grow in the coming months leading to further rises in homelessness.

“Government must immediately reintroduce the ban on no fault evictions until such time as the numbers of people in emergency accommodation starts to fall. 

“The need to deliver an additional quantum of social and affordable housing specifically for those in emergency accommodation utilising emergency planning powers and new building technologies. And they must ramp up the social and cost rental tenant-in-situ schemes.

“The government was wrong to end the ban on no-fault evictions. 

“Since April they have been left playing catch-up, and more and more people lose their rental homes. 

“If we are to see levels of homelessness fall, we need an emergency response and we need it now.”

Toggle

Sinn Féin spokesperson on Communications and Transport Martin Kenny TD has responded to the announcement by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission that it intends to carry out an in-depth investigation into the purchase of a private carpark by the daa. 

The car park in question was bought by the airport authority subject to approval by the CCPC and has remained closed for the last number of months, leaving many visitors to the airport without short-term parking. 
 
Speaking today, Teachta Kenny said:

“It is of course important that the CCPC carries out its due diligence in terms of this purchase, however we cannot ignore the impact it will have on those using the airport for work or leisure. 
 
“This car park had previously been held by a private owner and accounted for almost 20% of the spaces available in the airport locality.  While this more in-depth investigation takes place, we have people left without the very basic amenity of a car space at an airport. 
 
“This is peak travel time for the airport.  Many of those I have spoken to are not confident that they would arrive on time if they were to rely on public transport and would prefer to have the use of their car.
 
“When this issue originally emerged in May, I urged both the daa and the owner of the car park to come to a short term leasing agreement.  I am repeating that call again today. 
 
“This shortage is affecting ordinary families and holidaymakers who have saved so hard to enjoy a few days away. Summertime is one of the busiest times for the airport - arriving to an airport that’s short on car parking spaces is not the start to a holiday people deserve.
 
“The car park which is currently closed had been used for a number of years. It does not require any development or retrofitting. It simply needs to be opened for use for those traveling through the airport.
 
“Individuals and families travelling through the airport must have these very basic amenities available to them.”

Toggle

Sinn Féin spokesperson on Finance, Pearse Doherty TD, has called for the introduction of temporary and targeted mortgage interest relief to support households as interest rates continue to rise.

Speaking today, Teachta Doherty said:

“Workers and families continue to see their mortgage interest costs rise.

“This is a massive income shock for households in the grip of a wider cost of living crisis.

“This is despite retail banks recording a massive growth in their profits and net interest income – largely due to interest rate rises by the ECB rather than any improved performance or efficiencies.

“For months Sinn Féin have called for the introduction of temporary and targeted mortgage interest relief to support struggling households.

“Yesterday the Central Bank confirmed that the average interest rate on new mortgage agreements has risen above four percent and the European average.

“The average Irish interest rate on outstanding mortgages was 52 percent higher than the European average.

“The Central Bank recently estimated that one in five households will see their annual mortgage costs spiral by more than €5,700 as a result of these rate hikes.

“With two in five seeing their annual mortgage costs rise by more than €3,000.

“Households who had their mortgages sold off to vulture funds without their consent, but with the support of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, are now facing interest rates as high as 10 percent.

“It is clear that action is needed.

“Despite the false promises of Taoiseach Leo Varadkar who supported these loan sales, these borrowers have no option to fix and are being hit with interest rates much higher than those being charged by mainstream banks.

“The Minister for Finance should convene a meeting with the Central Bank and retail banks and chart a way forward.”

Toggle

Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin has described the private rental sector as ‘broken’ and called for ‘a change in policy to protect renters and meet peoples long term housing needs.’ The comments were made as Deputy Ó Broin launched Sinn Féin’s submission to the Department of Housings public consultation on the private residential rental sector.
 
Teachta Ó Broin said:
 
“The private rental sector is broken. Rents are too high and rising. Single property landlords continue to exit the market, though by what number remains unclear. New institutional investment, too expensive for many workers, has stalled.
 
“It has never been harder to be a renter. The sector has never been so insecure or so expensive. The threat of homelessness has never been greater.
 
“All of this is because of decades of bad policy from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil. Over the last twenty years they have presided over a rapidly growing private rental sector that is unstable, insecure, and expensive.
 
“Importantly, the failure of Government to deliver large volumes of social and affordable homes to rent and buy have forced huge numbers of people into a private rental sector than cannot meet their needs.
 
“A third of all private renters are subsidised by HAP, RAS and Rent Supplement. These people should be in long term secure social housing.  A further significant number of renters, not eligible for social housing, struggle with excessive housing costs. These people should be in affordable cost rental or affordable purchase homes.
 
“Increasingly older people and students, unable to access more affordable housing options, are left at the mercy of the private rental sector. At least a half of all private renters should be in other forms of housing tenure.
 
“It is time for Government policy to change. We need a smaller, more professional, and more stable private rental sector. This can only be achieved if we see a dramatic expansion of social and affordable homes and the transfer of tenants and housing stock from the private rental sector to the social and affordable housing sectors.
 
“In our submission to the Department of Housing’s review of the private rental sector today we have set out what short term emergency measures that are required to protect renters from rising rents and the threat of homelessness. We have also set out a wider set of reforms for the private rental sector to address the structural weaknesses of that sector caused by decades of bad housing policy.
 
“We need a stable and affordable private rental sector. However, Government policy must also focus on meeting peoples’ long term housing needs which means growing the social and affordable sectors and reducing the overall size of the private rental sector as a percentage of our housing stock.”



The submission is available to view here


Housing Submission

Toggle

Sinn Féin spokesperson on Finance, Pearse Doherty, has told Irish communities in Australia that the party is committed to ensuring Ireland is a place of thriving opportunity for emigrants who choose to return home.

He was speaking at an event in Sydney yesterday evening (Wednesday), launching the new community group ‘Australian Friends of Irish Unity’.

Pearse Doherty said:

“The Irish community in Australia is strong and vibrant, brimming with the energy and optimism of the ‘can do’ attitude that defines our people. 

“We are proud of the contribution that the Irish have made to the society of Sydney in sports, business, culture, community building and public life.

“But we know that while many leave for adventure, experience and fun, far too many of our young people are here today because you were left with no other choice but to go. You’ve been denied opportunity and your shot at a good life In Ireland.

“That is heart-breaking, and when Mary Lou said that Sinn Féin is working night and day to change things for you, so you can come home to a new Ireland, she meant it. And I mean it too.

“As somebody whose ambition it is to be Finance Minister in a Government of Change, this is especially close to my heart. 

“I was born in Scotland. I am the son of Irish emigrants. My earliest memory is of the removal van parked outside our house in Donegal on our return to Ireland.

“My mother and father had left West Donegal in the early 1960s because there wasn’t any work. Frightening deprivation. No prospect of raising a family. Little chance of building a future. Of course, they weren’t alone. 

“Their story is shared by thousands of others who, in search of work, had to leave the only home they ever knew.

“The Ireland of 2023 is a very different place. And yet, despite all this progress, another generation again looks to the airports and to the hope of a better life here in Australia, in the US, Britain, and Canada. 

“Not because there’s no work - but because despite having jobs, despite having a good education, skills and qualifications, they are prevented from building a good future at home. We have an entire generation locked out of opportunity and prosperity. An entire generation locked out of home ownership.

“The problem is that we have a government that is jaded and out of ideas, so locked into the past that they are standing-by, refusing to seize these opportunities. 

“It’s clear that to realise the immense opportunities for Ireland, we need a new political leadership with energy and ambition.

And we in Sinn Féin are ready to lead governments for real change, north and south.

“To those who have been forced to leave,  I want you to know that we in Sinn Féin see you. We hear you. We are working hard for you. Working hard to make Ireland the home that you deserve, and we will create a genuine route back home for anybody who has left and wishes to return.”

Toggle

Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing, Eoin Ó Broin TD, has called for emergency action to reduce rents in the private rental sector as the latest Daft.ie rent report shows rents increasing by almost 11% in the last 12 months.

The Dublin Mid West TD urged the government to ban rent increases for all existing and new tenancies for three years, and to put a full month’s rent pack into every private renters pocket.

Teachta Ó Broin said:

“The latest Daft.ie rent report shows average new rents across the state increasing by almost 11% in the last 12 months. Average new rent statewide is €1800, up 30% since Darragh O’Brien became the Minister for Housing in 2020 and up a staggering 155% since Leo Varadkar entered Government under Enda Kenny in 2011.

“New rents in Dublin City are now €2307, costing €27,684 a year to rent in the capital.

“In 23 counties, rent hikes in the last year were in double digits with eight counties seeing new rental inflation of 20% or more. Roscommon saw the highest hikes at almost 23%.

“Only three counties saw rental inflation below 10%, in Dublin, Wicklow and Cork, all of which say rent hikes above 8%.

“Government has failed to deliver a sufficient volume of social and affordable homes. Their controversial policies such as Help to Buy and the Shared Equity Loan have pushed up house prices. As a result, too many people are being forced into the private rental sector, which is unable to meet their housing needs.

“Government urgently needs to adopt a different approach. They need to understand that unless we see the delivery of 20,000 public homes a year to meet social and affordable rental and purchase need, then this crisis will continue.

“Fine Gael has been in government for 12 years. During that time rents have increased by 155%. Fianna Fáil have been propping Fine Gael up for seven years. Since Fianna Fáil have had the housing ministry, rents have increased by 30%. 

“This government has failed renters. They are out of touch and out of time. Only a Sinn Féin-led government with a radical new housing plan will stand up for renters and deliver the genuinely affordable homes that they need and deserve.”

Toggle

Sinn Féin spokesperson on Workers’ Rights, Louise O’Reilly TD, has said today’s decision by retained firefighters to escalate industrial action comes as a direct result of Minister Darragh O’Brien missing in action.

Teachta O’Reilly said:

“The retained firefighters represented by SIPTU have announced today that they will be escalating their industrial action. They are committed to keeping our communities safe so I know that this is the last thing that they wanted and I know that they want a resolution to this dispute. 

“They feel they have no option to escalate industrial action and this is a direct result of Minister Darragh O’Brien missing in action.

“He knows that our retained firefighters have been enduring impossible working conditions for far too long. It is time now for him to intervene and bring a resolution to this dispute. 

“Retained firefighters are expected to be on call 24/7, 351 days of the year and to remain within a few kilometres of their local fire station. All for a salary of 99 cent an hour for cover.

“Darragh O'Brien also knows that these conditions have led to a wholly unsustainable recruitment crisis in the service. Yet he has repeatedly walked away from his responsibilities and has displayed staggering arrogance in his failure to engage on this issue.

“This recruitment and retention crisis is putting them and our communities in danger. That has to be addressed. 

“Our firefighters should not be forced out onto a picket line. They deserve decent terms and conditions and they, and our communities, deserve to be safe. 

“What the retained firefighters are looking for, and what we in Sinn Féin called for in a motion put forward by John Brady and Eoin Ó Broin earlier this year, is for the government to act on the 13 recommendations arising out of its own report calling for reform of the fire service, which Minister O’Brien informed the Dáil he supported last November.

“Darragh O’Brien cannot keep running away from his responsibilities. He must work with the retained firefighters and with their representatives in SIPTU to bring about a just and fair resolution to this industrial dispute.”

Toggle

Sinn Féin spokesperson on Communications and Transport Martin Kenny TD has responded to comments made by Fianna Fáil junior minister Jack Chambers indicating that motorists are likely to suffer the consequences of poor government decision-making before the end of the year. 

The Minister has admitted that toll charges are likely to rise again in January 2024. 

This would account for a second increase in six months, after the increase that came into effect on July 1st last.  
 
Speaking today, Teachta Kenny said, “I’m aware of the comments made by the Junior Minister which in my mind indicate just how out of touch the government is with hard-pressed workers and families.
 
“These toll roads are a necessity across the state. People use them everyday to travel to work, to bring children to school, and to attend medical appointments in different parts of the country.
 
“The increase which was introduced in July has the potential to cost motorists an additional €100 per year, and I have already been contacted by many commuters and businesses in regards to that increase.  Now, we have an admission from the Minister that another increase is likely in January 2024, and he blamed inflation. 
 
“The real issue here are the poorly constructed public private partnership agreements used to build these roads which were designed by previous Fianna Fáil governments.
 
“It is a well-accepted fact that these toll roads have more than paid for themselves a number of times over. What has not been delivered on is value for money for motorists who are being forced off the road during a cost of living crisis. 
 
“Toll operators are free to increase costs at whim because government have refused to introduce a cap on costs, or to renegotiate these farcical contracts.
 
“Fianna Fáil is a senior government party who is actively overseeing decisions that are crippling motorists.
 
“This Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael government, supported by an out-of-touch Green Party with a fixation on forcing people off the road, are continuing a campaign aimed at stretching costs for ordinary, hard-working people across the country.”

Toggle

Sinn Féin MLA John O’Dowd has expressed his deep concern at the announcement of up to 500 job losses at a Lurgan-based haulage company, Morgan McLernon after they were told the company is considering shutting down.

Mr O'Dowd said:

"This announcement will be devastating news for the workers  at the company and for the local economy.

"It should not be lost on anyone  that the company has pinned much of the blame for this announcement on the Brexit fall-out.

"With no Economy Minister in place as a result of the boycott of the Executive by one party I will be contacting the Permanent Secretary at the Department of Economy to see what it can do to support the company and its workers.”

Toggle

Sinn Féin spokesperson on Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Louise O’Reilly TD, has welcomed the government decision to establish an Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council, a move which Sinn Féin has been calling for since earlier this year.

Teachta O’Reilly said:

“The establishment of an Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council is a welcome development, but it must deliver a dual mandate of ensuring we harness the positive power of AI while protecting workers and society from the negative aspects of the technology.

“Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not new, it is a technology which has existed for some time, however, the pace, scale, and nature of its growth in recent times has catapulted it to the forefront of the public and political consciousness.

“AI is a profoundly disruptive technology, and as a result it is accompanied by levels of technological anxiety. This is no different to the anxieties which accompanied technological advances such as the loom, the motor car, or the mobile phone.

“The job of politicians is to keep pace with the technology and where it is going.

“It was for this reason that I previously called for the establishment of a forum on AI, with a specific focus on the technological surveillance of workers using artificial intelligence and machine learning.

“Therefore, it is essential that the Advisory Council contains worker representatives from the trade union movement.

“There is a need for the State to get ahead of developments in the Artificial Intelligence space, to shape its direction of travel at a national and European level, to exploit the economic opportunities of AI and harness its positive power, and legislate, where necessary, to protect workers and society.”

Toggle

Sinn Féin spokesperson on Mental Health, Mark Ward TD, has written to the chairpersons of the Oireachtas Health Committee and Oireachtas Sub-Committee on Mental Health to discuss what the government’s response will be to the recent Mental Health Commission's report into Child and Adult Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

Teachta Ward said:

“Last month’s report by the Mental Health Commission into CAMHS was another damning indictment of the government failing children and young people.

“It is a national scandal that the state cannot currently provide an assurance to parents or guardians in all parts of the state that their children have access to a safe, effective and evidence-based service.

“The report has 49 recommendations that the Ministers for Health and Mental Health must accept and implement to reform CAMHS and improve service delivery.

“These aim to improve overall governance where the report highlighted that there is no standardised service and no national director.

“The report also highlighted insufficient budgeting for CAMHS - it is staggering that there is no ring-fenced funding for services, while care teams are unsustainably under-resourced.

“The vast majority of teams have staffing levels below 50% of what is required, and only one CHO said that they had appropriate staffing levels.

“There is also a cliff-edge in our mental health services for young people at 18. There is inconsistent continuity of care, and many young people fall out of services or never access them.

“While this report is damning, it did not come as a shock. CAMHS waiting lists have more than doubled since this government was formed.

“There has been silence from government since the publication of the report and this cannot continue.

“Given the underwhelming response from government on the Mental Health Commission’s full report, I have written to chairpersons of both the Health Committee and Sub-Committee on Mental Health and called for a joint session when the Dáil returns after recess.

“It is not just Sinn Féin calling for this but stakeholders like Mental Health Reform have been calling for the same.

“I am calling for urgent and immediate action by the government and the HSE.”

Connect with Sinn Féin