Sinn Féin Louth TD Gerry Adams has welcomed the inclusion in the ‘New Decade, New Approach’ agreement, reached in the negotiations to re-establish the political institutions in the North, of a commitment from the British government to provide additional financial support for infrastructure projects, including Narrow Water Bridge.
The Louth TD also welcomed the commitment from the Irish government to “update and enhance its commitment to jointly funding cross-border investment” ... to “achieve greater connectivity on this island ...”
The Irish government said it is “also ready to jointly progress consideration of options for the development of the Narrow Water bridge project at the NSMC (North South Ministerial Conference).”
Teachta Adams said:
“Sinn Féin has consistently supported the construction of a bridge at Narrow Water connecting Louth and south Down/south Armagh. We have raised it as an objective in each of the negotiations that have occurred in the North in recent years. We did so again during the current negotiations.
"Its enormous economic potential and community benefits are obvious.
"It would link An Area of Outstanding Beauty in counties Armagh and Down with a Special Area of Conservation and Protection on the county Louth side.
"It is located roughly half-way between the two largest centres of population on the island of Ireland.
"Almost a quarter of visitors to Ireland go walking.
"The European cycle market is worth €54 billion.
"And the Narrow Water Bridge can create an attraction to rival the Mayo Greenway.
"In the new Agreement achieved between the two governments and the parities in the North the British government is committing to a range of financial and economic measures. One of these is ‘turbocharging infrastructure delivery’.
"The agreement states that: 'The executive will benefit from increased funding for capital infrastructure investment as a result of the UK Government’s infrastructure revolution.” It goes on the state that this “infrastructure funding will enable the Executive to invest in a range of potential capital projects'. Among those listed is Narrow Water Bridge.
"For this project to succeed the Irish government has to invest directly in the construction of the bridge and to work with the Executive in the North, Louth County Council and the British government to ensure that the long held vision of a bridge at Narrow Water is turned into a reality.”
Cllr Ruairí Ó Murchú said:
“Louth County Council has long supported a bridge at Narrow Water. It is a vital piece of infrastructure for the whole of the Mourne, Gullion and Cooley region. It would enhance business and investment opportunities, create jobs and strengthen the tourism potential of the area.
"The need for the bridge is well recognised. An Oireachtas Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation committee reported that it is essential to the economic development of the region and the Fresh Start Agreement in the North mandated the Northern Executive and the Irish Government to review and develop the project. We now need, on the back of this Agreement, the Irish government to work closely with Louth County Council and other stakeholders in advancing the construction of the Narrow Water Bridge.”
While welcoming the decision to defer the planned commemoration for the Royal Irish Constabulary and the Dublin Metropolitan Police the Sinn Féin Louth TD Gerry Adams has called on the government to abandon any possibility of a commemoration.
Writing in his weekly Andersonstown News column this week, which will be published tomorrow, Mr. Adams accused the government of a “lack of respect for the courage and sacrifice of those who fought for Irish freedom” and described the government’s u-turn as “a great victory for people power. The widespread popular outrage at their stupidity and shoneenism is uplifting and proof yet again that the spirit of genuine patriotism and national pride is alive and well”.
The Louth TD said:
“No one should be surprised by the government’s attempt to hold this commemoration. It is symptomatic of an Irish establishment which is embarrassed by the revolutionary period in Irish history. Remember the disgraceful video used by the Government the launch the centenary of 1916 events. The 1916 leaders were not even mentioned.
"Last September the Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan attended a commemoration for RIC members who he said were murdered by the IRA during the Tan War. Minister Flanagan described the RIC as “doing their job. They were murdered in the line of duty. They were doing what police officers do. As they saw it they were protecting communities from harm. They were maintaining the rule of law. These are fundamental to police services everywhere.”
"The experience of families and communities across this island was very different. The RIC and DMP were not protecting communities from harm. They were inflicting harm. The rule of law these two paramilitary forces were maintaining was designed to defend British interests in Ireland.
"The RIC was intimately involved in the mass expulsion of millions during and after the Great Hunger. When families were being forcibly evicted from their homes during the Great Hunger. When the Dublin Lock-out took place in 1913 it was the Dublin Metropolitan Police that attacked striking workers.
"After the Easter Rising in 1916 the RIC and DMP enforced martial law and internment when it was introduced in May 1918.
"While there may have been some among them who wished to be police officers neither organisation was a police service. No doubt there were decent officers in their ranks and their families have the right pay tribute to them. But for the state to commemorate these organisations is wrong.
"The Taoiseach and Minister Flanagan’s disrespectful revisionism of the Irish people’s history of struggle for freedom does a grave disservice to those who were part of that struggle.
"Many of the events the government wants to commemorate this year, including Bloody Sunday at Croke Park, involved the RIC. It was an RIC squad which murdered Cork Lord Mayor Tomás MacCurtain. And it should not be forgotten that it was G Division of the RIC which was responsible for identifying the leaders of the 1916 who were to be court-martialled and executed. Are we now expected to be neutral about this? Or like Minister Flanagan to assert that, “They were doing what police officers do”.
"The Government must go beyond deferral and scrap any plan now or in the future to commemorate the role of the RIC and the DMP. The shallowness and opportunism of their position on these events has been exposed. So has the posturing of the Fianna Fáil Leader.
"The Government’s lack of respect for the courage and sacrifice of those who fought for Irish freedom has also been highlighted. Their U turn is a great victory for people power. The widespread popular outrage at their stupidity and shoneenism is uplifting and proof yet again that the spirit of genuine patriotism and national pride is alive and well.”
Note to Editor:
Gerry Adams full column will be published in the morning in the Andersonstown News and in his leargas blog: www.leargas.blogspot.com
Sinn Féin Louth TD Gerry Adams has described the government’s health strategy as “a shambles which is failing patients.”
The Louth TD described the record numbers of patients on hospital waiting lists and on trolleys and in wards waiting on admission as “a scandal” and “evidence that after 9 years of Fine Gael governments there has been an absolute failure to get to grips with the crisis in the health service.”
Teachta Adams pointed to the growing numbers of over 75’s forced to spend more than 24 hours on trolleys.
Gerry Adams said:
“In a PQ response from the Department of Health it was revealed that between January and November of last year, 349 citizens aged over 75 years spent more than 24 hours on a hospital trolley in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda. In November alone the figure was 53.
"The most recent figures from the outpatient waiting lists reveal that over half a million citizens are waiting appointments. Last November Our Lady of Lourdes in Drogheda had 12,829 citizens awaiting their first appointment and of these over two thirds have been waiting for more than three months. Louth County Hospital has 2133 patients on its waiting list. Over half of these have been waiting for more than three months.
"This week there were record numbers of patients in our overcrowded Accident and Emergency departments across the State. The hard work of a dedicated staff cannot compensate for the lack of adequate staffing levels and capacity within our acute hospital system. According to the INMO there are 411 fewer inpatient beds in our hospitals today than a decade ago, despite a larger, older population.
"This crisis in waiting lists and trolley numbers did not happen out of the blue or because of the latest flu outbreak. It is part and parcel of the absence of a coherent government health strategy, and inadequate resources. Last year there were almost one hundred and twenty thousand patients stuck in overcrowded Emergency departments.
"Behind these statistics are citizens, human beings, who are often frightened and concerned about their health and yet are forced to endure lengthy waits for hospital appointments or on hospital trolleys.
"While Minister Harris in Health, like Minister Murphy in Housing, are responsible for the crises in these two essential public services, both Ministers are implementing government policy – housing and health policies that are supported by Fianna Fáil.
"Urgent action is needed by Minister Harris to end the trolley crisis. This requires a crisis intervention package of measures, including increasing staff and bed capacity, lifting the recruitment embargo on frontline staff, expanding community care and moving ahead speedily with the Sláintecare reforms.”
Sinn Féin Louth TD Gerry Adams has extended his “deepest sympathies and condolences” to the family and friends of former Irish Times journalist, writer and historian Brendan Ó Cathaoir who has died.
Deputy Adams said:
“Brendan Ó Cathaoir was an exceptional Gaeilgeoir, journalist and historian. Among his many accomplishments were his ‘Famine Diaries’ published by the Irish Times in the 1990’s to mark the 150th anniversary of the Great Hunger.
"Almost 40 years ago, Brendan visited Bobby Sands in Long Kesh along with Guardian journalist David Beresford. The visit took place on 3 March 1981 just three days after Bobby had commenced his hunger strike.
"In his daily Prison Diary covering the first 17 days of his hunger strike Bobby Sands records the visit. Much of his conversation with Brendan was in Irish. Bobby wrote: 'I’m feeling exceptionally well today. (It’s only the third day, I know, but all the same I’m feeling great.) I had a visit this morning with two reporters, David Beresford of The Guardian and Brendan Ó Cathaoir of The Irish Times. Couldn’t quite get my flow of thoughts together. I could have said more in a better fashion.'
"The visit was also recorded in an internal confidential NIO ‘weekly Bulletin’ which states: 'On 3rd March David Beresford (Guardian) and Brendan Ó Cathaoir (Irish Times) saw Sands on a 'family' visit. They were required to sign an undertaking that the visit would not be used for journalistic purposes, did so and then claimed on leaving that they would not abide by this.'
"Brendan Ó Cathaoir, like David Beresford, opposed censorship and believed that journalists had a duty to report. His was one of the courageous voices which tried to penetrate the fog of disinformation surrounding the injustices in the H Blocks and Armagh prisons. Bobby Sands appreciated his efforts. So did I and the other supporters of the hungerstrikers.
"To Brendan’s family and many friends, I want to extend my deepest condolences. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis."
Sinn Féin Louth TD Gerry Adams has welcomed Wednesday’s successful Dáil vote in support of a Sinn Féin motion backing Section 39 workers and organisations. The government suffered another defeat.
Speaking in the Dáil on Wednesday Teachta Adams praised those many organisations in Louth that rely on Section 39 workers and welcomed the defeat of the Government which had opposed the motion.
Teachta Adams said:
“The Sinn Féin motion maps out the key elements of a long term strategy for Section 39 users based on equality, and for the protection of Section 39 employees in this not-for-profit sector known which so many citizens depend upon.
"The 1916 Proclamation states that the Republic guarantees 'equal rights and equal opportunities to all its citizens, and declares its resolve to pursue the happiness and prosperity of the whole nation … cherishing all the children of the nation equally.'
"It doesn’t say except for those who have a disability or for those who need healthcare or those who suffer from mental health issues. It doesn’t say that bankers, landlords and insurance companies should have extra rights. But of course, we don’t have a republic based on the Proclamation.
"In this State Citizens with a disability suffer from higher levels of poverty. They will have to fight for public services they should be entitled to. They survive on the lowest annual average disposable income. This situation has been made worse by years of service cutbacks and lack of service provision.
"Section 39 organisations provide essential services. The Walkpeer programme in Louth, for example, which enables young people with a disability to access opportunities in education, training and employment, has had to constantly fight for funding and resources.
"Respite services for Louth have been a constant battleground as the need has increased while the necessary resources have not ever been provided.
"In February 2013 the Fine Gael/Labour government scrapped the Mobility Allowance Scheme and the Motorised Transport Grants. That was almost seven years ago. It still hasn’t been replaced. In September the government published its legislative programme for the autumn session. Nowhere does it even reference the Health Transport Support Bill which is supposed to plug the gap left by the 2013 decision.
"There are 600,043 citizens in this State with a disability. That’s 13.5% of the population. Louth has a higher than average percentage of citizens with a disability at almost 14%. The Section 39 public sector provides an indispensible service for citizens with disabilities, as well as for the elderly, the young, those suffering substance abuse, or at risk of suicide and they are the backbone of community development projects.
"Groups in County Louth that are Section 39 based include SOSAD which deals with citizens at risk from suicide, Louth Age Friendly, Dundalk Parents and Friends of the Intellectually Disabled, and the Louth Community Drug and Alcohol Team.
"Without their dedication and commitment many people would fall through the cracks into even worse dire circumstances.
"This motion seeks to effectively resolve the many difficulties currently within the Section 39 sector.
"It is demanding that the government produce a long term strategy and vision for the sector.
"It is calling for a long overdue review of current legislative provisions governing the relationship between the state and the almost two thousand organisations that make up the Section 39 sector.
"It also makes the case for an end to the unequal pay terms that exist between Section 38 and 39 organisations. This must be a priority.
"Our responsibility as legislators must be to ensure that citizens with disabilities, and all those who rely on section 39 services, are able to play a full and independent part in all aspects of life.”
Sinn Féin Louth TD Gerry Adams led a delegation on Wednesday to meet with the Minister for Insurance Michael D’Arcy.
The meeting was attended by Cllr Ruairí Ó Murchú, and Mandy Fee and Shane McBride from Dundalk based leisure business Pelican Promotions. Its purpose was to discuss the crisis caused by the huge rise in insurance costs.
The meeting also discussed a business proposal produced by Mandy Fee and Shane McBride for the funding of the ‘Irish Leisure Industry Standards Association (Social Enterprise CLG)’ which would regulate the industry.
Speaking after the meeting which Gerry Adams TD described as “very constructive”.
He said:
“The meeting with Minister D’Arcy was a follow-up to an initial meeting that took place in August. In the interval the crisis in the leisure sector over significant hikes in insurance costs has worsened. Businesses, big and small, including many family owned enterprises are at imminent risk of closure because of insurance bills that are driving them out of business.
"In the last six years many of the insurance underwriters providing public liability insurance have withdrawn from the market. The impact of this is significant. Community groups, local festivals, men’s groups, Tidy Towns Groups, mother and toddler groups, sports groups, youth services and classes covering everything from yoga to face painters, pet farms and swim clubs are all at risk because of the current crisis.
"The proposal from Pelican Promotions is for the establishment of an Industry Standards Association which would maintain accredited standards in the leisure industry. It would work in co-operation with insurance underwriters, the leisure industry and community groups. Its objective is to reverse the withdrawal of insurance underwriters by getting rid of fly-by-night organisations and achieving a recognised standard for leisure service providers.
"The Minister indicated his support for the proposal and has agreed to meet again in the coming weeks to discuss the proposal further. I also urged the Minister to ensure that Pearse Doherty’s Insurance Contracts Bill is passed speedily by the Dáil.”
Cllr Ruairí Ó Murchú spoke to the Minister about the related crisis for childcare providers as a result of substantial increases in their liability. Cllr Ó Murchú said:
“I raised with Minister D’Arcy the insurance crisis for childcare providers, many of whom are based in Louth.
"I was contacted on Tuesday by a pre-school based in north Louth which received an insurance quote for 2020 which was 500% higher than last year’s premium. The consequence of this is that either the provider will be forced to close or the additional costs will have to be passed on to parents.
"The Minister agreed to my request that individual insurance issues be communicated with his office. I am asking any effected to contact me on [email protected] with any queries which I will pass on.”
Louth TD Gerry Adams, commenting on the successful passing at second stage in the Dáil of the Sinn Féin Rent Freeze (Fair Rent) Bill 2019, has called on the government to “stop obstructing the implementation of meaningful measures to tackle the scandal of sky rocketing rents.”
Gerry Adams said:
“The passing of the Bill, by a resounding majority, is a welcome first step and I want to commend Teachta Eoin O’Broin and Teachta Mark Ward for their diligence and resolve in pushing this Bill forward.
“If it passes all stages and becomes law the bill would freeze all rents on existing and new tenancies for a period of three years. The legislation also calls on the Minister for Finance to introduce a refundable tax credit for renters, equivalent to one month’s rent.
“Having been resoundingly defeated today, any refusal by the government to allow the bill to go to committee stage would be a slap in the face to the Dáil.
“The reality for many working families is that they have been confronted over recent years with significant pressures from cost of living increases, including rents.
“Daft.ie recently reported that rents in Louth and Meath have doubled in the last ten years. Currently the average rent in Louth is €1,236 which is a 3.6% increase on last year.
“Some households are paying up to half their income on rent. Tens of thousands are trapped in rent despair as a result of government policy.
“Very clearly the government’s housing policy, including the system of rent control zones, is not working.
“There is a crisis in housing. There is a crisis in the rental market. Strong and effective measures are needed.
“Sinn Féin believes that the Rent Freeze (Fair Rent) Bill 2019 is one such effective measure and we will continue to press for it to be advanced through the Oireachtas.”
ENDS
Louth TD Gerry Adams has condemned the refusal by the Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy to provide a County by County breakdown on the number of homeless families and children. Teachta Adams described the failure to provide this statistic as “symptomatic of a government which seeks to evade its responsibilities to provide housing by refusing to provide the extent of the problem County by County across the State.”
Gerry Adams said:
“The official figures produced by the Department of Housing cover regions. Louth is part of the North East region which includes Louth, Monaghan and Cavan. The most recent report for October revealed there are 144 adults and 47 children living in homeless accommodation in the North East. The report also states that 131 homeless adults are from Louth, 3 are from Monaghan and 10 from Cavan. There are 27 families and 47 homeless children in the North East region.
"The statistics do not tell us how many homeless families there are in Louth or any of the Counties or how many of the 47 homeless children are in Louth.
"I wrote to the Minister asking for this information and in a PQ response he simply e-mailed me the most recent October report on Homelessness from the Department which does not answer the questions I asked.
"This is a serious gap of information which means we do not have a complete picture of the homeless crisis as it impacts on Counties. We know there are over 10,500 homeless citizens, almost four thousand of whom are children. As we try to understand the impact of this on people and seek to provide solutions to this crisis the more information available the better.
"I intend writing again to the Minister for Housing asking that the Department provide this information which must already be in their possession.
"Minister Murphy has failed in his responsibility as Housing Minister to provide a coherent strategy to tackle the homelessness and rent crisis, as well as producing a credible public housing building programme."
Sinn Féin Louth TD Gerry Adams is in Foyle today campaigning with Elisha McCallion.
Gerry Adams was asked about the visit of Fianna Fáil leader Mícheál Martin to Derry.
Gerry Adams said:
“Mícheál Martin is very welcome here and I hope he stays around long enough to listen to the voters and the very clear annoyance of people across the North at the way Fianna Fáil and Micheál Martin in particular use the North for very narrow partisan political purposes.”
Commenting on the issues affecting citizens Gerry Adams expressed solidarity with health workers:
“Health is a huge concern for citizens and for Sinn Féin. Michelle O’Neill, who will be the next Joint First Minister in a new Executive, and Bairbre de Brún were Ministers for Health. They were very good at responding to the needs of staff and patients.
“Sinn Féin took on this responsibility because we face up to these challenges. We know what affects people and you can see that in our record in the Executive – unlike the SDLP who walked out – who left the Executive.
“The Tory party is an austerity party and if Boris Johnson is returned we are doomed to another decade of austerity unless we change the game.
“Brexit is bad for us all. We need to reject it. The people of this island have to look at how we can rule ourselves, look after our own services, the needs of workers and workers’ families, instead of being ruled by a high Tory like Johnson.”
Commenting on the possibility of a deal Gerry Adams said:
“I believe we will have the power-sharing institutions back in place. We will do that as quickly as the basis for it can be established and we will tackle these issues, like health, urgently.
“We had a deal with the DUP in February 2018 which they walked away from.
“I know for a fact that Mary Lou and Michelle have been trying to work with the DUP to get these neuralgic issues dealt with.
“So there is a need for the DUP to face up to their responsibilities. We want to see the DUP accepting once and for all that people have rights. A deal can be done. There was a huge distraction for two years when the DUP stepped out of northern politics. They let their Westminster team dictate the pace, did a confidence and supply deal with the Tories – which I said at the time would end in tears – and it has ended in tears.
“I would like to think that ordinary working class unionists will look at the scourge of Brexit, at the fact that the DUP has rejected those who voted remain, and will make sensible judgements in this election.”
Sinn Féin Louth TD Gerry Adams has described the governments housing policy and in particular its homelessness strategy has “an absolute failure”.
Teachta Adams said:
“The narrow vote in support of the Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy in the Dáil this week was only possible because Fianna Fáil chose to abstain on the spurious claim that a successful motion of no confidence would have resulted in a general election.
"Fianna Fáil’s decision to shadow-box – to sit on their hands and support this Fine Gael government – on this important issue is disgraceful. Fianna Fáil’s decision to side with the landlords and property speculators at the expense of homeless children, families struggling to pay rent, or get on the housing ladder, is culpable in condemning tens of thousands of citizens to a perpetual and personal crisis in housing.
"The facts are that rents have reached new heights in Louth and elsewhere across this state, families are spending longer on waiting lists, and 47 children and 131 adults from Louth – will spend Christmas living in hotels and bed and breakfasts. That should not be acceptable in one of the wealthiest states in the world today.
"The Homelessness Report for October, released this week, revealed that there are over 10,500 citizens suffering homelessness. Of these almost four thousand – 3,826 – are children. The personal and developmental impact of homelessness on children was set out starkly in a report by the Royal College of Physicians last month.
"It found that children in ‘homelessness suffer higher rates of asthma, respiratory illness and infectious diseases; have poor nutrition and more obesity; less access to developmental opportunities, play, recreation and social activities; poorer emotional and mental health, and increased behavioural difficulties; less access to preventive health care and lower rates of childhood immunisation’.
"The government has failed by any measure to provide a housing strategy to combat the housing and homelessness crisis. It has proven itself incapable of providing public and affordable housing or to tackle the massive rent hikes imposed by greedy landlords.
"Its Rebuilding Ireland programme was launched in July 2016. Three and a half years later, homelessness is up by 67% and child homelessness has increased by a shocking 81%.
"Social housing output remains glacial. Just over 7,000 real social homes were added to the stock in 2018. In the same year, more than twice that number of families joined a waiting list held by Councils which numbers over 70,000.
"What is clearly needed is a radical plan of home building both in respect of council and affordable homes to buy and rent. Sinn Féin is proposing the biggest public house building programme that this state has ever hand. In the short term, we would reduce rents by €1,500 per year using a rent freeze and tax credit for renters.
"Sinn Féin would also introduce a redress scheme for homeowners living in defective properties built during the celtic tiger days and we would increase investment in local authority housing for retrofitting to ensure sustainability of our housing stock.
"This is the kind of focussed action needed. Our common sense proposals will help people."
