SEÁN KENNY TD KEEPING IN TOUCH Summer 2015 Bay North Constituency INTRODUCTION After many difficult years, Labour in Government has helped to stabilise the economy. We have moved to a new phase where we can begin restoring living standards for Irish families. We want to primarily benefit low and middle-income earners so that the recovery will benefit those that most need it. Labour in Government is delivering for them through both tax and welfare changes in as fair and equitable a manner as our electoral mandate will allow. We are prioritising essential investment in public services such as health, education and social housing. We will continue our unrelenting drive to help people back into well paid employment, with measures specifically designed to assist jobseekers with families return to paid employment. For 2015, Labour in Government will mark a decisive shift towards shared prosperity.

FROM CRISIS TO RECOVERY – FOUR YEARS OF LABOUR IN GOVERNMENT In 2014, Ireland recorded the fastest growth in Europe. We will do the same in 2015. The sacrifice and hard work of the Irish people have put our country on the path back to prosperity. The latest progress report on the Programme for Government underlines the economic turnaround since 2011. And what the report shows is that this was no accident or coincidence. We set out plans to restore the public finances, create 100,000 new jobs and get people back to work. Many questioned those plans and said it couldn’t be done. But our plan is working, and the evidence is clear: I 97,000 new jobs created since 2011 Tánaiste Joan Burton TD I Budget 2015 cut taxes on work while increasing funding for public services I €3.8 Billion Social Housing Investment to deliver 35,000 new homes I I Low Pay Commission to make recommendations on minimum wage Unemployment rate I Exports up 2.4% in 2014 with tourism and manufacturing growing down a third to 9.9% I Annual budget deficit has fallen from €22 billion in 2010 to €5 billion from a peak of 15.1% I New €7 billion Strategic Investment Fund to invest in Irish jobs I 31 new Local Enterprise Offices supporting jobs and businesses I 28,000 places provided under the Youth Guarantee Scheme I 110,000 mortgages in arrears have been restructured by banks Having brought about economic recovery, our task now is to secure it and spread the benefits. Labour is focused on the social recovery where every person, family and community will feel the benefit of renewed prosperity. Every step of the way, Labour will continue to guard the public purse, ensure there is no return to crisis and focus on putting money back in your pocket and delivering reliable public services.

CONTACT Address: Dáil Éireann, Kildare Street, Dublin 2 Email: [email protected] [email protected] SEÁN KENNY TD Phone: 01 618 3744 (Dáil) Mobile: 086 812 6340 Web: www.seankenny.ie

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Member of Oireachtas Committees: Transport & Communications; Justice, Defence & Equality; Public Service Oversight & Petitions LOW PAY COMMISSION GARDA RECRUITMENT BEGINS WORK I am delighted with the news that the Garda College in Templemore has reopened in the last The new Low Pay Commission has begun its year for Garda Recruitment after the previous review of Ireland’s minimum wage and is Government closed it, as well as a further expected to deliver its first report by mid- investment in the Garda car fleet. In the next July. year there will be extra Gardaí on our streets, This is the next step in the Labour Party’s making sure our community is a safe place to efforts to reward work and bring greater live. fairness for low-paid workers as the economic recovery takes hold. BIG BOOST FOR APPRENTICESHIPS Having a job is the best protector against poverty and fair wages and conditions are Many large companies have now started to recruit apprentices for the first essential to that. time in years. First up was Irish Rail and Eircom, the ESB have also announced it is to recruit 300 apprenticeships over the next five years. I have received positive indications from my This is a genuine breakthrough which will bring huge benefits to young job- colleague Minister for Business and seekers. Employment, Ged Nash that 2015 will be I am looking forward to seeing the Government expand and enhance the role the year of the pay rise. of apprenticeships. For too long, apprenticeships have been undervalued. My colleagues Joan Burton and Jan O’Sullivan have been working tremendously hard promoting the value of apprenticeships to every industry in Ireland. FREE GP CARE FOR Apprenticeships are the best route to higher pay levels. Skills can command UNDER 6S AND much higher pay rates as the economy grows and employers start to hire again. I want new apprenticeships to be higher up the value chain OVER 70S commanding higher incomes. The government deal with the doctors (IMO) will mean an additional 270,000 children under 6 will benefit from GP care LABOUR'S €3.8 BILLION free at the point of service. The agreement is HOUSING PACKAGE the first step in the phased introduction of a universal GP service without fees. Labour Minister for the Environment, Alan Kelly, announced a €3.8 billion social housing package in November. One of the main priorities for Labour in The long-drawn out negotiations will include Government is to address the challenge of providing social housing for the an agreed cycle of care for children people of this country; this strategy sets out how this priority will be diagnosed with asthma. The agreement is achieved. The Social Housing Social Strategy 2020 includes: due to commence this summer and will also I Supplying 35,000 additional social housing units at a cost of €3.8 billion provide GP care for all people over the age over the next 6 years; of 70. I Estimated 29,000 Jobs in construction and promotion of mixed-tenure developments; I Meeting the housing needs of some 75,000 households through local authority provision via the private rented sector -using Housing Assistance Payment and Rental Accommodation Scheme; I Reforming social housing delivery and management in Ireland; I Establishing the Dublin Social Housing Delivery Taskforce, to respond to the current supply difficulties and focus on the delivery of social housing in the Dublin area; I Sets out road map to accommodate everyone on the Housing Waiting Lists by 2020 (90,000 households). If you would like Seán to post you a copy of the Social Housing Strategy 2020, you can send him an email at [email protected] BELMAYNE/CLONGRIFFIN ROADS UPDATE Earlier this year, developers opened two roads for public traffic in Belmayne and Clongriffin. In Belmayne, Parkside Boulevard linking the Malahide Road to the Hole in the Wall Road is now open following the removal of planter boxes there. This should assist traffic flows generally in that area and especially access to the Belmayne primary school. Also there is a new road that leads from Marrsfield Avenue to Clongriffin Square and train station, that should Deputy Seán Kenny Speaking in Dail Debate on facilitate DART commuters. These roads remain the responsibility of the Spring Statement 2015 developers concerned as they are not taken in charge by . SEÁN KENNY TD KEEPING IN TOUCH SUMMER 2015 LOCAL NEWS

NURSING HOME PLANNING APPLICATIONS NORTH CENTRAL AREA 2015

Reg. Ref. Address Applicant Decision Unit Nos./Development Under Construction

St Gabriel’s Nursing Home, SGNH Limited New Alteration/Change of New Application 2669/15 Glenayle Road/Tonlegee Road, Application use of existing laundry Edenmore, Dublin 5 rooms to provide 2 x ensuite bedrooms

Former Smurfit Kappa Facility, New 2650/15 TLC Spectrum 149 bedroom Nursing New Application Tonlegee Road, , Dublin Limited Application Home 5

83 bedroom Nursing Newbrook 0.46ha site in Clongriffin, Dublin GRANTED Home (extension of 4477/09/x1 Nursing 13, bounded by Park Avenue. 20/2/15 duration of original Home Park Terrace South and Park Row planning permission)

Spectrum Site formally identified as Block 147 bedroom Nursing Under Developments GRANTED 2898/13 6 (Burnell Wood) and Site 7, Home construction Mayne River Street, Northern Ltd 28/2/15 Cross

DONAGHMEDE MEN’S SHED GROUP VISIT GREENDALE COURT SENIOR CITIZEN AT INVITATION OF SEÁN KENNY COMPLEX TD MAY 2015 Dublin City Council informed Deputy Sean Kenny earlier this year that the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government has approved funding for the conversion of a number of zero bed units, in complexes throughout the City, into one bed units. The existing empty block at the Older persons’ complex at Greendale is included in this proposal. It is intended that work will begin on some of the citywide complexes over the coming months. However as the layout of the units in Greendale is nonstandard, a different solution is required to that being generally implemented throughout the city. Therefore proposals are currently being progressed and a Part 8 planning process will be launched by the end of May 2015. DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL PRIORY HALL IMPACT OF CONSTRUCTION WORK AT UPDATE APRIL 2015 BALDOYLE INDUSTRIAL ESTATE ON A letter of acceptance has been signed by Dublin City Council to allow the appointment of a contractor to Phase 4 (Block 1) RESIDENTS (awaiting the receipt of the project bond) to complete by year Deputy Seán Kenny and Cllr. Alison Gilliland raised the end 2015. concerns of Carndonagh Road residents with the Director of A letter of acceptance has been signed by Dublin City Council Planning, Fingal County Council, regarding breaches of to allow the appointment of a contractor to Phase 5a- strip out planning permission conditions during construction work at of Blocks 8 to 20 ( awaiting only the receipt of the project units 23, 24, and 25, Baldoyle Industrial Estate earlier this bond ) year. As a result Fingal County Council carried out an Phases 6 and 7 (Blocks 8 to 20) will be in two packages and it is investigation at the site. For details of the investigation intended to send these to tender by January 2016. Commence by April 16 and complete by year end 2016. outcome see www.seankenny.ie/news Phase 5b (basements and roads) is currently being tendered. Tender return is 24th April and our expectation is that these WHAT’S HAPPENING IN YOUR AREA? works can complete by end 2015. Phases 1 to 3 ( Blocks 2 to 7) will be completed on various For regular updates on meetings of Dublin phased dates from May to August 2015. Phases 1-3 (Blocks 2-7) City Council North Central Area will be handed back by Dec 15/Jan 16 when Phase 5B is Committee, and meetings of Fingal completed. County Council Howth-Malahide Area Dublin City Council are providing extensive landscaping to this Committee see www.seankenny.ie/news scheme. SEÁN KENNY TD KEEPING IN TOUCH SUMMER 2015 SEÁN KENNY TD KEEPING IN TOUCH SUMMER 2015

RECENT LOCAL ISSUES RAISED FOR TOPICAL DEBATE BY SEÁN KENNY TD IN DAIL 2015

Seán Kenny TD raised the matter of the impact of Cadbury’s transfer of Timeout Bar production to Poland

Seán Kenny TD raised the need for grant assistance for homeowners replacing lead pipes

More details for these debates can be accessed at www.labour.ie or viewed on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/SeanKennyTD

USEFUL CONTACTS/WEBSITES Community Law & Mediation, formerly Northside Community Law and Mediation JobBridge - National Internship Programme Better Energy: Warmer Homes: Sustainable Centre, based in Northside Civic Centre, is an Ph: 1800 303 515, www.jobbridge.ie Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) independent, community-based organisation Ph:1800 250 204, www.seai.ie that works to empower individuals experiencing Springboard - Training Courses disadvantage by providing free legal www.bluebrick.ie Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) information, free legal advice, education and Ph: 0761 07 2000 Mon - Fri, 9am - 8pm mediation services. Citizens Information www.mabs.ie See www.communitylawmediation.ie Ph: 0761 07 4000 (Phone 01 847 7804) www.citizensinformation.ie YOUR LABOUR TEAM WORKING FOR YOU

Seán Kenny’s Advice Centres Every Monday 10am - 10.45am Unit 1, Rear Community Sports Hall, Darndale Every Monday 11.15am - 12 noon Donnycarney Community and Youth Centre (Le Chéile) Every Thursday 7pm - 8pm Ard Scoil La Salle, Road Every Saturday 10.30am - 11.30am Concorde Lounge, Edenmore Shopping Centre Aodhán Ó Ríordáin TD Cllr Alison Gilliland Every Saturday 11.30am to 12 noon Minister of State 086 6015154 Foxhound Inn, Greendale Shopping Centre 01 857 4020 [email protected] Every Saturday 12 noon to 12.30pm [email protected] Twitter: @AlisonGilliland Donaghmede Inn (Excluding Bank Holiday Weekends and months of July and August) Seán Kenny TD Facebook: Gilliland.Alison1 CONTACT Address: Dáil Éireann, Kildare Street, Dublin 2 facebook.com/SeanKennyTD @SeanKennyTD SEÁN KENNY TD Phone: 01 618 3744 (Dáil) Mobile: 086 812 6340 Email: [email protected] [email protected] Web: www.seankenny.ie youtube.com/user/SeanKennyTD 0612