SENATOR LORRAINE HIGGINS KEEPING IN TOUCH The Labour Party Summer 2015 A note from Senator Lorraine Higgins Another year is flying by. As we pass the midway point it is good to reflect on the things achieved over the past few months. It has been a very busy time for my team and I and this is set to continue. Tuam is always on my agenda and I would like to take this opportunity to draw your attention to the local issues I’ve worked to address in recent times.

FIGHTING TO HAVE ESTATES TAKEN IN CHARGE I was appalled to read about the plight of a number of housing estates in Tuam whose residents are seeking to be taken in charge by County Council to no avail. Homeowners and tenants have been terribly let down and this simply cannot continue. I have raised the matter in the Seanad and will continue to fight until this issue is resolved to the benefit of residents.

CHAMPIONING SOCIAL TUAM BABIES INQUIRY The tragedy of the Tuam Mother and Baby home is one that HOUSING INVESTMENT has moved us all. While the time in which these horrible Ireland’s social housing waiting lists urgently need to be events is past, as a community and as a society we still live tackled. I lobbied Minister for the Environment, Community with their effects today. and Local Government Alan Kelly to get the ball rolling on With a public inquiry on the horizon, I am calling on the social housing infrastructure locally. To this end, I am pleased Commission of Investigation to ensure that the work of said to report that 25 homes are to be developed at Weir Road, inquiry be based locally so that the community can get a Tuam at a cost of €4.2 million. While only the start, this will sense of justice being done. Those affected who are still in go some way to meeting local demand for these homes. This the area, particularly the elderly, would not have to travel is an issue I am continuing to work on and I would urge great distances to participate. anyone struggling with housing concerns, be it in relation to homelessness, repossession, mortgage arrears and so on, to I am also urging church authorities to cooperate in every contact me. Be assured I will do everything I can to assist. necessary way to enable the inquiry to do its work and to honour the memory of all those who suffered by securing the THE GREENWAY SOLUTION justice they so deserve. Despite assertions to the contrary, there is little to no likelihood of the Western Railway corridor being reinstated. We could see that when TEN-T funds from Europe were not allocated to our region given the fact we do not have a critical mass of population amongst other factors. The reality is Exchequer funds are not going to be used to reinstate train services along this line because it does not make economic sense. For the sake of towns like Tuam which lie along the old railway route, we need to think realistically and practically about the future. To this end, redeveloping the railway corridor as a greenway stands to reap significant rewards for local communities. Investing in a greenway route would be an investment in tourism and jobs. Reopening the rail corridor makes little sense when one considers the quality of our road network and the critical issue of demand. I am writing to each Councillor to ask them to put it on the Council agenda that Galway County Council pass a motion requiring the Executive to apply for funding to make the greenway proposal a reality. It is my wish that this project gets all the support and investment it needs and I am delighted to lend my support to all the excellent work being done by the Tuam and separately the - Mayo greenway groups. MINISTER LYNCH VISITS TUAM HEALTH CARE FACILITIES I was delighted to welcome Minister of State at the Department of Health Kathleen Lynch to Galway East on July 2nd and to spend the day visiting some of the area’s key health facilities. As ever, I was humbled and impressed by the tireless work of staff, who do so much for so many in very challenging environments. In particular, I would like to extend my sincerest thanks for the excellent tour Minister Lynch and I received of the Tuam Health Care Centre. I would also like to extend my gratitude to all at the Tuam District Mental Health Association for an engaging discussion on the issues facing our health system. It was wonderful to see such resolve towards working together to deal with mental health problems facing our communities. Minister Lynch and I visited the site of Tuam’s new primary care centre, which is expected to be completed by late 2016 or early 2017. In addition to housing doctor and community nursing teams, the new centre will also offer a GP Out of Hours Service, as well as a Area Medical Officer, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Social Work, Speech & Language Therapy, Home Help, Dental Services, Psychology & Counselling Services, Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services.

APPLE SHOULD CONTRIBUTE TO A CYCLEWAY/WALKWAY FOR THE TOWN I recently made a suggestion that the developers of the project should be asked to consider contributing funding for a related local amenity project that would install a cycleway/walkway along the route of the disused railway line from Tuam to and to extend that cycleway/walkway southwards from Athenry to Craughwell alongside the existing ‘live’ railway. CYBER BULLYING LEGISLATION FREE GP CARE I recently drafted and launched new internet safety legislation Harmful and Malicious FOR UNDER 6s Electronic Communications Bill 2015 whose purpose is to protect and mitigate harm AND OVER 70s caused to individuals by all or any digital The rollout of free GP care for 5214 communications and to provide such children aged under 6 from Galway individuals with a means of redress for any East is good news for local families. such offending behaviours directed at them. Many people worry about the cost of It is wrong that there are penalties for the bringing their child to the doctor so victims of abuse and threats online in that free GP care for children under 6 will their mental health may very well be make a real difference to a family's affected but there are no penalties or household budget. deterrents for the instigators of these abuse or threats. I am looking for cross party We have also ensured that adults aged support for it because it’s too important an over 70 will benefit from free GP care. issue to play political football with it as it This means that from this summer, up affects every household in the country. to 300,000 children and older people nationwide who currently have to pay A BETTER DEAL FOR OUR to see their GP will no longer have to. This is the first step in the phased TOWN CENTRES introduction of a universal, free GP Since 2007, our town centres have had to battle highly challenging economic service. It marks a shift towards conditions and increased competition from out-of-town shopping centres. These promoting health and wellbeing that shopping centres are usually dominated by major chains whose parent will benefit our health system as a companies make sizable profits while our town centres languish. This scenario whole. It is also an important milestone has a hugely detrimental effect on small businesses and communities who in achieving our priority of enhancing simply cannot compete. primary care and keeping people well in I really think the time has come where we need to look at proposing a tax on their own community. retailing giants. The income from this could then be funnelled into the regeneration of town centres instead of letting them die on their feet. Big multi-national retailers reflect the negative impact this kind of trading has had on communities right throughout Ireland. It is time to create a more equitable commercial sector where vital local businesses are not sacrificed to the profits of major chains. Having discussed this with many business people in my own constituency of Galway East I feel this proposal is warmly welcomed by them and other SMEs. I have contacted the Minister for Finance to consider this proposal in order to support the many independently run local businesses throughout the country. I have also proposed a Green Zone Parking initiative for all towns where there will be designated parking areas where you may park for free but only for a limited time e.g. two hours. These areas would be indicated by a green sign. All those availing of these free parking areas will be expected to display a ‘parking disc’ indicating their time of arrival. Failure to do so would result in a fine. On holidays and Sundays Green Zones would be free to park in all day.

SECURING A NEW BUILDING FOR GAELSCOIL IARFHLATHA After being made aware of the longstanding issue of securing a new school building for Gaelscoil Iarfhlatha, I wrote to the Minister for Education urging that the Department clarify the situation. Among the points I stressed was the simple fact that the pupils and teachers of Gaelscoil Iarfhlatha need much more than being put on the long finger. They need a new school building which the Department of Education has committed to providing. Above all, what they need to know now with absolute clarity and certainty is when work on the new building will commence and how soon will the school be operational so that their children can, at last, be taught in a fit-for-purpose environment. I will continue to work on this issue until it is resolved to the satisfaction of the school community.

0612 WE NEED A REDUCTION IN THE UNIVERSAL SOCIAL CHARGE Over the course of the last year both myself and a number of parliamentary colleagues have been fighting for a reduction in the Universal Social Charge. I feel this is a relic of Ireland’s insolvency and must be reduced so Irish families have more money in their pockets. People have made huge sacrifices over the course of the recession and now that the country is back on solid footing and expected to achieve 3.7% economic growth and be the fastest growing economy of the EU this year, now is the time to reward families for the difficult years they have sustained. Any reduction cannot be tokenism and must be real to reflect the sacrifices made by each and every one of us. My commitment to you is to fight to have this unfair tax reduced. Lorraine visitng Tuam Men's Shed TUAM CLINICS Following on from the hugely Get in touch… successful CV clinic I held recently I If you’d like regular updates from Lorraine, will be holding others over the visit her website at www.lorrainehiggins.com or connect summer together with a Free Legal with her on LinkedIn. Advice Clinic where you can get free advice on various legal matters. You can also follow her on Twitter (@LorHiggins) and Facebook (Lorraine Higgins). Feel free to contact my office on 091 842200 for details of both. She’s very active on social media, posting daily about employment news and local stories from around the constituency. Get in touch to have your say on issues I will also be holding my regular local and national, or send in a query. Lorraine would love to hear from you. Advice Clinics every second Monday. Tours of the Houses of the Oireachtas The political season is well underway with plenty of action in and around the Dáil and Seanad. As always, Senator Lorraine Higgins would be more than happy to facilitate tours for any interested constituents. If you, your family or friends would like to visit the Houses of the Oireachtas, please do not hesitate to contact her office on 091 842200.

Senator Lorraine Higgins

Constituency Office: Piggott Street, Loughrea Office: 091 842200 Email: [email protected] Web: www.lorrainehiggins.com @LorHiggins

0612