KEEPING IN TOUCH TD Autumn 2014

1.Strengt hening the Dom Eco estic STATEMENT OF PRIORITIES nomy & Prioriti In July 2014, the government agreed a statement of new priorities for the remainder of its term. These priorities sing New for the U Jobs reflect many of the key concerns of ordinary working people. nemployed Three years since this Government took office to rescue the country from the worst financial crisis it has ever suffered, 2.Delivering Better Living an Ireland is in a much better place. The live register is down almost 3.5% and the Troika has checked out of Ireland for Worki d the last time. ng Standards 3.Im However there are still long term problems that need solutions. proving Housi ng Availability & The shortage of housing stock is now becoming even more apparent. This is yet another legacy from the previous Affordability government who failed to build any local authority homes during the Celtic Tiger years. Reducing the current waiting lists and building more local authority homes is now a government priority thanks to the . 4.Responsible and Sustainable Reform of the industrial relations system has been discussed for some time and recently, Labour Minister Management has announced that new structures will be in place by the end of the year to protect vulnerable workers. Furthermore, of the Public thanks to the Labour Party there is now a government commitment to establishing a Low Pay Commission to try to Finances help those in employment who are struggling. 5.Rebuildin As we approach 2016, I feel it is important that we engage with the idea of a New Republic, one where we reflect on g Trust in Politics & Publi the past and to look to correct our mistakes into the future. I look forward to making my contribution in ensuring Institutions c that this happens. 6.Protec ting & Enhanci N ng Peace in DOLPHIN HOUSE - HOUSING PRIORITY orthern Ireland A €16 million regeneration of Dolphin House is to begin in the New Year. Under the first phase of WORKING WITH development, existing flats will be reconfigured to make 63 larger ERIC BYRNE TD apartments, and 37 additional houses and apartments will be Cllr. (Crumlin Kimmage constructed. The reconfiguration Ward): Rebecca is currently a member of work will see buildings stripped City Council for Dublin 8, Crumlin and back to their skeleton, the Kimmage. She was elected to Dublin City replacement of all sewage systems Council in 2009 and retained her seat in May and drains, water and electricity 2014 and has been tirelessly working on the key issues that matter to people such as services. It will also involve the dumping, green spaces, regeneration, anti socal removal of some internal non- behavior and transport. She has a BA in Media structural walls and the addition of and Marketing and a Masters degree in balconies and lifts. Flats will be International Relations. Before entering politics she worked for an amalgamated to make larger units. international development charity based in Dublin. She is currently a Typically a floor of six flats would teacher based in Dublin 1. be knocked through to create four new flats, with three-bedroom units Michael O’Sullivan (Ballyfermot - Drimnagh becoming two-bedroom units and Ward): Michael O’Sullivan was selected to replace Deputy Eric Byrne on Dublin City two-bedroom becoming one- Council in March 2011, Michael lives in bedroom. Drimnagh and is from Walkinstown. Michael has a strong interest in education and justice TD IS THE NEW LABOUR LEADER issues. Having previously worked as a residential social worker in the inner city, he Joan Burton TD has been elected leader of the Labour Party and currently works in the area of education and nominated as Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection following the campaigning around concerns relating to global justice and the environment. He is a founder member of both the decision of TD to stand down as Party Leader. Ms Burton Migrant Rights Centre of Ireland and the Irish Debt and Development said on her election that her single aim would be ‘to improve living Coalition, and continues to serve on the board of MRCI. standards for every person, family and community, so that economic recovery works for the many and not just the few.’ Gary Honer: Gary is a native of Crumlin, born The Dublin-West TD is the first woman leader of the Labour Party in its and raised on Clonmacnoise road. He attended, the Marist National School on Clogher Road, hundred year history. Crumlin C.B.S. and Trinity College Dublin. Gary Labour in government, she said, had no choice but to focus on economic was a candidate in the Crumlin-Kimmage ward rescue. But, she said, maybe ‘we governed too much with the head and in the recent local elections. He works in the not enough with the heart.’ Jobs’ she said, must be our first priority and Dáil with Eric Byrne, T.D. ,where he assists people with a wide range of social issues. Gary she was committed to the establishment of a low pay commission – an is a strong believer in social justice and independent body to advise on the appropriate level of the minimum equality of opportunity, he wants to be part of wage and related issues. Her overarching aim, Ms Burton said, was to ‘drive a social as well as an economic recovery, so a new generation of politics, where people come first. that every person, family and community shares in a renewed prosperity’.

CONTACT Dáil Éireann, Phone: 01 618 3223 facebook.com/ Kildare Street, Email: [email protected] EricByrneTD ERIC BYRNE TD Dublin 2 Web: www.ericbyrne.ie @EricByrneTD HOUSING UPDATE HAP The new Housing Assistance Payment will replace rent supplement for people who qualify for social housing support. It will ensure that all long-term housing support is accessed through each local authority, and will improve standards of accommodation for tenants with a more coherent system of inspection under the control of the local authority. Tenants receiving HAP will be able to take up employment and still retain housing support. The new system will specifically provide a route for HAP tenants to apply for other social housing options. HOME RENOVATION INCENTIVE Tax relief of 13.5% will be available for families who invest in their homes in 2014 and 2015. This initiative is designed to incentivise renovations and increase demand for small construction jobs. The relief will be given as a tax credit over two years on spending of €5,000 up to a max of €30,000 and must take place in your principal private residence. The scheme will only apply to registered builders with a tax clearance certificate.

LOW PAY COMMISSION & REGISTERED EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS Tánaiste Joan Burton has confirmed that the Government would set up a commission on low pay. This was a Labour proposal and will be an independent statutory body and will make annual recommendations to the Government about the appropriate level of the minimum wage and related matters. By taking politics out of the issue of low pay we will ensure there will be no more attacks on low paid workers to suit short-term whims.

The Government would also prioritise the enactment of the collective bargaining legislation, as approved by the Government, to protect and enhance workers’ rights further. Dublin South Central T.D. Eric Byrne welcomed news that the Government has approved the beginning of drafting legislation to replace the system of Registered Employment Agreements. Eric said "along with the legislation allowing for collective bargaining and the process that will see the creation of the Low Pay Commission, Labour in Government is demonstrating its commitment to a fair society and a recovery of the economy in a way that is putting workers first”. MORE PEOPLE GETTING BACK TO WORK LABOUR REVERSES FIANNA When Labour entered Government in 2011, we said that our single biggest task was to restore the FÁIL FEES FOR INFORMATION economic and financial health of the country, and to do 15.1%

so in a way that would increase the numbers of people r The decision to abolish the application fee of €15 for Freedom of e

t 11.5% s

at work.We never said that we had a magic wand that i Information requests is a radical, reforming move by the Minister for g

would fix the problem overnight, and there are still e Public Expenditure and Reform . The Labour Party has R

many further measures that we need to take.For e

v always strongly supported the idea of Freedom of Information across i instance, I welcome the recent announcement by L all government services since we introduced the Bill in 1997, until it Minister Gerald Nash that the Small Business Advisory was watered down by Fianna Fáil in 2003.In this Dáil, Minister Group is to be revamped and restructured, so that it Howlin has introduced a large amount of reforming legislation on better reflects the reality of SMEs in Ireland.I believe Inquiries, lobbying and protection of whistleblowers, that the agri-food, hospitality, technology, construction, 2011 2014 alongside the Freedom of Information Bill, that will help to create a logistics, financial services and professional services more open and transparent democracy in Ireland. sectors should be represented in this group as should new Irish entrepreneurs who have made Ireland their home.

Recent new figures on jobs have shown that over the last year 31,600 extra people are now at work. The number of people at work now stands at 1.9 million, the highest figure since the end of 2009. The Live Register has dropped for 25 months in a row and stands at 11.5%, compared with a high of 15.1% just over two years ago. It is also very positive that the number of people in full-time work has increased by 33,500.

The fees, barriers and restrictions introduced by Fianna Fáil are being USEFUL CONTACTS/WEBSITES hugely reduced with this new legislation that will overhaul our FOI law and extend its reach to nearly all publicly funded bodies. JobBridge - National Internship Programme Better Energy: Warmer Homes: Sustainable Ph: 1800 303 515, www.jobbridge.ie Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) Eric said: Ph:1800 250 204, www.seai.ie Springboard - Training Courses “I am delighted with the introduction of these reforms. People should www.bluebrick.ie not have to pay for basic information about how our government Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) works, or how people’s taxes are spent. This Bill will reverse the unfair Citizens Information Ph: 0761 07 2000 Mon - Fri, 9am - 8pm charges Fianna Fáil introduced in most cases and is a big step in Ph: 0761 07 4000, www.citizensinformation.ie www.mabs.ie changing the way we do politics in Ireland.”

If you wish to raise any issue with me, whether personal, local or national, please contact me. Eric Byrne TD Working with your local Labour team Dáil Éireann, Kildare Street, Dublin 2

Phone: 01 618 3223 Email: [email protected] Web: www.ericbyrne.ie

facebook.com/ EricByrneTD Cllr Rebecca Moynihan Michael O'Sullivan Gary Honer Michael Conaghan TD 087 9566588 087 1370972 087 7519019 01 618 4033 @EricByrneTD [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 2 1 6 0