KEEPING IN TOUCH Michael McCarthy TD Summer 2015 DELIVERING FOR WEST 1. PRESIDENT VISITS 2. FREE GP CARE FOR UNDER 6s& OVER 70s The President accompanied by his wife, Sabina made The rollout of free GP care for children an official visit to West Cork. Their first official stop aged under 6 is good news for local was the Island Heritage Centre on Cape Clear. As families. Labour in Government has part of his visit President Higgins also marked the also ensured that adults aged over 70 20th anniversary of Gaelscoil Mhíchíl Uí Choileáin in will benefit from free GP care. This and attended official engagements in means that from this summer up to Skibbereen including the opening of the €3.5 300,000 children and older people who Michael with President Higgins million West Cork Arts Centre and unveiled the new currently have to pay for GP care will no longer have to. Michael with Minister for Primary Care Centenary Memorial to Jeremiah O’Donovan Rossa at the memorial park. Kathleen Lynch 3. DUNMANWAY SWIMMING POOL 4. INVESTING IN LOCAL SCHOOLS Minister for Education The first foundation has & Skills Jan O'Sullivan been laid at the site of recently announced the new Dunmanway that 12 Schools in West swimming pool. Minister Cork are set to benefit Michael Ring, who has from the €36m responsibility for Sport, Summer Works did the honours. Scheme. They include Ballyheeda NS, I am delighted that I was Ballinhassig; able to play a pivotal NS; SN Clogach, role in bringing this €5 Clogach, Timoleague; million state of the art SN Baile Muine, development to Ballineen; Togher NS, Dunmanway, which will Dunmanway; Minister Jan O'Sullivan on a recent visit to be a huge boost for our Castletownsend Mixed local community. Michael, Minister Ring and Former Senator Michael Calnan NS, Skibbereen; SN Oir Cheann, ; Timoleague NS; SN Fionan Na Reanna, Nohoval; SN Fhiachna, Glengarriff; SN Chobh Chionn Tsaile and St. Brogan’s 5. WEST CORK TO BENEFIT FROM College, Bandon. BROADBAND EXPANSION 6. NEW Eircom have announced that they are to significantly expand access to high speed fibre broadband in rural benefiting a number of areas in West Cork. CLASSROOMS In West Cork broadband will be expanded to include Ardgroom, , Allihies, The Right Reverend Dr. Paul Colton Caheragh, Churchcross, Dunderrow, Goleen, Inchydoney, Kilcrohane, Lislevane, recently opened a new extension to Lyre, Pedlar's Cross, Rossmore, Terelton and Templemartin. This expanded Bandonbridge National School. In the footprint will hugely benefit families and businesses in West Cork. last 4 years more than €159 million has been provided for major school building projects in Cork. Michael with the Right Reverend Dr. Paul Colton 7. EMPLOYMENT FIGURES Figures provided by the CSO show there has been a 11.42% fall in the number of people signing on the Live Register in Cork County in the past year. The live 8. TOURISM FIGURES register fell by over 15% in Bandon, Clonakilty, Kinsale and Skibbereen. Ireland This year is set to be a record year for tourism in Ireland. 1.5 millions trips were now has the fastest growing employment rate of anywhere in Europe and this is made to Ireland by overseas visitors in the first three months of 2015, an increase expected to continue in 2015. This is a huge turnaround from the situation we of 14.1%. This is great news for Irish tourism and is a reflection of the hard work inherited in 2011, with 300,000 jobs lost across the State. of all those involved in the industry. 9. WEST CORK SAYS YES TO MARRIAGE EQUALITY I was delighted that Cork South West was one of the constituencies with a YES vote of more than 60% in the recent referendum on Marriage Equality. The turnout of voters reached a level usually only seen at a general election. Young voters showed a strong commitment to the issue. I am proud the Labour Party played such a leading role in putting the matter before the people and campaigning for such a landslide victory. Thanks to everyone in West Cork who took part in the campaign, shared their stories, and voted in the referendum. The Dáil will now have to pass the Marriage Bill which will provide in law for the solemnisation of same-sex marriages. Michael welcomes the Yes Equality Bus to Clonakilty

Constituency Office: Tel: 023 8855705 www.michaelmccarthy.ie @mmccarthyTD CONTACT MICHAEL: Market Square, Dunmanway, Co. Cork Email: [email protected] DELIVERING FORIRELAND Michael supporting DunnesStoresMichael supporting workers inClonakilty 7. PUBLICSECTOR PAY DEAL 6. NEWLAW TO PROTECT WORKERS adjustments to the public sector pension levy and a partial reversaladjustments tothepublicsectorpensionlevy andapartial ofpay cutsimposedin2010by theprevious Fianna Fáil/Green/ IndependentGovernment. agreement willdeliver a€ I ampleasedthatmy colleagueMinisterBrendan Howlin T.D. hasreached agreement inconcludingpublicsectorpay talksonbehalfofourpublicservants. This about pay andworking conditionsofworkers canbeenforced. The new Industrial Relations Amendment Billwillprovide legal protection for workers, by bringing inRegistered Employment Agreement (REAs). Itmeansthatrules FROM CRISIS TO RECOVERY 3. FUNDINGFORCARERS FAMILY SUPPORT 1. BACK TO WORK Joan Burton confirmed that€ Joan Burton Eligible groups in West Cork shouldapply for anew € self-employed. Further detailsare available atlocalIntreo offices. who take upemployment, increase theirhours ofemployment orbecome children who were getting jobseeker andone-parent family payments providesscheme aweekly payment for upto2years topeoplewith to helpfamilies tomove from socialwelfare intoemployment. The The new to Back Work Family DividendannouncedinBudget 2015aims I I I I I I reliable publicservices. Every stepoftheway, Labourwillcontinue toguard thepublicpurse, ensure there isnoreturn tocrisis andfocus onputtingmoney inyour back pocket anddelivering families before thepoliticsofprotest andmegaphones. practical andeffective policiesthatcopperfasten rather thenwreck theeconomicrecovery. And we needanapproach thatputstheneedsofreal peopleandtheir There isstillalotofwork tobedone ensure thateveryone -every worker, family andpensioner-feels thebenefit oftheeconomicrecovery. Buttodothiswe need Irish people, have builtthisrecovery. 2014 was theyear when oureconomicrecovery began toaccelerate. Tough decisionshave beenmadebutthese, along withthedeterminationandsacrifice ofthe Strong figures export andreturn ofconsumerconfidence Budget deficit down from € € 410,000 low paidworkers taken outofUSC Unemployment below 9%from ahighof15.1% Over 100,000new jobscreated since2011 3.8 billionfor SocialHousinginvestment 2,000 pay increase over two years. This ofaprocess torestore isthestart thepay ofpublicsectorworkers andwillinvolve acombination of 1 millionwillbeprovided forandtraining. support Full detailsonthisare available onwww.pobal.ie. 22 billionto€ 5 billion McCarthy TD Michael Web: www.michaelmccarthy.ie Email: [email protected] Tel: 0238855705 Market Square, Dunmanway, Co. Cork Constituency Office: 1 million funding scheme for1 millionfundingscheme homecarers. The Tánaiste, Ministerfor SocialProtection, @mmccarthyTD 4. BACK TO SCHOOL this payment tocall1890662244. intheautumn.children asthey toschool headback Iwould urge anyone who feels they may beentitledto paymenta very important tomany families asithelpstoprovide withthenecessarycostsfor growing Clothing&FootwearThe toSchool Back Allowance willissueautomatically to106,460peopleinJuly. This is 5. LOW PAY COMMISSION of employment from pay andconditionstocompetitiveness andtheneedtoprotect existing jobs. Gael Government restored theminimum wage to€ The new Low Pay Commission hasbegunitsreview oftheminimum wage. In2011thenew Labour-Fine I I I I I MicroFinance Ireland provides loansof upto€ 92,517 fewer peopleonNationalLive Register 1,700 new teachers andSNAswillbeemployed in2015 High speedbroadband installedinall2ndlevel schools New Strategic BankingCorporation toaidSMEs 10 peopleorless. ADAPTATIONS GRANTS 2. HOUSING including stairliftsandaccessramps. to provide aidstoimprove mobilitywithinthehome and peoplewithadisabilitytoextend theirhomesor in Cork CityandCounty. This willallow olderpeople € The Government recently announcedanallocationof 5.4 millionfor housingadaptationsgrants for homes 8.65 perhour. The Commission willexamine allaspects office at11am office Friday constituency Advice centre every 25,000 tobusinesseswho employ

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