The following article appeared in the Irish Daily Mirror on Monday 24th February Policing and Accountability It is vital that we can have trust and confidence in the people who police us. It is one of the most important principles of a democratic society. Every working day, Gardaí put their lives on the line. We depend on them to keep us safe and to keep our communities safe. Read More
I had the honour this week of officially opening a new care centre for people with diabetes. Diabetes Ireland, the national representative body for people with diabetes, operate the new service in Northwood in Santry. A wide range of free and subsidised services for people with diabetes are already operating from the new centre. Services operating from the centre include podiatry, dietary advice, retinopathy, counselling, and education. Indeed a free diabetes education programme for people Read More
Over the past number of weeks, St. Vincent’s Hospital group has faced a number of questions from the media and from the Oireachtas about salary top-ups for its senior personnel. All of the attention has rightly focussed on these incredible top-ups. However, the affair has also exposed a peculiarity about the management and corporate structure of the St. Vincent’s Hospital Group where senior hospital staff are in receipt of payments Read More
Extract from my Dáil contribution on new Pension rules for insolvent private sector pension schemes… This Bill proposes to allow for the reordering of the priorities in the event of the insolvency or restructuring of a defined benefit pension scheme. It also provides the Government’s legislative response to the Waterford Crystal workers’ situation by introducing minimum pension guarantees in certain circumstances where a double insolvency exists and I will say Read More
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The inclusion of Finglas in a new children and parenting initiative is to be very much welcomed. Under the area-based children’s programme, or ABC Programme, it is proposed to provide much better services for parents and children in Finglas South, Finglas West and part of Finglas East. The funding, which is co-sponsored by Atlantic Philanthropies and the Department of Children & Youth Affairs, will allow for a new range of services Read More
Budget changes affecting the medical card entitlement of people who have recently returned to work will mean that thousands of new workers will pay higher taxes – on top of losing their medical card. Under Medical Card rules, medical card holders are allowed to retain their card for three years if they have rejoined the workforce from long-term unemployment. On Budget day, it was announced by the Minister for Health Read More
A long-standing campaign by residents of Magenta Crescent to have a pedestrian crossing close to their estate bore fruit this week following a decision by Dublin City Council. For more than a decade, residents have been campaigning for a pedestrian crossing so that they can access services on the western side of Santry Village. The need became even greater once the AIB bank was constructed in Santry. Residents, especially older residents, were Read More
Dáil Speech on Finance (No. 2) Bill, 2013 – High End Pensions Protected despite Budget Promises – Golden Circle of Government Wins Again In last year’s budget speech, Minister Noonan said: “I want to clarify the Government’s policy: “Tax relief on pension contributions will only serve to subsidise pension schemes that deliver income of up to €60,000 p.a. This will take effect from 1st January 2014….” “… The Pension Levy…will Read More
4,000 parents drawn into tax net as a result of Budget changes for separated parents – A further 5,500 extra people will now pay tax at the higher rate from the same set of measures A reply to a Dáil question provided to me yesterday evening shows the true extent of the impact of the tax changes affecting separated parents. 3,980 people previously outside the income tax net will now Read More