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Deputy Derek Keatinghas reiterated his callfor an Armed ResponseUnit to be assigned tothe Clondalkin/Lucanarea and he is saddenedthat a representative ofSinn Féin rejects thisappeal to the GardaCommissioner.
“It is understandablethat Sinn Féin mightcontinue to maintaintheir anti-State andanti-democratic policybut the reality is thatDublin Mid-West in thepast four months hasexceeded the national
figures for crimeincluding shootings,pipe bombs, robberiesand so-called"Republican IRA"membership.”
“I am concerned for thewelfare of the Garda inClondalkin and Lucanwho have to deal withthese criminal elementson a daily basis.
I do not want to seeanother Garda life lostin protecting the Stateagainst dissidentrepublicans whoseorigins are questionable
and who enjoy thesupport of somepolitical figures inDublin Mid-West.”
“As the duly electedand local TD forClondalkin/Lucan, Ipersonally representedDublin Mid-West inensuring that no GardaStation would be closedand I highlighted theneed for a new fleet ofGarda vehicles whenthe previousadministration putGarda lives at riskbecause of the type ofequipment and vehicles
that they had to use intheir fight against crimewere ancient andclapped out.”
“I welcome the Ministerfor Justicesannouncement in thelast number of weeksthat €3 million is to beprovided for newequipment and vehiclesfor the Garda.”
“As the local TD forClondalkin and Lucan, Idon’t need any memberof Sinn Féin to remindme of the tremendousdedicated and
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Sinn Féin DublinMid-Westrepresentative hasaccused Derek KeatingTD of “gross hypocrisy”after the Fine Gael TDcalled for more armedGardaí on our streets.
Ó broin said: “DerekKeating has called formore armed Gardaí onour streets. His callcame after a number ofincidents of seriouscrime in Lucan andClondalkin.”
“Deputy Keating has acheek to release such astatement. Hisstatement is nothingshort of grosshypocrisy.”
“Since Fine Gael andLabour took officeGarda numbers havebeen cut by 10%. Theforce is fastapproaching the criticalnumber of 13,000 andhas lost more than
1,000 officers sinceAlan Shatter becameMinister for Justice.”
“In addition to lessGardaí on our streets,local stations are beingclosed and Gardavehicles are beingreduced. All of this ishaving an impact on theability of the Gardaí totackle crime in ourcommunities.”
“Garda moral is at anall-time low. This year,for the first time, theGarda RepresentativeAssociation refused toinvite the Minister forJustice to speak at theirannual conference.”
“Derek Keatingsupported the two FineGael Labour budgetsthat implemented thecuts to Garda numbersand funding. To comeout now calling forincreased resources isnothing short of gross
KeAtinG “Gross HypoCrisy”on GArdAí And Crime
hypocrisy.”“If Deputy Keating wasgenuinely interested insupporting the Gardaíand reducing crime in
our communities hewould join with the restof us in opposing theproposed cuts to Gardaínumbers and funding
and call on the Ministerfor Justice Alan Shatterto lift the recruitmentembargo on emergencyservices.”
Armed GArdA Unitneeded From pAGe 1
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Sinn Fein spokespersonon Housing Dessie ellisTD has called on theMinister to work todevelop a binding codeof conduct to avoidrental tenants beenevicted in the event ofrepossessions. He madehis comments during adebate requested by
him in the Dáil.
Deputy elliscontinued:“Across thestate and especially inDublin we are facing acrisis within a crisis.This is the problem oflandlords who are notpaying their mortgagesand in doing so are
jeopardising thehousing of potentiallythousands of people.“In the last few weeks Ihave personally dealtwith five families inDublin who are facingeviction due to therepossession of theirrented homes. Thelenders want to sell and
wash their hands of theproperty, in some casesforcing the landlord toevict the familiesbefore they take over.“I spoke to emma, amother of two fromDrimnagh: 13 years onwaiting lists afraid toleave her home to go tospeak to the council
because she mightcome home to find thatshe has been evicted. “The long term solutionis to providesustainable publichousing which is notendangered by thewhims of the market,lenders or profit drivenlandlords. The more
immediate solution is toforce lenders to enterinto a code of conductin relation to tenants,especially those with anassessed social housingneed who areparticularly at risk ofhomelessness in theevent of eviction.“banks need to honour
tenancy agreements inconjunction with astrategy from LocalAuthorities to ensurethat no tenant is lefthomeless. As we faceincreased repossessionsdue to governmentpolicy this will onlybecome worse ifnothing is done.”
tenAnt eviCtions dUe to repossessions mUst Be Avoided
Chris bond- Labour Party councillor for TallaghtSouth has urged against excessive residentialdevelopment on Montpellier Hill in the newballycullen and Old Court area plan. Theballycullen/Oldcourt area plan encompasses asubstantial belt of land between the M50 andbohernabreena. Whilst certain aspects of the planare to be welcomed. Cllr bond is concerned aboutthe possibility of residential development on theside of the mountain. There is a large swathe ofundeveloped agricultural lands stretching in astraight line from the top of Hunterswood estateto bohernabreena Cottages. As of today it stillremains eligible for residential development.
‘’ As someone who grew up in Allenton estate Iknow the value of the existing landscape to thesouth of our estate and I am determined that itshould remain unspoilt, not only for local residentsbut the wider community who value this amenity’’
‘’I am campaigning for as much as possible of theselands to be designated for a: Public Park with thelong term objective of creating a public parklinking Oldcourt and ballycullen to the Hell FireClub Park’’
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eCo –weeK 2013South Dublin County Councils 9th Annual eco-Weekis a week long festival celebrating all thingsenvironmental and takes place on 22nd – 26thApril.There are lots of activities planned in many areasof the County – libraries, parks, Tallaght Stadiumand schools. There is something for everyone ineco-Week – members of the public, students andbusinesses. Workshops are provided by SouthDublin County Council free of charge. For moreinformation check out www.sdcc.ie
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9 PEOPLE€65Dublin South West Representative Seán Crowe TD withKillinardan resident Eileen McCelland and Amanda, StaffMember at the LauraLynn Ireland's Children's Hospice carefor children with life limiting conditions, where theydonated 2690 euros raised recently through a SponsoredWalk in Tymon Park, Tallaght
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The national ConsumerAgency (nCA) study into theretail prices of prescriptiondrugs, has been warmlywelcomed by Deputyeamonn Maloney.
"The nCA is to becommended for its work anddeserves our sincere thanksfor highlighting this issue.The media and politicians
have tended to concentrateon the manufacturers ofmedicines where pricing isconcerned, while thepharmacies have been silenton the variations in chargesfor medicines.""The percentage differencein price of individualprescription medicinesrange from 39% to 119%.The average percentage
stop mUGGinG tHe ConsUmerwitH tHe priCe oF mediCine
difference across allproducts nationally is 56%.In terms of how theconsumer is being misled,the average price variationamong the 39 prescriptionmedicines included in thestudy is 30% and 27% inGalway and Waterfordrespectively. Thecorresponding figure forCork and Limerick is 29%.These are hugh variations. InDublin the cost of aparticular drug used to treatstomach complaints varies inprice from €19.96 to €42.33,a difference of 112%. Giventhe variations in price of thesame product in a small citylike Dublin, pharmacies havesome questions to answer."
"Those who are losing as aresult of the excessivepricing are the consumerand through the drugsrefund scheme, thetaxpayer. I have neverbelieved in self regulation.Historically it has notworked well in this country.The nCA study has clearlyshown that somepharmacies, when left totheir own devices,willengage in overpricing. As
legislators we must nowensure the speedy passageof the Health (Pricing andSupply of Medical Goods) bill2012 through the Dail andSeanad. This legislation willpromote price competitionamong suppliers andpharmacists and ensure thatlower prices are paid forthose medicines, resulting infurther savings for both theconsumer and the taxpayer."
"The issue is excessive pricevariation, particularly in thiscity, where one can paydouble the price dependingon where you live. If oneadds such price variation tothe prices of medicationunder the drugs refundscheme, consumers are hittwice. The consumer isbeing mugged with regard toto the prices charged formedications in certainpharmacies. The taxpayer isalso being mugged becausewith medicines priced atthis level, they reach theceiling under the drugsrefund scheme muchquicker. The need forregulation in the pricing ofmedicine is urgentlyrequired.
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Fine Gael Senator forDublin South-West, CaitKeane, has said thelaunch of InsolvencyService Ireland’s publicinformation campaignwill allow those whoare struggling with theburden of debt to find away out of theirfinancial difficulties. “Many people inTallaght and acrossDublin South-West, andright across Ireland,feel crippled under theweight of debts thatwere acquired duringthe boom. For these
people, the burden isoverwhelming and thecause of considerablestress in their everydaylives. With this in mind,the Governmentadvanced legislation atthe end of last year toset the wheel in motionto help people to get ontop of their debts, finda way out and to beginagain to play a role inour economicrecovery.”“Insolvency ServiceIreland (ISI) launched apublic informationcampaign to enable
people to find the bestway of dealing withtheir debts, dependingon their situation. Thewebsite www.isi.gov.ieis now live and offers awealth of informationabout debt resolutionmeasures for dealingwith both secured andunsecured debt. “ISI also set outguidelines on what canbe determined asreasonable standards ofliving and reasonableliving expenses whichshould act as adefensive shield for
debtors to ensure thatthe financialinstitutions they aredealing with are notunreasonable in theirdemands.”
“People who are ingenuine distress overtheir financial situationshould be affordedevery opportunity towork through their debtwith dignity. Theguidelines are notdesigned tomicro-manage people’slifestyles or expensesby the Insolvency
Service or creditors.Instead they areintended as a baselinefor negotiation anddiscussion and areintended to be flexibleand to help both sidesto come to asatisfactoryresolution.” “It is hoped that fromthe end of June, ISI willbe in a position to beginaccepting applicationsfor new debt solutions.From May, it isexpected that PersonalInsolvency Practitioners(PIPs), whose job it will
be to act as mediatorsbetween debtors andcreditors, will beginbeing authorised. Thisgives people a realtimeline regarding aroadmap to dealingwith their debts.”“It must beremembered that thethree debt resolutionmeasures set out by theISI; Debt Relief notices,Debt SettlementArrangements orPersonal InsolvencyArrangements, arevoluntary arrangementsundertaken by both
sides. The aim is tocome to an agreementthat is acceptable toall. Continuing toignore the plight ofthose who are ineveryday anguish overtheir debts is not anoption. by engaging inthis new process, bankswill be working towardsmeeting Central banktargets on mortgagearrears and those indebt will be given asecond chance andhope for a happierfuture that is notutterly mired in debt.”
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Proud winner: David McNamara (12), a student at St. Joseph's Special School,Tallaght, is a winner in this year's 59th Texaco Children's Art Competition.He is pictured with his untitled prize-winning painting, of a cat sitting on awindow sill, with his mother Ann (left), grandmother Ann, grandfatherMichael and sister Denise.
Three Tallaght students have won topprizes in this year’s 59th TexacoChildren’s Art Competition.In Category G, third prize of eUR200was won by 12-year-old DavidMcnamara, a student St. Joseph'sSpecial School, Tallaght, for hisuntitled painting depicting a cat on awindow sill.The two other Tallaght students, alsopupils at St. Joseph's Special School,won Special Merit Awards in the same
category. They are, nicole McKeever(17), for her untitled work, and emilybehan (14), for her work entitled‘Fish’.Prizes will be presented at an awardsceremony in Dublin next month whenall of the 126 top prize-winners willbe in attendance. The competition, which attractedentries from each of the 32 counties,will celebrate its 60th anniversarynext year.
tAllAGHt stUdents win top prizes in teXACo Art Competition
"being a european Citizen: how do you see it?" isthe theme of this year's illustration competitionaddressed to you, Citizens of the eU and Croatia,launched by the ePP Group in the Committee ofthe Regions (CoR)
be creative and share your vision of eU citizenshipin the form of a graphic design, a painting, adiagram, a cartoon, a photo or any otherillustration. Your work can be published in a book to bereleased by the ePP/CoR Group in October 2013 on"A vision of eU Citizenship for the year 2020", andif you are among the winning contestants you willbe invited to the launch in brussels, and win aniPad.
We've launched this competition not only because2013 is a european Year of Citizens but also toexplore in what ways europeans identifythemselves with european citizenship. Raisingawareness on eU citizens’ rights should be along-term objective beyond 2013; every yearshould be the year of citizens - explains MichaelSchneider, President of the european People's PartyGroup in the CoR – Indeed, for some it can mean aright to move or reside freely in any europeanMember State, for others it is a synonym forpeace. What better way to illustrate thesethoughts than an image?
Are you in? Find out more and enter now:www.epp.cor.europa.eu
A Competition For yoU:illUstrAte eUropeAn CitizensHip
10 Your FREE Local Newspaper
Application forms forplaces in the JuniorInfant class in the newGaelscoil in Firhouseare still beingaccepted. The newmultidenominationalschool will open underthe patronage of AnForas Pátrúnachta thisSeptember. Over 8,000 childrencurrently attend Irishmedium schools inDublin . In 2012, theDepartment ofeducation announcedthat a new Gaelscoilwould be opened inFirhouse to cater forthe demand for Irishlanguage education inthe area. The new Gaelscoil willbe based at atemporary location inFirhouse and willtransfer to a permanentsite in the area. TheDepartment ofeducation is currentlysourcing this location. The position ofprincipal in the newGaelscoil has beenadvertised. An ForasPátrúnachta, theschool’s patron, expectthat the principal willbe appointed by theend of April.
Caoimhín Ó heaghra,General Secretary of AnForas Pátrúnachta,said: “Children startingoff in the new Gaelscoilin Firhouse will begetting the fantasticadvantage of a lowpupil teacher ratio aswell as the full supportof the Department ofeducation with regardto accommodation andfunding.
“The Gaelscoil will havethe full support andexperience of An ForasPátrúnachta, settingthe school on the pathof providing anexcellent standard ofeducation to thechildren.” Great interest has beenshown in the newGaelscoil to date. Aninformation eveningwas held for parentsrecently and a parentscommittee is currentlybeing formed.It is expected that anIrish language summercamp for the childrenwill be organised. Therehas also been a keeninterest in Irishlanguage classes forparents.
Further information aswell as applicationforms (for 2013 andother years) areavailable fromwww.foras.ie
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The Minister for SocialProtection, Joan burtonT.D., has released theSecond Report of theAdvisory Group on Taxand Social Welfare onthe issue of the budget2012 proposalsregarding DisabilityAllowance andDomiciliary CareAllowance, along withthe Report of the
Review Group on theoperation of theDomiciliary CareAllowance (DCA)Scheme. The Advisory Group onTax and Social Welfarewas established in June2011 with the aim ofharnessing expertopinion and experienceto examine a number ofspecific issues. In
December 2011 theMinister asked theAdvisory Group toexamine and report onthe policy objectivesunderpinning thebudget 2012 proposalsregarding changes ineligibility criteria andrates of payment forDisability Allowanceand the increase in theage threshold for
payment of DomiciliaryCare Allowance.
The Minister said “Iwelcome thepublication of thisSecond Report of theAdvisory Group, whichwill be a valuablecontribution to thepolicy debate inrelation to youngpeople with disabilities.My colleagues inGovernment and I arecarefully reflecting onthe findings of theAdvisory Group and willfurther consider therecommendationscontained in the Reporttaking into accountfuture developments interms of the budgetaryand fiscal situation aswell as other workunderway. In thisregard, I understandthat the Advisory Groupis currently examiningthe issue of working agesupports and that theGroup will beconsidering theappropriate paymentrates and the equitabletreatment of all peopleof working age.”
The review of the DCAscheme was announcedby the Minister in May2012, with a reviewgroup being set up toexamine the operationof the scheme, itscurrent administration,medical assessment andappeals processes andto makerecommendations bythe end of 2012.
Speaking about the
review report, theMinister said “I ampleased to publish thereport of the DCAreview group andcommend the group onthe scale of the reviewand the consideration ithas given to the schemein the short timeframe.I believe that therecommendations madewill result in animprovement in thelevel of serviceprovided to ourcustomers and willassist in ensuring thatthose people who meetthe qualifyingconditions for thepayment receive it in atimely manner. It is myintention that theadministrativeimprovementsrecommended in thereport should beimplemented as quicklyas possible.”
The report on thereview of the schemealso includes policy andlegislativerecommendations andthe Minister stated “Asin the case of theAdvisory Group report,my colleagues inGovernment and I arecarefully reflecting onthe policy findings andwill further considerthe recommendationstaking into account theprevailing budgetaryand fiscal situation.”
Copies of the reportsare available on theDepartment of SocialProtection websitewww.welfare.ie.
review oF disABility AllowAnCe AnddomiCiliAry CAre AllowAnCe
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Fine Gael DublinSenator, Catherinenoone, has spoken outabout her concern atthe rise in petty crimerelating tosmartphones. Citing recent statistics
that show that anestimated 16,000phones were stolen inDublin in 2012, Senatornoone said: ‘This is analarming trend that isrising. A number ofthings need to happen
here – first andforemost, allsmartphone ownersshould have their IMeInumber to hand – whichis a unique number toeach handset that canlock it indefinitely. If a
phone is stolen they canhave it deactivated inone of the mosteffective possible waysif they have their IMeInumber.“Surprisingly, only 15%of owners knew the IMeI
Helping people achievetheir dreams, especiallywhen it comes to losingweight ,is no meanachievement. SlimmingWorld Consultants arewell know for being themost dedicated when itcomes to real help andsupport through one ofthe most difficult thingsanyone ever has to doin their lives. Sowinning a special awardfor doing just that ispretty exceptional.
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numbers of phonesstolen in Dublin. Thisshould be remedied,and I think an extensivepublic informationcampaign onsafeguarding yoursmartphone is in order.I believe this campaignshould also alert peopleto methods in whichsmartphones are stolen,which include thievessnatching the phonesfrom people as theyride by on theirbicycles.
“Dublin City Council hasreleased an excellentleaflet, advising peopleon how to protect theirphone. However I thinkthat, given the extent
of the problem, a widerpublic informationcampaign needs to beundertaken. I alsobelieve that more hasto be done along thelines of retailer bestpractice, as well as byensuring that pettycrimes such as this arepunished in a moreserious way.“There are usefulsecurity apps whichusers can uploadincluding iGotya whichtakes a photo ofwhoever is holding thephone following anunsuccessful passwordlogin and emails it tothe owner of thephone. The Find MyiPhone app allows users
to get pinpointinformation on exactlywhere their phone is. Iwould urge smartphoneusers to uploadavailable security appsso as to increase thechances of finding theirphones andapprehending thethieves.
“Maybe it’s the casethat for every crime ofthis type committed, alarger fine would beimposed and – if onsocial welfare –payments would bereduced for a period oftime. With this trendgoing up, it’s clear thatsomething has to bedone.”
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FUrtHer mediCAl CArdrestriCtions sneAKed in
Sinn Féin health spokesperson, Caoimhghín ÓCaoláin TD has accused the government ofsneaking in further restrictions on medical cardqualification while the Dáil was in recess andthrough a HSe announcement to Oireachtasmembers, rather than a public statement froma government minister.Deputy Ó Caoláin said: "According to the HSe itis amending the eligibility criteria relating tomedical cards by removing Home ImprovementLoan payments and excluding the first €50 perweek from travel-to-work expenses from thestandard medical card means test assessment.The exclusion of travel-to-work costs relates toremoving the weekly amount of €50 allowed tocover standing charges (i.e. depreciation andrunning costs) used when considering travel towork costs as an outgoing where public transportis not available or suitable and a car is required.The HSe say it will continue to consider thestandard mileage costs and transport (bus/train)costs when assessing eligibility."This further restriction follows the recentlegislation which lowered the income thresholdfor medical card qualification for people over 70years old."What is, in reality, another cut to healthservices has been sneaked in while the Dáil wasin recess and announced through a HSe e-mailto Oireachtas members rather than a publicstatement from a government minister. HealthMinister James Reilly and Minister of State forPrimary Care Alex White are emulating theirpredecessor Mary Harney who regularly hidbehind the HSe when such announcements weremade."
Councillor ÉamonnWalsh (Tallaght Central)(FF) has criticised‘coalition forces’ ofFine Gael, Labour andSinn Féin at SouthDublin County Councilfor defeating his motionfor the reintroductionof the junk collection inthe South Dublin CountyCouncil area despite itslimited reintroductionin the Dublin CityCouncil area by the FGand Labour members ofthe city.
Walsh said that theCouncil has operated a‘Polluter Pays’ principlefor many years and Isubscribe to this view innormal times. Howeverelderly constituentshave a problem withdisposing of mattresses,old wardrobes, pressesand other junk. Someelderly people have hadjunk dumped in theirback gardens withouttheir knowledge; these
gardens being used asstorage for bonfirematerial by youngpeople, later on. A junkcollection as well as theannual and betteradvertised freeballymount CivicAmenity Day aroundHallowe’en, wouldreduce the materiel forthe bonfires saving theCouncil money on thesubsequent clean up’.The free Wee(electrical goods) bysome voluntary groupsand at ballymount areexcellent serviceshowever any othermaterial entails a doorto door collectioncharge of €15.
Councillor Walsh notedthat the Councilmanagement and theSF/Labour controllinggroup’s insistence thatthe cost would be €2.5m which is questionablegiven that the equallycash starved but twice
more populated DublinCity Council has found away to reintroduce thejunk collection in theirarea on a once everythree year basis.
Walsh believes that‘Labour and Sinn Féinhave controlled theCouncil these last fiveyears and were uselessin preventing the saleof the bin service toGreyhound which hashad a number ofcontroversies aroundtheir service ever since.With the introduction ofthis modest proposaland being carefullybudgeted, it wouldrestore some of thegoodwill lost over thatsale’.‘The introduction of theproperty tax of some500-600 euros in partsof the constituencynext year and thepayment of half thatamount this year, willprompt a
Monty-Python-esque‘what has the Councilever done for us’ queryfrom residents and theusual litany ofresponses will follow;however, this smallmeasure is a way ofrestoring faith withresidents and removingthe farcical sight of bususers on the 27A busgoing to Tallaght seeingthree sides of theWalkinstownroundabout having ajunk collection and theothers having none.’
At Labour’s demandmore Councillors will beadded to the Councilnext year which willprobably cost theCouncil the bones of amillion euro. ‘Sinn Féinan dá thaobh’ with thecollaboration of Labourin the controllinggroup, accepted theplum positions of theCouncil, whilst seniorSF party officials at
national level refusedto state whether theywere going to pay thehousehold charge lastyear encouraging adefault which has leftthe Council havingnearly 40% of itsresidents refusing topay. This has led tomany of the servicesthey claim to protectbeing compromised as aresult of the cashshortfall.’
Walsh concluded ‘ Thetroika of FG/Labour/SFought to get real abouttheir constituentsneeds. basic serviceslike water and bins areprivatised or will betaken out of Counciloversight. Councillorsneed to listen to theirconstituents and givethem something inreturn for theirsacrifices over theyears; a junk collectionis one of those modestmeasures.’
troiKA reJeCts JUnKColleCtion proposAl
wINDOw-MAN, PADDY wINSTON “I have been in the window trade since I left school at the age of 15. and now, at the age of 51, I have manyyears and lots of experience in the design, manufacture and fitting of aluminium and uPVC windows, doors and conservatories.
Over the years, through the boom, I noticed that, even though there was plenty of money around for the purchase of houses, builders stillmanaged to fit the cheapest, most unreliable windows and doors they could possibly get there hands on, most of these are now giving
terrible trouble with broken handles, hinges, locks etc. etc.. So, I decided to set up this service, to get your windows and doors to performin the manner they were designed and that’s to keep the heat in and the cold out...
IF YOU ARE HAVING PROBLEMS wITH YOUR wINDOwS OR DOORS, GIVE ME A CALL...CHEERS...PADDY”
15Your FREE Local Newspaper
16 Your FREE Local Newspaper
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Ramble Aid, the 5k series for charity which is organised by South Dublin County Sports Partnership, takesplace next month in Tymon, Griffeen & Corkagh parks. With no traffic in view or roads to cross it offersa great way to explore the parks involved. Costing only €5 to enter the event is excellent value and isopen to all members of the public be they runners, walkers, young children on bikes or wheelchair users.Proceeds this year go to Teenline, beacon of Light and Jigsaw, local charities promoting youth mentalhealth, particularly in the battle against youth suicide. For full details and to register for the event goto www.rambleaid.ie.Pictured are Cllr. Cathal King, Mayor of South Dublin County at the official launch with representativesfrom the 3 charities, South Dublin County Council and the HSE/ Get Ireland Active programme.
new figures from theIrish Dental Associationshow that 75% of peoplewho are entitled to afree dental examinationdo not avail of theservice.
The Irish DentalAssociation saidcutbacks to the twomain dental healthschemes and ongoingconfusion over people’sentitlements have ledto an alarmingdeterioration in thedental health of thepopulation. It said theHSe’s failure to explainto people what theirentitlements were,amounted to adereliction of duty.The IDA pointed outthat a study onperceptions of dentalhealth in seveneuropean countries*found that Ireland hadthe lowest number ofadults attending thedentist for routineexaminations. Irelandalso had the highestnumber of patientsciting cost as a factorpreventing attendanceat the dentist.The Chief executive of
the Irish DentalAssociation, FintanHourihan, tolddelegates at the IDA’sannual conference inGalway, that theshort-sightedness ofwithdrawing severalmodest benefits fromthree million patientswas already becomingapparent.“These simplepreventive treatmentswere key to maintaininggood dental health forthe general population.In their absencedentists are seeing ahuge increase in dentaldecay and gum disease.Other problems whichmay be caused or madeworse by poor dentalhealth include heartdisease, strokes,diabetes, prematureand low birth weightbabies and respiratorydisease.
by slashing the PRSI andMedical Card schemes,by halving tax reliefsfor orthodontic andother dentaltreatments and byreducing the number ofdentists and nurses inthe public service by
20% over the last twoyears - leading to longerand longer waiting lists– this Government andits predecessor hascreated a dental healthtime bomb which willhave hugerepercussions for thepopulation as a wholein coming years”Hourihan said.
The IDA believes that ifthe Government was totake a number of timelyand cost effectivemeasures – includingthe introduction of avoucher system for theannual oralexamination - it couldarrest the shockingdecline in the dentalhealth of the nation. Itsays the Governmentshould;l Introduce a vouchersystem for annual oralexaminationl Gradually restorebenefits to MedicalCard and PRSI schemesl Restore marginal rateof tax reliefl end the embargo onrecruitment of dentistsby the HSel Appoint a ChiefDental Officer (Vacant
for the last 20 years)
“everyone would havean entitlement to avoucher and wouldphysically receive one.We think it would beseen as a service theyhave paid for in thecase of PRSI employeesand one to which theyare entitled by medicalcard holders. If peoplehad an actual voucherthey might be moreinclined to avail of theservice and this couldsave them painful andcostly treatment downthe line as well asleading to higherdetection rates for oralcancer at an earlystage.
It would also be easierto administer from theState’s point of viewand again more costeffective. This systemhas worked well inSweden, Australia,Canada and several USstates. We need urgentaction. The vouchersystem would be a goodstarting point and that’swhat we need rightnow” Hourihanconcluded.
3 oUt oF 4 people Here do notAvAil oF Free CHeCK Ups
European study of 7 countries shows Irish adults worst for attendingroutine dental examinations
rAmBle Aid, tHe 5K series
17Your FREE Local Newspaper
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Over the past 4 years thousands of Irish dancershave applied for An Jig Gig in their quest to becrowned TG4’s best Traditional Irish Dance Act.The dance acts have come in all shapes and sizes,from solo dancers to large dance troupes, and it isthe first Irish dance competition that sees dancersof different ages, styles and organisations battlingit out head to head on the same stage.
now it’s time to begin the search for An Jig GigChampion 2013!
All forms of Irish dancing are eligible for the series,from step dancing to brush dancing, from Sean-nósdancing to set dancers. This is the ultimatefree-for-all Irish dance competition and acelebration of all the Irish dancing traditions.but only one act can be crowned champion and willclaim the title of TG4’s best Traditional Irish DanceAct 2013.
Keeping a close eye on all the talented hopefulsare 3 judges.
Breandán de Gallaí, former lead dancer inRiverdance, breandán is used to working with theworld’s top Irish dancers. He is a hard man toimpress and any dancer going on stage in front ofhim, aiming to be crowned the best Irish dance actin Ireland, better give the performance of theirlives!
Dearbhla Lennon, also a former lead dancer inRiverdance and Lord Of The Dance. She hasexperienced performing at the top level in Irishdance for years. Like breandán, she is an expert inthe field, and will quickly weed out the chancersfrom the talented dancers.
Labhrás Sonai Choilm Learraí, a championSean-nós dancer, and a fanatical supporter of theolder styles of Irish dance completes the judgingpanel. Labhras, a man who knows what he likes,won’t be pulling any punches with such aprestigious prize at stake.
All 3 judges are experts in the field of Irish dance,but will they see eye to eye with such a variety ofstyles on display? Sparks are sure to fly again on AnJig Gig…..Any style of Irish dance is eligible for the show.Also, there are no age restrictions on contestants.The number of people in each act is also notrestricted, and can range from one upwards.
If you want to take part in this year’s competition,please fill out the application form on the TG4website:http://www.tg4.ie Or call us on 01-2843877
All applicants will be contacted to confirm a timeand venue for their audition.Auditions will take place nationwide.
An JiG GiG series 5TG4’s hit show returns with a mission to find the best
traditional Irish dancers in Ireland
Fine Gael Councillor forTallaght, Cllr brianLawlor, has welcomedthe publication of thenon Use of MotorVehicles bill 2013 . Thisbill will stop thepractice ofretrospectively claimingthat your car has been'off the road' in order toavoid paying arrears onmotor tax. Thisloophole currently coststhe state in the region
of €55 million perannum."This loophole providedthe perfect opportunityfor motorists to evademotor tax and placedthe onus on the Gardaíto certify that the carwas off the road,”Councillor Lawlorstated. “This bill means that ifsomeone intends totake their car off theroad for a period of
time, they will beresponsible for notifyingthe Motor Tax Office inadvance in order toprevent arrearsaccruing. This will beparticularly useful, forexample, to people whoneed to spend timeworking abroad.Furthermore, it willexclude the Gardaí fromthe process and free uptheir time from thisadministrative burden.
"It has been known forsometime now that theclosing of this loopholeshould generateapproximately €55million per annum intaxes that are currentlybeing evaded byopportunistic motorists.It is vital that the bill isoperational withoutdelay to increase therevenue intake forfinancially strappedlocal authorities".
Sinn Fein Housingspokesperson Dessieellis TD has blasted theMinister for SocialProtection for settingunrealistic limits forrent supplement. Hemade his comments asit was announced bythe CSO that residentialrents have increased 3%in the past year.
Deputy ellis said; “Inbudget 2012 Ministerburton increased thecontribution for tenantson Rent Supplement by
25%. These are peoplewho were alreadystruggling to make endsmeet and have nothingmore to give. The moveput many at risk ofhomelessness andundoubtedly forcedmany out of theirhomes also.“now the people onRent Supplement arebeing sent letterstelling them that theirrent is too high and thatthey must get itlowered. They are toldto renegotiate or find
new accommodation.“Is the Minister livingon a different planet?Rents have continuallygone up as thisgovernment refuses todeliver housing.
“Rents have risen 3% inthe last year. Landlordshave their pick oftenants and can askwhat they want fortheir properties. Theordinary tenant has nopower or ability todrive a lowering ofrents.
“Minister burton mustchange how RentSupplement isadministered so thatthe departmentnegotiates rents withlandlords and drive abetter deal for tenantsand the public purse.
“Penalising the pooresttenants in the countryfor high rents is notacceptable in the shortterm though and limitsmust be revised toaddress the reality ofrents on the ground.”
rent sUpplement limitsUnreAlistiC As rents rise
tiGHteninG oF motor tAXloopHole welComed
18 Your FREE Local Newspaper
Q. I feel I would like to ignore theletter I got from the Revenue. Is this agood idea?
A. Much as we would all like toignore a letter of demand from theRevenue, it is not a good idea to do so.Our advice is to open it immediately orcheck the Revenue’s online service if you
are registered for that. Self-employedpeople are registered with the onlineservice.
Q. I have checked the valuation ofmy house on the Revenue’s website. Iam not happy with the valuation.Should I retain the services of a Solicitoror Auctioneer?
A. The Revenue website contains“suggested” valuations for every houseand flat in the country. The valuationwebsite is by no means perfect. If youfeel that the valuation seems about rightthen, don’t challenge it. Hiring Solicitorsor other professional advisors is notnecessary and is only adding to theexpense of the tax. Remember however,that this is a self-assessment tax. Thismeans that the Revenue will accept yourown valuation. There are howeverpenalties if it turns out that your valuationsubsequently proves to be substantiallyincorrect. It is therefore better to becareful. It might be an idea to talk toneighbours if your house is one of manysimilar houses in an estate and get a feelfor what valuation other people areputting on their homes.
Q. I cannot afford to pay myProperty Tax in one lump sum. Arethere other options?
A. There are several ways ofpaying. You can pay it one lump sumeither by direct debit, credit card orstraight from your bank account.Homeowners will also be able to pay thetax by cash through a, as yet to beannounced, network of intermediaries,probably including the post office. Forhomeowners who cannot afford to pay upfront, there are a number of stage
The Legal Column
romaine scally is the principal in the firm of romAine sCAlly And CompAny soliCiTorsmain street Tallaght, dublin 24 Tel 4599506 FAX 4599510 email: [email protected]
In this month’s edition of the paper,Romaine Scally Solicitor, of RomaineScally & Company, Solicitors, Main Street,Tallaght, Dublin 24, Telephone 01-4599506email [email protected] looks at the areasurrounding the new Property Tax.
Many people will by now have receivedletters from the Revenue Commissionersseeking payment of the new LocalProperty Tax. There are manyunanswered questions about this new taxand I hope that the following question andanswer session might be of assistance.
payment options. These includedeductions at source from your salary,pension or social welfare payment andstage payments by direct debit, creditcard or cash through the approvedintermediaries. In short therefore, itis possible to pay the tax over a periodof time.
Q. I live in rentedaccommodation. Am I liable for theProperty Tax?
A. no. It is the owner of theproperty who is liable. However, youwill almost certainly receive a letterfrom the Revenue. When you do, youshould immediately inform theRevenue that you are a tenant andkeep a copy of this letter.
Q. I cannot afford to pay thetax. Can I get an exemption?
A. Unfortunately, the answer tothis is, almost certainly no. Thecriteria for payment of the PropertyTax have been drawn extremelytightly. The best that you can hope foris a deferral. Single people on lessthan €15,000.00 and couples on lessthan €25,000.00 qualify for a fulldeferral. Partial deferrals areavailable for people whose income isless than €25,000.00 for a singleperson or couples up to €35,000.00.However, you need to be aware thatinterest on payments clock up on theunpaid tax at 4% a year. This appliesirrespective as to whether or not youqualify for the deferral.
Q. I am a first-time buyer whobought my home since the beginningof the year. Do I have to pay the tax?
A. You are one of the very fortunatefew. Just about the only people whoqualify for an exemption are first timebuyers who buy their home between 1stJanuary and 31st December 2013. You andall other similar first-time buyers will beexempt from this tax until the year 2016.
Q. I bought my home in 2006 andpaid a fortune in stamp duty. It is nowworth less than half what I paid for it andI am struggling to repay the mortgage. Ihave had to look for interest only and amstruggling even to pay that. Do I qualifyeither for a deferral or an exemption?
A. Unfortunately, one of theinjustices of the new tax is that those innegative equity will have to pay up likeeverybody else. It is based on the value ofyour house without any mortgages takeninto account. If mortgages were to betaken into consideration, it would behugely less attractive to the Revenue sounfortunately, to add insult to injury, youand many others are not only in negativeequity and have paid a fortune in stampduty, but you will have to register and payfor this new property tax annually.Unfortunately, there is no fairness aboutthis and there is nothing anyone can say tomake it seem so.
by Romaine Scally
romAine sCAlly & Co,soliCiTorsoperate a
FREE LEGAL ADVICE CLINICon the second Wednesday of every monthfrom 2.00pm until 6.00pm at their officesin Main Street, Tallaght, Dublin 24.NEXT CLINIC: WED. 8TH MAY.No Appointment is necessary.We look forward to answering your legalqueries in person.
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- Overgrown gardens restored- Hedge and grass cutting- Shrub and tree planting- Light tree pruning- Spring/autumn tidy ups- All green garden waste - removed and recycled
Dublin Mid-West SinnFéin has accused theGovernment of‘complacency as thelocal unemploymentcrisis continues.’
His comments comeafter the CSO revealedthat the number ofpeople signing on inClondalkin and Lucanrose slightly in March.8874 people weresigning on in Marchcompared to 8837 inFebruary.
Ó broin said: ‘Onceagain Dublin Mid-Westis bucking the state
with the live registertrend. While the overallfigures indicate a slightdrop in the numbers ofpeople signing on inClondalkin and Lucanthe numbers are upagain.
‘The live registerfigures for March inClondalkin and Lucanare 8744 compared to8837 in February. Whilethe change is slight itshows that theunemployment crisiscontinues.
‘It is clear that theGovernment is being
complacent about thelocal unemploymentcrisis. We have fourGovernment TDs in thisconstituency. Yet therehave been no initiativesproposed or agreedaimed at stemming thelocal tide of joblessnessor emigration.
‘Labour and Fine Gaelcome to office in 2011promising action on jobcreation. To date therehas been little or nogovernment ledinvestment to getpeople off the dole andback to work. There arenot even enough
training places ongovernment schemes tomeet the demand.
‘Meanwhile 1,600people, mainly young,are leaving the countryevery single week.
‘It is time for theGovernment to matchtheir talk about jobswith some real action.We urgently needinvestment in jobcreation and areas withhigh levels ofunemployment likeDublin Mid-West muchhave targeted jobcreation plans.’
mid-west UnemploymentCrisis ContinUes
19Your FREE Local Newspaper
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20 Your FREE Local Newspaper
novenAs novenAs novenAs
PLEASE NOTE: If you wish to have yournovena published please makea donation to our selectedcharity. Send a postal order orcheque made payable to SolasCentre (NCBI) and send, alongwith your novena to: Newsgroup, PO Box 3430,Tallaght, Dublin 24.If you require any furtherinformation call us on 014519000.
MIRACLE PRAYER -THANKSGIVING Dear Heart ofJesus in the past I have asked formany favours. This time I ask youfor a very special one. Take it,dear Heart of Jesus, and place itwithin your own broken heartwhere your Father sees it. Thenin His merciful eyes it willbecome your favour and notmine. Amen. Say this prayer forthree days. Promise publicationand favour will be granted nomatter how impossible. neverknown to fail. J.C.
MIRACLE PRAYER Dear Heart ofJesus in the past I have asked formany favours. This time I ask youfor a very special one. Take it,dear Heart of Jesus, and place itwithin your own broken heartwhere your Father sees it. Thenin His merciful eyes it willbecome your favour and notmine. Amen. Say this prayer forthree days. Promise publicationand favour will be granted nomatter how impossible. neverknown to fail. E.R.
MIRACLE PRAYER Dear Heart ofJesus in the past I have asked formany favours. This time I ask youfor a very special one. Take it,dear Heart of Jesus, and place itwithin your own broken heartwhere your Father sees it. Thenin His merciful eyes it willbecome your favour and not
mine. Amen. Say this prayer forthree days. Promise publicationand favour will be granted nomatter how impossible. neverknown to fail. E.B.
MIRACLE PRAYER Dear Heart ofJesus in the past I have asked formany favours. This time I ask youfor a very special one. Take it,dear Heart of Jesus, and place itwithin your own broken heartwhere your Father sees it. Thenin His merciful eyes it willbecome your favour and notmine. Amen. Say this prayer forthree days. Promise publicationand favour will be granted nomatter how impossible. neverknown to fail.T.W.
MIRACLE PRAYER Dear Heart ofJesus in the past I have asked formany favours. This time I ask youfor a very special one. Take it,dear Heart of Jesus, and place itwithin your own broken heartwhere your Father sees it. Thenin His merciful eyes it willbecome your favour and notmine. Amen. Say this prayer forthree days. Promise publicationand favour will be granted nomatter how impossible. neverknown to fail. B.C
MIRACLE PRAYER Dear Heart ofJesus in the past I have asked formany favours. This time I ask youfor a very special one. Take it,
dear Heart of Jesus, and place itwithin your own broken heartwhere your Father sees it. Thenin His merciful eyes it willbecome your favour and notmine. Amen. Say this prayer forthree days. Promise publicationand favour will be granted nomatter how impossible. neverknown to fail. P.F.T.
NOVENA TO ST. JUDE May theHeart of Jesus be adored,glorified, loved and preservedthroughtout the world now andforever.Sacred Heart of Jesus pray for us.St Jude worker of miracles prayfor us. St Jude helper of thehopeless pray for us. Say thisprayer 9 times a day, by theeighth day your prayer will beanswered. Say it for 9 days. It hasnever been known to fail.Publication must bepromised.M.F.
Research released bytravel expertsHotels.com revealsdiscrepancies in paidand public holidayentitlements acrosseurope. When looking at bothstatutory annual leaveand public holidayallowances across thecontinent it’s the brits,Irish, Swiss andGermans who are theworst off. The UK has aminimum of just 28days putting them atthe bottom of the tableclosely followed by Irishresidents with 29 days,the same as Switzerlandand Germany. TheRussians and Italianstop the table,benefiting from 40 and36 days holidayrespectively.
Of the 12 europeannations surveyed, thetravel experts foundthe average leave andpublic holidayentitlement is 33 daysacross europe, meaningIrish workers lose out
on four days out of theoffice each yearcompared to some oftheir europeancounterparts.
A plethora of bankholidays also existacross europe, withSpain, Italy and Russialeading the way with 12days each, thanks toholidays such as‘Victory Day’ on 9thMay in Russia and the‘Assumption of Mary’ on15th August in Spain.Surprisingly, Ireland hasone of the lowestnumbers of publicholidays at nine perannum, but ifmarketers and Diageoare successful inchampioning Arthur’sDay to be the nextpublic holiday, thiscould increase to tenshortly.
On a global scale,Mexico has the lowesttotal of paid and publicholidays with just 13days given to workersper year comprising six
public holidays andseven days annual leavealmost 30 days less thanthe top ranking countryof Russia. China,Thailand and Taiwanonly receive 5, 6 and 7days annual leaverespectively but benefitfrom a substantialnumber of publicholidays per year.
Alison Couper, fromHotels.com, said: “Irishworkers are towardsthe bottom of the tablewhen it comes to theamount of bankholidays and annualleave days, comparedto their europeancounterparts. Howeverthey can take somecomfort from the factthat they’re not themost hard done bynation globally, withMexicans receiving amere 13 days holiday ayear. It's fascinating tothink what we could dowith an extra 11 daysholiday a year, likethose who live and workin Russia!"
eU mUst Be JoKinGireland’s paid and public holidays four days below eU average
21Your FREE Local Newspaper
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euROLInk... WHAT’S HAPPenInGIn THe euROPeAn PARLIAmenT
Standing ovation asPresident Higgins does
Ireland proud
The rousing speech by IrishPresident Michael D Higginsat the european Parliamentin Strasbourg this weekrepresented a dazzlingintellectual sweep of eUhistory which so impressedthe chamber that the entirebody of MePs took to theirfeet in sustained applause.
The 12 Irish MePs werevisibly thrilled and eveneuropean ParliamentPresident Martin Schulzcould only mumble“wunderbar, wunderbar”after Michael D’s 30-minuteoration which ranged fromthe birth of 6th century Irishscholar St Columbanusthrough to the modern-dayblight of “unaccountable”rating agencies.
The word “intellectual”featured about ten times inthe speech, but there wasno doubting the message inthis cri-de-coeur from ourpoet of the people,delivered as part of Ireland'ssix-month eU presidency.“europe needs a soul,” saidMichael D, one of severalquotes he drew from Frenchstatesman and formereuropean CommissionPresident Jacques Delors.
He cautioned of the“threatening clouds”hanging over europe and thedanger of “drifting into akind of moral andintellectual impotence” ifwe continue to entertain aneconomic discourse that is“indifferent to social
consequences” and“democraticallyunaccountable”.
He singled out ratingagencies for particularcontempt, warning that todepend on their “fallible”opinions was to reducecitizens to the status ofmere consumers, “pawns ina speculative chess board offiscal moves.” As analternative to “an economicnarrative driven by drytechnical concerns”,President Higgins urgedpoliticians to draw strengthfrom the founding values ofthe european union:“respect for personaldignity; freedom;democracy; equality; therule of law and respect forhuman rights.”
He appealed to leaders torekindle the Union's“fundamental connection”to its citizens, withoutwhich, he cautioned, “weare adrift.”
President Higgins alsowarned of “an unconsciousdrift to disharmony, a loss ofsocial cohesion and arecurrence of racism” ifeurope is defined simply as“an economic space ofcontestation between thestrong and the weak”.Instead, he said, “ourcitizens yearn for thelanguage of solidarity.”
Mr Higgins commended theconcrete measures putforward during the Ireland'seU presidency to fightunemployment including theYouth Guarantee Scheme,and said that there was
“nothing more corrosive tosociety and more crushing toan individual than endemicunemployment”. He calledfor measures to ensure thatwomen participate in theworkplace as equals, olderworkers are not left on thesidelines and the long-termunemployed are fullyequipped to get back to theworkplace.
He also urged europeans todraw on their “sharedintellectual heritage”,citing the “rich legacy” ofradical thinkers such asDiderot, Kant and Herder.“We should never forgetthat we are the inheritors ofa profoundly important setof european values – Greekdemocracy, Roman law, theJudeo-Christian tradition,the reformation, theenlightenment, the greatdemocratic revolution thatbegan in France.”
President Higgins concludedby hoping for a response toemerge from our currentproblems that constitutes “atapestry of many colours, ofdifferent strengths in itsthreads.”
“Whether it is made out ofwondrous reason or wovenwith a prayer will notmatter. What matters is thatit be the work of us all,working together, inco-operation, cosmopolitanand open to the world.”
bravo!
Fine Gael MEP picked forplum EU role
Fine Gael MeP Mairead
McGuinness has vowed touse her new influentialposition as Vice President ofthe european People’s Partyto do her best for Ireland ateU level and on the worldstage.
The Ireland east MeP waselected by a large majoritythis week, defeating twoother candidates, to therole of second-in-commandof the ePP. The biggestpolitical group in theeuropean Parliament, itcomprises 270 members outof a total of over 750 MePsin the entire europeanParliament, making it thelargest political force inbrussels. As well as beinghome to the three Irish FineGael MePs, it boasts suchinfluential members asGerman Chancellor AngelaMerkel’s ChristianDemocratic Union Party.
Speaking from Strasbourgafter her successfulelection, Ms McGuinness wasasked whether she would beable to use her influence tosoften the German approachtowards Ireland and otherbailout countries. TheMeath MeP said she
“It’s my job to talk aboutIreland; the realities andthe possibilities. Wheneveryou speak in this parliamentyou have influence; you justhave to use your voice welland pick the right moment.I certainly will use myvoice,” she declared, addingthat she would seek to bringhope to both ordinarypeople and the body politic.
“Particularly now when
europe is trying to pick itselfup again, feebly, we need togive people hope and this isa thing I would like to bringto our group and to thepublic generally – a sense ofhope, that europe candeliver,” she said.
“I’m concerned that we usethis word ‘austerity’ all thetime, instead of ‘growth’and ‘stability’. What I wantto bring to the group is asense of what’s happeningon the ground, tounderstand the problemsnot just of Irish citizens butof all european citizens,”she said.
Cap on bankers' bonuses isnot enough, says MEP
An Irish MeP has slammed aneU decision to cap bankers'bonuses as going “nowherenear far enough”.Fine Gael's Jim Higgins saidthe vote by the europeanParliament to limit bonusesfor those in financialinstitutions to one year'ssalary was “ridiculous” andbegged the question as tohow much bankers havebeen getting in the past.Over 600 MePs in Strasbourgbacked the proposal thisweek as part of a range ofmeasures aimed at stoppingthe kind of speculativerisk-taking that createdwidespread instability in thesector. The CapitalRequirements Directive,which takes effect fromnext January, recommendsthat bankers' bonuses shouldnot amount to any morethan the size of their salary.However, it stipulates thatbonuses could extend
further to a maximum oftwice your salary, iftwo-thirds of shareholdersagree.Speaking after the vote, MrHiggins said banks shouldnot be allowed to awardbonuses at all if they arefunctioning at a loss or arein financial difficulty. Healso expressed the hopethat new measures ensuringgreater transparency inbanking will mean thatbanks are too“embarrassed” to give thesame level of bonuses as inthe past.“At least they will be heldaccountable in the court ofpublic opinion. We will beable to see the exact levelof bonuses bankers arereceiving and name andshame those guilty of takinginflated bonuses,” said MrHiggins.His Fine Gael colleague GayMitchell, however, defendedthe measures, claiming itwas “perfectly reasonable”to allow bonuses of twiceyour annual salary, as longas most shareholdersagreed.Mr Mitchell, a member ofthe european Parliament'seconomic and MonetaryAffairs Committee,admitted that the provisionswere “generous” but said itwould mean that directorswouldn't be able to do“whatever they wanted andpay themselves hugebonuses.”elsewhere, Labour MeP PhilPrendergast described thebonus cap as a “welcomebreakthrough”, which shesaid should help to “detershort-termism and riskybehaviour.”
Clondalkin Youth band addedanother national Championshipto its fabulous roll of honourwhen it won the nationalConcert band Championships inLimerick last Saturday. bandsfrom all over the countrycompeted for this title and manyof these bands concentrate onthe concert band format.Clondalkin Youth band is betterknown as a marching band andindeed they brought great creditto Clondalkin with theirperformances in St Patrick’sFestival Parades in Dublin City,Lucan and in Limerick City.
However, it is great credit to thebands director Vincent Dolan andto the skill and commitment ofthe band members that the
Clondalkin Youth band is also oneof the foremost concert bands inthe country.
The national Concert bandChampionships took place thisyear in the University of Limerickwith Clondalkin Youth bandleaving their headquarters at StJoseph’s nS before seven thirtylast Saturday morning. It wasgreat to see their hard workrewarded with another nationalchampionship title. The band is now looking towardsthe european Marching bandChampionships in Holland in lateJuly and will be working hard ondeveloping a new field show forthis important competition. Cllrbreeda bonner paid tribute tothe band and to its director. “I
am very proud of the work ofClondalkin Youth band and theybring glory to Clondalkin year inand year out. Vincent Dolan, theband’s director, has workedtirelessly for many years,teaching all of the bandmembers their instruments fromscratch. At this stage he hastaught many hundreds ofchildren in Clondalkin to playinstruments at a very high level.The current band has over ahundred members and many ofthem have been with the bandfor years. Comhghairdeas toeveryone involved in their latestwin and the best of luck toVincent and the band in theirpreparations for the europeanband Championships in Hollandthis Summer”
Cllr. BreedA Bonner ConGrAtUlAtes tHe ClondAlKin yoUtH BAnd on reCentwinninG nAtionAl ConCert BAnd CHAmpionsHips in limeriCK
Cllr Breeda Bonner with Band Director, Vincent Dolan.
