Deputy Colm Keaveney Summer newsletter 2011
2
Summer 2011 LABOUR PARTY Colm Keaveney TD DELIVERING ON JOBS The continuation of the M17 from Gort to Tuam and the construction of the long awaited Tuam By-pass should be underway now, but as a portion of this project was reliant on private investment and securing this portion of the partnership is proving difficult in the current economic environment. In response to A Dáil question raised by Colm Keaveney TD earlier this month, Minister for Transport,Tourism and Sport, Leo Varadkar explained that although the M18-N17 Project remains “a priority for the Government” the successful awarding of Public/Private Partnership contracts for major capital projects such as the Gort to Tuam Motorway are proving challenging now more than ever due to Ireland’s current lack of financial stability. Deputy Keaveney , in his Dáil contribution to this matter, outlined the importance of the Atlantic north-south corridor to laying the foundation for economic recovery in this region but also requested that the Minister instruct the NRA to have in place an immediate plan to proceed with the Tuam by-pass as a standalone project if these delays continued. Minister Varadkar agreed with the suggestion that the Tuam by pass could be funded on a traditional exchequer basis but stressed that they were still trying to get “this PPP over the line”. Full contents of Dail Question can be viewed at www.colmkeaveney.blogspot.com Councillor Shaun Cunniffe is delighted to announce that the first commitment from his Galway County Council “notice of motion” budget will be used by Tuam Tidy Towns. Tuam Tidy Towns committee are embarking on many worthwhile projects from litter collection and painting to landscaping and conservation. They deserve the full support of everbody in Tuam and they are always looking for volunteers. The Chairperson, Pat Fahy said he was 'delighted to get some extra funding'. Anybody that can lend a hand to the improvement of our town please give Pat a call on 085 7312541, volunteers meet every Saturday and Sunday mornings. IF M18/M17 PROJECT IS DELAYED TUAM BY-PASS WILL PROCEED AS A STANDALONE PROJECT TIDY TOWNS Colm Keaveney,TD has welcomed plans for a new Youth and Family Resource Centre which will be located on the site of the old Mercy Primary School on Dublin Road. The building while structurally sound with plenty of space is very dilapidated and needs a major renovation. This centre will be a facility which can be accessed by various community youth and family groups and activities from Tuam and surrounding areas. This project will be funded and supported from various sources including the Mercy Sisters, the St Vincent de Paul through the O’Connell Trust, Galway County Council and matching exchequer funding which was secured directly by Deputy Keaveney to ensure that this much needed project progresses as soon as possible. The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairi Quinn, TD, recently launched a new initiative, Springboard, which will provide 6,000 new places on higher education programmes for unemployed people. The initiative is targeted at those who were previously working but lost their jobs or were made redundant and who, with some upskilling, could fill current or future job shortages. To make it easier to apply for these places, a single web portal for all Springboard related activities is being used – BlueBrick.ie. It will operate as a kind of mini-CAO for the Springboard courses, but without the pressure of the points system. Springboard, which is managed by the Higher Education Authority, will allow those who undertake the courses to retain their benefits and if they find a job, they will still be permitted and encouraged to finish their course. A range of programmes will be offered in both the public and private sector including GMIT, NUIG and The Open University with levels ranging from Certificate to Masters Degree. Potential students will apply online though BlueBrick.ie. TUAM YOUTH CENTRE 6,000 NEW PLACES FOR THE UNEMPLOYED ON HIGHER EDUCATION COURSES NO LOSS OF BENEFITS FOR THOSE WHO TAKE UP PLACES, CHECK OUT BLUEBRICK.IE TO ENROL
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Deputy Colm Keaveney Summer newsletter 2011
Transcript of Deputy Colm Keaveney Summer newsletter 2011
Summer 2011
LABOUR PARTY
Colm Keaveney TDDELIVERING ON JOBS
The continuation of the M17 from Gort to Tuam and theconstruction of the long awaited Tuam By-pass should be underwaynow, but as a portion of this project was reliant on privateinvestment and securing this portion of the partnership is provingdifficult in the current economic environment.In response to A Dáil question raised by Colm Keaveney TD earlierthis month, Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Leo Varadkarexplained that although the M18-N17 Project remains “a priorityfor the Government” the successful awarding of Public/PrivatePartnership contracts for major capital projects such as the Gort toTuam Motorway are proving challenging now more than ever due toIreland’s current lack of financial stability.
Deputy Keaveney , in his Dáil contribution to this matter, outlinedthe importance of the Atlantic north-south corridor to laying thefoundation for economic recovery in this region but also requestedthat the Minister instruct the NRA to have in place an immediateplan to proceed with the Tuam by-pass as a standalone project ifthese delays continued. Minister Varadkar agreed with thesuggestion that the Tuam by pass could be funded on a traditionalexchequer basis but stressed that they were still trying to get “thisPPP over the line”.
Full contents of Dail Question can be viewed atwww.colmkeaveney.blogspot.com
Councillor Shaun Cunniffe is delighted to announce that thefirst commitment from his Galway County Council “notice ofmotion” budget will be used by Tuam Tidy Towns. Tuam TidyTowns committee are embarking on many worthwhile projectsfrom litter collection andpainting to landscaping andconservation.
They deserve the fullsupport of everbody inTuam and they are alwayslooking for volunteers. TheChairperson, Pat Fahy saidhe was 'delighted to getsome extra funding'.Anybody that can lend a hand to the improvement of ourtown please give Pat a call on 085 7312541, volunteers meetevery Saturday and Sunday mornings.
IF M18/M17 PROJECT IS DELAYED TUAM BY-PASS WILLPROCEED AS A STANDALONE PROJECT
TIDY TOWNS
Colm Keaveney, TD has welcomed plans for a new Youth and FamilyResource Centre which will be located on the site of the old MercyPrimary School on Dublin Road. The building while structurally soundwith plenty of space is very dilapidated and needs a major renovation.This centre will be a facility which can be accessed by variouscommunity youth and family groups and activities from Tuam andsurrounding areas. This project will be funded and supported fromvarious sources including the Mercy Sisters, the St Vincent de Paulthrough the O’Connell Trust, Galway County Council and matchingexchequer funding which was secured directly by Deputy Keaveney toensure that this much needed project progresses as soon as possible.
The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairi Quinn, TD, recentlylaunched a new initiative, Springboard, which will provide 6,000new places on higher education programmes for unemployedpeople. The initiative is targeted at those who were previouslyworking but lost their jobs or were made redundant and who, withsome upskilling, could fill current or future job shortages.
To make it easier to apply for these places, a single web portal forall Springboard related activities is being used – BlueBrick.ie. It will
operate as a kind of mini-CAO for the Springboard courses, butwithout the pressure of the points system. Springboard, which ismanaged by the Higher Education Authority, will allow those whoundertake the courses to retain their benefits and if they find a job,they will still be permitted and encouraged to finish their course. Arange of programmes will be offered in both the public and privatesector including GMIT, NUIG and The Open University with levelsranging from Certificate to Masters Degree. Potential students willapply online though BlueBrick.ie.
TUAM YOUTH CENTRE
6,000 NEW PLACES FOR THE UNEMPLOYED ON HIGHER EDUCATION COURSES NO LOSS OF BENEFITS FOR THOSE WHO TAKE UP PLACES, CHECK OUT BLUEBRICK.IE TO ENROL
2,000 JOBS ON THE HORIZON THANKS TO €75M INVESTMENT IN ROADSUnder the Jobs Initiative, County Councils are being providedwith an additional €60m for the improvement of regional andlocal roads. In addition, councils in our major urban areas will beprovided with €15m which will go straight into labour-intensivetraffic management and smarter travel projects.
With this jobs package, the new Government has done more intwo months, to promote employment and economic recovery,than the last Government did in two years.Unemployment is not a matter of statistics. The unemployed
are our neighbours, our children, and our friends. They arepeople who want nothing more than the opportunity to work intheir own country, provide for their families, and get on withtheir lives. This Government is determined to do everything wecan to provide those opportunites.
The jobs Initiative is but one step on the road to economicrecovery, but it is an important one, and one in which, as aLabour Party TD, I am proud to have been involved.
Cllr Shaun CunniffeGalway County Council087 816 [email protected]
Cllr Mary Loftus087 [email protected]
Cllr Pat O’Hora093 24070
YOUR LOCAL LABOUR TEAM WORKING FOR YOU
Dáil ÉireannLeinster House,Kildare St, Dublin 2
Tel: 01 618 3821 Fax: 01 618 4331Email: [email protected]
Constituency OfficeLower Dublin RoadTuam, Co. Galway
Tel: 093 24070
Colm Keaveney TD
0612
Labour in Government is intent on
creating an environment which will
support and create sustainable jobs.
The Government’s Jobs Initiative is a
crucial first incremental step in
growing our economy.
This is a positive move by a
Government determined to get our
economy working again.
What’s in the Jobs Plan?
� 21,000 training, education and intern places
� VAT on tourism related good and services cut from 13% to 9%
� Visa Waiver Programme to apply to short stay visitors of 14 nationalities
� Reversal of cuts to minimum wage
� €30 million made available for school building works
� €30 million for “Better Energy – The National Upgrade Programme” to insulate
homes
� €75 million boost for transport projects to create at least 1,000 new jobs
� Employer’s PRSI for workers on below €356 a week will be halved
A CRUCIAL FIRST STEP ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERYGOVERNMENT JOBS INITIATIVE
LABOUR RESTORES MINIMUM WAGE
This Government’s Jobs Initiative sets out an environment to support jobcreation in small and medium enterprises (SMEs). This is a very positiveintervention to support those entrepreneurs and business people that willcreate jobs and rebuild our economy.New initiatives to help get lines of credit flowing include:
� a partial loan guarantee scheme will be in operation by the autumn.For every €400m that is guaranteed by the State an additional 4,500companies can get further credit that will in turn create more than8,000 jobs
� a micro-finance fund will provide funding for small loans to start-ups
� improve cash flow to businesses. From 1st July 2011, all governmentbodies (excluding commercial semi states) will be required to paysuppliers within 15 days of receipt of a valid invoice.
One of the most shameful acts perpetrated by thelast Government was to slash the minimum wage
from €8.65 to €7.65, a cut of 12 per cent.
People on the minimum wage are among the mostfinancially distressed and should not have been askedto shoulder the burden for poor decisions made byGovernments, regulators and financial institutions.
Labour opposed this cut tooth and nail, and during thelast election we promised to restore the minimumwage to its former level. Under the provisions of theJobs Initiative, we have done just that. Legislation tomake that change is already being prepared and wehope that it will come into effect in July.
LENDING TO SMALL BUSINESSES APRIORITY
