Letter from the Mayor of Youghal, Eoin Coyne, to the Minister for Health, Dr. James Reilly concerning the scrapping of the Youghal Ambulance service.

Subject: Save Youghal Ambulance
Date: Fri, 22 Jul 2011 13:06:22

Minister,

I write to you today as the Mayor of Youghal on behalf of the people of the town to express my serious concern and downright anger of the Health Service Executive’s decision to replace Youghal’s 24 hour full ambulance emergency cover with a solo paramedic response car to serve the Youghal and its hinterland from September next.

The town of Youghal has a population of circa eight thousand people within its urban boundaries; it also serves an extensively large hinterland of an estimated forty thousand people in its surrounding villages and town lands. It is seen as the closest hub for post primary education, employment and tertiary services  for all of the surrounding villages in the West Waterford and East Cork region, such as;  Ardmore, Killeagh, Castlemartyr, Ballycotton, Knockanore, Clashmore and Ballymacoda.

The removal of Youghal Ambulance service in the town of Youghal will have serious implications on those who will unexpectedly require emergency assistance. As you are aware yourself, the first “golden hour” in which casualties are taken from the scene of an accident to the A+E department greatly increases that individuals’ chances of survival. If the HSE proposal goes ahead as planned, and the town of Youghal are then only left with a paramedic response car, the following scenario will become an all too regular occurrence;

An emergency 999 call will go out for an ambulance to attend to the scene of an accident or to someone who is in serious ill health and MUST travel by ambulance (paramedic response cars are not permitted to transport individuals who require an ambulance)  to the A+E department some sixty kilometres in Cork City. It will then take at least a half an hour, if not considerably longer, for an ambulance to travel from a neighbouring town to attend to the individual(s). During the time that the ambulance is en route, the paramedic response car is at the scene, almost powerless, telling the said individual that everything is going to be ok and the ambulance is on its way. All the while, the chances of survival become significantly reduced due to the fact that the injured party will not have reached the A+E department within the vital “Golden Hour”.

In many, many cases this WILL result in loss of life.

It is apparent that this is a measure brought in by the HSE in order to cut costs. It is my opinion that cuts cannot be made to frontline services that are absolutely vital in ensuring the wellbeing of our citizens.

Minister, I am all too aware that our country is in extreme financial difficulty, as I see it each day within local government at Youghal Town Council level. However, I strongly believe that cutting costs that will cost lives is totally unacceptable.

I assure you that my plea to you has no political agenda; it is a plea to you, on behalf of the people of Youghal, to intervene and call on the HSE to reverse their decision to scrap the Youghal Ambulance service.

Please, Save Youghal Ambulance.

Yours,

Cllr. Eoin Coyne

Mayor of Youghal

 

Youghal has a new Town Mayor. Councillor Eoin Coyne of Fianna Fail was elected today (June 21st 2011) at the Town Council’s AGM in the Town Hall. Councillor Coyne – who was Deputy Mayor for the past year – succeeds his party colleague, Mary Linehan Foley as the Town’s first citizen. Councillor Coyne was proposed by his party colleague, Sammy Revins and seconded by Green Party councillor, Liam Burke. The vote was passed unanimously. The new Mayor was first elected to Youghal Town Council in 2009.

There was a contest for the position of Deputy Mayor. Councillor Sammy Revins was elected by 5 votes to 2 having been proposed by Councillor Mary Linehan Foley and seconded by Councillor Liam Burke. Councillor Michael Beecher was proposed by his party colleague, Barbara Murray and seconded by himself.

The new Sinn Fein Cork East Constituency Office is now open at The Parlour, The Mall, Youghal. The office will be open weekdays from 9.30am – 5pm and by appointment on saturdays. The office will be officially opened in the next few weeks. Info: CRY 104fm Youghal Local Radio

One of the youngest mayors ever to hold the post in the country plans to address the issue of emigration amongst his peers. Twenty-two year-old Fianna Fáil councillor, Eoin Coyne was appointed mayor of Youghal Town Council earlier this week, a position he hopes will allow him tackle the ongoing problem of young people leaving the country.

“There is a significant amount of ‘brain drain’ happening at the moment, something that I personally see amongst my friends. A week does not go by without having to attend a friend’s leaving party before they move to Australia or Canada,” Cllr Coyne told the Cork News. “It is sad situation to see friends who have degrees or trades leaving because there are no opportunities here for them.

“I have realistic expectations. I know I’m not going to change the world. However, I would be hoping that Youghal Town Council could work with local businesses on setting up schemes to get people back to work. Small changes will make the difference.”

Cllr Coyne, a former student of Government at UCC, added that he was “delighted” and “humbled” to be elected, stating that it was “one of the biggest honours to be your town’s mayor”. He explained that he first developed an interest in politics and current affairs during secondary school, joining the Fianna Fáil party whilst in his Leaving Certificate year. He was first elected to Youghal Town Council in 2009 and last year was appointed the role of deputy mayor, a position, he said, which allowed him a “small sample” of his new title. He will now follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, former mayor and fellow Fianna Fáil councillor, Mary Linehan Foley.

With the next council meeting due in three weeks, Cllr Coyne said that while there is a significant age gap between himself and other councillors, he is assured that they will welcome him into the position. “Some councillors may be 20 or 30 years older than me but they are all fully supportive, as I was unanimously voted in.” he said.

Cllr Coyne added that he hoped his appointment would encourage more young people to take up politics. “Politics is for everyone and not just for 50 year-old, middle-class males, which has been the demographic for so long. It is now time to encourage young people to get involved,” he said.

Info: The Cork News.ie

Click on image to enlarge

Youghal Tidy Towns Committee launches it 2011 Town Centre Planting Scheme on www.youghalonline.com. The focus this year is to encourage more businesses to participate in the project on the basis that “Beautiful Towns do Bountiful Business”.

The scheme offers excellent value for money, the Committee supplies, erects and maintains these beautiful flowerboxes from June to September. “We currently have over 40 business participants but would like to extend the scheme to make a big impact” commented Ned Brennan, Committee Chairperson. For 2011 lets paint the Town Red, blue, green, yellow, purple…….

Ned Brennan.

Youghal Tidy Towns Committee

086/2382751

 

 

Thank you for your maturity

This weekend Ned Brennan, Chairperson of Youghal Tidy Towns Committee issued a press release to thank the responsible candidates from Fine Gael, Fianna Fail, Labour and Independent candidates for not littering the town centre with election posters.

“Posters are unsightly and litter the town and are an insult to peoples intelligence in the current media age” Mr. Brennan commented.

He continued “at a time when the town is struggling economically, the last thing that we need is unsightly election posters which detract from the town centre’s rich heritage and archaeology”

“We need to stand up to political parties who litter the town with election posters and say – no this is not acceptable” The Chairperson concluded.

Ned Brennan.

Youghal Tidy Towns Committee

21st February 2011.

Fianna Fáil General Election Candidate for Cork East Michael Ahern talks to Declan Gibbons.

Personal Details: Born Dungourney, Co. Cork January 1949. Married to Margaret Monahan, three daughters. Educated Dungourney NS, Co. Cork: Rockwell College, Cashel, Co. Tipperary: UCD – BA (Economics, Politics, Psychology): and Kimmage Manor, Dublin (Theology). 1970-72 Secondary School Teacher 1973-77 Accountancy Student, Coopers/Lybrand, Cork 1977-81 Financial Controller – Building Construction Firm, Cork 1981-2000 Principal of Registered Audit & Accountancy Practice. Late father Liam Ahern (Senator 1957-1973) (TD 1973-1974). Grand-Uncle John Dinneen (T.D. 1922-1927).

Political Record

Re-elected to Dáil Éireann, May 2007. 1982 – Elected to Dáil Éireann and at each subsequent election.
1982-92 & 2000-02 – Member Public Accounts Committee.
1982-83 – Member Standing Orders Committee.
1984-87 – Fianna Fáil Deputy spokesperson on Transport.
1992-93 – Minister for Science & Technology.
1993-97 – Member of Joint Committee on Semi-State Bodies.
1994-97 – Fianna Fáil spokesperson on Office of Public Works and Taxation.
1995 – Member of Small and Medium Enterprises Committee: FEE (European Accountancy Federation-representing Irish Accounting Bodies).
1997-2000 – Member of Joint Committee of Health & Children.
1997-2002 – Chairman Joint Committee on Finance & Public Service. Chairman Standing Joint Committee on Consolidation Bills.
2002 – 07 Minister for Trade and Commerce.
Minister of State with special responsibility for Innovation Policy at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Education and Science from June 2007 to May 2008.

NAMA(National Asset Management Agency) Public Overview – Click here to view presentation(MS Powerpoint required).

Click below and listen to Fianna Fáil General Election Candidate for Cork East Michael Ahern TD talk to Declan Gibbons on Youghal Local Radio CRY – Audio courtesy of CRY

Newly crowned Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin tonight said sorry for the party’s past mistakes – but insisted they did not get everything wrong.

The former Foreign Affairs Minister refused to say how many seats he was targeting in the general election and whether Taoiseach Brian Cowen would stand again.

Although Mr Martin admitted Fianna Fáil’s role in the country’s economic crisis, he claimed other political parties in the Dáil were just as culpable.

“I am sorry for the mistakes we made as a party and that I made as a minister, (I’m) very sorry for those mistakes that we made,” he said.

But he claimed there were “systemic failings” in the political system and pointed the finger at the Opposition for competing with Fianna Fáil on tax cuts and spending promises.

“We were all wrong,” he said.

Mr Martin also defended his party’s record in creating jobs, building new roads and improving education. “We didn’t get everything wrong in the last ten to 15 years,” he said.

The Cork TD was elected the eighth leader of Fianna Fáil after a secret ballot in Leinster House sparked by Mr Cowen’s decision to stand down at the weekend.

Finance Minister Brian Lenihan, Social Protection and Defence Minister Eamon O Cuiv, and Tourism Minister Mary Hanafin also put themselves forward in the contest.

On the first count, Mr Martin received 33 votes, Mr O Cuiv received 15, Mr Lenihan got 14 and Ms Hanafin was eliminated on 10 votes. After transfers in the second count, Mr O Cuiv and Mr Lenihan were on 18 votes each and Mr Martin 36 votes.

The new leader was eventually elected on the final count with 50 votes, compared to Mr O Cuiv’s 22.

Mr Cowen immediately pledged his full support to his successor, who had originally failed in a heave against the Taoiseach last week.

“I believe Micheál has proven in his various ministerial roles over the years that he has the essential leadership qualities of focused determination, stamina, collegiality and integrity, which will enable him to become a great leader of the Fianna Fail party,” said Mr Cowen.

Mr Martin vowed to rebuild Fianna Fáil and lead from the centre ground while making new opportunities for the young and women within its ranks. The party is languishing at the bottom of opinion polls with a record low of 14%.

He said he would shortly name his deputy leader, his new front bench and a director of elections.

While he refused to compare himself to the outgoing Taoiseach, Mr Martin insisted he would engage and be open with the electorate.

Describing his background as from a republican nationalist family, he highlighted past party figures Sean Lemass, Paddy Hillery and Donogh O’Malley as his inspiration.

Mr Martin said his successful challenge has committed him to political life for the next ten years and that he aimed to be Taoiseach.

Although he dismissed the politics of “soundbite and personality”, the new Fianna Fáil leader called for a series of debates with Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny and Labour leader Eamon Gilmore ahead of the election.

‘My priorities, if elected, will go back to real local issues that are of primary concern the people of Youghal’ Photo Michael Hussey (YoughalOnline.com)

Personal Details I am Eoin Coyne, local election candidate for the Youghal Town Council Area. I am a 20 year old student of Government in University College Cork. I’m a local lad and I have lived in Youghal all my life and over the last couple of years I have become very worried about the future of the town with industry here leaving and many of Youghal’s citizens losing their jobs. Youghal now, more than ever, needs a new fresh approach to re-awaken the town and I believe that I am the person to do it. I plan to use youth to my advantage and the energy and enthusiasm that I promise to bring to Youghal Town Council will hopefully bring a bright and prosperous future to the town. I asking you, the people of Youghal, to give me your number 1 vote so that I can represent you and we can work together to make a real difference.

Employment
Unfortunately, during these tough economic times, work is no longer as plentiful as it ha the past decade. However, Youghal seems to have suffered a lot more than the rest of the country in terms of job losses: Youghal has lost at least nine factories over the last twelve years and with the building boom now well and truly over, the people of Youghal are having to move elsewhere (in some cases to other countries) to seek employment. If elected, I will make it a top priority to attract industry to this town and ensure that the towns citizens will not be forced to leave to find jobs elsewhere Read more

By Youghal Town Cllr. Mary Linehan Foley | Photo: Michael Hussey (YoughalOnline.com)

Bertie Ahern and Youghal Town Cllr. Mary Linehan Foley

As a Fianna Fail councillor for the last nine years I feel today is the end of an era. Bertie has made his last public appearance as leader of our country. He will be fondly remembered for all the great work he has done for our country especially the peace process. He was one of the greatest leaders of our time. But like everything else in life we have to look forward, and change is good. I am looking forward to Read more