Thur 2nd Feb 2012

Changes to the delivery of ambulance and nursing home services will have a devastating impact on the lives of thousands of families in the east Cork area, according to local Sinn Féin TD Sandra McLellan.

Speaking in the Dáil this week on the HSE’s National Service Plan, Deputy McLellan said:

“Some of the headline issues arising from this plan have been well highlighted. It is clear that the heart will be torn from our public nursing homes. We have already seen the ball start to roll in this regard. In Laois, in Athlone, in Dublin to name but a few. In my own area of east Cork facilities and beds are under threat in Fermoy and Youghal. Youghal Community Hospital is in danger of losing eight beds. The effect of this will be to leave vulnerable elderly people and their families at their wits end. Will there be a place available for my elderly loved one? If not, why not? Home help hours are being cut at the same time, as the state seems to be abandoning their duty of care.”

“Similarly the so-called “reorganisation” of pre-emergency care is causing considerable concern, and quite legitimately. Ambulance response times for 2011 were below target right across the board, yet the HSE somehow expect that by redeploying the same staff over longer periods in less sophisticated vehicles that this system will improve. This is simply unbelievable. Areas are up in arms.  I commend the work of the Save Youghal Ambulance group which has been fighting for the retention of their ambulance service in the face of proposed downgrades. The plan as outlined will cost lives and needs to be resisted.

Sinn Féin TD for Cork East Sandra McLellan has condemned the Government’s
handling of the proposed septic tank charge and called for the immediate
establishment of agreed standards and an appropriate funding mechanism for
those who have to carry out repairs or upgrades.

Speaking in the Dáil on the Report Stages of the Water Services
(Amendment) Bill 2011 Deputy McLellan said:
“The fact that we don’t know what standards must be met at this late stage
is completely unacceptable. The Minister must publish standards before any
bill is passed. Otherwise we are being asked to vote for standards which
haven’t even been drafted let alone agreed. The Minister has conceded that
he will now commence on a 4 week consultation process before any standards
are published. This is not good enough. The standards need to be published
the bill voted on.
She added,
“The potential cost of repairs and upgrades that might be needed will
place an unbearable pressure on some people. It could be the straw that
breaks the camel’s back for many. Sinn Féin fully supports the upgrading
of septic tanks. We fully agree that ground water and the environment must
be protected. But the legislation before us is a knee jerk reaction to EU
regulations. The bill is brought in under threat of fines from the EU for
the failure of consecutive governments. The bill as it stands demands that
any upgrading must be funded by the householder. This again is completely
unacceptable. A fund must be established to assist householders to meet
the payment of any repair or upgrade.”
She concluded,
“Hundreds of millions of state funds were invested in urban wastewater
systems. The same support must now be given to rural householders required
to improve their septic tanks.”

 Paying Anglo bondholders while nursing home beds close is ‘senseless’ – McLellan

The Government’s insistence this week to pay €1.25 billion to unsecured, unguaranteed bondholders of the defunct Anglo Irish Bank at a time when vital health services for our elderly and infirmed are under threat has been branded as ‘senseless’ by Cork East TD, Sandra McLellan.

Speaking in the Dáil on a motion opposing the payment the Sinn Féin Deputy said:

“It is impossible to separate the decision of the Government to pay this vast sum to speculators and gamblers from their decision to guarantee cutbacks for our health services.”

“In the HSEs National Service Plan for 2012 it is proposed that almost 900 community nursing home beds in the public sector will be closed this year. Vital services in Youghal and Fermoy are under threat because of this. Retirements, the recruitment embargo, and decreased funding means more and more families will be under pressure. Funding for home help and carers, as well as the crisis in our acute and primary care services will leave older people completely vulnerable. This situation is totally preposterous.”

She concluded,

“The economic strategy being implemented by this Government is senseless. As a direct result of it devastating cutbacks to essential public services in health, education and social welfare are being forced on individuals, families and communities. Sinn Féin has proposed a real alternative. There is a better, fairer way, which Labour and Fine Gael are choosing to ignore.”

Cork East TD Sandra McLellan has described plans by the Minister for Education to cut funding for disadvantaged and vulnerable pupils as ‘an assault on the fabric of Irish society’ and called for the immediate reversal of proposed cuts to pupil-teacher ratios.

Speaking on a Sinn Féin motion opposing the cuts Deputy McLellan said:

“The cuts to DEIS schools announced in the budget deserve particular attention not only because of the devastating effect that they will have on those children who are directly covered by the scheme, but in the broader sense, having an appreciation of the role of education, to Irish society as a whole. The very children who need the most intensive educational support with regard to literacy and numeracy will be affected the most by the proposed measures.”

“This state has, at times, had nothing less than a shameful record on education. Those children born into disadvantage were always the ones to bear the brunt. A two tier education system continues to exist in this state and schemes which went some way towards addressing it, like the DEIS scheme or free third level education are being hollowed out.”

“Equality of opportunity is what DEIS is all about. It is, at its very essence, about fairness. It’s about giving each child who through whatever quirk of geography, genetics, environment or circumstance has found themselves, from a very early age, at a disadvantage, a chance to reach their full potential. To play a full, active, positive role in society. I am calling on the Minister to immediately reverse the cuts to pupil-teacher ratios announced in the recent budget.”

Speaking yesterday following a protest in Cork against the budget Cllr Michelle Hennessey (SF) said “In February the people of Ireland voted for a change in way this country was run. After the release of this budget there is no doubt but this government is following the same path of austerity and inequality as the last. The decision to cut the fuel allowance by €120 is scandalous and will cost lives. This cut will hit older people and those with disabilities worst. This follows cuts of up to 25% to fuel allowance and the household benefits package imposed by the Government in September. And it comes at a time when fuel prices are increasing sharply.

By cutting Back-to-School Allowance, Child Benefit, payments for lone parents on CE , reducing the age cap to seven for One Parent Family Allowance, cutting the part-time jobseekers’ payments, increasing the tenants’ contribution to rent allowance and by cutting CE supports, the minister is taking food out of the mouths of the poorest in society.

The cuts are primarily on the neediest in society. There is still protection for the higher paid in the country. The promise of fairness and equality did not last long with the newly elected. It is particularly disappointing that the labour party are standing over and implementing these savage cuts. A family on social welfare is being asked to contribute more than a family with over 150000 euro coming into the household. We are calling on people to contact your local TDs and voice your concern at these cuts.”

Cllr Eoin Flanagan (SF)Youghal town Cllr speaking at a meeting of East Cork Ogra Sinn Fein highlighted the cuts to the education budget which will directly affect the younger generation. “This government has chosen to directly target the education sector with sweeping cuts which fly in the face of the idea of free education in this country. By increasing the registration fees in third level by 250 euro the labour party have broken a clear promise made just weeks before the election in what was now a cynical attempt to get votes. Couple this with the reduction in maintenance grants, access to third level education is again becoming an institution for the richer in society.

The reduction in guidance counsellors in second level education is also going to have a detrimental effect on the education of children. This cut will take away a vital service which helped students through their education.

The reduction in the funding to schools to cover the day to day running costs will also increase the pressure on parents to make further contributions to help keep their schools running; all this while the highest earners in the country remain unaffected. Enda Kenny can justify an increase of 35000 euro in the wages of one of his cronies while with the other hand makes these reductions to the hardest pressed in society.

Sinn Féin TD for Cork East, Sandra McLellan, has claimed the ambulance service in the HSE South area is at breaking point and that the planned reconfiguration of the service will drive it over the edge.

Speaking in response to leaked HSE memos Deputy McLellan said:

“Internal HSE memos revealed by the Corkman this week confirm that there were several instances when areas in Cork were left without adequate ambulance cover due to new work directives. The HSEs answer to this appears to be to ask ambulance crew to routinely cover on-call after already working a 16 hour day. This is completely outrageous and in direct contradiction to earlier instruction issued in May.”

“It beggars belief that the HSE would expect ambulance staff to be in any fit state to deliver appropriate care after such a long day. The role paramedics play in the pre-emergency care of patients is vital. I have said from the outset that the HSEs plan to reconfigure ambulance services is seriously flawed. I have called on the Government and the HSE to invest in the ambulance fleet and in ambulance personnel. The recruitment embargo continues to have a devastating effect on the service.”

“This series of internal communications highlights the fact that the service is at breaking point, with insufficient staff and an inappropriate skills mix to deliver the service in the new dispensation. That the HSE would even contemplate reconfiguring the service without addressing these deficiencies is life threatening.”

Related Video: Save Youghal Ambulance – Protest Walk 29 July 2011

Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on sport, Cork East TD Sandra McLellan, has congratulated the Irish soccer team on their successful qualification for the Euro 2012 Championships in Poland/Ukraine.

Speaking after Ireland’s 5-1 aggregate play-off win over Estonia Deputy McLellan said:

“I want to congratulate the squad of players, the management team and all of the supporters on their tremendous achievement. Last night’s result was fantastic for Ireland.

“The 1-1 result was the culmination of a gruelling qualification campaign which began over a year and a half ago. In that time the Irish team has put in some sterling performances full of skill, determination and commitment.

“It is a real lift for the whole country and gives us something special to look forward to next summer, when we’ll compete amongst the best teams in Europe for the first time in twenty four years. I’m sure thousands of dedicated fans will be planning their trips already.

“A lot of people will have very fond memories of our last outing in the European Championships in 1988 and hope that we can replicate some of those performances in Poland/Ukraine.”

Sinn Féin spokesperson on Arts, Heritage, Tourism and Sport, Sandra McLellan, has said the film and animation industry has the potential to create an extra 5,000 jobs and to be worth more than €1bn to the Irish economy in the next five years if appropriately managed.

Speaking in the Dáil today on the Irish Film Board (Amendment) Bill 2011 Deputy McLellan said:

“This industry has the potential to be a really good story for Ireland. Full time employment can double from 5,400 to over 10,000 in the next five years if we maximise efficiencies and the potential of the industry. This would see it worth more than €1bn to the economy here. We want to continue to see the Bravehearts and Saving Private Ryans being made here, and also the international TV productions such as the Tudors and Game of Thrones. So too, we want to see indigenous Irish productions like My Left Foot, The Wind that Shakes the Barley, and so on.

“Going forward it will be very important that we take a very thorough approach to how we manage this sector, how we measure relative success and relative failure. How we ensure accountability. How we review and how we improve. This point is not just applicable to those groups, organisations and companies receiving funding but to the sector as a whole, the state agencies and the IFB itself. While it won’t necessarily always be the main driver, we should not be afraid to measure return on investment.”

“Last year we saw the fantastic potential of Irish animation with the Secret of Kells and Granny O’Grimm receiving international acclaim at the Academy Awards. What was particularly special at that time was the coverage of Ballyfermot College where some of the animators had honed their skills. This was a great day for those nominated but also for the industry here and for Ireland as a whole. I’m certain it provided inspiration for thousands of students at home. It presented a picture of endless possibilities. The possibility of a viable and sustainable career in this industry, and even more, the possibility of a successful and prosperous one.”

Sinn Féin TD for Cork East Sandra McLellan has said that the government is contradicting itself on the issue of voting rights in presidential elections for Irish citizens in the north and abroad.

Deputy McLellan said that despite commitments from the Taoiseach, Fine Gael and Labour Senators last week voted down a Sinn Féin motion in the Seanad on the issue.

Deputy McLellan called for clarification from the government.

She said:

“The Taoiseach Enda Kenny recently gave a commitment to my party leader Gerry Adams that the proposed constitutional convention will consider the issue of voting rights, including those of Irish citizens in the north, for future Presidential elections. However his commitment does not tally with the actions of his government colleagues who voted down a Sinn Féin motion last week on this issue.

“Clearly the government is contradicting itself.

“Fine Gael is on record as stating that Irish citizens living outside the 26 counties should be allowed to vote in presidential elections, subject to certain conditions, and likewise the Labour party is on record as advocating the extension of voting rights.

“However we now have the bizarre situation where both government parties talk about supporting the extension of voting rights, but when it comes to a vote, they stand in opposition to the idea.

“The government cannot continue to pay lip service to Irish citizens in the north and abroad. They must clarify their position on this important issue.

“Sinn Féin will continue to work with all political parties and organisations including the One Voice, One Vote campaign to ensure that the rights of the people in the six counties are the same as those in Galway, Dublin and Cork.”

SINN FÉIN CORK EAST TD, SANDRA MCLELLAN, has called on the Government to challenge the excessive pay, pensions and lump sums of senior public and civil servants.

Speaking in the Dáil on the Judges’ Remuneration Bill, which seeks to reduce judges’ pay in line with the pay of other public service employees, Deputy McLellan said:

“While the average industrial wage in this state is somewhere around €35,000, judges can expect to earn multiples of that, anything between €147,000 and €295,000.  This, while more than 440,000 people are unemployed and signing on the dole, and many many more don’t even qualify to do that; and while untold hardship is being visited upon ordinary people right throughout this state, as a result of cuts, cuts and more cuts, with no end in sight.”

“In addition, the obscene figures which have emerged over recent weeks are further evidence of the continuing practice of excessive pay and privileges, including severance and pension provision, for senior members of the civil and public service. This must be tackled head on. Government cannot continue to hide behind the excuse of contracts or precedent.”

“Sinn Féin has called for, and continues to call for, the capping of all public sector pay at €100,000. Similarly pension pots should be reduced for senior public servants.”

“The Government has promised legislation to deal with excessive senior public sector pensions and to end the practice of ‘added years’ but these changes look likely to apply only to new entrants. This is unacceptable. Methods must be looked at to tackle the excessively high pension arrangements for existing public and civil service top dogs. Increasing the tax rate applied to the balance of lump sum payoffs is just one option.”