Brady calls on communities to mobilise for Right2water rallies across Wicklow on 1 November

Wicklow Sinn Féin Councillor John Brady has called for the largest turnout possible at the ‘Right2Water’ mobilisations planned for across Wicklow on Saturday November 1st.

Councillor Brady said "Following on from the massive show of opposition in Dublin last month to the unjust water charges, the next stage of the Right2water campaign will see local protests being held in towns and villages right across the state and that includes here in Wicklow. There are a number of protests organised for Saturday 1 November in Wicklow and I urge as many as possible to turnout to their local protests that will be held in Bray, Greystones, Wicklow Town, Arklow and Blessington."

"Right2Water.ie is a public campaign by activists, citizens, community groups, political parties/individuals and trade unionists who are calling for the Government to recognise and legislate for access to water as a human right. We are demanding the Government abolish the planned introduction of water charges."

Brady continued “Sinn Féin’s message is clear – we are completely opposed to domestic water charges. We will oppose tooth and nail any attempt to privatise water services. Irish Water has become synonymous with everything that is wrong with the Fine Gael Labour Government – cronyism, political manipulation of State boards, threats to citizens and ever mounting taxes on struggling families."

“Water charges can be defeated at the ballot box but it is vitally important that citizens throughout the State continue to mobilise and campaign for their abolition and that people remain united to fight the charges."

“Pressure needs to be exerted in communities, on the streets in council chambers and in the Dáil. With unity of purpose and determined action, water charges can be defeated. People across Wicklow needed to mobilise on the 1 November to continue the pressure on the Government and the four Government TD's here in Wicklow." Ends

Tánaiste must apologise to Wicklow RAS tenants and lift eviction threat

Wicklow Sinn Féin County Councillor has hit out at the Tánaiste Joan Burton and called on her to apologise for her misleading and untrue remarks she made in the Dáil in relation to the threatening letters sent to Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) tenants, by Wicklow County Council, which stated that non-payment of water charges could result in eviction. He has also asked for her to guarantee that no RAS tenants will be evicted for non payment of the unjust water charges.

Speaking after the issue was raised in the Dáil by Mary Lou McDonald Councillor Brady said "The issue of the 500 letters that were sent to RAS tenants in Wicklow was raised in the Dáil on Thursday last by Mary Lou McDonald. Unbelievably in response the Tánaiste Joan Burton made some misleading and blatantly untrue remarks about Sinn Féin and in a condescending attitude tried to brush the concerns of the effected tenants to one side."

"The Tánaiste stated that Sinn Féin in Wicklow were in control of the council with Fianna Fáil and Independents and that we could some how of stopped the threatening letters going out. The facts are the Old Boys club of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and some Independents control the council, not Sinn Féin. As Joan Burton doesn't have any Councillors in Wicklow because the electorate rejected them, it's not surprising that she got that wrong. I as a sitting councillor had no prior knowledge of these letters going out nor did my party colleague John Snell who is the chairperson of the Housing Special Policy Committee in Wicklow County Council."

Brady continued "As Tánaiste and the Minister for Social Protection Joan Brutons finger prints are all over the letters that were sent out in Wicklow. RAS is a National scheme and contracts issued to the councils are drafted centrally. Unfortunately Wicklow County Council made a foolish choice to do the dirty work for both the minister and Irish Water in issuing the letters threatening to evict people if they can't pay their water charges."

"I think it is deplorable that such bully-boy tactics are being used to intimidate hard-pressed families, many of whom simply do not have the money to pay. People have already been threatened by Enda Kenny that they will have their water pressure reduced if they don't pay the charges. These bully boy tactics are something one would read about under right wing dictatorships such as in Chile under Augusto Pinochet."

Cllr Brady concluded "The Tánaiste Joan Burton must now give assurances to RAS tenants, who cannot pay water charges, that they will not be faced with eviction. She must also now assume responsibility and take action to ensure that such an approach is brought to end and issue an apology to the families that received the threatening letters from the County Council. The bottom line is people can't afford to pay these unjust charges. I have stated that I won't be paying the charges, I know from speaking to many people faced with a choice of feeding their families or paying the unjust charge that they have no choice but not to pay also. Joan must listen to the people instead of being so condescending and abolish the water tax immediately." Ends

Brady calls on the Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly to investigate Wicklow County Council

Wicklow Sinn Féin County Councillor John Brady has called on the Minister of the Environment Alan Kelly to carry out an investigation of Wicklow County Council and to look at the serious allegations around planning and how the council is and has been managed. 

Cllr Brady said "There has been a lot of talk surrounding Wicklow County Council, how it's being managed and serious allegations have been made on planning matters, some of which equate to corruption. There has been a lot of talk in the media and on the ground relating to planning involving the council in Wicklow and I believe public confidence in the council is at an all time low.  In the latest report carried last week in a national newspaper it's claimed a file connected to a complaint relating to malpractice in the council which was lodged by a number of Wicklow Councillors with the Minister has gone missing from his desk".

"The Standards in Public Office are also investigating complaints made against council officials and a named councillor. I have spoken to a number of people who have made serious accusations about the council, I have also seen many files which paint a worrying picture of how the council has been managed and they also raise concerns on how planning has been dealt with in the County".

The Sinn Féin councillor continued "Irrespective as to when these files relate to, whether it be one year or sixteen years ago, they need to be investigated. In the Dáil my party leader has raised concerns about Wicklow and I reiterate them again. The ex Minister of the Environment Phil Hogan abdicated his responsibilities in ensuring the council in Wicklow and others met the highest of standards. There are very serious allegations and the minister has a duty to investigate them regardless of the outcome".

Brady concluded "The new minister Alan Kelly must restore public confidence in all aspects of Local Authority. The only way now to restore any confidence in Wicklow County Council is for him  to hold an independent investigation into the management of the County Council, all allegations regarding planning that have been made against the council need to be included. Fine Gael junior minister Simon Harris and former Minister of the Environment Dick Roche have previously called for an investigation and I'm repeating that demand now". Ends

Wicklow Sinn Féin to hold protest to coincide with the commencement of water charges on 1st October

Wicklow Sinn Féin are to hold a protest on Wednesday 1st October to coincide with the commencement of domestic water charges which will apply from 1st October 2014 and bills will start being issued in January 2015. The protest will take place outside the office of Wicklow Labour TD Ann Ferris in Bray at 1pm.

Speaking ahead of the protest Sinn Féin Councillor John Brady said "This Wednesday 1st October will see the commencement of the first billing period of the new water charges that are being introduced by Fine Gael and Labour. The first bills are due to land on people's door steps early January and it's expected that the average bill will be €280 per annum".

“Water is a basic human right. Charging twice for water is wrong and Sinn Féin will resist it in Wicklow and the rest of the 26 Counties as we did in the north. This is an issue which we will continue to be vocal on in local councils and in the Dáil".

He continued “Fine Gael and Labour don’t have a clue. They have no idea what it is like for the vast majority of families out there who are struggling to survive. Many are living on less than €10 a week after bills are paid, they cannot afford to pay hundreds of euro a year for water".

“Sinn Féin has made our position clear. We are opposed to water charges and we will reverse them in government. We have a strong track record on this issue. It was Sinn Féin Minister Conor Murphy who blocked domestic water charges in the North. There is no acceptable reason for water charges. The government has a choice. They can either continue to help those at the top or they can ease the burden on struggling families. Sinn Féin has produced detailed costed proposals to prove there is an alternative to water charges".

Councillor Brady concluded “Bills for domestic water use will be issued from January in respect of the last quarter of this year. Effectively, the government will start double-charging households for water from this Wednesday 1st October. I urge people to join in the protest on Wednesday and send a message to the government that the ordinary people of Ireland simply can't shoulder the burden anymore and that the water charges should be stopped immediately". Ends

Wicklow County Council vote to reduce the Property Tax by 15% pumping €2,642,002 back into local economy

Wicklow County Councillor and Sinn Féin group leader John Brady has welcomed the decision by the majority of Wicklow Councillors to support the reduction of the Local Property Tax rate by 15%, the decision was taken at a special meeting of the council which took place on Monday. It will result in €2,642,002 going directly back into the local economy in Wicklow. 

Speaking after the meeting councillor Brady said "I welcome the decision of the majority of the Councillors in Wicklow to reduce the unjust Property Tax by 15% which is the maximum allowed under the legislation. This is a stepping stone towards the complete abolition of the tax which Sinn Féin have committed to doing if we enter government after the next election. The decision to reduce the tax was carried by 31 votes to 1".

"The saving of 15% comes only 2 weeks before the first billing period for the new water charges commences with the first bills landing on our door steps in January. The property tax coupled with the water charges will result in approximately €1,000 per household being taken from the pockets of hard hit families. This is just another regressive tax that hits the most vulnerable the hardest, however the 15% reduction will give a little respite to struggling families and the saving will pump €2,642,002 directly back into the local economy".

The Sinn Féin councillor continued "The imposition of the property tax by Fine Gael and Labour last year has not nor will it see any increase or improvement in local services. Other funding streams to the council have been cut and last year all monies collected in Wicklow were handed to Irish Water to install water meters. In the elections in May Sinn Féin went before the electorate seeking a mandate to reduce the tax as a stepping stone, we got a mandate from the electorate to get the maximum reduction of 15% which the legislation allows for. At the meeting on Monday we delivered on that and we now must continue until it's totally abolished". 

Brady went onto say "The decision to reduce unjust tax has to be welcomed, however it's only the tip of the iceberg. I'm very conscious of the impact the remaining property tax coupled with the water charges will have on hard pressed families and the local economy in Wicklow. At Mondays meeting Sinn Féin put forward a motion opposing the Local Property Tax and calling on the government to abolish the unjust tax. The motion was passed by 19 votes to 11 and showed up the hypocrisy of some Councillors who spoke against the tax but when given the opportunity to vote against it decided to vote in favour of it. Fine Gael voted to support the tax and Fianna Fáil were split on the issue with some of their Councillors completely bamboozled as to what exactly their policy is on the issue".

Councillor Brady concluded "The reduction of 15% is a step in the right direction and a step towards its ultimate abolishment when Sinn Féin get into power. The other important thing to come out of the meeting is that it's now the policy of the council to oppose the property tax and to seek its abolishment". Ends

Motion passed by Wicklow County Council, proposed by Cllr John Brady, seconded by Cllr Nicola Lawless. The motion was passed by 19 votes to 11

'The members of Wicklow County Council are totally opposed to the Local Property Tax and see the 15% reduction in the rate which was passed in Wicklow as the start of the process of abolishing the LPT. We call on the Government to abolish this unjust tax' 

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Sinn Féin to push for 15% reduction in LPT at special meeting of Wicklow County Council

A special meeting of Wicklow County Council will take on Monday to set the basic rate for the Local Property Tax. Sinn Fein will propose a reduction of the full 15% allowed under the legislation in order to give some relief and to ease the financial burden on taxpayers.

Speaking ahead of the meeting councillor John Brady said "Wicklow County Council will meet on Monday to set the rate for the Local Property Tax, Sinn Féin have committed to reducing the unjust tax by the full 15% allowed under the legislation. This would be a precursor to it being abolished if Sinn Féin enter government after the next election". 

Brady continued "Sinn Féin will put forward a proposal at the meeting to reduce the Property Tax in order to ease the financial strain that working families are under, it is time that this government stopped going after the same people with their austerity taxes, especially when there are other options like bringing in a wealth tax instead. The public just can’t pay this tax on top of water charges which will take effect in just two weeks time with our first bills due in our doors the week after Christmas".

Brady concluded "I'm hoping that the majority of the 32 councillors will have the courage and the social conscience to back the Sinn Fein proposal for the maximum reduction of 15% on Monday. I would call on all Wicklow County Councillors to support this motion.” Ends

Wicklow County Council to review the lawn only policy in Springfield Cemetery

Wicklow County Council is to review the lawn only policy in Springfield Cemetery in Bray. The existing lawn policy which hasn't been enforced in many years has caused huge anger and concern after Bray Town Council moved last year to enforce the policy and erected sign in the cemetery informing people that if items such as flowers, ornaments and other mementos weren't removed the council would remove and dispose of them.

Speaking after Mondays Council meeting Councillor Brady said "Now that Bray Town Council has been abolished Springfield cemetery has now become the responsibility of Wicklow County Council. I raised the issue at the council meeting on Monday and stated that the issue which was poorly dealt with by Bray Town Council is still causing great concern and families who have loved ones buried in the cemetery are constantly watching and waiting for their graves to be tampered with and items removed".

"When the cemetery was first opened 1981 the policy was to have it a lawn cemetery, however this was never enforced and to try after all these years to force families to remove items is both insensitive and unacceptable. At the council meeting i asked for the policy to be looked at and a compromise to be found to allow families maintain the graves to a high standard as they have over many years. A sub committee of the council the Environment Special Policy Committee (SPC) is to take on the issue, review it and bring recommendations back to the full council".

Cllr Brady continued "I welcome this and i am hopefully that a satisfactory compromise will be found. I also put forward a resolution to the council that no attempts by the council to remove items from graves would take place whilst the review was ongoing. I am aware that officials in the Municipal District of Bray were in the process of having letters drafted to sent out to families giving them a deadline to have items removed, my resolution has now stopped that in its tracks and has given the Environment SPC time to look at the issue and report back to the full council".