The Government has failed to win the support of the people for the introduction of the water tax as 57% fail to pay bill

Wicklow Sinn Féin County Councillor and General Election Candidate John Brady has claimed that the low numbers of people who have paid their water charges proves that threats to attach the charge to people’s homes and earnings is clearly not working. He was responding to the release of figures which show that just 43% of those billed have paid.

Speaking after the figures were released by Irish Water and the Government Councillor Brady said “As the Government continue to push through the new Civil Debt (2015) Bill that would allow Irish Water to take court proceedings in order to make attachments and to dip into people’s wages and social welfare payments. It was clearly hoped that that would induce a large number of people to pay the bills they had received.”

“That threat has failed, and many people do not regard the legislative changes as sufficient to force them to comply. It is also the case that more and more people are of the belief that the next general election will lead to the defeat of the government, the abolition of water charges, and a restructuring of the water services to repair the damage done by Irish Water.”

Cllr Brady continued “"Fine Gael and the Labour Party must finally acknowledge that the Government’s efforts to bribe, coerce and intimidate families into complying with the Water Tax have failed, and that they now need to go back to the drawing board and to scrap this charge."

“The way the Government has introduced the Water Tax and is pushing through punitive legislation to take the money from people’s pockets contrasts starkly with how this Government has dealt with elites who have taken advantage of tax avoidance schemes. It is a vicious attack on people with low and middle incomes.”

The Sinn Féin Councillor concluded “The Government has failed to win the support of the people for the introduction of the water tax. And they’ve done this against a back drop of endless austerity where they and their cronies have stuck their hands in the pockets of working people. 57% of those due to pay have not paid and will not pay. More of them cannot pay, I’m proud to stand with the 57% who have not paid and I won’t pay. I’m also proud to be a member of the Right2Water group and I look forward to the next National mobilisation in Dublin on the 29th August.”

Staffing levels in Wicklow County Council having a detrimental impact on services

Sinn Féin County Councillor and General Election candidate John Brady has expressed serious concerns regarding staffing levels in Wicklow County Council. He expressed the concerns due to a reduction of opening hours of public libraries in Greystones and Bray and the fact that the council office in Arklow had to stay closed to the public last week due to staff levels. Bray also has no Litter Warden and only one traffic warden due to retirements and the positions remains unfilled.

Cllr Brady said “I believe the staffing levels of the Local Authorities in Wicklow have reached an all time low and its now having a serious impact on the level of service to the public. Last week the Municipal District office in Arklow remained closed due to a shortage of staff. The public libraries in Ballywaltrim and Greystones are facing cuts to their opening hours and the Local study Service in Ballywaltrim library is to remain closed until October. Bray also has no Litter Warden as a result of a retirement and only one Traffic Warden”.

“The Public Service recruitment embargo which was introduced by Fianna Fáil has left local authorities staffing levels at a dangerous low. People have had Property Taxes stopped from them under the pretense of it going to provide local services. The bottom line is these services simply can’t be provided to the public who need them. There is no Litter Warden in Bray, which is crazy for the third largest town in Ireland and risks setting back all the excellent work that has been done in recent years. The council offices in Arklow had to close due to staffing levels and now at a time when libraries are needed the most the opening hours have to be reduced. It’s also taking months for housing representations by councillors in Bray to be responded to” continued Brady.

He went onto say “We have people on Job Bridge and other schemes now being employed by Fine Gael and Labour to carry out much of the outdoor work that the council outdoor staff had done before the embargo was introduced. Last year the Government announced an end to the embargo in a targeted way. Is this further depletion of local authority services is what the government consider a targeted way?”

Brady concluded “Fine Gael and Labour need to ensure the filling of critical staffing positions are filled as swiftly as possible so we don’t see any further impacts to the level of service the councils provide the public. The council staff do an excellent job in a very difficult working environment due to the cuts imposed over the last number of years. The public have been forced to pay a property tax on the basis that it funds local authorities and they demand the public services they were told would be provided”.

Wicklow Garda Division to get six new Gardaí when they graduate from Templemore

Wicklow Sinn Féin County Councillor and General Election candidate welcomed an announcement by Chief Superintendent Patrick Mangan that the Wicklow Garda Division is to get six new Gardaí when they graduate from Templemore at the end of July. The announcement was made at a meeting of the Wicklow Joint Policing Committee on Monday. Brady stated however that this is only a fraction of the Gardaí that are needed to tackle the rise in crime levels across Wicklow.

Speaking after the meeting Councillor Brady said “Whilst I welcome the news that Wicklow is to get six new Gardaí when they graduate from Templemore at the end of July. I am very conscious however that this is only a fraction of the Gardaí that are needed to tackle serious crime such as burglaries across Wicklow which are up 29% on this time last year”.

“Fine Gael and Labour have presided over a recruitment embargo which has seen the numbers in the Gardaí significantly drop since 2008, when the embargo was first introduced by Fianna Fáil. Wicklow unfortunately didn’t receive any new Gardaí in the last batch of recruits to pass out in Templemore earlier this year, we will however receive six new Gardaí at the end of July which is a start, but realistically well below the numbers needed” continued Brady.

He went on to say “Under this Government we have seen up to 100 Garda stations close across the state, including two in Wicklow, Donard and Hollywood, so when it comes to policing in Wicklow this Government has been very poor. The only way to fight crime is to have more visible Gardaí on the ground. The recruitment of six new Gardaí for the entire Wicklow Division is welcome, but it is only a fraction of what’s needed”.

Wicklow remembers Fran O'Toole from the Miami Showband 40 years on

Wicklow Sinn Féin County Councillor and General Election candidate John Brady has said he is delighted that after 40 years Bray, Co. Wicklow has finally done something to remember and pay tribute to Bray man Fran O'Toole from the Miami Showband, he further said it was long overdue. Local man Peter Carroll who is a family friend of the O'Toole’s was the driving force in the campaign to remember and pay tribute to Fran O'Toole in his home town of Bray. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Miami Showband massacre.



On 31 July 1975, five members of the Miami Showband were travelling by minibus back to Dublin from a gig in Banbridge, Co Down. At the townland of Buskhill, outside of Newry, they were stopped at a bogus military checkpoint by gunmen dressed in British Army uniform, who ordered them to get out and line up by the roadside. The gunmen were members of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), two gunmen hid a time bomb on the minibus, but it exploded prematurely and killed them. The remaining gunmen then opened fire on the band members, killing Fran O'Toole, Brian McCoy and Tony Geraghty and wounding Des Lee and Stephen Travers. Two serving Ulster Defence Regiment soldiers and one former UDR soldier later received life sentences after having been found guilty of murder. There are still serious questions of collusion that need to be answered.



Brady said "Unfortunately nothing has ever been done in Bray to acknowledge, pay tribute or remember Fran O’Toole who was the lead singer with the Miami Showband band at the time of his murder. The band had a massive following and played in packed out venues right across Ireland, the UK and the United States. The band united people through music and gave people a glimmer of hope at a difficult time in our history. The Miami regularly played in Fran’s hometown of Bray in the Arcadia Ballroom. People would travel from far and wide and on occasions thousands would have to be turned away as the Arcadia was packed to capacity”.



Brady continued “People right across Ireland were shocked at the murder of Fran and his colleagues Brian McCoy and Tony Geraghty. Bray came to a complete stand still for his funeral, which people say was the largest ever to be held in the town. It’s only right that we remember Fran, his music and the legacy he left. On Saturday after a lot of planning Bray Bridge was renamed the Fran O'Toole Bridge and a plaque was unveiled at the former family home on Albert Ave, Bray. This was attended by members of Fran’s family along with Des Lee and Stephen Travers who survived the massacre 40 years ago. The day was completed by a performance by the Miami Showband in the Mermaid Theatre”.

Wicklow Labour TD Anne Ferris is like Wicklow’s own Scarlet Pimpernel – sought everywhere but nowhere to be found

Wicklow Sinn Féin County Councillor and General Election candidate John Brady has slammed Wicklow Labour TD Anne Ferris for trying to pass the blame for the housing crisis in Wicklow onto the housing staff in Wicklow Council and members of the Housing Special Policy Committee (SPC). He labelled her PR stunt as a cynical manoeuvre to try being relevant in Wicklow, a County that has effectively washed its hands of the Labour Party by rejecting all their candidates in the Local Elections.

Cllr Brady said “There is a housing crisis and thankfully most now acknowledge that fact. Sinn Féin and I have been speaking about this for many years now and demanding that the government change their policy of not building social housing. The crisis has however reached boiling point with families presenting as homeless to the council on an almost daily basis. The causes of the crisis are very apparent, a lack of social housing, caps to Rent Supplement and family home being repossessed by the banks. These are all issues that should and could be addressed by the government; instead we have Labour TD Anne Ferris trying to make herself relevant in the debate on the crisis on housing by trying to shift the blame onto Sinn Féin”.

Brady continued “Instead of trying to deal with the problem and trying to progress housing projects in Wicklow, Anne Ferris has chosen to attack the staff in the housing section in Wicklow for not getting projects designed fast enough and telling them to sort themselves out. I don’t expect the Labour TD to know or understand the extent of the crisis in Wicklow whilst sitting in the Ivory Tower of Leinster Hse. She is completely uninformed because Labour has lost all seats they once held on Wicklow County Council. The reality is the housing staff in Wicklow are doing an excellent job in very difficult circumstances. Families are presenting as homeless on an almost daily basis and the council simply doesn’t have the houses to give out”.

“The public service recruitment embargo that was introduced by Fianna Fáil and the Greens and subsequently presided over by the Labour Party and Fine Gael has stripped thousands of staff from local authorities and Wicklow is no different. Due to the embargo Wicklow had no architects to develop the badly needed housing schemes that the government only recently gave a limited go ahead for. Thankfully that has now been lifted and one position has been filled over the last couple of weeks and another appointment is due to be made shortly. This will allow the council develop and progress schemes and get them into the department for approval as quickly as possible”.

Brady went onto say “Last November my colleague Cllr John Snell who is the chairperson of the Housing Special Policy Committee (JPC) arranged to meet all 5 Wicklow TDs to outline the work of the SPC, unfortunately Deputy Ferris never showed up. She never showed up to a recent County Council meeting either to listen to presentations on the problems regarding housing in Wicklow. Last week councillors from Arklow and Bray arranged two separate meetings with the Wicklow TDs again the Labour TD was missing in action. Deputy Ferris is like Wicklow’s own Scarlet Pimpernel – sought everywhere but nowhere to be found. Maybe if she turned up to these important meetings she could be better informed of the serious housing crisis in Wicklow, but more importantly what needs to be done to address it”.

Cllr Brady concluded “What the 3,585 families on the housing list or the 150 adults and 125 children that presented as homeless in Wicklow don’t need is a TD trying to turn the housing crisis in Wicklow in a political football by trying to blame others for the mess that their party has created. People want and need houses and Anne Ferris needs to ensure that any blockages in the system that may be creating difficulties in developing housing in Wicklow are lifted. Sitting in an ivory tower sending out press statements won’t fool anyone; people know exactly where the blame lies for the housing crisis”.

Brady supports Wicklow single parents at Dáil protest

Wicklow Sinn Féin County Councillor and General Election candidate John Brady has extended solidarity to the large number of one parent families who held a protest outside the Dáil this week against planned brutal cuts by the Labour leader Joan Burton to the Lone Parent Allowance. The cuts are due to come into force on July 2nd.

Brady said “An estimated 12,000 families, including many in Wicklow, face significant cuts to their lone parent allowance of up to €86 per week. This will be the eighth cut to the lone parent allowance under this Labour and Fine Gael government. I was proud to stand with many single parents from Wicklow at the protest that was held outside the Dáil on Wednesday”.

“One family Ireland has estimated that there are 6,740 lone parent households in Wicklow of which 87% are lone mothers and 13% are lone fathers. One-parent families make up 12% of all households in Wicklow. Many of these will be affected by the cuts”.

“The impact of this, especially on children, in Bray, Greystones and Arklow and across the county will be significant. It will drive many more families into poverty.

“Lone parent families are among the most vulnerable people in our constituency. CSO figures show that 63% of lone parent families are living without basic necessities. It is estimated that at least 135,000 children are in constant poverty and living with without basic necessities.

“One parent families are also at a greater risk of homelessness. 60% of households seeking urgent housing assistance are one parent families.

“The Labour Leader Joan Burton claims that her cuts are about forcing lone parents to enter employment or education. When she announced the cuts, the Labour leader claimed that there would be affordable childcare and after school care.

“The reality is that for many parents’ childcare remains unaffordable. In addition, there are few jobs and many employers in the lower-paid sectors of the economy will not guarantee workers regular or sufficient hours.

“For many, the Burton cut will mean having to choose between putting food on the table or paying an electricity bill.” Ends

Speech i delivered at the AGM of Bray Municipal District having served my term as Cathaoirleach

The AGM of the Bray Municipal District took place on Tuesday 9th June. This seen me step down as the Cathaoirleach, having served my year. Here is the speech i gave at the meeting.

It’s hard to believe a year has gone by and that my year as Cathaoirleach of the new Bray Municipal District is coming to an end. I want to thank the members of the council for their support over the last 12 months, I’ve endeavored to be fair, respectful and open to all the members over the course of the year. I also want to thank that the staff of the council for their work under the new challenges of the reconfigured structures with the County.

It’s been a challenging and difficult year on both on a personal and political front for me and this local authority. Over the course of my term I’ve had to work alongside officials who are trying to evict my family and I from our home and that case is still before the High Court, but I’ve worked with them, putting my personal issues aside as it was my duty to the citizens of this District to work for the betterment of Bray, Enniskerry and Kilmacanogue. It’s been a politically challenging year coming to terms and getting to grips with the new Municipal District structures which I think have been a disaster and has seen a hollowing out of the local authorities and have left us with a council representing the people of Bray, Kilmacanogue and Enniskerry but with little or no powers. We have a housing section in the District, not only do we have no houses for the people we represent, we have a shortage of staff. This has made my role as a public representative very difficult and something that needs to be addressed immediately. The Department for the Environment and Local Government will be shortly holding a review of the changes and the new system and I think this council needs make a submission.

When elected as Cathaoirleach last year I said i wanted to be a champion of equality, an advocate for strong community and bearer of change. I believe with the passing of the recent referendum, we live in a more equal society, I was delighted also that Wicklow County Council supported my proposal to fly the Rainbow flag during pride week. Hopefully this District will follow suit and fly it as well.
Over the year I represented this council at many public events and was delighted to meet many community groups. I endeavored to use my term to support those groups and use this council chamber as a forum to give them a voice and a platform to showcase the excellent work they do. Whilst there are too many to mention i want to just highlight one, the Be Well Bray group, last year i helped them launch their month and invited them into the council. They are a group of young people promoting a practical and positive outlook within youth mental health, they have been chosen to represent Wicklow in the Pride of Place competition and I wish them all the best in the judging which takes place tomorrow.

Last year I stated I was going to give a proportion of my Cathaoirleach’s money back to the community, whilst i financially helped out many groups over the course of the year, i still have funds available and if any club or group has a specific plan or project I would be delighted to hear about it and try help them out financially in some way.

During my term i was delighted to ensure the refurbishment of the Ballywaltrim playground progressed and that has now been thankfully opened. I also had to privilege of opening the tenders of the Dargle Flood Protection work which have made huge progress over the last year. We also have the feasibility study into the provision of a badly needed full time fire service and I look forward to the report following the public consultation process.

Thankfully after 40 years Fran O’Toole from the Miami Show Band will finally get the recognition he deserves in Bray with the renaming of Bray Bridge after him and the erection of a plaque on his former home on Albert Ave. I was delighted to work closely with Peter Carroll on this special project and look forward to the event in early July.
We did have a little controversy during the year with the issue of the Seafront usage policy. Thankfully the excellent Summerfest will continue this year and I look forward to the committee members coming to the chamber for our next meeting.

Unfortunately the housing crisis and homelessness has gotten worse over the last year. The Government disgracefully has no plans to construct any new social housing in the District this year and only 50 in the entire County. Hopefully the proposed meeting with Minister Harris can take place as soon as possible to try address this issue. We have also had major difficulties with the provision of homeless accommodation in the town and thankfully changes are planned in the near future, however there are still serious problems in the facility in Brighton Tce. And this came to the fore again last week with a second electrical fire. We also need the issue of emergency accommodation for families addressed immediately and a huge effort needs to be placed on finding suitable accommodation for the worsening crisis facing families.

I’m currently working with a fantastic group of young people and together we want to see a skateboard park in the town. This I believe is achievable and I will continue to push and work on this project and bring this project to fruition.
Next year marks the centenary of the 1916 Rising and i hope this Municipal District plays its part in commemorating the birth of the Republic. As Cathaoirleach I achieved unanimous support in the creation of a 1916 commemorative garden (Glor Na Casca) I look forward to the development of this plan and the selection of the site for it, along with other projects that hopefully will be brought forward.

Finally i wish the incoming Cathaoirleach well in the coming year and if i can be of any assistance i will gladly help, I do hope the Cathlaoirleachs office in the council building that was removed last year is reopened for the new Cathaoirleach, the office is important for all Cathlaoirleachs to be able to carry out their function to the fullest. In representing our council in the District.

Go raibh maith agaibh.

Social Welfare reform must cherish all children equally: stop cuts to lone parent payments…

The success of the recent referendum on same-sex marriage has shown that Ireland is a changed country; welcoming a diverse range of families in the name of equality. However, lone parent families still face severe levels of poverty, inequality and discrimination. Cuts to the lone parent payment, coming in July 2015, further condone this inequality for lone parent families.

In response to the cuts, Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Social Protection Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD recently launched a postcard campaign designed to reverse cuts to the Lone Parent Allowance. Cuts to these lone parent payments are due to begin on July 2nd and will negatively impact almost 12,000 families.

This campaign has been welcomed by Cllr. John Brady who pointed to the negative impact such cuts will have on the 12% of households in Wicklow that are headed by a lone parent. Cllr. Brady explained; we know from the statistics (SILC, 2013) that 23% of lone parent families live in consistent poverty. This is almost three times higher than the general population. The proposed reduction of income will further penalise the poorest children in the Irish State, 65% of who live in one-parent families”. Cllr. Brady went on to explain that “any reform of lone parent payments can only commence when there is adequate childcare and other supports available and this has not happened under this coalition Government”.

We know that Ireland has among the highest childcare costs in the OECD. For most low and middle-income households, childcare costs are a serious concern, and this is made all the more burdensome when there is only one parent trying to juggle work and care. It is time, at a national level, to really cherish all the children of the state equally and any proposed social welfare reform must give children in lone parent families the supports they need to prosper with the respect and opportunity afforded to children in other families.

Cllr Brady concluded “The Sinn Féin team of councillors on Wicklow County Council have also tabled a motion in support of one parent families and calling on the government to reverse the decision to cut the Lone Parent Allowance”. Ends

If you will be impacted by these changes or care about those who will be, support the Sinn Fein campaign or join the protest against these cuts that has been organised by Single Parents Acting for the Rights of kids (SPARK) outside Dail Eireann at 3:30pm next Wednesday June 10th.

Brady welcomes Wicklow/East Carlow Yes vote

Wicklow Sinn Féin County Councillor and General Election candidate John Brady has welcomed the Yes vote in Wicklow/East Carlow for Marriage Equality.

Speaking after the count Brady said “I want to congratulate the Yes Equality Wicklow campaign for their tireless work over recent months. They brought a vibrancy and enthusiasm to this Marriage Equality Referendum that clearly won hearts and minds across Wicklow”.

Brady continued "The levels of voter registration by young people in Wicklow were unprecedented and the sight of so many of our emigrants returning home to vote was powerful. The turnout of 68.8% in Wicklow/East Carlow shows that this issue made an impact on some many people on all sides of the debate. The end result of 68.4% or 44,059 voting in favour of marriage equality is a fantastic result for Wicklow/East Carlow”.

"I also want to thank my fellow Sinn Féin members who put up posters, knocked on so many doors and delivered thousands of leaflets to homes across the county. I hope the government moves on other proposals put forward by the Constitutional Convention, such as giving citizens resident outside the state, including the North, the right to vote in presidential elections. The Constitutional Convention is a forum established by the Government comprising 100 members, including a chairperson; 29 members of the Oireachtas; four representatives of Northern Irish political parties; and 66 citizens”.

"I’m delighted Wicklow/East Carlow has added our Yes to the big Yes from the Irish people. Ireland is now the only country or state in the world that has voted for Marriage Equality. This is a massive milestone in our history and one to be built on to ensure we have equality for all”.

Film and TV production industry is vital for Wicklow any loss to Limerick will have a detrimental impact- Brady

Wicklow Sinn Féin County Councillor and General election candidate John Brady has said that everything that can be done should be done to ensure that Wicklow remains the number one County and destination for film and TV production. Brady raised the issue and concerns at a recent meeting of Wicklow County Council and said any attempt by Limerick to lure the industry there needs to be challenged at every level. He also called for a €15m infrastructure fund to be established to create additional studio space to allow the industry grow.

Speaking after the council meeting Councillor Brady said “Wicklow is synonymous with film and TV production. The National film studios opened in Ardmore in 1958 and more recently the Ashford studios opened in Ballyhenry, Ashford. Many movies and TV productions have been made in Wicklow and currently the Vikings and Penny Dreadful are being shot. After recent discussions with the CEO of Ardmore Studios it became apparent that a severe lack of studio space was hampering the growth of the sector and high profile work was being turned down as a result”.

“Recently there has been speculation that Limerick City and County Council is involved in advanced negotiations to purchase the former Dell building in Plassey Technology Park and develop in into a film studio and to lease the building to Ardmore Studios. Any attempt to lure Ardmore Studios to Limerick must be fought and I believe it’s unethical for one Local authority to try poach existing industry and business from another local authority”.

Cllr Brady continued “The film industry is very important to the Wicklow economy and provides excellent employment; any loss would have a detrimental effect. At Monday’s council meeting I proposed to invite the CEO of Ardmore Studios Siún Ní Raghallaigh to the next council meeting to discuss the plans for Ardmore Studios”.

“I also had a motion passed calling on the Government to establish a €15m infrastructural fund to support the audio-visual sector which has the potential to create 5,000 new high-skill jobs and to almost double the studio space to help compete with the UK and attract more productions”.
Brady concluded “Everything needs to be done to ensure the film and TV production industry remains in Wicklow. Wicklow County Council has a leading role to play in helping to develop the industry; any attempt to relocate to Limerick should and will be fought”. Ends



Motion passed by Wicklow County Council

“Wicklow County Council welcomes the changes to the film tax credit scheme (section 481) which will help grow substantially Ireland’s film and TV production industry. However the desired growth is hindered by the lack of sufficient studio space and facilities to enable these benefits to materialise. Furthermore this Council calls on the government to establish a €15m infrastructure fund to support the audio-visual sector which has the potential to create 5,000 new high-skill jobs and to almost double the studio space in Ireland with a minimum of 100,000 sq ft in additional studio space (which is currently 111,000 sq ft) to compete with other territories such as the UK.”

Wicklow County Council calls on the Government to increase Rent Supplement rates and introduce rent controls

In an attempt to tackle the housing crisis and rising homelessness in County Wicklow, Sinn Féin had a motion passed at Monday’s Wicklow County Council meeting calling on the Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton to increase the Rent Supplement rates in Wicklow and to examine the possibility of introducing rent controls in an attempt to stop unfair rent increases which are making people homeless.

Speaking after the meeting on Monday where the latest homeless figures were presented, Councillor John Brady said, “At Mondays meeting we got an update on the homeless situation in Wicklow, this was on foot of a request for the information from myself. The grim figures are no surprise and show a massive increase of homelessness in the County. To date this year 47 individuals have presented as homeless as well as 60 families consisting of 125 children. This is a shocking statistic and a damning indictment of this governments housing policies”.

Cllr Brady continued “One of the main reasons why there is a huge escalation in homeless figures is due to a chronic shortage of social housing and an over reliance on private landlords as part of the governments social housing strategy. Many private landlords are now refusing to accept Rent Supplement or partake in the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) as they can achieve higher rents on the open market. Landlords are ending contracts simply to make more money and as a result making more people homeless. The caps on Rent Supplement are also too restrictive, resulting in most properties being out of reach for people”.

Brady went onto say “Nationally a figure of 1000 homeless children has been given, the fact that 12.5% of those are in Wicklow is a frightening figure. This however shouldn't be news to anyone; two years ago I supported two homeless women who staged a sit in of the council offices in Bray in an attempt to get suitable emergency accommodation for themselves and their young children. They had been made homeless because their landlords had pulled out of the RAS scheme. Thankfully the council in Wicklow has moved away from box ticking and started to put in place more appropriate emergency accommodation for homeless people and families".

Brady concluded “It is crucial however to protect people before they are made homeless. The Sinn Féin motion that was unanimously supported at the council meeting calls on Joan Burton to increase the caps on Rent Supplement to help people stay in their current rental property and open access to others. The motion also calls on the government to look at the possibility of introducing rent regulations. When a family working full time cannot afford to rent in Wicklow, it is clear that the rental market is not fit for purpose and regulation is essential. That must start with stabilising rents. We need action from Alan Kelly and this government and not rehashed statements regurgitating old announcements promising to tackle the housing crisis, statements promising houses that never materialise”.

70 years to clear Social Housing waiting list in Wicklow at the Governments pace - Brady

The Wicklow Sinn Féin General Election candidate and County Councillor John Brady has said that the government’s plans to build just 50 social housing units in Wicklow this year are very disappointing given the scale of the crisis and at the current government pace it will take over 70 years to clear the social housing list in the County. He made his comments following the announcement by Minister Alan Kelly that an average of just 100 million euro will be spent building council houses over the next 3 years despite record homelessness numbers and severe housing need.

Cllr Brady said "These figures are scandalous and the Minister expects people to congratulate this government, it’s an embarrassment and very frustrating when you are working with homeless families and people struggling to keep the roof over their heads. In Wicklow we have over 3566 families on the housing waiting list and since Christmas over 70 families have presented themselves as homeless to the council in Wicklow. At this current rate it will take over 70 years to clear the current social housing list which already has families waiting for over 12 years to get a house.”

“The Government spends nearly half a billion subsidising the private market every year, in Wicklow that figure is over €30 million. Many families are being made homeless because the private market can get higher rents than either Rent Supplement or the Rental Accommodation Schemes (RAS) are giving. We have had over homeless families here in Wicklow since Christmas and many of them are still in emergency accommodation, but this government will only build 50 homes in the County this year. This is simply not good enough.”

Brady continued “We need to be moving back to building thousands of social housing units every year. Until then we are not doing nearly enough to tackle the crisis. Building 30 houses in Dunlavin and 20 in Rathdrum are welcome but fall well short of what’s needed to try tackle the crisis.”

“Instead over the next three years the government intends to plough a further 1.2 billion euro into subsidising private landlords while it builds a meager 1700 homes through local authorities. The councils are best placed to tackle this crisis and housing shortage and should be at the forefront of the solution.

“The government must refocus on funding the construction and refurbishment of council homes. The homes that are needed will not be found on the private market, where developers operating as landlords are making handsome sums in extortionate rents due to the shortage of rental properties.

Cllr Brady concluded “Sinn Féin has called for this refocus for a long time as well as an immediate 1 billion investment of additional fund from the Strategic Investment Fund which would build at least 5400 homes. We also need rent controls now to stop the flow of renters into emergency accommodation right now. Social housing construction through local authorities is the only solution to our housing crisis."

Brady commends work of Bray Summerfest volunteers

The Cathaoirleach of the Municipal District of Bray has commended the work of the volunteers of Bray Summerfest and expressed delight that the widely popular Bray Airshow and Funfair will go ahead this year, he hopes that other elements of the festival will also be added to ensure the Bray continues to be portrayed in a positive light and open to tourists.

Cllr Brady said "The Summerfest is an excellent festival that attracts tens of thousands of people to Bray on an annual basis, bringing much needed revenue to the town. There is a real need to ensure that it continues, after several weeks of uncertainty I welcome the fact that the Funfair will return this summer and also the Airshow that attracts up to 80,000 spectators, that will be the highlight of the summer in Bray. I also hope that other elements of the festival such as the music on the bandstand will also return this year".

"I've meet with the executive of Summerfest a number of times and have put forward a funding proposal to ensure that Summerfest can continue to do the great work this year and next year in promoting Bray as it has done for many years. I will continue to work with the committee and i hope that the funding proposal i put forward can be used in a positive fashion to deal with any uncertainty that the future may hold for the festival".

Cllr Brady concluded "I believe that this festival can and will continue to go from strength to strength and i look forward to working with the committee and I'm prepared to get involved with Summerfest as a volunteer".

Brady congratulates St. Kilian's Young Social Innovators

The Cathlaoirleach of the Municipal District of Bray Councillor John Brady has congratulated the students of St.Kilians Community School who are taking part in the Young Social Innovators Initiative and have been shortlisted to present to YSI Judging Panels on 6th May for consideration for the Young Social Innovators of the Year 2015 title. The Transition year students have been doing a project on Homelessness and this week went to the Dáil to present over 2000 postcards that got signed as part of the project.

Speaking after accompanying the group to the Dáil the Cathlaoirleach John Brady said “I want to commend all the students from St.Kilians Community School on the work they have done on homelessness as part of the Young Social Innovators Initiative, I also want to praise their teacher Ms. Brophy. As part of their project on Homelessness they carried out extensive research, study and practical initiatives. One of those initiatives was to design and print thousands of postcards calling on the government to tackle the issue of homelessness. I was delighted to arrange and accompany the students to go into the Dáil to hand over the postcards.”

“In the Dáil they met with Mary Lou McDonald and Wicklow TD Anne Ferris and gave a presentation on their project, they are now writing to the Minister Alan Kelly requesting a meeting on the issue of homelessness. They have been shortlisted to present to YSI judging panels on 6th May for consideration for the Young Social Innovators of the year 2015 title. I wish them all the best on the 6th and I know that the work that the students have done has been rewarding and educational for them all and I know it has made a big impact on them.”

Brady will continue to find solutions to Bray Summerfest Impasse

The Cathaoirleach of the Municipal District of Bray, John Brady has said the Bray Summerfest is an important event for the people and economy of Bray that needs to continue. He stated that he will persevere to find a path to ensure the Summerfest can forge ahead with their plans and that the concerns of local residents and Councillors regarding duration, openness and transparency are addressed.

Cllr Brady said "Over the last number of weeks there has been concern and unfortunately some misinformation regarding the Summerfest following a decision that was taken by the local authority in Bray to reduce the number of days the funfair is permitted to use the publicly owned lands on the seafront. I fully support and commend the volunteers who have done and will continue to do fantastic work to promote Bray in a festival that is estimated by them to be worth up to €8m to the local economy. A proposal was put forward by Cllr Matthews to reduce the number of days for the funfair from 23 to 15 and to ensure there is full openness and transparency regarding the tendering of the seafront land and the use of substantial amounts of funding from the council. This was on foot of requests from local residents and a petition containing over 1200 signatures. The majority of Councillors supported that proposal."

"The decision to reduce the funfair does not effect the duration of the Summerfest and is only due to come into effect next year in 2016 giving over 12 months to address issues such as funding. There is no reason why the Summerfest cant continue this year as it has done in the past. On foot of requests for openness and transparency from Councillors surrounding the use of public funding and the seafront i have requested as Cathaoirleach information from the committee that hopefully will be forthcoming in the near future. I am certainly not questioning anyone involved in the executive of Summerfest regarding funding, but there needs to be full accountability. Over the last 10 years well over €600,000 in funding has come from the local authority and from payments directly to the Summerfest committee from the funfair operators for the use of the Seafront. To protect the good names of all involved in the committee and for the use of public finances a full open and transparent system needs to be put in place and i make no apologies in seeking that."

Cllr Brady concluded "I have meet with members of the executive of the Summerfest twice over the last couple of weeks. I believe there is the basis of a good resolution to this current impasse that will ensure the good work of the festival continues, the concerns of the local residents are addressed and there is full openness and transparency surrounding the tendering process for the use of the Seafront by commercial interests and the publication of full audited accounts. I look forward to hosting representatives from the Summerfest when they address the next meeting of the council and to working with them and others in finding a solution to continue to promote Bray in a positive fashion."

Refurbishment work in Ballywaltrim Playground completed

The Cathaoirleach of the Municipal District of Bray, John Brady has welcomed the completion of the refurbishment and upgrade works on the playground in Ballywaltrim, Bray.

Speaking after visiting the site Councillor Bray said "Its great to see the children from the community in Ballywaltrim and further afield playing and enjoying the newly refurbished playground. The work on the playground is substantially completed. This is a huge investment in the Ballywaltrim area and we now have a brilliant top quality playground which is a great asset to the entire community".

"There are still some other works to be carried out including the installation of public lighting and some planting. I've also asked the council to paint the railings around the original playground to freshen it up."

Brady continued "I've also been in contact with the Gardaí to ensure the CCTV is trained on the playground and that there are more foot patrols in the area to ensure there is no antisocial behavior. This upgrade has come about following lobbying from the community and members of the Ballywaltrim Community Playground Committee and a huge investment by the local authority and it needs to be protected for the community."

Cllr Brady concluded "I'm delighted to have played my part along with many others in delivering this upgrade and i look forward to ensuring the other playgrounds across Wicklow are upgraded and that communities campaigning for them are successful also." Ends

Wicklow County Council agree to fly the Rainbow Flag during the Wicklow Pride Festival

Sinn Féin Councillor and General Election candidate John Brady has expressed delight that his proposal to fly the Rainbow flag from the Wicklow County Council Buildings in Wicklow Town to coincide with the Wicklow Pride Festival that takes place in the County in June and July.

Speaking after the decision to fly the flag Councillor Brady said “I’m delighted that a decision was taken by the protocol committee of the Council to support my proposal to fly the Rainbow Flag from the County Buildings to coincide with the Wicklow Pride Festival that takes place from 29th June to 4th July. I believe it’s an important decision and makes a powerful statement that the council is committed to working to do all that it can to tackle hate crime and discrimination and supports inclusiveness and diversity.”

Cllr Brady went onto say “The rainbow flag was popularised as a symbol of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) pride and diversity by San Franciscan artist Gilbert Baker in 1978. The different colours symbolize diversity in the gay community, and the flag is used predominantly at gay pride events worldwide.”

Cllr Brady concluded “It would be great if the Municipal District offices around the County would follow suit and fly the flag also. It would make a strong statement that Wicklow stands for equality, something I as a republican strive for and the reason why Sinn Féin are calling for a yes vote in the marriage equality referendum.” Ends

Wicklow County Councillors censor discussion on threat to Roundwood Health Center

Sinn Féin County Councillor and General Election candidate John Brady has expressed dismay at his fellow Councillors on Wicklow council who voted to censor any discussion or debate on the threat to the Health Center in Roundwood which is potentially facing closure by the HSE. Brady raised the issue at Mondays County Council meeting and stated that he had been contacted by members of staff who have informed him of their redeployment and the closure of the essential service in Roundwood.

Speaking after the meeting Councillor Brady said "At Mondays council meeting i raised serious concerns about the future of the Health Center in Roundwood. I have been contacted by members of staff from the facility who have informed me that from the end of April all the nurses that cover Roundwood, Barndarrig, Rathnew, Ashford and Wicklow Town will be based in the new HSE primary health care center on the Port access road in Wicklow and that the facility in Roundwood will close. Unfortunately a decision was taken by the majority of Councillors to censor any discussion on the issue and stick their heads in the sand."

Brady continued "The facility which has provided a critical service to the entire population of Roundwood and surrounding areas for many years. The closure of the facility would mean that people would need to travel to the primary health center on the Port Access road in Wicklow Town.This is made very difficult due to the lack of public transport and the distance from Roundwood."

"A number of Councillors spoke to say that senior management in HSE have said there is no threat to the Health Center, but there is a review of the services underway and any discussion at council level would be pointless. I think those Councillors are naive and probably have little experience of the dealings of the HSE. I have unfortunately many years experience of dealing with the HSE and how they operate. They try impose changes or cuts to services without consultation and by keeping people in the dark. If their plans are rumbled they say their is a review ongoing. This is the same language they used with Wicklow District Hospital, the A&E in Loughlinstown and the Orchard Welfare Home in Bray. All ultimately closed."

Cllr Brady concluded "I would sooner listen to the word of the nurses who have been told that they are being redeployed at the end of the month, rather than the management who are trying to buy time for themselves and stop any public backlash. By sticking their heads in the sand and censoring discussion on the issue at council level the Wicklow Councillors are effectively facilitating the HSE in its attempt to close the center in Roundwood. Sinn Féin nor i will not sit back and allow this to happen and we intend on fighting any attempt to close the facility in Roundwood."

Wicklow County Council supports Sinn Féin motion calling for action to halt family home repossessions

Wicklow Sinn Féin Councillors had an emergency motion dealing with house repossessions by the banks passed at Monday’s meeting of Wicklow County Council. The motion was tabled in light of the growing number of house repossession cases before the court service in Wicklow and the alarming number of evictions.

Proposing the motion Sinn Féin Councillor Gerry O'Neill said “There are an alarming number of cases before the courts in Wicklow for house repossessions. Recently the banks had over 80 cases listed on the same day. I know many people who are in danger of being made homeless or who have had their homes repossessed by the banks. The motion i proposed condemns the banks and calls on the Government to immediately intervene and bring forward legislation to protect the family home.”

Cllr John Brady who seconded the motion continued “Unfortunately Fine Gael and Labour through the Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Act 2013 have facilitated the repossession of family homes by lenders. Over 30,034 letters relating to repossessions and the voluntary surrender of homes, including family homes were issued last year by the main financial lenders. In Wicklow alone there are currently 255 active bills for repossession lodged by banks, of which over 80 were listed recently in the courts in the County.”

Brady continued “Recently the Central Bank provided a county-by-county breakdown of mortgage arrears figures. The average level of mortgage distress nationally, measured by mortgage accounts in arrears of 90 days or more, is 11.2%. In Wicklow its estimated there are over 11,500 mortgages in arrears and slightly ahead of the nationally average. This means one mortgage in six in Wicklow is in arrears. Many of these are unsustainable as currently configured. That is the stark reality, yet banks, Ministers and Government bury their head in the sand and pretend the type of low-paid precarious jobs they have been creating will solve the problem. It won’t. The lack of leadership on this issue is astounding.”

“It is painfully obvious that this government has not done enough to help those struggling with arrears. MABS and other support agencies are inundated with calls and many, many families continue to suffer in silence. Sinn Féin, amongst others, have consistently called for an independent body with the power to enforce legally binding judgements on banks and on mortgage holders. The fact that banks continue to have a veto is simply unacceptable, as is their willingness to revert to threats of repossession.”

Cllr Brady went onto say “The Irish people bailed out the banks to the tune of €64billion, the government has now given the same banks the effective go-ahead to evict families from their homes. This is a false economy as when made homeless those families will have to turn to the State for housing assistance.”

Cllr O'Neill concluded “I’m delighted the Sinn Féin motion which calls for immediate action from the government was supported by the council. We have a serious homelessness problem in Wicklow and we certainly don’t need people being evicted from their homes by the banks adding to it. The government need to put immediate measures in place to tackle the crisis.”

Wicklow Sinn Féin announce details of their Easter 1916 Commemorations

Wicklow Sinn Féin announce details of their Easter 1916 Commemorations.

Sinn Féin County Councillor John Brady has announced the County Wicklow Easter commemoration will assemble at bray town hall on Easter Monday 6th April at 12pm. It will be lead by the rising phoenix republican flute band to bray Daly station and then to St. Peters cemetery in little bray. There will also be a number of wreath laying ceremonies across the county.

Giving details of the commemorations Sinn Féin Councillor and general election candidate John Brady said "This year marks the 99th anniversary of the 1916 rising. As we approach the 100th anniversary of the 1916 Rising it is important more so than ever to honour the sacrifices Irish men and women made for the limited freedoms we enjoy today. However it is not just enough to remember them, it’s important that we rededicate ourselves to the Republic which was declared on the steps of the GPO on Easter Monday morning 1916.”

Cllr Brady continued “The commemoration will be lead by the Rising Phoenix Republican Flute Band and will proceed to Bray Daly station and a wreath will be laid in memory of Edward Daly after whom the train station was renamed in 1966 for the 50th anniversary of the Rising. Daly's battalion, stationed in the Four Courts and areas to the west and north of the centre of Dublin, saw the most intense fighting of the rising. He surrendered his battalion on 29 April. He was executed by firing squad on 4 May 1916, at the age of 25. We will then march to St. Peters Cemetery in Little Bray and wreaths will be laid on the graves of volunteers who fought in 1916 and the struggle for Irish Independence.”

“The main oration will be given by Fermanagh Republican Sean Lynch MLA. In April 1986 Lynch was seriously wounded and fellow Republican Séamus McElwaine was shot dead when the SAS opened fire on them. He was subsequently elected as an MLA in 2011.”

Cllr Brady concluded "Easter is an important time for Irish Republicans and we would ask that as many people as possible join the Wicklow Sinn Féin County Easter Commemoration. There will be wreath laying ceremonies over the course of the weekend in Kilcoole, Baltinglass, Carnew, Arklow, Tinahely, Knockananna and Wicklow Town. We would also ask that people would wear an Easter lily as a token of remembrance to all those who died for Irish freedom.”