Sinn Féin TD for Wicklow John Brady has cautiously welcomed the slow progress on coastal protection works at the Murrough in Wicklow town and North Beach in Arklow.
Teachta Brady said:
“I have received a comprehensive update from the Minister with responsibility for flood relief Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran this week. This came after much back and forth with the Minister since his visit at my request to both sites in Wicklow last January.
“On Friday, officials from the Minister’s office will meet with officials from Wicklow County Council to progress plans. The Minister has informed me that he will fund coastal protection studies at both the Murrough and North Beach and that they will be completed within weeks. He estimates that this will cost between €55,000 and €76,000.
“Minister Moran has also confirmed to me that he will look favourably on the application for funding which will be approved by him in conjunction with the options put forward by the studies.
“I reiterated to the Minister the urgency for the work to be carried out. Considerable damage has and continuous to happen at both sites, both are of huge amenity value, the continued erosion is also undermining existing coastal protection.
“Progress has been extremely slow, its important that the Minister expedites the process. Critically however, what we don't want is another report on what needs to happen to protect both areas. There have been enough reports carried out that alone could be used as coastal protection. We need solid assurances that at the end of this process funding will be made available. I will continue to work on this issue to ensure that the crucial works needed at both the Murrough and North Beach is carried out.”
Sinn Féin TD for Wicklow/East Carlow john.brady@oireachtas.ie
Thursday 17 May 2018
Sinn Féin Fair Hours amendment passed – Brady
Sinn Féin spokesperson for Employment Affairs & Social Protection John Brady TD has welcomed the passing of his party’s amendment to the Government’s Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill at Committee stage which was taken this afternoon.
The Sinn Féin amendment for fair hours was passed following the defeat of the Government’s own amendment to the Bill.
Speaking following the meeting, Teachta Brady said:
“This Bill is crucially important to protect the rights of all workers but in particular workers in precarious and low-paid employment.
“This Bill needed to achieve security for workers when it comes to their working hours and in turn, their incomes. We also needed to ensure that the actual hours worked by an employee are reflected in their employment contract.
“While this Bill consists of a number of important provisions, it was essential that the bands of weekly working hours were made sharp and precise and legislated for in this Bill.
“The Government had brought forward an amendment to the weekly bands which they had initially proposed, but this amendment was defeated in favour of the bands we put forward.
“This was an amendment brought forward by myself and my colleague Deputy David Cullinane who has worked tirelessly to ensure the protection of workers’ rights when it comes to fair hours.
“I also want to pay tribute to the Dunnes Stores workers who highlighted their own case back in 2015 and persisted with this to the benefit of all workers.”
The Sinn Féin amendment for fair hours was passed following the defeat of the Government’s own amendment to the Bill.
Speaking following the meeting, Teachta Brady said:
“This Bill is crucially important to protect the rights of all workers but in particular workers in precarious and low-paid employment.
“This Bill needed to achieve security for workers when it comes to their working hours and in turn, their incomes. We also needed to ensure that the actual hours worked by an employee are reflected in their employment contract.
“While this Bill consists of a number of important provisions, it was essential that the bands of weekly working hours were made sharp and precise and legislated for in this Bill.
“The Government had brought forward an amendment to the weekly bands which they had initially proposed, but this amendment was defeated in favour of the bands we put forward.
“This was an amendment brought forward by myself and my colleague Deputy David Cullinane who has worked tirelessly to ensure the protection of workers’ rights when it comes to fair hours.
“I also want to pay tribute to the Dunnes Stores workers who highlighted their own case back in 2015 and persisted with this to the benefit of all workers.”
Friday 11 May 2018
Meeting with Minister for Transport on N81 secured
Sinn Féin TD for Wicklow John Brady has secured a meeting with Transport Minister, Shane Ross to discuss the decision not to include the N81 Tallaght to Hollywood Cross road improvement scheme in the Government’s Capital Investment Plan.
Speaking this afternoon, Teachta Brady said:
“After numerous requests since January for a meeting with Minister Ross to discuss the decision not to include the N81 Tallaght to Hollywood Cross road improvement scheme in the Government’s Capital Investment Plan, I am delighted to have secured a meeting on June 13th.
“It is essential that Minister Ross and his officials hear first-hand the major safety issues that people face daily, when using the N81. It is incomprehensible how any decision making person, particularly the Minister could ignore the horrific safety statistics of the N81. The figures show that the N81 between Tallaght and Hollywood Cross has up to seven times the national average of head-on collisions, and two times the national average of single-vehicle crashes.
Sinn Féin representative for West Wicklow Aidan Kinsella said “The Minister also needs to hear how the decision not to fund this critical project will impact on the economic and social development of West Wicklow. A delegation from West Wicklow will also be there to put this message across. This issue shouldn’t be party political, so it’s important that all five Wicklow TDs are present to put a strong argument forward along with local public representatives.
“We will be calling on Minister Ross to include the N81 in the Governments Capital Investment Plan and ensure priority is given to fund the upgrade project.
Teachta Brady concluded “I have also requested that a representative from Transport Infrastructure Ireland attend the meeting and I hope that Minister Ross will facilitate the request. This will ensure that all necessary bodies are at the table.
“This is an issue I have worked on for over 10 years and I will continue to work on until the upgrade works are carried out and the neglect of West Wicklow from successive Governments ends.”
Speaking this afternoon, Teachta Brady said:
“After numerous requests since January for a meeting with Minister Ross to discuss the decision not to include the N81 Tallaght to Hollywood Cross road improvement scheme in the Government’s Capital Investment Plan, I am delighted to have secured a meeting on June 13th.
“It is essential that Minister Ross and his officials hear first-hand the major safety issues that people face daily, when using the N81. It is incomprehensible how any decision making person, particularly the Minister could ignore the horrific safety statistics of the N81. The figures show that the N81 between Tallaght and Hollywood Cross has up to seven times the national average of head-on collisions, and two times the national average of single-vehicle crashes.
Sinn Féin representative for West Wicklow Aidan Kinsella said “The Minister also needs to hear how the decision not to fund this critical project will impact on the economic and social development of West Wicklow. A delegation from West Wicklow will also be there to put this message across. This issue shouldn’t be party political, so it’s important that all five Wicklow TDs are present to put a strong argument forward along with local public representatives.
“We will be calling on Minister Ross to include the N81 in the Governments Capital Investment Plan and ensure priority is given to fund the upgrade project.
Teachta Brady concluded “I have also requested that a representative from Transport Infrastructure Ireland attend the meeting and I hope that Minister Ross will facilitate the request. This will ensure that all necessary bodies are at the table.
“This is an issue I have worked on for over 10 years and I will continue to work on until the upgrade works are carried out and the neglect of West Wicklow from successive Governments ends.”
Tuesday 1 May 2018
Greater sense of urgency needed by Government to get Wicklow courthouse reopened – Brady
Sinn Féin TD for Wicklow John Brady has said that much greater urgency by Government is required if Wicklow courthouse is to reopen.
Speaking having sought an update from the Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan, Teachta Brady commented:
“I have been saying for a very long time that the reopening of Wicklow courthouse is of huge importance to the continued success of the town. Despite this, works are moving at an incredibly slow pace.
“In seeking an update from Minister Flanagan, I was disappointed to learn that no detailed planning or design work has commenced. The objective is to extend and refurbish the courthouse in Wicklow town to provide a significantly larger 4 courtroom venue together with a range of facilities for staff, the judiciary, jurors, legal profession, other state agencies and members of the public.
“The Courts Service has purchased a number of adjacent properties to the Courthouse, some of which will be demolished in order to create a larger site capable of accommodating a courthouse building on the scale envisaged. The demolition works are due to be carried out this year.
“We need to see the reopening of the courthouse as much more of a priority for Government. Its continued closure is impacting on the town and is having serious knock-on effects for the rest of the town. I am calling on Minister Flanagan to set out a clear timeframe for the works and an estimated time as to when it is envisaged for the courthouse to open.”
Speaking having sought an update from the Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan, Teachta Brady commented:
“I have been saying for a very long time that the reopening of Wicklow courthouse is of huge importance to the continued success of the town. Despite this, works are moving at an incredibly slow pace.
“In seeking an update from Minister Flanagan, I was disappointed to learn that no detailed planning or design work has commenced. The objective is to extend and refurbish the courthouse in Wicklow town to provide a significantly larger 4 courtroom venue together with a range of facilities for staff, the judiciary, jurors, legal profession, other state agencies and members of the public.
“The Courts Service has purchased a number of adjacent properties to the Courthouse, some of which will be demolished in order to create a larger site capable of accommodating a courthouse building on the scale envisaged. The demolition works are due to be carried out this year.
“We need to see the reopening of the courthouse as much more of a priority for Government. Its continued closure is impacting on the town and is having serious knock-on effects for the rest of the town. I am calling on Minister Flanagan to set out a clear timeframe for the works and an estimated time as to when it is envisaged for the courthouse to open.”
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