LABOUR PARTY BALLYMUN NEWS John Lyons TD Autumn 2011
€25,850 OF NEW FUNDING FOR FENCING AT POPPINTREE SPORTS CENTRE I know many of you have contacted me about anti- social behaviour around the Poppintree Sports Centre. This has resulted in damage to some of the sports facilities including the football pitch. This is why I was very pleased about a new funding allocation for new fencing to secure the football pitch. As it is, the pitch is open plan and this makes it difficult to secure. Dublin City Council have now decided that this fencing is the best way to secure it.
A start date has not yet been confirmed but the works will take about two weeks to complete. Poppintree Sports Centre is a great local facility and I’m very happy to see further funding being made available to continue the investment in community sports. I will continue to monitor this situation closely to ensure these community facilities are protected.
This funding of €25,850 from the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport is part of a new sports funding allocation to local authority-backed sports projects across the country designed to boost participation in sport. John Lyons TD
MY NEW IPHONE AND ANDROID APP I recently launched an iPhone and Android app. It is free to download and easy to use. You can contact me for free by using the ‘call me back’ feature to get a call back to discuss any issue. All you have to do is give your name, contact details and a short note on the issue. The app also gives you an update on local news, issues and what I am doing as your TD.
JOHN LYONS TD Tel: 01 618 3280 Email: john.lyons@oireachtas.ie Blog: johnlyonstd.blogspot.com Web: labour.ie/johnlyons Android app
iPhone app facebook.com/JohnLyonsDublinNorthWest
@JohnLyonsTD
JOHN LYONS ON JOBS I recently visited the Ballymun Jobs Centre to meet with the staff there about the range of services and supports they offer the community. The staff in the centre have created a really positive environment dedicated to promoting jobs through career guidance, advice, planning and job matching. They run a range of internal training programmes on things like CV and interview preparation and have links with a wide range of groups providing all types of training and educational services. I was really impressed by the commitment of the staff and their willingness to support a person from being a jobseeker right through to follow up meetings after a job placement. I would encourage people to drop in and talk to any of the staff if you are looking for advice. I have put the contact details for the Job Centre and the Social Welfare office below. I have also included some information on courses and training programmes to help those looking to get back into employment. All information on these courses and programmes are available from these offices or by contacting me at 618 3280 or john.lyons@oireachtas.ie. Please give me a call or send me an email if you'd like to talk about your training and education options. Ballymun Job Centre Unit 36 Ballymun Town Centre Phone: 01 866 7000 Email: info@bmunjob.ie Web: www.bmunjob.ie
Ballymun Social Welfare Office Main Street, Ballymun, Dublin 9 Phone: 01 816 5100 Fax: 01 842 6571 Opening Hours: 9:30 - 16:00, Closes Thu 15:00
BACK TO EDUCATION ALLOWANCE
NATIONAL INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME
If you are unemployed, parenting alone or have a disability and are getting certain payments from the Department of Social Protection, you may attend a second-or third-level education course and get the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA). To qualify for the Back to Education Allowance, you must be at least 21 years of age. You must be 24 for a third-level postgraduate course. However, if you are on Jobseeker's Allowance, Jobseeker's Benefit or One-Parent Family Payment for the required period (3 or 9 months), are aged between 18 and 20 and have been out of the formal education system for at least 2 years you may qualify. The Back to Education Allowance is paid in place of your Jobseeker's Allowance or Jobseeker's Benefit. For more information on this scheme, please contact the Back to Education Section of the Department of Social Protection on (071) 967 2616 or Locall: 1890 927 999. You can also get more details at www.welfare.ie or www.studentfinance.ie. You can also contact me to discuss this on 618 3280 or john.lyons@oireachtas.ie
SPRINGBOARD Springboard was launched as part of the Government's Jobs Initiative in May. It provides courses that are free, part-time, and are at certificate, degree and postgraduate level. They are a great way to up skill in key areas and 5,000 people have signed up for free courses so far. For a look at what courses are available have a look at the website www.bluebrick.ie
JobBridge is a new National Internship Scheme that provides work experience placements for interns for a 6 or 9 month period. The scheme will also give people a real opportunity to gain valuable experience to bridge the gap between study and the beginning of their working lives. The scheme provides for up to 5,000 work experience placements in the private, public and voluntary sectors. Interns receive an allowance of €50 per week on top of their existing social welfare entitlement for the period of the internship. For more information please visit www.jobbridge.ie
SHORT-TERM ENTERPRISE ALLOWANCE The Short-Term Enterprise Allowance (STEA) provides support to people who have lost their job and want to start their own business. To qualify you must be on Jobseeker’s Benefit. There is no qualifying period, which means you do not need to be on Jobseeker’s Benefit for a certain period of time. However, you will not qualify if you are on Jobseeker’s Benefit and working part-time. The Short-Term Enterprise Allowance is paid instead of your Jobseeker’s Benefit for a maximum of 1 year. For more information please see www.welfare.ie
BALLYMUN EVENTS BALLYMUN EDUCATION FAIR I was proud to speak at the recent Ballymun Education Fair organised by the Ballymun/Whitehall Area Partnership. The Fair had a host of stands from education, learning and training organisations providing information to people from Ballymun and the surrounding areas on what education opportunities are available to them. A new website, www.ballymuncourses.org, was also launched that offers a range of education and lifestyle courses to Ballymun residents of all ages.
John speaking at the Ballymun Education Fair
There was also a presentation of certificates to students who have recently completed FETAC in Childcare with Dublin North West Childcare Resource Centre and Trinity Comprehensive Adult Education. Congratulations to all involved.
BALLYMUN TIDY TOWN WINNERS Congratulations to all the recent winners of awards at the Ballymun Tidy Towns. The hard work and dedication of all the entrants was very impressive and Ballymun Tidy Towns is going from strength to strength every year. If any groups are interested in getting involved and would like some help with getting started please contact my office at 618 3280 or john.lyons@oireachtas.ie.
ACES BEAUTIFUL SP ol s National Scho Holy Spirit Girl Munna Gaelscoil Bhaile Youth Centre Cadets – RECO Aisling Project
BEST KEPT AREA Marewood Court Coultry Way Belclare Way Gateway
BEST SHOP FR ONT Daybreak Sillo gue McCabes Pharm acy Rediscovery Ce ntre Ecostore St. Pappins Nur sing Home Laffertys Pharm acy
Burren Court Woodhazel BEST GARDEN
Crannoge Close GREENWAVE nal School St. Josephs’s Senior Natio
Marewood & Sandyhill
Gillian Staunton Betty Healy Noel Moloney Elaine Hale Lisa McKenna
HALLOWEEN This year’s Ballymun Halloween festival will take place on October 31st. The main event starts with a parade from Burren Court at 5:30pm arriving at the festival site on the civic plaza (beside the Axis) at 6.00pm. The site will remain open until 9pm and will include trad / hip hop dance, rock trad and jazz music, Circus, games, food, magic and a fireworks display. Please contact my office on 618 3280 or john.lyons@oireachtas.ie for further information. We all need to ensure it is a safe Halloween so if you see material such as pallets, tyres and old furniture being hoarded in advance of Halloween, please contact the City Council by phone at 1800 251500 or by email at waste.management@dublincity.ie to have the material removed.
JOHN IN THE DÁIL I have raised numerous matters with Ministers on matters such as Health, Education, Justice, and Transport relating to Ballymun and Dublin North West. Over the coming months and years I will be addressing many issues that affect the people of Ballymun as they arise in the Dáil. Please have your say and contact me on 618 3280 at any time, to discuss these issues and I will be your voice in Dáil Éireann.
OPENING THE DÁIL DOORS TO BALLYMUN!
MEETING WITH TAXI DRIVERS I recently had a meeting in the Dáil with the taxi representative group TTnH. This was a very productive meeting and we have since taken the views of the driver to Minister Alan Kelly who has set up the taxi review to tackle the dangerous and sometimes illegal behaviour of a small number of drivers. I said to the drivers at the meeting and to the Minister that I want to support the vast majority of drivers who want to see this behaviour stamped out and I look forward to action being taken when the review group issues its findings.
John with a group from St. Kevin’s Ballygall
Since being elected, it has been a pleasure to bring a large number of local groups into the Dáil for a tour. I want to arrange as many tours as possible for individuals or groups, so if you would like to come in and visit please contact me at 618 3280 or john.lyons@oireachtas.ie.
JOHN’S CLINICS My clinic times are as follows: Monday 10.00am Axis Theatre Ballymun (Upstairs. Ask at reception if unsure and they will direct you)
Working with
Monday 12.00 noon Deputy Mayor Pub, Meakstown, Finglas (Upstairs) Fridays at 10.00am No. 5 Main Street Finglas (Labour Party Office)
John Lyons TD All except Bank Holidays. Please come along to discuss any matter with me and I will do all I can to help.
Dáil Éireann, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 618 3280 E-mail: john.lyons@oireachtas.ie Blog: johnlyonstd.blogspot.com Web: labour.ie/johnlyons
Cllr Steve Wrenn No 5 Main Street, Finglas 087 274 4249 steve.wrenn@dublincity.ie 0612