› ANIMAL WELFARE PRIORITISED WITH NEW VISITORS CENTRE › KILKENNYS FIRST PREMISES FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION › BAN ON SULKY RACING UNANIMOUSLY PASSED › McGUINNESS DEMANDS VALUE FOR MONEY IN HSE
John McGuinness TD SUMMER 2015
BECAUSE HE WORKS FOR YOU
TDS ACCUSE HSE OF FAILING TO GET VALUE FOR MONEY PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE SAYS GOODS AND SERVICES NOT BEING PROCURED COMPETITIVELY Article by By Paul Cullen taken from the Irish Times The Health Service Executive is failing to get value for money for the taxpayer by failing to procure goods and services competitively, according to a new report. The Dáil Public Accounts Committee says the HSE is leaving itself open to the threat of legal action by failing to ensure competition among bidders for health service contracts. The committee is especially critical of the HSE for awarding substantial contracts for carrying out major investigations without putting them out to tender. In many cases, this work is going to former employees of the HSE or the health boards, leading to a potential conflict of interest. The report cites the example of a major investigation into a foster home in the southeast, where two contracts, each worth about €100,000, were awarded without a tender competition.
All contracts with a value above €25,000 are supposed to be put out to tender but the HSE has argued it is not appropriate to do this for major investigations, because of the sensitivity and time-urgency involved.
The report also says the HSE is under-reporting on the extent of its compliance with public sector procurement policy, though it has taken some steps to become compliant.
The report by the committee says the HSE is not in a position to determine if it is getting full value for money for a significant amount of its spend on goods and services because it has procured these in a non-competitive manner.
It says the HSE should examine ways of increasing the number of framework contracts it signs for goods and services. Currently, it operates 83 such contracts covering a spend of €426 million a year.
As a result, it is running an unnecessary risk of being sued by others in the market. Getting value for money is central to proper procurement, but in the case of the HSE “that is simply not happening,” according to committee chairman John McGuinness TD. “It is the taxpayer who ultimately loses out when goods and services are procured in a non-compliant way.”
Staff should be notified of the legal risk of not conforming to competitive procurement rules, the report also recommends. To provide cover for investigations, a framework contract should be put in place in advance, so a formal process will have taken place before contracts are awarded, it says. Former employees of the health service should be assessed for potential conflicts of interest before being awarded a contract.
ANIMAL WELFARE COMMITTEE SET TO IMPLEMENT CHANGES
Article by Mary Cody taken from The Kilkenny People – April 15, 2015 Postive, new policies look set to be implemented by the the Committee on Dog Re-homing and Welfare, which was set up to oversee the running of the local dog pound. The committee was set up following peaceful demonstrations and an online petition, which has almost 13,000 signatures and is calling for the tender for the dog pound to an animal welfare organisation that will manage the pound responsibly and work with rescues and the public with integrity and transparency. The service, which has been operated by the ISPCA under contract for more than 20 years, involves the provision of services for the county councils of both Carlow and Kilkenny. During a recently published tender process, the ISPCA indicated to the local authority that they would not be submitting a tender for the new contract. The consultative committee was set up during the transition phase from the ISPCA to the new Service Provider to assist the local authority in it’s aim to maximise re-homing. Chairman, Mayor Andrew McGuinness who was instrumental in setting up the committee has visited the pound twice in recent days and has spoken to staff to assess what changes need to be implemented. So far this year three dogs have been put down - one because of killing sheep and two because of the disease, parvo. Mayor McGuinness has contacted the
newly-formed committee, which consists of politicans and representatives from animal welfare groups and the IFA with a number of suggestions. Mayor McGuinness has raised the possibility of the council running the pound themselves. “Can Kilkenny County council take over the running of the pound without a service provider? We already have the staff, system and facility and surely we would save enough money to implement these suggestions,” he said.
“I welcome the work of this new committee and encourage its members to continue to work with the dog shelter, its volunteers when they are taken on and the existing animal welfare services to ensure the welfare of the dogs is prioritised at all times,” John McGuinness T.D. He said that while the staff at the pound do an excellent job there appears to be a need for more staff and asks whether it is possible to train people who would be willing to volunteer. The Mayor points out that there is a large green area to the front of the pound that is not being utilised and asks committee members on whether they think the area should this be fenced off it could incorporate a large exercise area for dogs and a viewing area for people who are looking to home a dog.
Another issue which the committee will discuss when formulating the policies of the pound is that of people ‘surrendering’ their dogs. “I think the committee should look at the possibility of banning surrenders as it only encourages irresponsible ownership. We also need to look at the opening hours. The pound is closed before most people finish work during the week, closed after lunch on a Saturday and not open at all on a Sunday. “As Mark Beasley from Dogs Trust pointed out at our first meeting, the weekends are the busiest times for families looking to re home a dog. Can we look at re-structuring the hours to be more user friendly?,” he asked. “With the addition of volunteers or if there is a possibility for an extra worker, we can surely meet the demand on this one,” he added. * The Kilkenny People in conjunction with the committee and the Carlow/ Kilkenny Dog Shelterhope to run a monthly column where we will introduce you to a number of dogs in desperate need of a loving home.
UNANIMOUS SUPPORT FOR MAYORS SULKY RACING BAN John McGuinness TD to support at national level During his term as Mayor, Andrew McGuinness tabled a motion and received unanimous support calling for the local authority to follow the recommendation by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney, by adopting a bye – law banning uncontrolled ‘sulky racing’ in the city and county. “The issue of sulky racing and the abuse towards horses that it is
associated with, has become a huge issue in Kilkenny and must be dealt with as a matter of urgency. “For far too long this issue has been unresolved and I believe that this bye law is the first big step in dealing it once and for all. “By introducing this bye law, we can help to prevent a lot of abuse towards horses in the future and we are
empowering the Gardai to take the necessary action when required. “I believe this is a positive move forward that prioritises the welfare of the animals and also the safety of road users,” he added. The new by law has been out on public display and should come back before Kilkenny County Council for formal approval in the coming weeks.
MAYOR ANDREW MCGUINNESS PRESENTING CERTIFICATES FOR THE THOMAS HAYES TRUST AT CITY HALL
MAYOR ANDREW MCGUINNESS WITH KILKENNY TAXI WATCH AFTER COMPLETING THE SAFE TALK COURSE AT CITY HALL
A DREAM BECOMES A REALITY AS KEYS ARE HANDED OVER FOR TEACH TOM Article by Mary Cody taken from The Kilkenny People, May 20th, 2015 A drop-in centre in the heart of the city for people who are affected by suicide or want a listening ear will open over the coming months. Teach Tom, off Johns Green is run by the Thomas Hayes Trust. Angela Hayes, who founded the charity which provides support for those affected by suicide explained how she was both shocked and delighted that Kilkenny County Council have donated a premises to the charity for a nominal fee. “It is a great honour that the council has entrusted this premises to us. For the Mayor and the council to have this belief in me and the charity it really something special,” she said. Mayor Andrew McGuinness explained that the acquisition of the house and development of the premises into a drop in centre was one of his primary aims
MAYOR ANDREW MCGUINNESS HANDS OVER THE KEYS OF THE NEW PREMISES FOR TEACH TOM TO FOUNDER ANGELA HAYES
during his term as Mayor. “I had the idea to try and get the council to give the charity a rundown house which can be used as a centre for people who are affected by suicide. Over the next few weeks I will be launching a Mayoral campaign to encourage the business community and the people of Kilkenny to get behind this project. “Teach Tom is a place where people will be able to go and talk through their problems and access services. The message we want to get out there is that it is okay not to feel okay. The next step is to raise money so that the house can be renovated - but it is not just about raising money, it is about getting the wider community involved and giving them a sense of pride in the place. There are a huge amount of people affected by mental health and this is a place where people can go and be listened to and get advice, It is a community approach which will help break the taboo that still surrounds mental health and offer people the appropriate services through the Thomas Hayes Trust which in turn will help to save lives,” he added. The Trust was founded last year after Angela Hayes spoke publicly about how her husband and son died by suicide. Her story touched the hearts of
thousands and she decided along with her family to set up the charity to support people affected by suicide and those contemplating suicide. “I never expected the charity to grow like this - there is a massive demand for our services. It is wonderful that we have now secured a premises where people can come and seek help and advice and relax in a homely setting that is safe and confidental. It is a place where people can go and open up and seek the help that they need for free. “I want to publicly thank the Mayor for all his hard work which has paid off. As a charity it is great that we do not have to pay rent and can use the monies raised towards services and running costs. Our aim is to get as many preventative supports in place as we can that people can access locally,” she said. Teach Tom will be run in conjuction with local agencies and services including Lifeline, the Samaritans, Grow, the HSE, Console and the Kilkenny Bereavement Society. The Mayor’s Campaign for Teach Tom will be launched in next week’s Kilkenny People with details on how people can get involved in the renovation and refurbishment of the premises.
PRESENTING A MAYORS CERTIFICATE TO SHANNON POLLOCK WHO WON GOLD IN RUSSIA REPRESENTING IRELAND IN THE KETTLEBELL CHAMPIONSHIPS.
PRESENTING A MAYORS CERTIFICATE TO CLIODHNA MANNING WHO REPRESENTED IRELAND AT THE WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS IN OREGON, USA DEPUTIES JOHN MCGUINNESS AND MICHEAL MARTIN PRESENT A PLAQUE OF THE PROCLIMATION WHICH WAS ERECTED ON CITY HALL TO BEGIN THE 1916 COMMEMORATIONS.
PRESENTING A MAYORS AWARD TO THE BRENNAN FAMILY FOLLOWING THEIR SUCCESS WITH JAKE’S LEGACY AND RAISING AWARENESS TO ROAD SAFETY.
DEPUTY JOHN MCGUINNESS AND MAYOR ANDREW MCGUINNESS CELEBRATING 21 YEARS OF BUSINESS AT THE MARKET CROSS SHOPPING CENTRE
MAYOR ANDREW MCGUINNESS WITH THE KILKENNYS AT THE MAYORS CHRISTMAS CONCERT, RAISING MONEY FOR LOCAL FAMILIES IN NEED.
DEPUTY JOHN MCGUINNESS, HIS WIFE MARGARET, MAYOR ANDREW MCGUINNESS CELEBRATING THE FREEDOM OF THE CITY WITH KYRON CROTTY AND HIS FAMILY
DEPUTIES JOHN MCGUINNESS AND MICHEAL MARTIN WITH ADAM MCGUINNESS AND MAYOR ANDREW MCGUINNESS AT CITY HALL
John McGUINNESS TD WORKING FOR CARLOW KILKENNY
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