Second Lucan People Before Profit Summer 2021 newsletter

PEOPLE BEFORE PROFIT SOCIALISM FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

Gino Lucan

NEWSLETTER

Kenny TD 085 721 1574

gino.kenny @oireachtas.ie

Gino Kenny TD

@GinoSocialist

SUMMER 2021

BAN CUCKOO FUNDS

COVID DELAYS TO LUCAN SWIMMING POOL

Anger has erupted over the recent purchase of a whole housing estate in Maynooth by a cuckoo fund, but this is not the first time this has happened. Last year we saw the sale of 229 residential units in Shackleton Park in Lucan, to a cuckoo fund owned by a Wall Street financial giant. Cuckoo Funds drive up rents for tenants and make it very difficult for first-time buyers to find a house.

While Fianna Fail Housing Minister, Darragh O Brien, has announced his annoyance at cuckoo funds buying whole housing estates he warned against any move to ban them.

These funds are designed to pay virtually no tax on income from sale and rent.

Brough into Ireland by the Fine Gael/Labour government (REIT) real estate investment trusts have now become super landlords that only serve their financial interests. They should be banned in their entirety.

PAUL MURPHY & RISE PAUL MURPHY AND RISE

HAVE JOINED JOIN PEOPLE BEFORE PROFIT PEOPLE BEFORE PROFIT This is a huge step forward for the left as we unite to build a stronger voice for workers across Ireland. We want to pose a serious challenge to the continuous cycle of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael rule and fight to see a genuine left government for build a stronger voice for workers across Ireland. We want to workers. ycle of Fianna Fail

As we welcome Paul Murphy and Rise, People Before Profit

for workers. is now the largest Eco-socialist party in Ireland and we are

growing every day. is now the largest ecosocialist party in Ireland and we are If you want to fight for workers’ rights, housing and growing every for day.all, and a genuine left government without healthcare

Fianna Fail or Fine Gael today is the day to get involved and join People Before Profit.

overnment without Fianna Fail or Fine Gael today is the day to geteco-socialist involved and join for People Together we can build a strong voice

workers from Palmerstown, Clondalkin, Lucan and Tallaght across the island.

Together we can build a strong eco-socialist voice for workers from Palmerstown, Clondalkin, Lucan and Tallaght - across the island.

Due to the Lev Lucan Swimming Pool has been halted for the last few months.

Unfortunately, this means that the swimming pool will not be able to open in the summer as originally hoped. Once open, however, the pool will pro on for decades

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PEOPLE BEFORE PROFIT SOCIALISM FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

APPOINTMENT TO THE DÁIL HEATH COMMITTEE

I am delighted to have been appointed Health Spokesperson for People Before Profit and a member of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and the SubCommittee on Mental Health. For obvious reasons the health committee has been largely focusing on the public health emergency around the Covid-19 pandemic. As society emerges from the crisis it’s imperative to address some of the consequences of the prolonged lockdown due to vital services been suspended. At a local level I am keen to address issues around access to health care for residents in Dublin Mid-West including primary and community care as well as GP surgeries. Access to public health and mental health care will be the primary focus I will be focusing on during the duration of the health committee.

BREAST CANCER SCREENING MOTION In 2020 Ireland had the 5th highest mortality rate for female breast cancer in the EU. This is unacceptable and something we can change which is why Gino Kenny is bringing a motion before the Dáil.

PBP is calling on the government to: ● Introduce screening for breast cancer from the age of 40 through publicly funded & run programmes. ● Guarantee immediate access to diagnostics services for young women at risk of breast cancer & ensure access to a triple assessment for young women who present with possible breast cancer. ● Immediately revise the criteria for access to genetic testing so that all women at high risk of BRCA related breast cancer have access to genetic testing and counselling in the PUBLIC health system. ● Initiate a publicly funded education programme in schools around breast examination.

These changes are vital and if implemented they will save lives.

ANTI-EVICTION BILL COMMENCEMENT OF THE MEDICAL CANNABIS ACCESS PROGRAMME.

Over fifty people have been granted a ministerial medical cannabis licences in the state. This gives the licence holder –who in most circumstances is the parent of a child the legal right to secure the provision of a medical cannabis product.

During the public health emergency, the Department of Health made provision for those licence holders to have their prescription delivered from the Netherlands by courier.

This was welcomed but major problems still exist in relation to reimbursement which can be arbitrary.

The commencement of the Medical Cannabis Access Programme which was underpinned by a change in the law in June 2019 will now commence in June. It’s imperative that families, patients and campaigners who have fought a hard battle to get the government to recognise that cannabis can be a medical treatment for a variety of conditions commence the programme so these medicines can be for the first time prescribed under the prescription.

THE PEOPLE’S VACCINE The slow rollout of the vaccine in Ireland has been frustrating for many, however, the delays we have faced are nothing in comparison to those in the global south. At least 90% of people in 67 low-income countries stand little chance of getting vaccinated against covid-19 in 2021. Not only is this morally wrong – it is dangerous for public health as new strains of the virus develop which could render some vaccines useless.

PBP is calling for patents on the vaccines to be waived so that they may be mass-produced, and we can vaccinate not just those in Ireland but those in the global south too.

The Biden administration has now said that the US will drop its opposition to patents on the Covid 19 vaccines.

This has shone a light on just how backwards the EU is. Angela Merkel, for example, has come out against the lifting of patents rules and there is a split between EU countries on the issue. Despite the bland welcome statement from the Irish government, they have spoken against calling for the patents to be waived every time PBP has brought it up in the Dail.

The next WTO meeting on the subject is on June 8th PBP is calling on the Government to add their voice to the over 100 other countries calling for the patent to be waived.

People Before Profit Occupied Territories Bill.

DYING WITH DIGNITY BILL

NEWSLETTER

DEBENHAMS STRIKE April 9th was the year-long anniversary of the Debenhams workers fight for justice and their redundancy pay. For the last year, workers have been preventing the removal of stock from the stores which would cover the cost of their redundancy payments as agreed with Debenhams in 2016.

Launching the Dying with Dignity Bill with Vicky Phelan, Tom Curran and Gail O’Rorke outside Leinster House.

Last September I introduced the Dying with Dignity Bill 2020. This legislation will give the legal and medical provision to those who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness which is progressive, incurable and likely to lead to the persons death the choice to have a peaceful end to their life. Before the debate had begun, I had called on the three government parties to grant a vote of conscience if any of relevant government parties had not formulated a position on the issue. The government put an amendment to the bill calling for a special committee on the issue which would report back to the Dáil within 12 months with recommendations. People Before Profit and parties of the opposition rejected this on the basis that it would unduly delay the bill and the issue.

A vote was taking on the 7th October and the government amendment was defeated. The vote to progress the bill to the next stage of the process was voted by 81 for and 71 against. The bill has gone to the Oireachtas Committee on Justice and Equality for detailed scrutiny. In November the Justice Committee invited written submissions by the public to the bill. In this process contributors are invited from a broad spectrum of the debate around the issue of voluntary assisted dying. At the end of that process which could take several months a report is issued by the committee making recommendations to the Dáil. I look forward to a rationale and respectful debate. Below is a link to the Dying with Dignity Bill. https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/bills/bill/2020/24/

On April 1st four trucks arrived at the Debenhams store in Blanchardstown despite the level 5 lockdown restrictions.

Workers picketed peacefully and were forcefully removed

by An Garda Síochána to allow the stock to be removed.

On April 22nd the Gardaí once again forcefully removed ex-Debenhams workers, most of whom are women in their 50s and 60s, off their picket line on Henry Street. Between 60 and 80 Gardaí, including the public order unit and armed Gardaí, assisted in breaking the picket and four arrests were made. Despite the large numbers of supporters from the local area and PBP who came to support the workers, the actions of the Gardaí allowed for stock to be removed. The following night the same scene was repeated in Tralee.

We in PBP stand in solidarity with the workers and are supporting the workers demand that the recently agreed €3m training fund be turned into cash for the workers. As the strike concludes PBP will be pushing for legislation to protect workers with enhanced redundancy entitlements.

CANAL LOOP CYCLEWAY THROUGH LUCAN A new Canal Loop Cycleway is being proposed to go through Lucan. The cycleway will link up the Grand Canal and the Royal Canal. The proposed route goes through Griffeen Valley Park to Lucan Village.

There are several issues with the proposed route through Lucan Village: ● The proposed ramp through Sarsfield Park takes away a green space amenity for residents and brings cyclists through a small housing estate with narrow roads. ● It also brings cyclists out on to Chapel Hill and the roundabout which is an extremely dangerous location for cyclists.

An alternative route could go along Lucan Rd at the top of Sarsfield Park, then go down past the health centre and turning right on to the main road in the village which would need to be pedestrianised. (Only the southern side of the triangle would require pedestrianisation). This, in turn, would require a new one-way system in the village for cars. This would significantly improve the village for pedestrians and cyclists and would create adequate road space for safe cycle lanes.

Another alternative would be to use the currently overgrown land and Vesey Park to avoid residential estates completely and bring cyclists into the village.

People Before Profit has made these suggestions through the recent public consultation and will update residents on the outcome of that.

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People Before Profit COVID DELAYS TO LUCAN SWIMMING POOL

NEWSLETTER

YOUTH SERVICES IN LUCAN

Due to the Level 5 restrictions construction on the new Lucan Swimming Pool has been halted for the last few months.

Unfortunately, this means that the swimming pool will not be able to open in the summer as originally hoped. Once open, however, the pool will provide a fantastic amenity for residents in Lucan, something locals have been fighting on for decades

DART EXTENSION TO HAZELHATCH The new number 60 bus will go from the Red Cow to the city centre via Cherry Orchard once an hour. I met with the NTA twice and we raised the issue of the estate not having any public bus service. It is envisaged that the service could be operational by the end 2021.

With a population boom in the area, local services are struggling to keep pace with the needs of young people in Lucan and its surrounding areas. For almost 20 years the need to expand services and amenities Lucan has been pinpointed by planners to help accommodate a growing population.

South Dublin County Council has long considered Lucan to be a key development area. It was mentioned in the National Spatial Strategy back in 2002 and earmarked for future planning as a metropolitan consolidation town. Planners identified it as a key location for accommodating Dublin’s population growth.

While Lucan is a great place to live for so many, the youth in the area is being failed by the lack of investment in services.

While organisations such as Crosscare do their best to keep up with growing demand. Residents are concerned that young people in the area are being increasingly forgotten about in the provision of local services. I will continue to raise this issue at a national level.

Your Local

Dublin Mid West Representatives

People Before Profit Constituency Office Unit 3 Monastery Rd, Clondalkin, Dublin 22.

01-4030007 Open to the Public.

Monday 12.30pm-2.30pm.

Wednesday 12.30pm-2.30pm.

All Other Times by Appointment.

PEOPLE BEFORE PROFIT SOCIALISM FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

Cllr. Madeleine Johansson  087 3630242  mjohansson@cllrs.sdublincoco.ie Cllr Madeleine Johansson

Gino Kenny T.D.  085 7211574  www.ginokenny.com  gino.kenny@oireachtas.ie

For More Information on People Before Profit Contact 087 2839964 or visit www.pbp.ie

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Recently the NTA published the new BusConnects plan and I was delighted to see the introduction of a bus service that will go past Palmerstown Woods.