Constituency Office
Constituency Office
Lucan Lucan Clondalkin Kenny TD phone 01 4030007
phone 01 4030007
Office Hours: Mon & Fri 11am - 1pm
Gino
NEWSLETTER
� gino.kenny@oireachtas.ie
phone 085 721 1574
The Cost Of Living Crisis Deepens: It’s Time To Fight Back
The cost of living crisis deepens by the day. Households are being hit with huge increases in electricity and gas costs. Everything is going up except our incomes, pensions and wages. The government’s budget has fallen short and will see thousands pushed further into poverty this winter.
On September 24th thousands took to the streets of Dublin to demand real action on the cost of living crisis. People Before Profit as members of the Cost of Living Coalition will continue to build a people-powered movement to take on the cost of living crisis and demand real action from the government.
NEWSLETTER
Join the Cost of Living Coalition:
NEWSLETTER
Office Hours: Mon & Fri 11am - 1pm
Gino
Kenny TD
Gino Kenny TD alongside other members of the Cost of Living Coalition held public meetings in Lucan and Clondalkin to help organise locally against the rising cost of living.
AUTUMN 2022 � gino.kenny@oireachtas.ie
In July People Before Profit introduced a bill to reduce rents. This would have had a significant impact on people’s lives but it was voted down by Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and the Green Party.
phone 085 721 1574
Lucan 2023 Winter People Before Profit have also published a Bill to provide a cap on energy and fuel prices another tangible way to deal with the cost of living crisis.
COST-OF-LIVING TheTHE Cost Of Living Crisis Deepens: It’s Time To Fight Back CRISIS DEEPENS Lucan Newsletter.indd 1
21/09/2022 12:37:46
The cost of living crisis deepens by the day. Households are being hit with huge increases in electricity and gas costs. Everything is going up except our incomes, pensions and wages. The government’s budget has fallen short and will see thousands pushed further into poverty this winter.
On September 24th thousands took to the streets of Dublin to demand real action on the cost of living crisis. People Before Profit as members of the Cost of Living Coalition will continue to build a people-powered movement to take on the cost of living crisis and demand real action from the government. Gino Kenny TD other members Households are alongside being hit with huge increases in ofelectricity the Costand of Living Coalition held gas costs. Everything ispublic going up except incomes, pensions meetings in Lucan and and wages. Clondalkin to help organise locally against living. The Government's Budgetthe hasrising fallencost short.ofOne-off measures may give temporary relief, but that is not a solution. Many in our communitya are Inpermanent July People Before Profit introduced bill being to faced with tough choices between heating or eating. reduce rents. This would have had a significant
Peopleon Before Profitlives has laid an alternative budget impact people’s butout it was voted down and put forward bills that would reduce rents and by Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and the Green Party.cap energy prices. However, these measures have been voted down by the Government parties.
People Before Profit have also published a Bill theakey we and propose toAmong provide capmeasure on energy fuel are: prices ● Cap energy prices nationalise the cost energy another tangible wayand to deal with the of sector. living crisis. ● Protect incomes by introducing a living wage, restore the pension age to 65 and bring all social welfare benefits above the poverty line.
Lucan Newsletter.indd 1
Join the Cost of Living Coalition:
● Introduce rent caps and reduce rents to 25% of median income. ● Abolish all fees, charges and contributions for all levels of education. ● Free Childcare
All of these measures are achievable but the Government lacks political will to change. We propose increasing corporation tax and employers PRSI. Introduction of a wealth tax, and a tax on land banks and vacant homes among other targeted tax measures.
For more information about the Cost-of-Living Coalition... use this QR Code 21/09/2022 12:37:46
PEOPLE BEFORE PROFIT SOCIALISM FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
SHORTAGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH NURSES IN LUCAN
ANTI-EVICTION BILL
BREAST CANCER SCREENING MOTION In 2020 Ireland had the 5th highest mortality rate for female breast cancer in the EU and the 8th highest incident rate. This is unacceptable and something we can change. Last September the European Commission recommended that breast cancer screening be offered to women between the ages of 45 to 74. At present Breastcheck only screens women in the age bracket between 50 and 69. Recently I submitted a motion calling on the Government to ● Introduce screening for breast cancer from the age of 40 through publicly funded programmes. ● Guarantee immediate access to diagnostics services for young women at risk of breast cancer, and ensure access to a triple assessment for young women who present with possible breast cancer.
Several parents have raised the issue of the lack of public health nurses in the Lucan area. Public health nurses play a vital role in aiding healthy development and detecting early illnesses in newborns and infants through regular check-ups. The HSE has acknowledged that there is a shortage due to recruitment issues and as an interim measure a cross-cover arrangement for priority cases has been put in place. The HSE will continue to recruit for these vacancies. However, the concern that children will not receive their developmental check-ups because of staff shortages is deeply worrying. Gino Kenny TD, as health spokesperson for People Before Profit, will continue to raise this issue with the Government.
● 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. Cancer screening services have been severely impacted over the course of the covid pandemic. It is important that we make sure the Government prioritise women’s health.
BUSCONNECTS AND KISHOGUE STATION BusConnects was implemented in Lucan last year. For some residents this has meant a better service. Unfortunately, for other commuters particularly those reliant on the 25-bus service from Dodsboro, this has meant a reduced and poorly connected service. There are also capacity issues on some of the Lucan buses resulting in passengers being left behind, particularly at peak times and at weekends. We have contacted the NTA about this to reiterate frustrations by Lucan commuters. The Kishogue train station is not yet open and requires substantial work to open. The station would help to alleviate traffic problems in Lucan. Gino Kenny TD has raised this multiple times with the NTA, they have promised that the station will open when the new houses are built in Clonburris SDZ.
More investment in public transport in the area is needed as new homes are being built. People Before Profit will continue fighting for this in the next budget and beyond.
People Before Profit Occupied Territories Bill.
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GOVERNMENT OVERTURN BAN ON FUTURE DATA CENTRES
Last Summer South Dublin County Council became the first local authority to ban data centres. This result was from a motion put forward by People Before Profit Cllr Madeleine Johansson. The ban on further data centres is an important victory for the environmental movement, as they provide little in terms of jobs and have a huge cost and environmental impact. It is estimated over 10% of Ireland’s electricity use is consumed by data centres and that is expected to increase to 30% by 2030. Eirgrid has warned that the demand on the national grid must be reduced, or we will likely experience blackouts this winter. The Irish Academy of Engineering has estimated that data centre expansion will require almost €9 billion in new energy infrastructure and add at least 13% to Ireland’s carbon emissions by 2030. This makes it impossible to reach our 2030 and 2050 climate reduction targets. The democratic mandate of local council has been undermined by the Minister for Local Government Peter Burke who overturned this ban in November. Fine Gael needs to stop facilitating large corporations ahead of our local communities and respect local democracy. People Before Profit will continue to stand up against corporate greed and resist this attempt to undermine local democracy in favour of big business.
Launching the Dignity in Dying Bill in October 2020 with the late Vicky Phelan, Tom Curran and Gail O’Rorke.
SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO EXAMINE THE ISSUE OF ASSISTED DYING In July of 2021 the Dáil’s Justice Committee recommended that a special Oireachtas committee should examine the topic of assisted dying following the scrutiny of the Dying with Dignity Bill put forward by Gino Kenny TD in 2020. After much delay the special committee will now established in January and run for a period of nine months. The committee will then make its recommendations to the Government by the end of this year. Consistent opinion polls have indicated that a clear majority would support a change in legislation. As a member of the committee, I look forward to this very important national discussion in the year ahead.
CANNABIS REGULATION BILL 2022 Last November Gino Kenny TD put forward a bill to decriminalise cannabis for personal possession for adults. The Bill seeks to allow small possessions of cannabis for personal use without criminal sanction. At present thousands of people are brought before the courts for possession of small amounts of cannabis. This serves no purpose for either the person or the state. Later this year the Citizens Assembly will examine the issue of drug decriminalisation. People Before Profit hopes this can start a meaningful debate which can lead to the end of cannabis prohibition in Ireland.
Launching the Cannabis Regulation Bill 22 with Gerard Roe (Youth Workers Against Prohibition), Natalie O ‘Regan and Dr Garrett Mc Govern. For more information scan the QR code. .
People Before Profit
NEWSLETTER
FURTHER DELAYS TO LUCAN SWIMMING POOL Just before Christmas public representatives were notified by officials at SDCC that there will be further delays in the completion of the Lucan Swimming Pool. Some of these delays were due to plethora of issues that have continued to delay this important public amenity. Its now envisaged that the project at the Griffeen Park site will be completed in the summer of 2023.
GRAND CANAL GREENWAY EXTENSION
e:
People Before Profit Constituency Office
Your Local
0612
Work will begin on the Grand Canal Greenway extension this Spring. The extension will continue from the 12th Lock Lucan to Hazelhatch Co. Kildare. The greenway extension is four kilometres in length and will be completed by late autumn.
Dublin Mid West Representatives
Unit 3 Monastery Rd, Clondalkin, Dublin 22.
01-4030007 Open to the Public.
CONSTITUENCY OFFICES TIMES are now
11AM TO 1PM on MONDAY & FRIDAY. All Other Times by Appointment.
Cllr. Madeleine Johansson 087 3630242 mjohansson@cllrs.sdublincoco.ie Cllr Madeleine Johansson
People Before Profit Gino Kenny T.D. Rep 085 7211574 Darragh Adelaide www.ginokenny.com 085-1754334 gino.kenny@oireachtas.ie
PEOPLE BEFORE PROFIT SOCIALISM FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
For More Information on People Before Profit Contact 087 2839964 or visit www.pbp.ie