People Before Profit Lucan Newsletter Autumn 2021

PEOPLE BEFORE PROFIT SOCIALISM FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

Gino

Lucan Edition

Kenny TD 085 721 1574

gino.kenny @oireachtas.ie

Gino Kenny TD

@GinoSocialist

NEWSLETTER

SEPT 2021

A WINTER OF HOUSING DISCONTENT COVID DELAYS TO LUCAN SWIMMING POOL

Instead, in 2018 Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Labour Party councillors voted to sell off public land at Kilcarbery/Corkagh Grange to a private developer. In exchange, the developer would build 30% social housing on the land. This is not enough.

If we are to genuinely tackle the housing crisis we must:

September 11th saw local protests and days of action held all over the country to highlight the housing crisis. In Clondalkin, local groups came together in protest outside the civic offices to highlight the need for the government to build public housing on public land. Gino Kenny TD and Cllr Madeleine Johansson were both in attendance.

PAUL MURPHY & RISE HAVE JOINED PEOPLE BEFORE PROFIT

As of May 2021, in South Dublin County Council, there are over 10,000 people on the waiting list for social housing.

Last year South Dublin County Council built ZERO homes.

● Stop the sell-off of public land immediately ● Build social and genuinely affordable homes on public land ● Tax vacant property and land being hoarded by property speculators ● Introduce rent controls and better protections for tenants to make renting secure and affordable ● Ban vulture and cuckoo funds from the housing market The only way in which we can achieve these goals is through mass mobilisation and a movement of people power on our streets demanding social and affordable housing in our communities.

LUCAN VILLAGE TOURISM PROJECT

build a stronger voice for workers across Ireland. We want to ycle of Fianna Fail

Lucan Village has been allocated €2 million from Failte as a tourist destination. There are currently discussions for Ireland workers. between various consultants and stakeholders on the possibilities for improvements in Lucan Village. They include developing the village green, Lucan Demesne and other is now the largest ecosocialist party in Ireland and we are possible projects around the village area. growing every day.

There is also a proposal for a Canal Loop Cycleway through Lucan Village.

overnment without People Before Profit have argued that thereFianna needs Fail to be a or Fine Gael today is to the day to get involved and join People holistic approach the development of the village to ensure

the best outcome for residents, local businesses and visitors.

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

PEOPLE BEFORE PROFIT SOCIALISM FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

BREAST CANCER 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. To combat this Gino Kenny TD is bringing a motion before the Dáil around breast cancer.

ANTI-EVICTION BILL

BAN DATA CENTRES TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CRISIS

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. 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.

MEDICAL CANNABIS ACCESS PROGRAMME

People Before Profit’s newest attempt to address the climate crisis is a Bill that would curb data centre building and halt LNGs and fracked gas infrastructure in legislation.

There are over 70 data centres currently operating and there is planning permission for dozens more. These installations would scupper any chances of reducing our Green House Gas emissions in line with our international climate commitments. In the last year alone, there has been a 25% growth in these centres. Within nine years these centres will consume 30% of the state’s total electricity demand. Data centres consume an average of 2% of electricity globally.

Despite what supporters of data centres say they create very few jobs and the average data centre uses massive amounts of water: up to five million litres per day. Also, there is a massive cost to the state in trying to facilitate these centres by rejigging its electricity network. The Irish Academy of Engineering has estimated data centre expansion will require almost €9 billion in new energy infrastructure and add 13% at least to Ireland’s carbon emissions by 2030. This is not sustainable.

Later this year the long-awaited Medical Cannabis Access Programme will be functional. After a long campaign which culminated in changing government policy by families and campaigners. However, given the restrictive nature of the programme and some concerns regarding the medical cannabis products available for prescription for the first time, those that can benefit from this treatment can now obtain these medicines by prescription. People Before Profit will continue to lobby the government for the expansion of the programme to include other conditions.

The climate crisis is real and worsening. It means we have crucial choices to make if we are to achieve our international commitments and an ever-shortening window of time.

Efforts by PBP Councillor Madeleine Johansson to include a ban on new data centres in Dublin South Development Pan was opposed by other parties including the Greens.

This real concrete measure would have had a real impact on growing emissions and energy use.

People Before Profit Occupied Territories Bill.

DYING WITH DIGNITY BILL

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

Over the summer 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 which People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny put forward last year. It’s now up to the Dáil to facilitate such a committee in the next few months to consider this complex issue. In the meantime, I will be drafting a new bill to bring forward in relation to voluntary assisted dying next year.

NEWSLETTER

CLOSURE OF LUCAN LEISURE CENTRE

Lucan Leisure Centre at Griffeen Valley Park closed on the 27thth August to facilitate structural repairs. After the renovation it will form part of the new leisure and swimming pool complex. But the staff, many of whom have worked there for years, have not been offered their jobs back but are instead being moved to Clondalkin or Tallaght.

The operation of the new complex, including the swimming pool, will be put out to tender by South Dublin County Council. This could mean that a private operator will come in to run the facilities which were funded by the taxpayer.

This is unacceptable; this facility should be operated either directly by the council or a public body/subsidiary. People before Profit Cllr Madeleine Johansson will be raising this issue at the Lucan Area Committee.

SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL HOUSING MAINTENANCE WORKERS STRIKE The Housing Maintenance Staff in South Dublin County Council has been engaged in an industrial dispute with their employers, the council. After two days of work stoppages in August followed by the other depots in South Dublin County Council balloted to undertake strike action with 90% in favour, the council housing management and HR agreed to sit down with the workers and their union SIPTU. The demands of the workers are moderate. They want to see an end to privatisation and outsourcing of their work to contractors. John Lowe a spokesperson for the housing maintenance workers explained that “in the last three years we have lost three carpenters and more plumbers, many left because of the way they were treated by management. None of those workers has been replaced. Overall, we are 37 staff members down.”

The meetings between management and SIPTU seem to have broken down with both management and HR walking out. The next course of action for the workers will be through the Workplace Relations Commission and possibly further strike action.

People Before Profit supports the council workers fully. Gino Kenny TD added “In the midst of housing crises we should not be privatising and outsourcing the important jobs done by the housing maintenance staff. We need to see more staff employed by local authorities to help build, renovate and upkeep social housing in this constituency.”

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People Before Profit

The old Shackleton Mills in Lucan are currently in a state of disrepair, but the site could provide a great tourism and heritage centre for the Lucan area. As part of the South Dublin County Development Plan 2022-2028 a Specific Local Objective has been agreed “To investigate the potential of collaborating with Fingal County Council for the re-use of Shackleton’s Mill as a tourism destination given its location in proximity to Lucan Village”.

The Mills, which were in operation between 1776 until 1998, was the first workplace to lock out workers during the great lockout in 1913.

I’m delighted to see the Specific Local Objective being inserted in the Development Plan which was initiated by People Before Profit to further investigate the potential of Shackleton Mills as a tourism destination. I think it would be a shame to continue to see the deterioration of the buildings which are in public ownership. Many local people in Lucan have connections to the Mills with family members having worked there.

Your Local

A CAMPAIGN FOR A SECOND SKATEBOARD PARK IN LUCAN

Over the summer I was contacted by a number of young people in regards to campaigning for at a second skateboard park in the Lucan area. The area identified by the young people was the general area of Adamstown.

The skateboard park in Griffeen Park is well utilised and used on a daily basis.

We have put a forward a motion to the Lucan Area Committee calling on the local authority to look at the feasibility of a secondary facility in the identified area.

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POSSIBLE HERITAGE CENTRE IN SHACKLETON MILLS

NEWSLETTER

Dublin Mid West Representatives

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

01-4030007 Open to the Public.

Constituency offices times are now 11am to 1pm on Monday and Friday.

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