PEOPLE BEFORE PROFIT SOCIALISM FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
Gino
SUMMER NEWSLETTER
Lucan
Kenny TD 085 721 1574
gino.kenny @oireachtas.ie
www.facebook.com/CllrGinoKenny @GinoSocialist
COVID DELAYS TO LUCAN SWIMMING POOL PAUL MURPHY & RISE HAVE JOINED PEOPLE BEFORE PROFIT This is a huge step forward for the left as we unite together 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 workers. As we welcome Paul Murphy and Rise, People Before Profit is now the largest ecosocialist party in Ireland and we are growing every day. If you want to fight for workers rights, housing and healthcare for all, and a genuine left government without Fianna Fail or Fine Gael today is the day to get involved and join People Before Profit. Together we can build a strong eco-socialist voice for workers from Palmerstown, Clondalkin, Lucan and Tallaght - across the island.
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
COVID RESPONSE COSTING LIVES & PROLONGING LOCKDOWN The government’s decision to ignore public health advice and lift restrictions in December has cost us over 2,000 lives so far. They must break from their failed Living With Covid strategy in favour of a Zero Covid strategy that would aggressively suppress the virus, eliminate community transmission and allow us to lift restrictions. People Before Profit are also demanding a waiver on intellectual property rights on the vaccines so that countries across the world can begin mass-producing vaccines.
DEBENHAMS STRIKE
CANAL LOOPCYCLEWAY 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.
Cllr Madeleine Johansson and Gino Kenny TD supporting the striking Debenham’s Workers in Tallaght 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. The government has failed to meet their demands despite handing millions to businesses affected by the Pandemic. 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 dragged ex Debenhams workers, most of whom are women in their 50s and 60s, off their picket line on Henrey 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. We are also pushing for legislation to protect workers with enhanced redundancy entitlements.
There are a number of issues with the proposed route through Lucan Village: • The proposed ramp through Sarsfield Park takes away a green space amenity for local 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
APPOINTMENT TO THE DÁIL HEALTH COMMITTEE I am delighted to have been appointed health spokesperson for People Before Profit and a member of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health. I intend to seek answers and action on key challenges facing our health service such as Covid-19, waiting lists, mental health and staffing issues. 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. The public health emergency has also shown us the importance of a whole island and unified response to health care. I will be using my position on the health committee to argue for a one-tier public health system that provides accessible health care for all.
MEDICAL CANNABIS ACCESS PROGRAMME It’s now nearly five years since I put forward legislation to change government policy on the prescribing of medical cannabis. It has been an arduous and frustrating process but one which will benefit many in the coming years. Last year the Department of Health made provision for those that were granted a ministerial licence 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 (MCAP) which was underpinned by a change in the law in June 2019 will now begin this June. Families and campaigners who have fought a hard battle to get the government to recognise that cannabis can be a medical treatment will for the first time be able to access this medicine by prescription in Ireland.
BREAST CANCER 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 Dail. 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.
•
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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.
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Gino with Vicky Phelan, Tom Curran and Gail O’Rorke introducing the Dying with Dignity Bill last September
DYING WITH DIGNITY BILL
YOUTH SERVICES IN LUCAN
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 thatis progressive, incurable and likely to lead to the person’s death the choice to have a peaceful end to their life.
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.
As of a vote on the 7th of October, the bill was progressed to the next stage of the process and has gone to the Oireachtas Committee on Justice and Equality for detailed scrutiny.
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.
In November the Justice Committee invited written submissions from the public, about 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 a number of months a report is issued by the committee making recommendations to the Dáil. I look forward to a rational and respectful debate. Below is a link to the Dying with Dignity Bill. https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/bills/bill/2020/24/
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. Since 2008 funding for youth services nationally has been cut by 30%. Positive early intervention and listening to young people’s needs and concerns is imperative but in order for that to happen resources and funding are vital. I will continue to raise this issue at local and national levels.
Dublin Mid-West Representatives Gino
Kenny TD 3 Monastery Road, Clondalkin, Co. Dublin, D22 YT29
01-4030007 / 085 721 1574
Cllr Madeleine
Johansson 087 363 0242 mjohansson@cllrs.sdublincoco.ie
gino.kenny @oireachtas.ie
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON PEOPLE BEFORE PROFIT CONTACT 087 2839964 OR VISIT WWW.PBP.IE