Press Release - Fianna Fáil Let the Mask Slip on Tallaght Kids’ Hospital, Says Looney

Labour Party Cllr Dermot Looney has slammed comments at yesterday's Council meeting by a Fianna Fáil Councillor who supports the closure of Tallaght Children’s Hospital. Looney’s reaction comes in the wake of the monthly meeting of South Dublin County Council in which Fianna Fáil Councillor Eamonn Walsh voted and spoke against a motion calling for the children’s hospital to be saved.

The motion, proposed by Labour Mayor Eamonn Maloney, asked Councillors to oppose the closure of Tallaght Children’s Hospital and the planned Government policy to relocate it to the Mater in the North Inner City.

“Tallaght Hospital has only been opened for ten years but for most of that time the Fianna Fáil/PD axe has hung over the head of the Children’s Hospital,” said Looney. “Tens of thousands of parents from across Tallaght and the rest of South and West Dublin – not to mention Kildare, Wicklow and other parts of the country – have benefited from this excellent and accessible facility, staffed by hardworking and dedicated personnel who themselves want the Hospital to stay in Tallaght.”

“Four years ago, then-Taoiseach Bertie Ahern announced that a new Children’s Hospital would be built at the site of the Mater Hospital in his own constituency of Dublin Central. The scandalous lack of accessibility, parking and traffic issues around the Mater – never mind the cost – shows up yet another example of Fianna Fáil cute hoor-ism.”

“Ever since, Fianna Fáil’s representatives in Tallaght – particularly TD’s Conor Lenihan and Charlie O’Connor – have blustered and blown while our Kids’ Hospital faces the chop. They’ve put out leaflets and press releases and made speeches full of misinformation and spin, claiming to oppose the closure of the facility. One of them even turned up to a march organised by the Hospital Action Group and Mayor Maloney to save the hospital!”

“But now it seems, with Cllr Walsh’s incredulous speech on Monday, that the Fianna Fáil mask has slipped. Cllr Walsh’s bizarre suggestion that local parents should bring sick kids on the Luas to the Mater shows not only a heartlessness, but a cluelessness on FF’s part. His accusation of ‘emotional blackmail’ against Councillor colleagues who continue to support the hospital and its work shows Fianna Fáil at its core – nasty, brutish and unfair.”

"Labour wants the Children's Hospital to stay in Tallaght. We want to properly resource this modern facility which is easily accessible to hundreds of thousands of people. My colleagues Pat Rabbitte TD and Cllr Eamonn Maloney are standing on this ticket in the general election, whenever it comes - local voters should now be clear on where Fianna Fáil stands."

Press Release - South Dublin Bin Charge Hike Due to Fianna Fáil, says Looney

Labour Party Cllr Dermot Looney has said Fianna Fáil are to blame for a 31% increase in bin charges in South Dublin County Council. Looney was commenting in the wake of yesterday’s (July 12th) decision by the County Manager to proceed with the bin charge increase despite Councillors passing a motion proposed by Looney against the hike.

Looney’s motion against the rise in bin charges, which won support from all Cllrs other than the three Fianna Fáil members present, noted the VAT charge of 13.5% and Minister Gormley’s increased landfill levy as part of the reason for the increase. In a speech on the motion, Looney also noted the decision by Fianna Fáil in Government in 2003 via the so-called “Protection of the Environment Act” to take away powers on waste charges from elected Councillors and give them to unelected County Managers.

“Fianna Fáil’s latest assault on local residents comes in the form of another jumped-up stealth tax,” said Looney, “and despite all the guff we heard at Monday’s Council meeting, they are squarely to blame for the increase.”

“Fianna Fáil attempts to blame Labour or any other party for the increase are beyond hypocrisy. Fianna Fáil decided in 2003 to take away powers from Councillors to impose and decide the level of charges and hand them to the County Manager. The Government are imposing 13.5% VAT on the charges by transposing an EU directive which benefits private waste conglomerates at the expense of ordinary people. Fianna Fáil and the Greens support year-on-year increases in Minister Gormley’s landfill levy, which has doubled since 2006 at a cost of millions to South Dublin.”

“Moreover, Minister Gormley and the FF/Green Government continue to give the two fingers to South Dublin by crediting the residents in our county with the lowest Local Government Fund allocation in Ireland. The chronic shortfall in support from central government has led to the further stretching of Council finances.”

“It is regrettable that the County Manager over-rode the decision of the people’s representatives on the Council – but let’s not forget who is to blame for this lack of democracy,” said Looney.

Charges for the standard black bin and newly-introduced brown bin will increase by almost a third from August 1st. Charges for black bins, currently at €8 per lift, will rise to €10.50, while the charge for brown bins, which deal with food and garden waste, is set to rise from €4 per lift to €5.25. Looney has said that the announcement could mean an extra €100 per year burden on local families as well as a further economic and environmental cost to the area because of increased fly-tipping and dumping.

ENDS

Motion below

Motion Pursuant to Headed Item 12; Proposed Cllr Dermot Looney

We the elected members of South Dublin County Council oppose and condemn the decision by the Fianna Fáil/Green Government to impose VAT on the bin collection charge. Furthermore we condemn the increase of the Landfill Tax which has led to this proposed hike in the household bin charge. We call on the Manager not to increase bin charges.

Press Release: Cllr Looney Welcomes Water Charge Opposition on South Dublin Council, Slams FF Support

Cllr Dermot Looney, a Labour Party representative on South Dublin County Council (SDCC), has welcomed the decision of the 26-member Council to oppose the re-introduction of domestic water charges. Looney was commenting in the wake of a 21-2 vote in favour of his motion at November’s Council meeting on Monday evening, which won support from members of all parties with the exception of Fianna Fáil.

Looney’s motion proposes that the “Council opposes the introduction of domestic water charges and favours, instead, a combination of water conservation and education measures and a genuinely progressive taxation regime which adequately resources local government.”

During the debate, the Tallaght Central Councillor noted that water charges were no longer aspirational and it was a question of when, not if, the government would try to force the double tax through. “We all agree in the need to conserve water and ensure its careful use,” noted Cllr Looney in proposing the motion. “But doing so through the tax system, as proposed, highlights the difference between those like myself, who view water as a basic human right, and those like the Greens, who see water as a scarce commodity that should be rationed regardless of the social cost.”

“Such a departure will be viewed as a tasty opportunity for profit by large multinationals who will lick their lips at the drip-drip to water privatisation. Furthermore, claims by Council management that such a tax might only cost in the region of €250 a year are misleading. Mary Hanafin’s quote in the Irish Times from December 12^th 2007, that “families would be paying €700 or €800 per annum,’ is a more accurate reflection of the extra tax accruing under a water charges regime,” said Looney.

“Water charges will hit working people and those at the fringes of society hardest. The utterly regressive way in which the government have proposed their introduction – in which each household will have a flat allowance and will be forced to pay for all water use above that allowance – does not take into account the diversity of water requirements for types of households, or the different water use regimes for larger families, families with young children, those who may be incontinent or require other water use due to illness, disability or other needs.”

“I am delighted that my motion has passed and that this Council, representing more than a quarter of a million people in South Dublin, has taken a stand in support of water as a human right, and not a commodity to be played with. I am also glad to see that most other parties have also taken a stance opposing the water tax, although it was not surprising to see two out of four Fianna Fáil Councillors vote in favour, and their two colleagues choosing to leave the Chamber shortly before the vote.”

“Unfortunately, due to the lack of power afforded to local Councils, we in South Dublin don’t have the power to stop water charges being introduced unilaterally by the Government – but they won’t come here if we have anything to say about it,” finished Looney.

Election Diary: T- 16: Canvassing and the Commission

Sorry to mention the weather again, but tonight was the first night in a week that it didn't rain on the canvass, and while it was still wet we were thankful of the break.

We're hoping for dry and calm conditions on Friday fortnight to ensure a maximum turnout. Every politician claims to hope for a large turnout but our need for it is pretty clear; the more who show, the more anger is vented against the Government. A low turnout would be beneficial only to Fianna Fáil, whose diehards would retain a higher proportional impact.

Again, tonight, there was a noticeable shift to Labour from those who formerly supported Fianna Fáil - particularly middle-aged and older people. The sheer numbers of those deserting FF is heartening but I sincerely hope their trust in Labour is repaid. Those of us on the left who are such critics of FF politics sometimes forget how many of those who vote FF or FG we will need to convince, along with new voters, in order for us to really 'win' elections.

I was deeply moved by media coverage of the Report of the Commission to Inquire Into Child Abuse today (good coverage of it in the Irish Times here). Vincent Browne's show tonight was awesome, powerful, tearful TV. I watched it, post canvass, with two other yappers and none of us muttered so much as a word. I did some research and study into abuse in residential institutions and industrial schools in college and remember the physical sickness I felt reading the "Suffer the Little Children" book by Mary Raftery and Eoin O'Sullivan.

The 165,000 victims of this despicable regime - many of whom are now dead, some at their own hands after experiencing such neglect, abuse and trauma; others of whom have left Ireland forever - are those most let down by this country at the nexus of crucial institutions; Church, Government, education, healthcare, the judiciary and others. Politics too let those children down; no more can deference to people in or ideas of power dominate while children suffer. The conduct of the Christian Brothers' during the report - and similar ones - has been disgusting, with non-cooperation at their core of their attitude to the present day. It is disgraceful that over 100 national schools remain in their stead with practically no influence by the State in terms of safety or care.

I look forward to the day when schools are run, like all public services should be, by the people and for the people. The current model, still based on a 19th century idea of non-interventionism by the State and the deference to the two main churches, is just not sustainable and helps neither the children nor the churches themselves. And local government, as far as I am concerned, should be empowered to provide leadership and planning for educational needs in Ireland, as it is elsewhere.

Press Release - Local candidates challenged to ‘come clean’ on water charges – Labour’s Looney

Dermot Looney, a Labour Party candidate in the Tallaght Central ward in June’s local election, has challenged candidates in the election to state where they stand on the issue of water charges. The call comes in light of Minister John Gormley’s claim that the re-introduction of water charges was ‘inevitable.’ The claim was made by the Green Party Minister in a speech to the Academy of Engineering Institute on Tuesday, April 28^th.

Domestic water rates were scrapped by 1997 (by the Labour Party) and despite hints at reintroduction by Fianna Fáil in the time since, water charges have remained off the agenda. But the latest statement by the Minister for the Environment suggest that working people, already lashed through crises in jobs, public services and the economy as a whole, are again in the line of fire through water taxation.

“I oppose the reintroduction of water charges,” Looney said. "So does the Labour Party."

“Resource struggles for water, particularly in the context of climate change, are hitting headlines across the world. But this latest statement by Minister Gormley shows the huge gap in philosophy between the Green Party and the Labour Party on how best to go forward; the Greens look at water as a commodity to be rationed, while Labour views it within the rights framework. We believe that everybody has the right to free, clean and safe water provided, not through private companies, but accountable public utilities. Water should be paid for through general taxation, not in the form of a regressive stealth tax.”

“From talking to hundreds of people every week on doorsteps and elsewhere I know that working people are very concerned with the possibility of another stealth tax. Those on the left in this election are on record as opposing the water tax. I am giving a personal commitment to oppose it if elected as a Councillor. Now it’s up to all other candidates – particularly those in Fianna Fáil and the Greens - to come clean and state, as a matter of public record, whether they will vote with us to oppose water charges.”

Press Release - Scandalous Budget an Affront to Working People – Looney

Dermot Looney, a Labour Party candidate in the Tallaght Central ward in June’s local elections, has slammed April’s ‘emergency budget,’ saying that it targeted PAYE workers and those on welfare instead of hitting the rich. Looney, 26, said that the budget featured, at its heart, a callous and right-wing political imperative which underlined the failed politics of the Fianna Fáil government.

“I have been talking to hundreds of local people since last Tuesday who are fiercely angry about the tack taken by Minister Lenihan,” said Looney. “Instead of hitting tax reliefs for their developer pals and millionaire tax fugitives, 81% of the €1.8 billion in tax increases is to come from the PAYE sector in an affront to working people.”

“A single worker on €40,000 - just over the average industrial wage - will lose €1,200 or €23 a week through the new levies, after already losing €400 last October. If they have the misfortune to be a teacher, a nurse or any other worker in the public sector, they were also hit from March by an additional pension levy of €2,103, or €40 a week. Yet despite these shocking, anti-progressive levies, there was no levy on wealth or unproductive assets which could have yielded hundreds of millions.”

“Let’s take another example – a married couple on €45,000 each, with 2 kids and a standard €250,000 mortgage. They will pay an extra €900 per year on the income levy – on top of the €900 they began to pay in January – and €1,800 on the health levy. They will lose €1000 in the early childhood payment for their two kids, and €900 on the abolition of mortgage interest relief – on top of the €300 they lost in January.”

“In total, after April’s budget, this couple are down almost €6000 a year. If either works in the public sector there’s an extra €1600 – or, if both are public servants, that’s almost €10,000 wiped off their annual income since January.”

“The abolition of mortgage interest relief will also hit working families hard, particularly those who were forced to pay through the roof during the Fianna Fáil-backed boom. At the same time, a landlord with a portfolio of properties can still claim tax relief of 75% against interest repayments.”

“Rent Supplement changes leave tenants at the mercy of landlords. Existing tenants will be hit with an 8% cut, meaning that all 80,000 current rent supplement tenants are going to have to ask their landlord for an immediate rent reduction or make up the difference themselves. Although some rental prices have been falling, this measure was crude and does not take into account the individual circumstances of tenants.”

“Attacks on welfare are the lowest of the low, and the abolition of the Christmas welfare bonus, and the halving of dole for those under 20 – with no requisite employment or educational supports – are particularly heartless.”

“Even where the Government looked to make the correct decision, it botched it. After years of following the US-style privatisation of hospital land for Harney’s crazed co-location policy – including at Tallaght Hospital – they have rolled back. But there is no word on how the 1,000 hospital beds promised under the scheme will now be provided. Labour first proposed the abolition of the early childcare supplement, but only when the details had been ironed out on a national pre-school scheme – something the Government have yet to do.”

“Perhaps most scandalous of all was what the Government refused to include in the budget. There are no cutbacks on special tax breaks for the pensions of company directors. There is no change in the status of tax exiles who, despite their claims to ‘patriotism’, claim to reside outside Ireland for part of the year to avoid paying taxes here. The 440 ‘high worth’ tax fugitives, who are worth an estimated €30 million each, will not contribute a penny more under this rich-man’s budget.”

Press Release - Labour Candidate Looney Slams Fees Plans, Calls for "Super-Rich" Tax Hike

Dermot Looney, the Labour Party candidate for this year’s local election in Tallaght Central, has slammed proposals by both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to reintroduce third level fees or similar taxes on students. Looney's comments come in the wake of Minister Batt O'Keeffe's statement that he will bring forward plans to Cabinet to reintroduce fees, and Fine Gael's plans to abuse the social insurance fund with a convoluted and inequitable graduate levy.

Looney, 26, was a student activist during his time in UCD and was part of the successful student campaign in 2003 to oppose the reintroduction of fees. He has been working with students' groups in his campaign not only to oppose fees, but to extend and improve the grants system for those from ordinary backgrounds. The Greenhills-based candidate, who works as a teacher in Tallaght, has said that plans by the two major conservative parties for fees, whether by the front door or the back, are counterposed by the Labour Party's track record of promoting equality of access at third level.

"Despite claims to the contrary, the Labour Party's abolition of college fees in 1995 was a policy taken to advance universal education opportunities."

"It closed off tax covenant loopholes which enabled the rich to attend for free regardless, and allowed tens of thousands of young people from ordinary backgrounds a college opportunity they would never have gotten under the old system. I know - I was one of them," Looney said.

"Fianna Fail has always been suspicious of the no-fee model of third level education, and they are now cynically taking advantage of the adverse situation in our public finances to bring back fees - something they've wanted to do for years. Minister O'Keeffe's insistence that only the very wealthy will pay is complete nonsense. The net will need to be very wide indeed from the off to ensure the scheme is sustainable, and once fees are reintroduced, the income barrier will inevitably drop from one year to the next, until almost everyone is asked to pay thousands or even tens of thousands a year in fees."

"The pseudo-socialism of the Government in asking the rich to pay is galling. They never touched the incomes of developers, bankers and their other pals during the boom years. O'Keeffe is correct to mention Ireland's 33,000 self-declared millionaires, but those people should pay through a tax on their wealth rather than via a college fees scheme they will most likely have their accountants parsing through for write-offs."

"Meanwhile, Fine Gael's proposal creates poverty traps, and burdens young people with payments when they are starting out in their working life. The social insurance fund is intended to insure people against sickness, disability, accidents, unemployment and give them support in old age - it should not be used as a sneaky tax on education. Under their scheme a graduate, regardless of curcumstances, who is earning the average starting salary of €27,000 would be forced to pay an extra €2,280 a year on top of her or his tax, PRSI and other contributions. As usual, conservative economics is reduced to targeting those on lower incomes."

"The Labour Party believes in an education that is universally available from kindergarten to third level free of charge, paid for by taxation based on ability to pay. As a socialist I reject the hypocrisy of Fianna Fáil's approach and the inequity of Fine Gael's. There is a better, fairer way on college fees - and it will mean a hike in taxes for the super-rich."

Gummy Spending Limits And the Need for Ethical Cash

After months of haranguing the Minister for Environment, John Gormley TD, eventually launched the much-vaunted local election spending limits today.

You'll find the details here.

The results, predictably, are a toothless whitewash, if that metaphorical mix is permitted.

For LEA's the size of Tallaght Central, a €15,000 spending limit will apply. For members of political parties, this is automatically reduced to €13,500 because a ten per cent levy (haven't we had enough of that word) is imposed on those getting support from party head offices.

Although our ward is one of the biggest in the country, the €15,000 doesn't bother me one bit. We simply haven't a hope of raising that amount of cash to spend. Nor do I intend traipsing along to a host of banks looking for loans that we may very well struggle to pay back.

We are more ambitious, perhaps, than any other campaign in Tallaght Central and I am sure our efforts will be noticeable in the final weeks of the campaign in particular. Regardless, our expenditure will be a fraction of that figure.

The figure is too high in the first place, but that's not likely to affect the heavy spenders anyway. The 'spending limits' apply only to the last 60 days of the campaign. Anyone in fear of going over the limit can simply front-end their spending to, say, 61 days before!

Not that it particularly matters. The proposals, as usual, are toothless. There is little on the way of resourcing of investigation of how accounts have been kept, their accuracy and what has been left off. Even if dodgy dealings were uncovered, there seems to be *no* punishment for those who lie or fraud their way in election accounts.

This is a typical Green governmental sop, simple as.

We will win our campaign here in Tallaght Central not on how much we spend, nor on how much we say we haven't spent - but on actual political engagement with voters, by the promotion of our message, and by the politics and values we put forward.

Money is most certainly needed for a modern election campaign - that's why I launched a donation drive last week - but for us, donations are small and from ordinary people who support our campaign. We refuse point-blank the big business and speculator bribery which hurt our communities and corrupted the politics of this country, and continues to do so.

Fianna Fáil and their cronies will have you believing this was all in the distant past, a relic of a byegone era. But let's look at facts - as Elaine Byrne has in today's Times.

1. Treasury Holdings declared donations of €100,000 to Fianna Fáil between 1997 and 2007 - and a further €70,000 to the PD's.

2. In total, the Fianna Fáil party, including its parliamentary wing, declared donations of more than €3 million during those ten years - approaching 60% of all declared donations.

3. Of the €1.5 million donated directly to the Fianna Fáil party itself, €600,000 - about 40% - came straight from developers.

4. These are iceberg tips. As Byrne notes, "The 2008 standards commission report found that €8.8 million in political donations were not disclosed in the three-week period before the 2007 general election (never mind that spent in the previous two years!)."

It's entirely factual to say Fianna Fáil are the party most supported by, and supportive of, big developers and big bankers. It is political corruption of the highest order - whether in-your-face-blatant or only blatant (there's nothing subtle about it). And a huge part of the progressive task is to ensure that culture of closeness is purged from Irish politices in this generation.

I call him Gamblor!

The only monster here is the gambling monster that has enslaved your mother! I call him Gamblor, and it's time to snatch your mother from his neon claws!

Apologies for another speculative post, I'll have some real politics up soon but edited from a post on the St Pat's Message Board here's some tips I've punted on in the election.

I don't deny that I'm the most biased person going , but I do have a collect-12-crisp-packets politics degree from UCD and a bit of experience and with the gambling you have to force some objectivity to the equation.

Working in the business, I really am surprised at how much is staked on individual constituencies and so on and I think that some of those "in the know" have one up on the election traders who are just going on previous results and the odd opinion poll.

Odds are taken off Paddy Power and Boyles; Ladbrokes did have some markets up but they seem to be gone now. I don't apologise for having a Labour bias or for going for outside bets in general!

10 pts total.

Seats Won Market

2pts Labour to win 23 or more seats @ 9/4 with PP

By no means a certainty but on a constituency-by-constituency analysis I've predicted in my blog that Labour will emerge with 23 seats. Surprised at the generous odds being offered - Boyles have slightly less favourable odds, giving 2/1 on 24 or more seats.

Don't see much else in that market worth punting on. I think the PD's will take a hit and both SF and the Greens to increase their share but the odds aren't great.

Constituency Markets

1pt on Carlow-Kilkenny - Michael O'Brien (LAB) @ 8/1 (PP or Boyles)

Very high odds for a serious contender. Was not far off election last time out, and with Seamus Pattison retiring he can make the most of his Kilkenny base (a Labour stronghold, if such a thing exists in Irish politics). Boyles are giving 4/7 on his Labour colleague, Jim Townsend, to take a seat here, even though the two are neck and neck. If O'Brien can poll a higher first preference vote, or if the transfers go his way, he should be competing with Mary White of the Greens for the fifth seat.

1pt on Dublin North-Central - Bronwen Maher (GR) @ 6/1 (Boyles)

High odds for someone who's in with a decent chance. The perceived wisdom here is for 1 FG (Richard Bruton) and 1 FF (Seán Haughey). However the second FFer, Ivor Callelly, has really fallen from grace and in a tight three seater a second FF seat would be unlikely in the event of a national swing against them. That leaves Finian McGrath (Ind), Derek McDowell (Labour) and Bronwen Maher with a chance of the third seat. McGrath hasn't got a smooth ride back and independents generally suffer in tight three-seaters. This is one of Labour's weakest constituencies in Dublin and a with a national move to the Greens a seat is an outside, but possible outcome.

0.5 pt on Galway East - Colm Keaveney (LAB) @ 25/1 (Boyles)

Outsider of course but should be nowhere near 25/1. Had a decent vote - 0.4 of a quota - in 1997 when he last ran and almost a quota in the last locals in Tuam. With the west of the constituency becoming urbanised a Labour seat isn't an impossibility here.

2 pts on Tipperary South - Phil Prendergast (LAB) @ 5/4 (Boyles)

Huge chance here to take a seat. Has polled well previously and a huge profile in the area. Gunning to take Seamus Healy's seat after 1 FG and 1 FF.

2 pts on Dublin South-Central - Eric Byrne (LAB) @ 6/4 (PP)

Completely biased here as I'm working for the candidate but am very positive about him taking the seat. With Gay Mitchell gone and FF weak he can mop up a lot of votes having always been there or thereabouts.


Next Government

1 pt on FF, Greens and PD's @ 12/1 (PP)

These odds exclude independents. I'd say FF will drop 10 seats, the PD's will drop 4 and the Greens will gain 4. That leaves 83 seats - 1 short of a Dáil majority. They'd find no problems cobbling together a couple of "FF gene pool" independents to elect a Taoiseach. Never mind the bluster and blow of the PD's on either of them, and I wouldn't put too much faith in the Greens staying out of a Government if they have the chance. People will dismiss this one out of hand but if the arithmetic is there it wouldn't suprise me if this one worked out.

Turnout

0.5 pt on over 66.5% @ 9/4 (PP)

With the electoral register reformed and a decent interest in the election nationally, I'd expect a high turnout.