Cllr Dermot Looney, the Tallaght Central Labour representative, has welcomed news that two primary schools are to be constructed in the Citywest area between 2012 and 2015. Cllr Looney, who works as a primary teacher elsewhere in Tallaght, has now called on the Minister for Education and Skills Ruairi Quinn TD to speed up construction of an Educate Together school in the area by way of a motion to the next meeting of the County Council.
“I welcome that the Department has now officially recognised the need for these schools in Citywest. It is a growing community which is further boosted by the impending opening of the Luas extension. With no schools currently in Citywest, hundreds of local schoolchildren are required to travel significant distances, attending various schools across Tallaght and further afield. If we are serious about building a sustainable long-term community in Citywest, an integrated education system serving the area is a no-brainer.”
“I am a supporter of the campaign by Tallaght/Citywest Educate Together to provide a multidenominational school in Citywest. There is a clear desire for an Educate Together school from parents living in the area, something I know Minister Quinn is interested in through his establishment of the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism.”
“With the Department confirming that the two schools are due to be constructed at some stage between 2012 and 2015, I have submitted a motion to the next meeting of the Council calling on Minister Quinn to expedite this process so that the much-needed Educate Together school is built for the 2012-2013 academic year. Citywest is split between the Tallaght Central LEA, which I represent, and Tallaght South, as well as bordering the Clondalkin LEA – so I hope all local Councillors will add their weight to my call.”
ENDS
Motion for July Meeting of South Dublin County Council in the name of Cllr Dermot Looney: “That this Council, in welcoming news that two primary schools are planned for construction in the Citywest area between 2012 and 2015, supports the efforts of the Tallaght/Citywest Educate Together campaign to have a primary school built in the Citywest area, and calls on the Minister for Education and Skills to expedite the construction of this school in time for the 2012-2013 academic year.”
Showing posts with label tallaght. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tallaght. Show all posts
Tuesday, 28 June 2011
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
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."
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."
Friday, 3 September 2010
Reports of Children Being Turned Away from Special School Very Worrying
Tallaght-based Labour Party Cllr Dermot Looney has said that reports from St Joseph’s Special School in Balrothery that approximately 20 children with special needs were turned away from the school on its first day back yesterday are very worrying indeed. Parents were reportedly told on Thursday that the local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO) had decided that children previously earmarked for the school would now need to await a decision later in the month to determine whether or not they could attend St Joseph’s. It is now unclear as to the arrangements for these children to attend school in the meantime.
Looney, who works as a primary school teacher at another local school, has called on the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) to clarify the situation at the school as a matter of urgency. The NCSE tightened special schools criteria earlier this year and it is understood that these criteria are being used to justify yesterday’s announcement.
“The very existence of St Joseph’s was put under severe threat in February of this year due to Government cutbacks. At the time, the NCSE stated its intentions to cut 2/3 of the teaching and support staff, including a reduction from 16 to 6 teachers,” said Looney. “The school was also told it would lose 12 out of 17 Special Needs Assistants, although the cuts were somewhat alleviated on foot of a vocal campaign by parents and school staff.”
“In the case of yesterday's incident, it is unclear whether the local SENO had received, as reports are suggesting, the documentation on these children before the summer break, only to report today that children would have to wait until later this month before their situations are fully assessed. There is confusion over the designation of the special needs which apply to the school and it appears that the SENO has possibly taken a strict interpretation of “Mild General Learning Disabilities” which has discounted these children.”
“My understanding is that the school principal and staff, as well as parents, were until yesterday under the impression that the children were approved for attendance at the school. If this was the case it would appear that the Department of Education and Skills has failed in its basic duty of care to these pupils.”
“I understand the majority of the children concerned had been in mainstream schools last year and their parents had agreed to the huge step to move them to St Joseph’s. Uniforms were bought, transport arrangements were made and the children were all set for the year ahead when they were told the devastating news. The stories emerging from St Joseph’s of confused children in floods of tears coming out of the school are heartbreaking and everything must be done to ensure the situation for these vulnerable children is clarified immediately.”
ENDS
Note: St Joseph's is a special school in Balrothery, Tallaght which caters for approximately 100 special needs children aged between 5 and 18. The school offers a range of FETAC programmes as well as the Junior and Leaving Certificate for older children. A discussion on the incident including eyewitness accounts, has been taking place on the Special Needs Parents Association Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/
Thursday, 4 February 2010
Press Release - “Bring Gay Pride to Tallaght,” says Cllr
Cllr Dermot Looney, a Labour Party representative on South Dublin County Council (SDCC) for the Tallaght Central area, has called on the Council to work with event organisers in order to bring the annual Pride festival to Tallaght and other parts of South Dublin County. The Dublin LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer) Pride Festival, first run in 1983, is a celebration of LGBTQ identity as well as a focal point for activism on issues of equality.
Last year’s Pride Festival, which was launched by Labour Lord Mayor Emer Costello and Labour Leader Eamonn Gilmore TD, attracted thousands to the centre of Dublin for a variety of events, including 12,500 attendees at the Pride Parade. The 2010 Event will take place this summer. Cllr Looney has now asked SDCC to contact the organisers of Pride with a plan to organise events in South Dublin.
In a motion to February’s Council meeting, Cllr Looney asks that the “Council congratulates the success of Dublin Pride in raising awareness of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights in Dublin for more than 25 years and offers its support for the 2010 event,” and calls on the Council to “contact Dublin LGBTQ Pride Limited to offer support and assistance, with a view to holding events in the South Dublin area in this and future Pride festivals.”
“Promoting equality at all levels is the ultimate agenda of the Labour Party,” Cllr Looney noted. “Labour’s record on LGBT rights speaks for itself – from decriminalising homosexuality in 1993 to campaigning for the right of same-sex couples to marry in the present day. Now, we have a chance to promote LGBT rights locally by hosting events in our county town of Tallaght and elsewhere in South Dublin.”
“Homophobic attitudes and discrimination towards LGBT people remain a huge blight on our society. Gay Pride Festivals have done much to challenge these prejudices in a celebratory and positive way. I am delighted that the Council’s positive response to my motion and organisation of recent events for LGBT History Month in our libraries show that we are moving forward in South Dublin aswell.”
Cllr Looney’s motion will be debated at the Council’s February meeting next Monday.
------------------------------------------
Motion and Response from County Manager below;
MOTION NO.16
MOTION: Councillor D. Looney
This Council congratulates the success of Dublin Pride in raising awareness of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights in Dublin for more than 25 years and offers its support for the 2010 event. This Council will contact Dublin LGBTQ Pride Limited to offer support and assistance, with a view to holding events in the South Dublin area in this and future Pride festivals.
REPORT:
February 2010 is LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer) History Month. South Dublin County Library Services have organised three events as follows and an exhibition from the Irish Queer Archive to mark the month:
1. Movie Night at Tallaght Library- Screening “Milk” directed by Gus Van Sant
2. Irish Gay History: A Talk with Senator David Norris and Brian Lacey
3. Literary Evening with Jamie O’Neill, Jarlath Gregory and Denis Kehoe
In addition the Council’s Social Inclusion Officer has made contact with the Chair of the Dublin LGBTQ Pride Festival and discussions are on going in this regard. The Social Inclusion Unit is also exploring the possibility of holding an event as part of the Annual Social Inclusion Week promoting positive attitudes towards the LGBTQ Community in South Dublin County.
Last year’s Pride Festival, which was launched by Labour Lord Mayor Emer Costello and Labour Leader Eamonn Gilmore TD, attracted thousands to the centre of Dublin for a variety of events, including 12,500 attendees at the Pride Parade. The 2010 Event will take place this summer. Cllr Looney has now asked SDCC to contact the organisers of Pride with a plan to organise events in South Dublin.
In a motion to February’s Council meeting, Cllr Looney asks that the “Council congratulates the success of Dublin Pride in raising awareness of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights in Dublin for more than 25 years and offers its support for the 2010 event,” and calls on the Council to “contact Dublin LGBTQ Pride Limited to offer support and assistance, with a view to holding events in the South Dublin area in this and future Pride festivals.”
“Promoting equality at all levels is the ultimate agenda of the Labour Party,” Cllr Looney noted. “Labour’s record on LGBT rights speaks for itself – from decriminalising homosexuality in 1993 to campaigning for the right of same-sex couples to marry in the present day. Now, we have a chance to promote LGBT rights locally by hosting events in our county town of Tallaght and elsewhere in South Dublin.”
“Homophobic attitudes and discrimination towards LGBT people remain a huge blight on our society. Gay Pride Festivals have done much to challenge these prejudices in a celebratory and positive way. I am delighted that the Council’s positive response to my motion and organisation of recent events for LGBT History Month in our libraries show that we are moving forward in South Dublin aswell.”
Cllr Looney’s motion will be debated at the Council’s February meeting next Monday.
------------------------------------------
Motion and Response from County Manager below;
MOTION NO.16
MOTION: Councillor D. Looney
This Council congratulates the success of Dublin Pride in raising awareness of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights in Dublin for more than 25 years and offers its support for the 2010 event. This Council will contact Dublin LGBTQ Pride Limited to offer support and assistance, with a view to holding events in the South Dublin area in this and future Pride festivals.
REPORT:
February 2010 is LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer) History Month. South Dublin County Library Services have organised three events as follows and an exhibition from the Irish Queer Archive to mark the month:
1. Movie Night at Tallaght Library- Screening “Milk” directed by Gus Van Sant
2. Irish Gay History: A Talk with Senator David Norris and Brian Lacey
3. Literary Evening with Jamie O’Neill, Jarlath Gregory and Denis Kehoe
In addition the Council’s Social Inclusion Officer has made contact with the Chair of the Dublin LGBTQ Pride Festival and discussions are on going in this regard. The Social Inclusion Unit is also exploring the possibility of holding an event as part of the Annual Social Inclusion Week promoting positive attitudes towards the LGBTQ Community in South Dublin County.
Thursday, 28 May 2009
Election Diary: T- 9: Brian's Gone to Iceland
Shhh!
It's three am. Glad to say I've not been drinking, but did manage to make it into town tonight to see off Brian O'Connor, one of the most active and longstanding team members, who's heading off to Iceland (the country, not the supermarket) tomorrow. Brian's been an integral part of the campaign for over a year now and his departure, though heralded a long time ago, is still a loss. Of all the team members I'd say Brian has dropped more leaflets than anyone, not to mention his canvass record and postering abilities. I'm sure he'll have some interesting observations from Icelandic politics when he returns, and I've promised to keep him in the loop on count day, along with other supporters in Australia, Luxembourg, Britain, the US and Thailand.
Our canvass in Tallaght tonight went perfectly to plan - last knock was five minutes before the start of the CL final. Much of the rest of the day after work was spent doing up some last-minute literature and planning the campaign; our Campaign Manager Paul Dillon remains calm throughout the slip-ups and computer freezes, and has guided us over the last few months with the patience of a saint.
8 days left. Most of the candidates have upped their game in the past week. All going well for us, it should be a great final week, but then again events are always getting in the way of good plans!
PS - Forca Barca! Great game, Messi again proving his genius. My favourite player in the world. OK, work in 5 1/2 hours - oíche mhaith!
It's three am. Glad to say I've not been drinking, but did manage to make it into town tonight to see off Brian O'Connor, one of the most active and longstanding team members, who's heading off to Iceland (the country, not the supermarket) tomorrow. Brian's been an integral part of the campaign for over a year now and his departure, though heralded a long time ago, is still a loss. Of all the team members I'd say Brian has dropped more leaflets than anyone, not to mention his canvass record and postering abilities. I'm sure he'll have some interesting observations from Icelandic politics when he returns, and I've promised to keep him in the loop on count day, along with other supporters in Australia, Luxembourg, Britain, the US and Thailand.
Our canvass in Tallaght tonight went perfectly to plan - last knock was five minutes before the start of the CL final. Much of the rest of the day after work was spent doing up some last-minute literature and planning the campaign; our Campaign Manager Paul Dillon remains calm throughout the slip-ups and computer freezes, and has guided us over the last few months with the patience of a saint.
8 days left. Most of the candidates have upped their game in the past week. All going well for us, it should be a great final week, but then again events are always getting in the way of good plans!
PS - Forca Barca! Great game, Messi again proving his genius. My favourite player in the world. OK, work in 5 1/2 hours - oíche mhaith!
Tuesday, 26 May 2009
Election Diary: T- 10: Socialism and Marching In Amongst the Saints
I often check the Dublin South-West local elections thread on politics.ie to see if it offers up any titbits from other candidates. It is, of course, erroneously titled in the case of Tallaght Central which covers parts of the Dublin South-Central Dáil constituency as well as DSW.
It's worth noting that the vast majority of posters on the site are members of political organisations and inherently biased in what and how they choose to post. But the discussion today centring around 'socialism' is interesting indeed. One poster pointed out that 4 candidates in the election - Mick Murphy (Socialist Party), Seán Crowe (Sinn Féin), Pat Dunne (PBPA) and myself use the term 'socialist' to describe their politics (perhaps there are more). Predictably, this was followed by the same old critique you come to expect from elsewhere on the left.
Let me make one thing clear - and I don't speak for anyone else bar myself - I am a socialist.
Socialism is the political tradition to which I belong, and the way forward for our community, country and world. It is a desciption I use on the doors when quizzed regardless of whether I think it will gain or lose me a vote. I put it in my literature, I use it in the media, and I do not shirk when attacked from left, right or elsewhere on this. Just as there are Christians in the Church, as Tony Benn often said, there are socialists in the Labour Party. The term and the traditions are not my possessions, or those of the Labour Party - nor are they the preserve of smaller parties or other groupings.
I'd love to post more on this but now is, perhaps, not the best time. It did come up again tonight on the canvass in Tallaght where I really feel the mood has shifted leftward amongst working people. The rhetoric and analysis being put forward by voters on everything from the banks and developers to the way to win on local issues certainly sits well with the agenda our campaign is pushing. I tweeted that Tallaght was turning redder - it certainly seems to be the case. Nothing I've seen changes my mind that three Labour seats are eminently possible in this ward.
Both myself and Labour are polling well on the St Pat's Fans Forum (where I go by the name 'Greenhills Saint'). I occasionally meet Saints fans on the canvass and a lot of them have joined up through our Facebook Group. I know we have blog readers coming over from the Saints site, and I know that many of them share my regard for Bill Shankly's old statement that "the socialism I believe in is everybody working for the same goal and everybody having a share in the rewards...that's how I see football, that's how I see life." Hopefully, we'll be keeping the football and politics separate tomorrow night by canvassing early to avoid the Champions League final.
Outside of work, it's been full-on campaigning for the last 5-6 weeks for me. At this stage, only occasional episodes of the US Office are keeping me sane. I really enjoy the electioneering and am honoured to be in the position I am, as made possible by so many around me - but I'm certainly looking forward to a long sleep and a lazy Sunday when it's all over!
It's worth noting that the vast majority of posters on the site are members of political organisations and inherently biased in what and how they choose to post. But the discussion today centring around 'socialism' is interesting indeed. One poster pointed out that 4 candidates in the election - Mick Murphy (Socialist Party), Seán Crowe (Sinn Féin), Pat Dunne (PBPA) and myself use the term 'socialist' to describe their politics (perhaps there are more). Predictably, this was followed by the same old critique you come to expect from elsewhere on the left.
Let me make one thing clear - and I don't speak for anyone else bar myself - I am a socialist.
Socialism is the political tradition to which I belong, and the way forward for our community, country and world. It is a desciption I use on the doors when quizzed regardless of whether I think it will gain or lose me a vote. I put it in my literature, I use it in the media, and I do not shirk when attacked from left, right or elsewhere on this. Just as there are Christians in the Church, as Tony Benn often said, there are socialists in the Labour Party. The term and the traditions are not my possessions, or those of the Labour Party - nor are they the preserve of smaller parties or other groupings.
I'd love to post more on this but now is, perhaps, not the best time. It did come up again tonight on the canvass in Tallaght where I really feel the mood has shifted leftward amongst working people. The rhetoric and analysis being put forward by voters on everything from the banks and developers to the way to win on local issues certainly sits well with the agenda our campaign is pushing. I tweeted that Tallaght was turning redder - it certainly seems to be the case. Nothing I've seen changes my mind that three Labour seats are eminently possible in this ward.
Both myself and Labour are polling well on the St Pat's Fans Forum (where I go by the name 'Greenhills Saint'). I occasionally meet Saints fans on the canvass and a lot of them have joined up through our Facebook Group. I know we have blog readers coming over from the Saints site, and I know that many of them share my regard for Bill Shankly's old statement that "the socialism I believe in is everybody working for the same goal and everybody having a share in the rewards...that's how I see football, that's how I see life." Hopefully, we'll be keeping the football and politics separate tomorrow night by canvassing early to avoid the Champions League final.
Outside of work, it's been full-on campaigning for the last 5-6 weeks for me. At this stage, only occasional episodes of the US Office are keeping me sane. I really enjoy the electioneering and am honoured to be in the position I am, as made possible by so many around me - but I'm certainly looking forward to a long sleep and a lazy Sunday when it's all over!
Sunday, 24 May 2009
Election Diary: T- 13: Time Only for Politics
Tony Benn, who I don't mind admitting is a huge source of political inspiration to me, called one of his diary collections "More Time For Politics" which refers to a quote he made on retiring from the House of Commons. Benn himself remains a political dynamo at 84 years of age. I'm starting to believe, though, that there comes a time when there is no more time for politics - when you fill up your days and nights with its practice. And the last few days of a campaign, rightly so, mean time only for politics.
I did manage to get a game of football in this morning, a very rare thing in the last few months of this campaign, and escaped without doing too much damage to my dodgy ankle. I've been avoiding the physio since I hurt it in January in the hope that it'd get better; one of the first things I'll do post-election is get some treatment on it. The football took away some of the stress of the campaign and gave a good start to a day of canvassing in Tallaght.
Met some of the Fianna Fáil team at Kilnamanagh shopping centre at lunchtime; Charlie O'Connor was his usual ebullient self but the heads seemed down. We had two more new campaign team members out today, the numbers are really picking up for us but we need more for the final push in the coming few days. The weather wasn't the worst either, despite a downpour between 12.30 and 1; though I'm not sure we'll have a day when the umbrellas aren't needed anytime soon?
Today's canvass had to stop at 5 pm on the dot so as not to interrupt the rugby. We ended up listening to it on the radio at home because, scandalously, Sky maintain all the rights to the Heineken Cup in Ireland. While I was delighted to see (or hear) an Irish team do so well, it was hardly euphoric. Leinster rugby remains, sadly, class-based and I have never felt a part of the 'scene' despite having a genuine interest in the sport. However, the IRFU are doing some fine work in Tallaght and I hope the Leinster teams of the future might include some of the kids learning tag and tip rugby in our schools and at Tallaght Rugby Club right now.
And it was straight from there to a 'gig' at Templeogue United Football Club to honour 20 years of Dáil service by Pat Rabbitte TD. It also coupled as a celebration of Pat's 60th birthday which was last Monday- and for which he spent the evening on the canvass with us. The speeches from Eamon Gilmore TD, Mayor Marie Corr, local activists Gerry Kelly and Denis Mackin, Pat's wife Derry and Pat himself were full of humour and warmth and Pat himself was in flying form. It was nice to chat to others in the constituency about how their own campaigns are going and a real belief that we can pull off three seats in Tallaght Central.
To do that with three first-time candidates would be incredible but these are incredible times; the notion of a Labour Taoiseach and the party leading a government is coming up more and more, and people are realising that the movement to achieve that will need to be built and supported from the ground up.
I did manage to get a game of football in this morning, a very rare thing in the last few months of this campaign, and escaped without doing too much damage to my dodgy ankle. I've been avoiding the physio since I hurt it in January in the hope that it'd get better; one of the first things I'll do post-election is get some treatment on it. The football took away some of the stress of the campaign and gave a good start to a day of canvassing in Tallaght.
Met some of the Fianna Fáil team at Kilnamanagh shopping centre at lunchtime; Charlie O'Connor was his usual ebullient self but the heads seemed down. We had two more new campaign team members out today, the numbers are really picking up for us but we need more for the final push in the coming few days. The weather wasn't the worst either, despite a downpour between 12.30 and 1; though I'm not sure we'll have a day when the umbrellas aren't needed anytime soon?
Today's canvass had to stop at 5 pm on the dot so as not to interrupt the rugby. We ended up listening to it on the radio at home because, scandalously, Sky maintain all the rights to the Heineken Cup in Ireland. While I was delighted to see (or hear) an Irish team do so well, it was hardly euphoric. Leinster rugby remains, sadly, class-based and I have never felt a part of the 'scene' despite having a genuine interest in the sport. However, the IRFU are doing some fine work in Tallaght and I hope the Leinster teams of the future might include some of the kids learning tag and tip rugby in our schools and at Tallaght Rugby Club right now.
And it was straight from there to a 'gig' at Templeogue United Football Club to honour 20 years of Dáil service by Pat Rabbitte TD. It also coupled as a celebration of Pat's 60th birthday which was last Monday- and for which he spent the evening on the canvass with us. The speeches from Eamon Gilmore TD, Mayor Marie Corr, local activists Gerry Kelly and Denis Mackin, Pat's wife Derry and Pat himself were full of humour and warmth and Pat himself was in flying form. It was nice to chat to others in the constituency about how their own campaigns are going and a real belief that we can pull off three seats in Tallaght Central.
To do that with three first-time candidates would be incredible but these are incredible times; the notion of a Labour Taoiseach and the party leading a government is coming up more and more, and people are realising that the movement to achieve that will need to be built and supported from the ground up.
Wednesday, 8 April 2009
Press Release - Local Young People Facing Life-Long Jobs Crisis - Looney
Dermot Looney, the Labour Party candidate for this year’s local election in Tallaght Central, has said that the most recent live register figures for the area highlight a potential “life-long jobs crisis” which will be felt hardest by young people. Looney’s comments come in the wake of March’s live register figures which show a record 8,233 people out of work in Tallaght – with a quarter of those aged under 25.
The 26 year-old Labour candidate, who is based in Greenhills and works in Tallaght, has been highlighting youth unemployment as a campaign issue for many months and has said that measures in April’s budget are a double-whammy for young unemployed people.
March’s live register figures show an extra 259 people signing on at the Tallaght Social Welfare Office, 83 of whom were under 25.
In just 12 months there has been a staggering increase of 3777, or 85%, in the total numbers signing on in Tallaght. The youth rate shows an increase of 947, also 85% up on the figures since last March.
However, Looney has said that the Tallaght office shows a much higher rate of youth unemployment than the remainder of the country.
“Nationally, 21% of those out of work are under 25,” said Looney. “But in Tallaght, this rises to 25%.”
“When broken down by gender, we can see that young women in Tallaght are being hit even harder. Locally, women under 25 make up more than 29% of the total amount of women signing on – much higher than the 22.5% nationally. With hits in childcare and other budget measures, young women are being targeted particularly unfairly.”
Looney also highlighted the sad increases at the Bishop Square Welfare Office, used by people in the Dublin 12 and 6w parts of the Tallaght Central ward. Here, the number of those signing on increased by almost 500 from February to March. Incredibly, there has been a jump in those signing on at Bishop Square in the last 12 months of 95.4%.
“The numbers of young people out of work in our community are truly depressing, but talking to local people and hearing their stories makes the current crisis really hit home,” said Looney. “On the doorsteps, I have talked to countless young people and their families who are most at risk, hearing heartbreaking stories of despair. Even emigration is not an option for many young workers given the global jobs crisis.”
“It is scarcely believable that under 20’s are being slaughtered with a halving of their jobseekers allowance – with barely any schemes to encourage them back either to employment or education. As the youngest candidate in the county, my solidarity lies strongly with those young people; refusing to intervene at this stage will mean a life-long jobs crisis for thousands of local young people.”
“I will continue the campaign for better employment and education opportunity for all people, especially the young. Labour’s proposals for an earn and learn scheme, and our support for increases in Community Employment schemes, are the very ideas that will bring us out of this mess – not the same old policies from Fianna Fáil and their cronies which have brought us this crisis.”
The 26 year-old Labour candidate, who is based in Greenhills and works in Tallaght, has been highlighting youth unemployment as a campaign issue for many months and has said that measures in April’s budget are a double-whammy for young unemployed people.
March’s live register figures show an extra 259 people signing on at the Tallaght Social Welfare Office, 83 of whom were under 25.
In just 12 months there has been a staggering increase of 3777, or 85%, in the total numbers signing on in Tallaght. The youth rate shows an increase of 947, also 85% up on the figures since last March.
However, Looney has said that the Tallaght office shows a much higher rate of youth unemployment than the remainder of the country.
“Nationally, 21% of those out of work are under 25,” said Looney. “But in Tallaght, this rises to 25%.”
“When broken down by gender, we can see that young women in Tallaght are being hit even harder. Locally, women under 25 make up more than 29% of the total amount of women signing on – much higher than the 22.5% nationally. With hits in childcare and other budget measures, young women are being targeted particularly unfairly.”
Looney also highlighted the sad increases at the Bishop Square Welfare Office, used by people in the Dublin 12 and 6w parts of the Tallaght Central ward. Here, the number of those signing on increased by almost 500 from February to March. Incredibly, there has been a jump in those signing on at Bishop Square in the last 12 months of 95.4%.
“The numbers of young people out of work in our community are truly depressing, but talking to local people and hearing their stories makes the current crisis really hit home,” said Looney. “On the doorsteps, I have talked to countless young people and their families who are most at risk, hearing heartbreaking stories of despair. Even emigration is not an option for many young workers given the global jobs crisis.”
“It is scarcely believable that under 20’s are being slaughtered with a halving of their jobseekers allowance – with barely any schemes to encourage them back either to employment or education. As the youngest candidate in the county, my solidarity lies strongly with those young people; refusing to intervene at this stage will mean a life-long jobs crisis for thousands of local young people.”
“I will continue the campaign for better employment and education opportunity for all people, especially the young. Labour’s proposals for an earn and learn scheme, and our support for increases in Community Employment schemes, are the very ideas that will bring us out of this mess – not the same old policies from Fianna Fáil and their cronies which have brought us this crisis.”
Sunday, 22 March 2009
Press Release - SNA Cut Proposals Are “Hedge-School Mentality”
Dermot Looney, a Labour Party candidate for the new Tallaght Central Electoral Area, has said that government plans to cut Special Needs Assistants (SNA’s) in schools should be shelved. Looney, a primary school teacher in Tallaght, said that reports that a review of 10,000 SNA’s will be undertaken by the government are part of a “hedge-school mentality” and are likely to result in swathes of job cuts unless pressure is put on the government to retain SNA’s.
“Special Needs Assistants are as crucial to modern Irish education as teachers or other staff,” noted Looney. “I have worked in schools across Tallaght and the wider area and know the amazing work carried out with special needs children by these committed and professional staff. Parents, children, teachers and all the other stakeholders in our education system are now distraught with news that SNA’s across Ireland are under threat.”
“SNA’s themselves have had a tough few months, with education cuts, income levies, pension levies and the variety of assaults on public sector workers all hitting home. Now the threat of thousands of jobs being lost means the myth of public sector job security, often the jeer of conservative commentators, is blown apart.”
“Cuts in special needs classes, teachers, resources and now SNA’s point to a government stuck back in time with notions of huge classes and no staff beyond the classroom teacher. The hedge-school mentality of Batt O’Keeffe and the Government has no place in an Ireland where special needs children have an absolute right to support from teachers, SNA’s and other staff and resources.”
Friday, 13 February 2009
Press Release - Cynical Attacks on Special Needs Kids Should be Reversed - Looney
Cynical Attacks on Special Needs Kids Should be Reversed - Looney
Dermot Looney, the Labour Party candidate in the new Tallaght Central ward in June's local elections, has called for special needs class cuts targeting local schools to be reversed. Greenhills-based Looney, a primary school teacher who works in Tallaght, was commenting in the wake of another savage week of cutbacks in education, with almost 120 schools hit by the effective closure of special classes and withdrawal of support for special needs children.
The schools in the Tallaght Central ward affected are:
ENDS
Dermot Looney, the Labour Party candidate in the new Tallaght Central ward in June's local elections, has called for special needs class cuts targeting local schools to be reversed. Greenhills-based Looney, a primary school teacher who works in Tallaght, was commenting in the wake of another savage week of cutbacks in education, with almost 120 schools hit by the effective closure of special classes and withdrawal of support for special needs children.
The schools in the Tallaght Central ward affected are:
- St Peter’s BNS, Limekiln Road, Greenhills;
- St Mary’s School, Greenhills Road, Tallaght Village;
- St Paul’s GNS (Senior), Limekiln Lane, Greenhills;
- Scoil Nmh Aengusa (Sinsear), Balrothery;
- St Mark’s Senior NS, Springfield
· each of which will lose 1 special class
- St Brigid's NS, Brookfield;
- St Aidan's NS, Brookfield;
- St Anne’s Primary School, Fettercairn
· each of which will lose 2 classes.
Looney, 26, has launched a petition locally to Minister O'Keeffe aimed at reversing the cuts.
"It is no coincidence that the majority of these are in working-class communities and areas of socio-economic disadvantage," noted Looney. "This really is the lowest of the low from this clueless government who are putting their banking buddies and developer donors ahead of the most needy. The sickening excuse that the policy is to mainstream these pupils is nothing but nonsense – mainstreaming should only take place when children are ready."
"The trend in recent years has been to accommodate children with learning disabilities in mainstream schools, with much of the old 'special school' infrastructure being dismantled. If the replacement infrastructure in mainstream schools is itself now being dismantled, that means that these children are being left high and dry. Services for kids with special needs have come under sustained attack in recent years, with many local schools already suffering from severe cutbacks in Special Needs Assistants numbers."ENDS
Friday, 30 January 2009
Press Release - Looney Lashes Bus Cutbacks, Calls for Clarification
Dermot Looney, the Labour Party candidate in June's local elections in Tallaght Central, has slammed cutbacks in Dublin Bus routes, claiming they will hit those on low incomes, the elderly and the immobile hardest. He has also sought clarification on whether services local to Greenhills, Tallaght and the Dublin 6w area will be affected under the restructuring of bus routes and frequency.
"As a daily bus user for many years I know how important a reliable, well-funded Dublin bus service is to local people – particularly those on low incomes, older people and those who are disabled," said Looney. "The government's decision to cut jobs at Dublin Bus and the ensuing confusion about affected services means those people, who are being hit hardest by the recession in the first place, now face the prospect of being left without bus routes or with reduced services."
"I have written to Dublin Bus seeking clarifications on how cutbacks will affect the 15a, 17, 19a, 50, 56a, 77, 77a, 77x, 77n and 150 routes."
"We need to ensure that transport services are accessible to all, so I have also asked for a bus shelter to be put in place at the top of 'the Dip' in Greenpark, as well as for one to be re-installed opposite the Cuckoo's Nest in Kilnamanagh. I have also asked Dublin Bus to consider a feeder bus to the Luas line from Greenhills, where so many older people are reliant on public transport."
"It is particularly galling for the Green Party Ministers to go along with these cuts. Labour recognises that the social, environmental and economic infrastructure of our local communities is dependent on a stable, well-funded and effective public transport system. Simply put, public transport is the best way to curb vehicle emissions and reduce our carbon footprint."
"Perhaps the Greens expect us all to be able to afford hybrid cars, but they and their Fianna Fáil masters are clearly out of touch with working people by carrying through with a slash-and-burn policy at Dublin Bus."
"As a Labour candidate, I am committed to a well-funded, effective and affordable Dublin Bus service in public ownership, serving all communities in the Dublin area, and acting in an integrated manner with other public transport services in the region."
Sunday, 18 January 2009
Radio Nowhere?
Like the buses you wait an hour for and then three arrive at once, I'm lucky to be back on the airwaves this week not once, not twice, but thrice.I began this evening on Radio Tallaght, a new Community Radio initative broadcasting from the new Rua/Red building beside the Council Offices and the Civic Theatre in Tallaght. Radio Tallaght is run by Tallaght Community Arts, that fine organisation who do so much across the arts in Dublin 24, along with the Tallaght Radio Forum, a group of community radio activists.
Having worked for a few months a few years ago in Newstalk - unpaid I hasten to add - and done a few radio shows, I was delighted with the professionalism of the set up. Radio Tallaght will be broadcasting for six weekends this year, and we rounded up the January broadcast with a quiz between local politicians and students.
To my mild amusement I was on a team with Fianna Fáil's local TD, Charlie O'Connor, and Fine Gael Cllr for Tallaght South, Karen Warren, competing against three Tallaght IT students.
The show was hosted by Eoin Sweeney of RTÉ Radio and Newstalk fame. A number of times he referred to me keeping the red flag flying, a phrase I can be partial to myself, but one which sturck me as unusual from a radio presenter - until I found his profile on the website for the Bread and Roses project, which I suppose brought the 'Red Flag' song back to the Irish left.
Despite being up against three students well versed in quizzes, 'we' managed to triumph by three points. I found it a little awkward being on a team of politicians, given that I don't see myself as one, but liking the odd quiz myself, I acquitted myself respectably, even managing a few political jibes in between the questions :)
One nice moment was during a question on the meaning of 'Tamhlacht,' an Ghaeilge ar Tallaght. With the students getting it wrong, the question was passed to our team. The so-called 'Mr Tallaght,' Charlie O'Connor TD, insisted it meant 'black stone,' but my interests in local history meant I pushed for 'burial mound.' I felt a little bad slagging Charlie off after my answer was accepted but all in good fun and all that...
I'm looking forward to the next broadcast from Radio Tallaght in March, whose diverse programming really shows up a lot of the commercial nonsense we hear on the airwaves.
It's the first of three radio programmes for me this week. Tomorrow - Monday - I am speaking about my candidature, the Labour Party, education and the economy on 103.2 Dublin City FM (formerly Anna Livia) from 1.30-2pm on the 'Student Talk' show with two local secondary students. You can hear it online at http://dublincityfm.ie/.
And to round up the radio appearances - surely that word can't be right - beidh mé ar Raidió na Life ar oíche Dé Máirt idir 6 agus 7, ag caint faoin feachtas Obama agus an baint a raibh agam leis i Virginia. With Obama's inauguration leading the news, I'll be speaking about my involvement in the Virginia campaign between 6 and 7pm with Paul Mulville. You can tune into it at 106fm or listen live at http://azul.streamguys.com/rnl106 .
Off now to the Foclóir Béarla-Gaeilge to find out the Gaeilge ar 'inauguration' anois...
Monday, 12 January 2009
Gaza: Sunday Times Has a Go
Liam Fay, a Sunday Times columnist, had a pop in today's paper.
Make of it what you will. For me, it's ignorance is only matched by its childishness. A letter of reply awaits.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/ireland/article5488694.ece?token=null&offset=12&page=2
Make of it what you will. For me, it's ignorance is only matched by its childishness. A letter of reply awaits.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/ireland/article5488694.ece?token=null&offset=12&page=2
Gaza plan a Looney idea
All politics is local but some local politicians must be living on another planet. In an shameless act of self-promotion evidently motivated by forthcoming council elections, Dermot Looney, a Labour candidate, has called for the twinning of his native Tallaght with Gaza city.
The Greenhills-based Looney suggested the twinning would constitute a display of “material and infrastructural support from the people of Tallaght and south Dublin council in the time ahead”. We can but hope he at least has some idea what he’s on about.
With the economy in turmoil and local authorities strapped for cash, this year’s council elections are likely to be extremely strange. Unable to make credible promises about improving services in their own wards, some of these parish-pump demagogues may well seek publicity by trying to make grandiose interventions in international events.
Think global, act local and emigrate before it’s too late.
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