Cllr Dermot Looney, a Labour Party representative on South Dublin County Council, has said that he will oppose the Labour Party’s entry into government with Fine Gael at Labour’s Special Delegate Conference this Sunday. Looney said that, far from being ‘balanced,’ as has been claimed, Fine Gael would outnumber Labour in any such arrangement by 2 to 1, with a resultant policy bias towards Fine Gael’s plans for cuts, conservatism and privatisation.
“Thanks to the extraordinary efforts of the party as a whole, Labour has emerged from this general election out on its own in second place;” noted Looney, “an historic achievement for a party which has always played third fiddle in Irish politics. Fine Gael, meanwhile, has been given the lead position but does not have a mandate to govern on its own.”
“Fine Gael have a number of options at this point, including seeking the support of independents or coalescing with their centre-right colleagues in Fianna Fáil with whom there are few major differences. Labour members have just one choice – whether to lead the opposition to a government of cuts and austerity, or to join with it as a minor partner.”
“Having spoken to many Labour members and voters from all sorts of backgrounds during this campaign and in its aftermath, I believe there is substantial opposition to a Fine Gael-dominated government from the grassroots of the Labour Party and from ordinary communities across Ireland. Such a government would be unbalanced and short-sighted.”
“It is clear that a deal is not in the interests of the Labour Party, its voters or the values we have carried since the party was founded by James Connolly 99 years ago. But, more importantly, this coalition would not be in the national interest.”
“The interests of the Irish people are not served by the Labour Party fighting for scraps from a Fine Gael menu of cuts and social conservatism. The national interest will be best served by the strongest ever Labour Parliamentary Party acting as a powerful and constructive opposition in the upcoming Dáil, and seeking to lead the next government not only in terms of numbers, but of policy.”
“Labour has the best potential Ministers in Dáil Éireann but I want to see them in Government implementing Labour policies, not Fine Gael ones.”
“Coalition between an emboldened Fine Gael and a numerically far inferior Labour Party will be bad for Ireland and bad for Labour. I will be asking Labour members to vote against the deal on Sunday and, regardless of the outcome, will seek to play a constructive but principled role in the party in the time ahead.”
Thursday, 3 March 2011
Tuesday, 18 January 2011
Press Release - Looney slams welfare claim backlogs of up to 4 months
Cllr Dermot Looney, a Labour Party representative on South Dublin County Council, has said that information supplied to the Labour Party indicates a delay for as long as four months for certain welfares. Applications for Disability Allowance are taking an average of 18 weeks, according to the latest information from the Department of Social Protection. The Department outlined other average waiting times such as:
Applications for Disability Allowance are taking an average of 18 weeks, according to the latest information from the Department of Social Protection. The Department outlined other average waiting times such as:
* Invalidity Pension - 16 weeks
* One Parent Family Payment - 15 weeks
* Widows Pension (Non-Contributory) - 12 weeks
* Carer's Allowance - 11 weeks
* Carer's Benefit - 11 weeks
* Family Income Supplement - 10 weeks
* State Pension (Non-Contributory) - 10 weeks
Cllr Looney noted that figures obtained by Labour TD Róisín Shortall show that waiting times for these categories are clearly getting worse. “The average waiting time for Invalidity Pension was 12 weeks in August - now it's 16. Disability Allowance was 13 weeks in August - now it's 18. Carer's Allowance was eight weeks in August - now it's 11.”
“It is obvious that waiting times are worst where the decision involves the assessment of medical evidence. There is a real question if the Department has enough medical officers to deal with the amount of such claims.”
“In many cases, the people applying for assistance are living on the breadline. The long waiting period puts tremendous strain on such people and their families. Residents in Tallaght, Greenhills and other local areas are now forced to rely on the generosity of the already hard-pressed St Vincent de Paul and other charities, or the assistance of the local community welfare officer to get by. We know that in many cases they are forced to borrow from family, friends and, in the worst cases, moneylenders.”
"These waiting times are simply unacceptable, and the Government needs to act immediately to speed up the process by employing more staff in assessing and processing, if necessary transferring them from areas of lower priority. In the medium term, it is clear that better technology can be employed in servicing the needs of welfare recipients,” said Looney.
Applications for Disability Allowance are taking an average of 18 weeks, according to the latest information from the Department of Social Protection. The Department outlined other average waiting times such as:
* Invalidity Pension - 16 weeks
* One Parent Family Payment - 15 weeks
* Widows Pension (Non-Contributory) - 12 weeks
* Carer's Allowance - 11 weeks
* Carer's Benefit - 11 weeks
* Family Income Supplement - 10 weeks
* State Pension (Non-Contributory) - 10 weeks
Cllr Looney noted that figures obtained by Labour TD Róisín Shortall show that waiting times for these categories are clearly getting worse. “The average waiting time for Invalidity Pension was 12 weeks in August - now it's 16. Disability Allowance was 13 weeks in August - now it's 18. Carer's Allowance was eight weeks in August - now it's 11.”
“It is obvious that waiting times are worst where the decision involves the assessment of medical evidence. There is a real question if the Department has enough medical officers to deal with the amount of such claims.”
“In many cases, the people applying for assistance are living on the breadline. The long waiting period puts tremendous strain on such people and their families. Residents in Tallaght, Greenhills and other local areas are now forced to rely on the generosity of the already hard-pressed St Vincent de Paul and other charities, or the assistance of the local community welfare officer to get by. We know that in many cases they are forced to borrow from family, friends and, in the worst cases, moneylenders.”
"These waiting times are simply unacceptable, and the Government needs to act immediately to speed up the process by employing more staff in assessing and processing, if necessary transferring them from areas of lower priority. In the medium term, it is clear that better technology can be employed in servicing the needs of welfare recipients,” said Looney.
Tuesday, 7 December 2010
Senators - Please, No More Gifts!
I have been blown away by the wasteful spending of certain Senators in parties other than my own who court votes from Councillors by sending frequent letters and, at Christmastime, cards and gifts.Last year, my 'haul' included a number of diaries, a book on local elections, a box of chocolates and a tie. What a total waste of taxpayer's money and abuse of parliamentary resources!
I've already received one diary this year from a FG Senator - see left. I don't know who paid for it - but it came in a Seanad envelope.
In anticipation of receiving more, I wrote to all 60 Senators this evening as below. It will be interesting if I receive any replies from the "usual suspects."
------------------------
A Sheanadóirí,
As a County Councillor elected in June 2009, I was very surprised last year to receive all sorts of "gifts" in the posts from Senators from parties other than my own, presumably in the hope of securing my support in a future Seanad election.
I received another such "gift" today. In anticipation of receiving any more, I want to state that I do not wish to receive any further "gifts" from any Senator. In my view, they are a waste of taxpayer's money as well as a needless expense. The only impact that the receipt of such a "gift" would have on my voting intention is negative.
I would encourage any Senator intending to spend their own money on sending Christmas cards or "gifts" to every Councillor in the land to instead give the money to one of the many worthy causes which need it most, such as their local St Vincent de Paul or other local or international charity.
Is mise, le meas,
Cllr Dermot Looney
The Labour Party / Pairtí an Lucht Oibre
South Dublin County Council / Comhairle Contae Áth Cliath Theas
----------------------
Thursday, 28 October 2010
Article re Pat's-Rovers Crowd Trouble
Article re Pat's-Rovers match
---------------------------
Our Local Clubs Belong to the Fans, Not the Fools
- Cllr Dermot Looney
As a Councillor representing the Shamrock Rovers heartland of Tallaght – not to mention a teacher in a Rovers-mad sixth class in St Dominic’s NS, just down the Bypass from Tallaght Stadium - it’s hardly in my interest to be a St Pat’s fan. But that’s exactly what I am, long-suffering and all though my support has been.
So although my political sensibilities may have been split during the FAI Cup semi-final replay last week, my footballing loyalty held true to the bitter end. Constituents and schoolkids alike have since kept me well-reminded of Rovers’ 1-0 victory in the replay!
But outside of the fanbase of both clubs, all attention focussed on the crowd trouble after the final whistle. Within an hour of the final whistle, radio phone shows were buzzing with conflicting reports of what was likened to a full-scale riot.
Like everyone else with a passion for League of Ireland football, I’ve seen it all before – both the crowd trouble and the damaging reports. What rankles with me is that the extraordinary work done behind the scenes at both clubs – simply to keep them going – is jeopardised by a small group of teenage wannabes, a smaller group of grown men who should know better, and sections of the media who only realise that we have a football league in Ireland when there’s a hint of trouble.
The pitch invasion by no more than 200 of 2000 Rovers fans in the ground may have represented a natural overspill of emotion after winning the match, but the danger in which it placed players and others was unacceptable. Similarly out-of-order was the movement of this throng to confront the St Pat’s supporters in the West Stand, the half dozen or so St Pat’s fans who jumped onto the pitch to confront the Rovers’ fans, and the ensuing minor skirmishes and plastic bottles being thrown back and forth.
Those who seek to portray this as ‘part-and-parcel’ of the ‘rough-and-tumble’ of the game – as some did in the media last week - are doing a great disservice to League of Ireland football. There was real fear in Richmond Park on the night. The throwing of flares or bottles or scuffles with stewards are not welcome in Richmond Park, Tallaght Stadium or anywhere else in football.
But this wasn’t the first pitch invasion in football - and it won’t be the last. And it is wrong for any newspaper or radio station to sensationalise the extent of last Tuesday’s incidents. Some outlets – the Echo included – reported sensibly on the crowd trouble. Others hyped it up – a great boon for the few wannabe-hoolies who revel in such coverage.
For my part, I was struck by the discipline of Pat’s and Rovers fans on Tuesday who remained off the pitch and stayed uninvolved despite provocation by some of those on it. Football fans aren’t angels – stand beside me on the Camac Terrace on any given Friday night and you’ll testify to that – and nor should they be. The League of Ireland, for all its faults, has not been pasteurised and retains the working-class character and edge that has been lost in the Murdoch era of overpriced top-flight football across the water. But our ordinary, decent fans rarely get a mention and yet are tarred with the hooligan brush whenever incidents such as these are reported. We need to learn the lessons from nights like last Tuesday for these ordinary fans and their clubs.
Firstly, the punishment for those involved in any form of violence must now be strict and immediate. Fans have been banned by clubs in the past, but to save any confusion and to ensure the integrity of our game, perhaps it is time for an “FAI ban,” meaning that such ‘fans’ would be banned from the Aviva Stadium and FAI-sanctioned away trips as well as all domestic games. It is also clear that security must now be tightened both at and around games of this nature.
Secondly, fans should redouble our efforts to promote our clubs rather than have incidents like this sensationalised in the media. Community-based papers such as The Echo give excellent coverage to both Pat’s and Rovers, but other outlets treat so-called ‘domestic football’ with disdain. Real fans should challenge the sensationalism at all opportunities. I see on a daily basis the amazing work done by Shamrock Rovers in promoting a positive identity for kids in Tallaght, as well as their excellent youth set-up which keeps kids on the pitch and off the street corners. St Pat’s do likewise. Fans should seek to promote these plus-points in the traditional media and online through social network sites.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, longstanding supporters at both clubs have a role in encouraging younger fans to steer clear of trouble by both words and action. For me, the only thing more depressing than the scoreline last week was seeing a grown man throwing a bottle and another storming onto a pitch swinging an umbrella. After all, Pat’s and Rovers belong to the fans, not the fools.
---------------------------
Our Local Clubs Belong to the Fans, Not the Fools
- Cllr Dermot Looney
As a Councillor representing the Shamrock Rovers heartland of Tallaght – not to mention a teacher in a Rovers-mad sixth class in St Dominic’s NS, just down the Bypass from Tallaght Stadium - it’s hardly in my interest to be a St Pat’s fan. But that’s exactly what I am, long-suffering and all though my support has been.
So although my political sensibilities may have been split during the FAI Cup semi-final replay last week, my footballing loyalty held true to the bitter end. Constituents and schoolkids alike have since kept me well-reminded of Rovers’ 1-0 victory in the replay!
But outside of the fanbase of both clubs, all attention focussed on the crowd trouble after the final whistle. Within an hour of the final whistle, radio phone shows were buzzing with conflicting reports of what was likened to a full-scale riot.
Like everyone else with a passion for League of Ireland football, I’ve seen it all before – both the crowd trouble and the damaging reports. What rankles with me is that the extraordinary work done behind the scenes at both clubs – simply to keep them going – is jeopardised by a small group of teenage wannabes, a smaller group of grown men who should know better, and sections of the media who only realise that we have a football league in Ireland when there’s a hint of trouble.
The pitch invasion by no more than 200 of 2000 Rovers fans in the ground may have represented a natural overspill of emotion after winning the match, but the danger in which it placed players and others was unacceptable. Similarly out-of-order was the movement of this throng to confront the St Pat’s supporters in the West Stand, the half dozen or so St Pat’s fans who jumped onto the pitch to confront the Rovers’ fans, and the ensuing minor skirmishes and plastic bottles being thrown back and forth.
Those who seek to portray this as ‘part-and-parcel’ of the ‘rough-and-tumble’ of the game – as some did in the media last week - are doing a great disservice to League of Ireland football. There was real fear in Richmond Park on the night. The throwing of flares or bottles or scuffles with stewards are not welcome in Richmond Park, Tallaght Stadium or anywhere else in football.
But this wasn’t the first pitch invasion in football - and it won’t be the last. And it is wrong for any newspaper or radio station to sensationalise the extent of last Tuesday’s incidents. Some outlets – the Echo included – reported sensibly on the crowd trouble. Others hyped it up – a great boon for the few wannabe-hoolies who revel in such coverage.
For my part, I was struck by the discipline of Pat’s and Rovers fans on Tuesday who remained off the pitch and stayed uninvolved despite provocation by some of those on it. Football fans aren’t angels – stand beside me on the Camac Terrace on any given Friday night and you’ll testify to that – and nor should they be. The League of Ireland, for all its faults, has not been pasteurised and retains the working-class character and edge that has been lost in the Murdoch era of overpriced top-flight football across the water. But our ordinary, decent fans rarely get a mention and yet are tarred with the hooligan brush whenever incidents such as these are reported. We need to learn the lessons from nights like last Tuesday for these ordinary fans and their clubs.
Firstly, the punishment for those involved in any form of violence must now be strict and immediate. Fans have been banned by clubs in the past, but to save any confusion and to ensure the integrity of our game, perhaps it is time for an “FAI ban,” meaning that such ‘fans’ would be banned from the Aviva Stadium and FAI-sanctioned away trips as well as all domestic games. It is also clear that security must now be tightened both at and around games of this nature.
Secondly, fans should redouble our efforts to promote our clubs rather than have incidents like this sensationalised in the media. Community-based papers such as The Echo give excellent coverage to both Pat’s and Rovers, but other outlets treat so-called ‘domestic football’ with disdain. Real fans should challenge the sensationalism at all opportunities. I see on a daily basis the amazing work done by Shamrock Rovers in promoting a positive identity for kids in Tallaght, as well as their excellent youth set-up which keeps kids on the pitch and off the street corners. St Pat’s do likewise. Fans should seek to promote these plus-points in the traditional media and online through social network sites.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, longstanding supporters at both clubs have a role in encouraging younger fans to steer clear of trouble by both words and action. For me, the only thing more depressing than the scoreline last week was seeing a grown man throwing a bottle and another storming onto a pitch swinging an umbrella. After all, Pat’s and Rovers belong to the fans, not the fools.
Irish Daily Mail article
Aiden Corkery, a journalist from the Irish Daily Mail picked up a tweet I posted regarding a hate site targeting Senator David Norris two days ago and published an article in today's paper. It's not available online so I've typed out the piece below.
---------------
Norris targeted by hate-filled anti-gay site
A WEBSITE containing homophobic remarks has been created to attack the presidential bid of gay rights campaigner David Norris.
Despite appearing under the apparently pro-Norris name of davidnorris4president.com, the website repeatedly refers to Mr Norris' homosexuality.
It claims that homosexuality is a 'lifestyle which is often associated with sexual promiscuity' and that there is 'no genetic evidence' to support being gay.
'David has embraced a lifestyle which is blatantly out of line with traditional biblical morality,' it states. The slickly-designed site encourages fans to visit campaignforconscience.org, which contains even stronger attacks on the gay community.
And it describes homosexuality as a 'self-destructive lifestyle' as well as criticising the recent Civil Partnership legislation that allows homosexual couples to have their relationships legally recognised for the first time.
Both websites appear to have been created by conservative Christians Seán and Martina Burke who have a family of ten children in Castlebar, Co Mayo. They held a series of protests outside the Dáil in the run-up to the Civil Partnership legislation.
Last night, family spokesman Enoch Burke declined to comment when contacted by the Irish Daily Mail. The existence of the website was highlighted by Labour councillor Dermot Looney.
Mr Looney - who is supporting Labour's Michael D Higgins for the presidency - said he was sickened by the site. 'It reminds me a lot of the attack-style campaigning by the Republican party in the US,' he said..JPG)
---------------
Norris targeted by hate-filled anti-gay site
A WEBSITE containing homophobic remarks has been created to attack the presidential bid of gay rights campaigner David Norris.
Despite appearing under the apparently pro-Norris name of davidnorris4president.com, the website repeatedly refers to Mr Norris' homosexuality.
It claims that homosexuality is a 'lifestyle which is often associated with sexual promiscuity' and that there is 'no genetic evidence' to support being gay.
'David has embraced a lifestyle which is blatantly out of line with traditional biblical morality,' it states. The slickly-designed site encourages fans to visit campaignforconscience.org, which contains even stronger attacks on the gay community.
And it describes homosexuality as a 'self-destructive lifestyle' as well as criticising the recent Civil Partnership legislation that allows homosexual couples to have their relationships legally recognised for the first time.
Both websites appear to have been created by conservative Christians Seán and Martina Burke who have a family of ten children in Castlebar, Co Mayo. They held a series of protests outside the Dáil in the run-up to the Civil Partnership legislation.
Last night, family spokesman Enoch Burke declined to comment when contacted by the Irish Daily Mail. The existence of the website was highlighted by Labour councillor Dermot Looney.
Mr Looney - who is supporting Labour's Michael D Higgins for the presidency - said he was sickened by the site. 'It reminds me a lot of the attack-style campaigning by the Republican party in the US,' he said.
.JPG)
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