News Archives for January, 2007
31 January, 2007
Responding to the near closure today of the National Domestic Violence Intervention Agency (NDVIA), which operates in the Dún Laoghaire and Bray District Court areas, Sinn Féin Justice Spokesperson Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD has called on the Minister to give a firm and public commitment that a decision on the long-term future of the vital intervention agency will be made within the next three months. Read full article
30 January, 2007
Today the Irish Congress of Trade Unions will mark the 100th anniversary of
the Belfast Dockers Strike, when Catholic & Protestant workers fought
together for dignity and trade union rights, with a commemoration in
Glasnevin Cemetery at Jim Larkin's graveside. Read full article
30 January, 2007
Sinn Féin Justice and Human Rights Spokesperson Aengus O Snodaigh TD has called on the government to immediately provide the National Domestic Violence Intervention Agency (NDVIA) with interim funding. He was speaking after a meeting yesterday between the NDVIA and Department of Justice officials resulting in a threat of the agency closing imminently. Read full article
30 January, 2007
Sinn Féin's Dublin Mid-West candidate Joanne Spain said today that a British Minister was doing more to advance an all-Ireland suicide awareness campaign than Minister Harney. She was speaking after the Minister announced she would 'consider' such a campaign to tackle the increasingly urgent suicide crisis in Ireland. Ms Spain pointed out that Sinn Féin has been seeking a meeting to push such an initiative forward for almost two years. Read full article
29 January, 2007
Cllr. Dessie Ellis who has campaigned for many years for the redevelopment of the Maisonettes throughout the Finglas area and welcomes plans that will be available for public consultation in the next number of weeks. Read full article
29 January, 2007
Responding to comments made by Mary Harney in last week's Clondalkin Gazette, where she attempted to defend her record on suicide after Joanne Spain criticised it, Ms Spain said that families affected by suicide expect more from the Minister of Health than her attendance at conferences. Read full article
29 January, 2007
Sinn Féin Dublin Mid West general election candidate Joanne Spain has praised her party leadership and members for the historic decision on policing passed at yesterday's Special Ard Fheis in the RDS. Spain said she began receiving calls from constituents congratulating the party almost as soon as the landmark motion was passed and thanked everybody for their support. Read full article
28 January, 2007
Sinn Féin hosted their Extraordinary Ard Fhéis today in the Royal Dublin Showgrounds, Dublin to discuss the party's endorsement of the PSNI. Read full article
26 January, 2007
The Dublin Docklands Development Authority is holding its Annual Social Regeneration Conference in Killarney today. The theme of this year's conference is "Active citizenship & Young People in Docklands". Read full article
26 January, 2007
A pdf of a four page pamphlet which has been published through the Belfast Telegraph. Read full article
26 January, 2007
Sinn Féin Education spokesperson Seán Crowe TD has welcomed Minister for Education and Science Mary Hanafin's legislative commitment to amend the contentious Section 29 of the Education Act, 1998. Read full article
26 January, 2007
Sinn Féin's Education spokesperson Seán Crowe TD has expressed the party's support for Aontas' policy platform going into the next General Election. He was speaking at the launch of the adult education organisation's pre-election campaign in Dublin this morning, where he accused the Government of failing to recognise the scale of educational disadvantage in this state. Read full article
25 January, 2007
Councillor Larry O'Toole today welcomed the news that the exhumation of the five unidentified victims of the Stardust tragedy would go ahead next week. Read full article
25 January, 2007
A Sinn Féin delegation will meet with the Chair of the Fingal Joint Policing Committee (JPC) tomorrow (Friday) morning to discuss the ongoing exclusion of the party from the body. Local councillor Felix Gallagher will be joined by Justice spokesperson Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD and the Vice Chair of the Dublin City Policing Committee, Cllr Larry O'Toole. Read full article
25 January, 2007
DUBLIN 15 Sinn Féin Councillor Felix Gallagher has criticised a number of early-morning raids carried out by Gardaí in the Parslickstown area of Blanchardstown earlier this week. In a complete intelligence failure, at least five houses were raided looking for previous occupants who have not lived at the addresses for over five years. Cllr. Gallagher intends to raise the issue with senior Gardaí. Read full article
25 January, 2007
Sinn Féin National Chairperson Mary Lou McDonald was joined for the launch of a party newsletter on policing in Belfast today by the party spokesperson on Policing Gerry Kelly and Lagan Valley representative Cllr. Paul Butler. The newsletter which will be distributed in editions of the Irish News, Belfast Telegraph and Andersonstown News is the latest stage in the Sinn Féin consultation on the Policing issue in the run up to Sundays Ard Fheis. Read full article
24 January, 2007
The Employment and Social Affairs Committee of the European Parliament today adopted a report by Mary Lou McDonald MEP on the rights of ship-workers. The report, which paves the way for EU member states to adopt the ILO Maritime Labour Convention, introduces improved working and living conditions for seafarers and a strong enforcement regime. Read full article
24 January, 2007
Dún Laoghaire Sinn Féin representative Eoin O'Broin has described the shooting in Loughlinstown Wood last night as a "sinister development" and called for more to be done by Minister McDowell, Gardaí and the state to tackle serious crime in the area. Read full article
24 January, 2007
Cllr Dessie Ellis is calling for more resources by way of extra Gardai equipment and vehicles for Finglas and Ballymun areas. There has been a marked increase in petty crime in certain areas much of it not reported because of fear or intimidation. For several weeks over the Christmas period calls to Finglas Garda station were met with various different replies such as there's not a vehicle or personnel available. Read full article
24 January, 2007
Councillor Larry O'Toole has submitted a motion to Dublin City Council requesting immediate relief works be carried out at the pedestrian bridges over the Sentry river in Stardust Park. Persistent and severe flooding at the bridges results in them becoming impassable to walkers. Read full article
24 January, 2007
Sinn Féin Dublin Mid West general election candidate Joanne Spain has called for a Garda task force to be established urgently in Clondalkin following the shooting dead of a 22-year-old man in Lealand last night. Spain said Clondalkin was at breaking point following this latest gun crime and added that the area feels as though it has been abandoned by the Government. Read full article
23 January, 2007
Sinn Féin Social Affairs spokesperson Seán Crowe today called on the Government to support the development of an all-Ireland campaign on suicide prevention. He was speaking in support of Aware's Nationwide Depression Awareness week, and following commitments received by party President Gerry Adams MP MLA from the British government about taking an all-Ireland approach to the problem. Read full article
23 January, 2007
Sinn Féin's Dublin South East Representative, Councillor Daithí Doolan, has today called on the Minister for Environment Dick Roche, "to tackle the chaos that is currently holding up the sale of Dublin's City Council flats. Residents of Dublin City Council flats should have a right to buy their own flats just as residents in City Council houses have done for years." Read full article
23 January, 2007
Sinn Féin Justice spokesperson Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD has called on Justice Minister Michael McDowell to give the new Garda Ombudsman Commission resources, staff and powers at least equivalent to those of Nuala O'Loan, the Police Ombudsman in the Six Counties. He was speaking after the publication yesterday by Ms O'Loan of a damning report exposing RUC collusion with loyalist death squads and made the point that a similarly thorough investigation on Garda misconduct would be impossible in this state. Read full article
23 January, 2007
Speaking today after reports of ultimatums being delivered to Aer Lingus workers by the airline's management, Sinn Féin Transport spokesperson Seán Crowe called it 'a worrying but inevitable development resulting from the Government's decision to sell off our former national airline in October of last year'. Read full article
22 January, 2007
Sinn Féin Dublin Mid West general election candidate Joanne Spain has called for a fully resourced all-Ireland Suicide Prevention strategy, following an announcement from Aware that almost 400,000 people suffer
with depression in the South. Aware launched its annual depression awareness week today. Read full article
22 January, 2007
Speaking today at the launch of the National Association for Adult Education's (AONTAS) week long adult learners' festival, Sinn Féin Education spokesperson Seán Crowe TD commended AONTAS on it's work in the adult education sector. He urged the Government 'to increase adult and community education resources and to improve Ireland's poor performance when it comes to lifelong learning'. The STAR Awards for adult learning projects were also presented at the launch. Read full article
22 January, 2007
Sinn Féin's International Affairs spokesperson Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD, responding to reports that Ireland's international arms trade may be worth as much as €1 billion, said it was no surprise that the Government has ignored the problem. Pointing to the systematic undermining of Irish neutrality, and the Government's complicity in the invasion of Iraq, he said any proposed legislation to deal with the issue would 'only be as sound as the foreign policies' of the Government.' Read full article
22 January, 2007
Sinn Féin Education spokesperson Seán Crowe TD has reiterated his support for a scheme to cover costs for trainee teachers, which can be up to €90 per week, over the duration of a 16 week training placement for which they receive no pay. Deputy Crowe went on to say that he has written to the Chairperson of the Oireachtas Education Committee asking for a meeting to look at this issue, in the context of an examination of primary teacher training. Read full article
18 January, 2007
Sinn Féin's Dublin Environment and local government spokesperson, Councillor Daithí Doolan, has today welcomed the designation of 16 Moore Street as a National Monument. Read full article
18 January, 2007
An anomaly whereby students who may be accepted as dyslexic for the Junior Cert but not for the leaving Cert has been criticised by Cllr. Larry O'Toole as 'unjust'. Read full article
18 January, 2007
Councillor Larry O'Toole has welcomed the Health Service Executive's new out of hours doctor service which started in Coolock in December last and is being replicated across the north of the City. Read full article
18 January, 2007
Speaking after this morning's Joint Oireachtas Education Committee where PAPA (Parents and Professionals and Autism), an autism umbrella lobby group based in the Six Counties, gave a presentation, Sinn Féin Education spokesperson Seán Crowe TD further reinforced the party's backing for all-Ireland co-operation on Autism. Read full article
18 January, 2007
Following Archbishop Diarmuid Martin's address to the National Forum on Europe held today in Dublin Castle on the European Catholic Bishops View of a Changing Europe Sinn Féin's Dublin Spokesperson on Europe Cllr. Daithí Doolan has today called on the Catholic Church to act as bridge builders between faiths throughout the 27 member states. Read full article
17 January, 2007
Sinn Fein Councillor Larry O'Toole, Vice Chair of Dublin Joint Policing Committee, has welcomed the provision of extra Closed Circuit TV cameras at the UCI complex in Coolock. This follows discussions that took place at the Area Joint Policing Committee meeting of the 8th of January last. Read full article
17 January, 2007
Evidence that domestic violence calls to Women's Aid have risen by 73% while Garda reports of same have fallen by nearly 50% shows failing confidence in the justice system among victims of domestic violence. Sinn Fein Spokesperson on Justice Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD made this claim before the Oireachtas Justice Committee hearings on domestic violence today and called for urgent financial and legislative support for frontline groups dealing with the victims of domestic violence. Read full article
17 January, 2007
Sinn Féin International Affairs spokesperson Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD has accused the Irish Government of 'catastrophic failures' in it's policies on Iraq and of having played a role in the creation of the 'chaotic slaughter' being suffered by the Iraqi people. He was speaking after the UN announced that 34,452 Iraqi civilians were killed in 2006, an average of 94 a day. Read full article
16 January, 2007
Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson Arthur Morgan TD has described proposals to develop a thousand new affordable houses in Lucan as a 'scandalous' missed opportunity. Deputy Morgan, along with Dublin Mid-West representative Joanne Spain, said that the Government needed to 'wake up' and realise that provision of social housing units must be the priority. Ms Spain also expressed concerns about the infrastructure needed for the proposed site at St Edmondsbury and Woodville. Read full article
16 January, 2007
Welcoming today's proposal for 98 affordable apartments to be built as part of a total development of 140 apartments on Military Road in Killiney Dun Laoghaire Sinn Féin representative Eoin O'Broin warned that affordable homes are no substitute for much needed social housing. Read full article
16 January, 2007
Sinn Féin Dublin Mid West general election candidate Joanne Spain has called on the Minister for Health Mary Harney to act urgently on the shortage of Occupational Therapists throughout the state. Spain made her call following an answer to a Dáil question made on her behalf by Sinn Féin TD Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin last month, in which the HSE revealed there are only 903 OTs throughout the state, with just 433 based in the Northern, East Coast and South Western areas, which includes Dublin. Read full article
15 January, 2007
Sinn Féin Dublin Mid West general election candidate Joanne Spain has expressed sympathy for the Lucan family targeted in the latest Securicor kidnapping and robbery incident. Spain called on the Minister for Justice Michael McDowell to make sure the gardaí had enough resources to deal with the rise in this kind of crime. Read full article
15 January, 2007
Following on representations made to Bus Átha Cliath, Councillor Larry O'Toole is pleased to report that a number of new Bus Shelters will be erected on the Priorswood Road in very near future. Read full article
15 January, 2007
The National Forum on Europe intends using this years 50th Anniversary of the Treaty of Rome as the theme for much of its activities during the coming months. To start the year's activities the Forum has invited members of the public and organisations to submit their vision for the European Union of the future. Read full article
15 January, 2007
Sinn Féin Community Affairs spokesperson Seán Crowe TD has warmly applauded the work of the Tallaght Drugs Unit after seizing heroin with a street value of €5.2 million on Friday last. Deputy Crowe, a member of the Tallaght Drugs Task Force, also warned that the size of the seizure, coupled with increasing drug availability in Dublin, points to the failure of the Government's anti-drugs policies. Read full article
13 January, 2007
Sinn Féin's Dublin South East Representative, Councillor Daithí Doolan, has today welcomed, "the fact that Dublin will be honouring one of the forgotten women of 1916, Elizabeth O'Farrell, by unveiling a monument to her memory in Dublin's south inner city." Read full article
13 January, 2007
Sinn Féin Dublin Mid West general election candidate Joanne Spain met with members of Gaelscoil na Camoíge parents' committee today, Saturday 13 January, to discuss their concerns regarding the proposed location for the new school. Read full article
12 January, 2007
Sinn Féin's Justice spokesperson Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD has said that the Dublin Joint Policing Committee has a lot to learn from the British model for dealing with anti-social behaviour, specifically, what not to do. He was speaking at a Dublin City Joint Policing Committee workshop on anti-social behaviour hearing from a range of experts from Britain jurisdiction. Read full article
12 January, 2007
Sinn Féin Dublin Mid West general election candidate Joanne Spain, speaking after the shooting of a teenager last night in Clondalkin, called for a Joint Policing Committee to be established in the South Dublin County Council region. Read full article
12 January, 2007
Sinn Féin Social and Family Affairs spokesperson Seán Crowe TD has accused Fine Gael MEP Jim Higgins of deliberately targeting some of the most vulnerable families in the state for cheap publicity. He was reacting to the MEP's proposal that Child Benefit be withheld from the parents of children who receive Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs). Read full article
12 January, 2007
Sinn Féin's Dublin South East Representative, Councillor Daithí Doolan, has today announced that, "Dublin City Council will be unveiling a memorial plaque in honour of one of the forgotten women of 1916, Elizabeth O'Farrell." Read full article
11 January, 2007
DUBLIN WEST Sinn Féin Councillor Felix Gallagher has criticised the Government's lack of strategy in tackling the Cocaine crisis which is particularly prevalent in Dublin 15. Read full article
11 January, 2007
BLANCHARDSTOWN Sinn Féin Councillor Felix Gallagher has criticised a decision by the recently established Fingal Joint Policing Committee to answer a number of written questions he recently submitted. As the sole Sinn Féin Councillor on Fingal County Council, Gallagher was excluded from the committee by Labour and Fine Gael despite the Committee's guidelines stating that all political groupings should be included. Read full article
11 January, 2007
Sinn Féin's International Affairs spokesperson Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD has called on the Irish Government to support the American people and refuse to allow Shannon Airport to be used as a staging area for the deployment of an extra 20,000 US combat troops to Iraq. Read full article
10 January, 2007
Sinn Féin Dublin Mid West representative Joanne Spain, commenting on Mary Harney's meeting with AXA insurance today, said the Minister for Health was using the issue of private health insurers to distract from her failings in the public health sector. Read full article
10 January, 2007
Dublin South West Sinn Fein TD Seán Crowe has said the driving test waiting lists for Tallaght are unacceptable. Deputy Crowe, the Sinn Féin Transport Spokesperson, said huge waiting lists for driving tests are having a detrimental affect on many communities in the Tallaght area. Read full article
10 January, 2007
Sinn Féin Transport spokesperson Seán Crowe has called on Transport Minister Martin Cullen to provide more resources to hire more public sector driving testers to clear the backlog of learner drivers who now have to wait an average of 37 weeks for their test. Deputy Crowe described the Minister as 'having a passion for wasting the people's money', spending millions to try and clear the backlog only to end up with an increase in waiting times. Read full article
10 January, 2007
Speaking today Sinn Féin's Community Affairs spokesperson Seán Crowe criticised the government's "lack of urgency in attempting to tackle the drugs crisis" and demanded that the government open its eyes to the extent of cocaine use in this state. Read full article
10 January, 2007
Sinn Féin Transport spokesperson Seán Crowe TD has welcomed a proposed extension to the Rural Transport Initiative but said rural transport problems go much deeper than 'ferrying pub goers from public houses at night time'. He called for more substantial expansion of rural transport services to address the isolation of many people and small communities. Read full article
10 January, 2007
Sinn Féin Education spokesperson Seán Crowe TD has called on Minister Hanafin to stand by seven years of Government commitments and go ahead with the construction of an all-Irish teacher training centre. He was speaking following reports that Minister Hanafin is to decide soon whether the centre proposed for Cork is to proceed. Read full article
10 January, 2007
Sinn Féin Justice Spokesperson Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD has reiterated Sinn Féin's complete opposition to the so called 'war on terror' being waged by the US and its allies. Speaking today, Deputy Ó Snodaigh said the US must not be allowed to transform Somalia into "yet another of its 'bulwarks against terror'." Read full article
8 January, 2007
Sinn Féin Dublin Mid West representative Joanne Spain and Councillor Shane O'Connor have given an initial welcome to the news that Gaelscoil na Camóige is to receive land in Deansrath for its new school. The two said the school's 14-year campaign for a building had been hard fought and should not have been necessary, and praised the work of the principal, teachers, children and parents for keeping the school going. Read full article
8 January, 2007
Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson Seán Crowe TD has questioned how so-called 'affordable' housing schemes can continue to function when the price of such homes are out of reach of people on average incomes. He was speaking in advance of a protest organised by Sinn Féin outside City Hall in Dublin tonight at 6pm. Activists will call for a reversal of the changes the Planning & Development Act allowing developers to buy their way out of their obligation social and affordable housing. Read full article
8 January, 2007
Sinn Féin International Affairs spokesperson Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD has called on the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to make clear whether it is 'committed to the principle of non-proliferation and to building a nuclear weapon free world or it is not'. He was speaking following indications the Government might abandon it's defence of nuclear non-proliferation as the US administration attempts to hand over nuclear technologies to India. Read full article
8 January, 2007
Sinn Féin's Justice spokesperson Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD has described the record heroin seizures by the Gardaí as a 'frightening statistic'. While welcoming the Gardaí's success, he pointed out that this indicates heroin is as widely available as ever. He called on the Government to accept it's drugs strategy is failing and implement policies aimed at targeting the causes of drug abuse, instead of indulging in 'macho posturing'. Read full article
6 January, 2007
As Part of its ongoing Housing Campaign Dublin Sinn Féin has organised a Protest outside the next meeting of Dublin City Council on Monday the 8th January. Read full article
6 January, 2007
Dún Laoghaire Sinn Féin representative Eoin O'Broin has welcomed the seizure of 165 kilos of Cannabis resin in Loughlinstown this morning. Read full article
5 January, 2007
Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson Seán Crowe TD has described the proposed changes to the rent supplement scheme as 'pointless', without a serious commitment to providing new social housing units. He went on to accuse Housing Minister Noel Ahern of presiding over 'policies that favour the property developers, wealthy landlords and speculators at the expense of the people of no property'. Read full article
5 January, 2007
Sinn Féin Social and Family Affairs spokesperson Seán Crowe TD has said that the statement from the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABs) that a growing number of people in employment are seeking help with their debt problems highlights the worrying extent of personal debt in the state. Deputy Crowe said that it also underlined the reality that many people are surviving on inadequate incomes, have little or no savings and are therefore at high risk of falling into debt. Read full article
5 January, 2007
Speaking today after the Government announced plans to reduce from six months to three the amount of time people can claim unemployment benefit Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Social and Family Affairs said "a system of coercion is wrong without providing the necessary education, training, skills and childcare supports to enable people to return to work or gain employment." Read full article
5 January, 2007
Blanchardstown Sinn Féin Councillor Felix Gallagher had revealed that the Department of Education & Science has purchased an additional 1.8 acres of land adjacent to the controversial school sites in Ongar. The information was provided informally initially but has now been confirmed by Council officials. Read full article
5 January, 2007
Blanchardstown Sinn Féin Councillor Felix Gallagher has welcomed the provision of a new wall at the green space between Huntstown Rise and Ashfield Park and believes it will go someway to curtailing illegal behaviour. Read full article
5 January, 2007
Dublin West Sinn Féin Councillor Felix Gallagher has welcomed the report of the Oireachtas Justice Committee on Community Restorative Justice. Gallagher, Dublin Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Justice has consistently endorsed Community Restorative Justice and is calling on the Fingal Policing Committee to seek funding to run a pilot scheme in Dublin 15. Cllr. Gallagher also criticised the Fine Gael position which is completely contrary to this form of justice. Read full article
5 January, 2007
Blanchardstown Sinn Féin Councillor Felix Gallagher has called for the closure of a public walkway which is due to open between Huntstown Shops and Thornberry Square apartments. Read full article
5 January, 2007
Dublin 15 Sinn Féin Councillor Felix Gallagher has proposed an overhaul of facilities in Hartstown Park which has experienced years of neglect. In response to Cllr. Gallagher's motion the Manager confirmed that he is reviewing the design and infrastructure of Hartstown Park. Read full article
5 January, 2007
Dublin 15 Sinn Féin Councillor Felix Gallagher has called on Fingal County Council to bring forward a range of proposals to upgrade the Corduff Shops, which have experienced a number of high-profile closures in recent months. Read full article
4 January, 2007
Sinn Féin Education spokesperson Seán Crowe TD has called on Minister for Education Mary Hanafin to clarify when the Government intends to meet the target, set in 1999, of 200 full-time psychologists for the the National Educational Psychological Service. He was speaking after the announcement that 31 new psychologists are to be hired, which though welcome, still leaves the service seriously under-resourced. Read full article
4 January, 2007
Sinn Féin Justice spokesperson Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD has welcomed the report of the Oireachtas Justice Committee which advocates greater use of Community Restorative Justice (CRJ). However, Deputy Ó Snodaigh seriously questioned the commitment of Jim O'Keefe and other committee members who backed the introduction of ASBOs which by their very nature fly in the face of everything that CRJ is about. Read full article
3 January, 2007
South Dublin Sinn Féin representative Shaun Tracey has called on Dublin Bus to return the 48A to its pre Luas status and to increase the frequency of the 44 and the 46B to Belarmine. Mr. Tracey made his comments today after the Chief Executive of the railway procurement agency conceded that there are significant overcrowding problems on the Luas Green Line. Read full article
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