New research vindicates Sinn Féins economic policy

New research from Social Justice Ireland has vindicated Sinn Féins economic policy, and proven its necessity to the future of this nation, that's according to County Wexfords Sinn Féin general election candidate, Cllr Anthony Kelly.

"This new research published by Social Justice Ireland proves what Sinn Féin has been saying for many years - That the policies of previous Irish governments have contributed to a growing gap between the rich and the poor in this state," Cllr Kelly said. "Government policies since 1987 have been increasing the income of the richest ten per cent of households and widening the gap between these and the rest of society. The bottom ten per cent receive only 2.28%. The number at risk of poverty would be more than three times higher if it weren’t for social welfare . Overall the share of the top 10% is nearly 11 times the share of the bottom 10%. There are more than 620,000 people (14.1% of the population) at risk of poverty in Ireland today. What kind of republic has this become?"

Cllr Kelly said that Sinn Féin intended to change this rotten system when in government, and that their alternative budget plan was a reflection of that. "Sinn Féins economic plan has been praised by leading economists and social protection groups, while being condemned by the consensus for cuts. Why? Because our policies mean changing this system and making a better country for all the people of this island, something that scares many vested interest groups.

According to Social Justice Ireland and Sinn Féin, the EU/IMF Bailout and the Four-Year Recovery Plan are continuing the process of supporting the better-off and seem set to produce a dramatic increase in poverty and social exclusion. Welfare rates are being reduced, services are being cut and charges are being introduced and/or increased.

Anglo Bondholders take social welfare money from Irelands vulnerable

Cllr Anthony Kelly has criticised the transfer of money saved due to social welfare cuts to a maturing bond in Anglo Irish Bank.

"The cuts to social welfare have ripped the heart out of this nation," Cllr Kelly said, shortly after being briefed by Sinn Féins Finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty on the situation. "The effects of those cuts will cause more unemployment, more emigration and more misery for the people of Ireland. Now we find out that money cut from social welfare is going to senior bondholders in Anglo Irish Bank. This is another day of shame for the political establishment in this country."

“Tomorrow Anglo Irish Bank, the bank that is being paid for by Irish taxes, will pay out €750 million for a maturing bond despite the fact that the debt is not covered by the state guarantee. This is the result of the Government’s refusal to burn bondholders in Anglo. Sinn Féin is the only party that has called for Anglo’s bondholders to be burned, for the introduction of a bank resolution bill to guarantee deposits and for a reversal of the savage cuts implemented by this Government. That is the political choice that is before the people in this election.”

Kelly rebukes Fianna Fail TDs scandelous statement

Cllr Anthony Kelly has expressed his disappointment at comments made by Junior minister Sean Connick on South East Radio last Thursday. The Sinn Féin candidate, who is detirmined to stick to the policies in this campaign and not be dragged down into the political gutter with other parties, broke his silence this morning on South East radio, when he reminded Deputy Connick that Sinn Féins economic policies had been costed by the Department of Finance and leading economists.

"I find it strange that Deputy Connick would sneer at Sinn Féin economic policy when he stands firm as a representative of a party whose own failed economic policies have reduced a once prosperous Irish state to bankruptcy," Cllr Kelly said. "Deputy Connick is fond of saying that the numbers don’t add up.  It’s a pity he didn’t tell Brian Cowen and Brian Lenihan that when they were engaged in reckless auction style budgets that were eventually to leave this nation crippled.  Sinn Féin alone spoke out against the careless spending of Deputy Connicks administration.  It was Sinn Féin who condemned the hair brain schemes of Fianna Fail Inc. These schemes included the Bertie Bowl, electronic voting and a new economically friendly public transport system for Dublin which resulted in a two track waste of money called the LUAS.  We told Sean Connicks party then that the numbers didn’t add up.  They called us economic illiterates."

"Today there are over half a million unemployed people living in this state, though many of them are not entitled to state benefits due to a incompetent bureaucracy bred by years of mismanagement by the likes of Deputy Connick.  We have surveys telling us that over fifty thousand more young unemployed people will emigrate this year.  They are part of the lost generation, reared in a booming economy that was exploited to the point of collapse by the friends of Fianna Fail Inc.  Today we can look at one survey that ranks us fifth richest nation out of fifteen European countries, while another equally authentic survey tells us that we rank 27^th out of thirty one nations in terms of social justice.  I put it to Deputy Connick that the numbers don’t add up. I put it to Deputy Connick that the people of Ireland know who the real economic illiterates are - the leadership of Fianna Fail."

Health reform needed to deal with Health crisis

County Wexford Sinn Féin’s general election candidate has said that his party proposes complete reform of the state health service to end the hospital crisis.  Cllr Anthony Kelly, a long time advocate of a fairer health service has said that only those who can afford to do so should be contributing to the provision of health care through fair taxation, and that health care should be available to all based on need and need alone, not on ability to pay.

“In 2006 the then Minister for Health said that we had a national emergency due to the numbers of sick on hospital trolleys,” Cllr Kelly said, “But now those figures have returned and little is said in explanation and even less offered as solution by our government.  We have record numbers of people on trolleys while hospital beds across the land remained closed.  Our hospitals are under staffed yet the HSE maintains a recruitment embargo and allows gifted student nurses to emigrate.  GPs are in short supply and where they are active; their fees can put people off getting treatment.  VHI hike their rates which imposes a further burden on thousands of families.  This is a crisis, and immediate action is required.”

“We in Sinn Féin see this general election has an opportunity to bring about massive change to Irish politics,” Cllr Kelly said.  “This change must include sweeping health reform.  For many years I have called for an end to the two tiered health service and the establishment of one health service based on equality and decency.  Now is the time to bring this service about.  Sinn Féin has proposed the establishment of a Health Funding Commission to plan the transition to such a fairer and more equitable system.

Kelly condemns double standards of Irish politicians

Cllr Anthony Kelly has condemned the double standards employed by members of some Irish political parties after a week of brutal selfishness in the Dail.  The Sinn Féin general election candidate has said that at times during the week he felt ashamed to be in the same trade as these gombeen politicians.

“This past few weeks we witnessed eight Ministers resign, all too comfortable in the knowledge that they will receive full pensions,” Cllr Kelly said.  “Mary Harney will earn €325,000 for her decision to retire, considerably more than she would have earned if she had of been re-elected to the next Dail. Brian Cowen stepped down as leader of his party but felt that he was still good enough to lead the state.  To cap it all off, Fianna Fail, the Greens, Fine Gael and Labour have all got cosy again to push through the dreadful finance bill, which now includes a clause to block the proposed end of tax exemptions for the elite, but still carries through outrageous cuts to social welfare and the minimum wage.  No wonder we are the laughing stock of world affairs.”

Cllr Kelly said that his party were one hundred percent opposed to this double standard practice and promised that when elected to Leinster House, he would strive to root out this nonsense and to introduce Sinn Féin’s proposed political reform plan.  “No wonder people are saying that they will spoil their votes rather than vote for these people,” Cllr Kelly said, “I don’t blame them, I wouldn’t vote for the chancer’s either.  We need a new political system in this country which will restore people’s faith in their elected reps.  We need political reform and the restoration of the aims of 1916; to create a republic of equals.  I see no equality in a system where Mary Harney, an incompetent minister who made a complete mess of her portfolio gets paid 325,000, while thousands of unemployed citizens are cut by €8, and vitally needed hospital beds are closed to pay for it.”

Kelly warns against liberalising postal services.

Cllr Anthony Kelly has strongly criticised new legislation which seeks to open up the Irish postal sector to competition.  The County Wexford Sinn Féin candidate in the coming election warned that the bill would create a situation where our postal service could be privatised which would see the obligation on companies to provide a six day service fall victim to profits.

“Currently An Post offers an excellent service, boosted by the universal service obligation which provides us with six day delivery and collection,” Cllr Kelly said.  “The architects of this bill would assure us all that its success will not mean the end of the universal service obligation, but looks what happened in Britain where a similar bill was passed and similar promises were made by its authors.  The English government promised that privatisation would not spell the end for six day service, but now it has emerged that provision of six day service is dependent on profit margins, meaning that if a postal company can prove its losing money, then they can end their universal service obligation.  What is to stop that from happening here?”

Cllr Kelly admitted that he knew of no immediate plans to privatise An Post but warned that the EU and IMF had these designs in mind.  “It’s clear to me that the EU/IMF bail-out for the banks will demand the privatisation of many of our states assets in return.  If An Post is to be asset stripped that will mean a much poorer postal service for the people of this state, and the almost certain end of six day delivery and collection services in rural Ireland.  Sinn Féin will vote against this bill and all similar bills aimed at stripping this country bare.”

"Good riddance to Harney & co. - Lets take our county back" says Sinn Féin hopeful, Kelly

Sinn Féin general election candidate, Cllr. Anthony Kelly, has called
on the people of County Wexford to "take their county back"

He was speaking in advance of a rally of Sinn Féin members in North
Wexford which was held in The Ashdown Park Hotel, Gorey on Monday
evening (24th) and in the wake of the departure of Health Minister,
Mary Harney from office during the past week.
He said:

"We in Sinn Féin Loch Garman have for many years been campaigning for
the upgrading of Wexford General Hospital and have been fighting to
have the existing services protected.  Health is a basic right in any
republic.  We've always argued for an end to the present two-tiered
system; one waiting list for all in a public health service free at the
point of entry."

Addressing Minister Harney who stepped down during the week, Cllr. Kelly said:

"I'm sure we speak for countless people on hospital trolleys this week
when we say good riddance!  You and your government have damaged the
health of this state for too long!  We now need to intensify the fight
to upgrade Wexford General so that those living in the Gorey district,
will never in the event of an accident or emergency, be forced to
chose between a long trip north to St.Vincents in Dublin or south
through traffic in New Ross to get to Waterford Hospital.

He claimed that the "latest INMO figures which showed that Wexford
General has lost a total of 39 beds had confirmed Sinn Féin's belief that a
process of downgrading by stealth has been taking place across our
health service."

"We in Sinn Fein have contradicted the lie that we don't have the
money to build a first class public health service.  We just need elect
parties who will burn the bondholders, tax those who can most afford
to pay and divert this money towards supporting public services."

Referring to the Finance Bill which gives legal effect to the Fianna
Fáil/Green budget, he slammed Fine Gael / Labour for seeking to have
it pushed through this week.  It attacks the most vulnerable with a plan
to slash 1 billion from our health service.  How can you support this
and then try to fool the people of County Wexford into thinking that
you are offering a real alternative?"

He concluded by urging "all progressive minded people, who yearn for
change and regardless of previous political affiliations to join with
Sinn Fein in the campaign over the coming weeks to take their county,
and indeed country back from the Gombeenmen and women who have sold it
out in recent years".

70% of young unemployed to emigrate

Cllr Anthony Kelly has expressed shock at the release of new figures from the National Youth Council of Ireland today which indicated that 70% of our unemployed young people plan on emigrating before the end of this year. Cllr Kelly has held the Coalition for Cuts directly responsible for the fate of this lost Generation and has once again appealed for immediate, emergency action to combat emigration.

"This morning Leo Varadkar spouted the same tired old rhetoric of cuts on national radio," Cllr Kelly said, "Its become so familiar to us all at this stage that I'm sure I wasn't the only one wondering if this was Brian Lenihan blaming the Irish people for his mistakes again. It wasn't. Instead we had the golden boy of the 'opposition' telling us that his party in power with Labour will continue on Fianna Fails deadly legacy. He even had the nerve to snigger about it. That's the opposition that they offer, laughter at the expense of the Irish people. Laughter at the expense of half a million unemployed, thousands of emigrants, hundreds of thousands of people who are suffering due to the failed policies of people like Leo Varadkar."

Cllr Kelly said that only Sinn Féin is offering a way out of this mess. "Sinn Féin knows the importance of job creation. We are the only people talking about it. That's an incredible thing considering the situation we're in, and a damning description of the other political parties. We need to get Ireland back to work. We need to stop our young people leaving by offering them what they want; jobs, a chance to earn a living, a chance to live. We have the plan and I promise that when the people of county Wexford elect me as their representative to the Dail, I will stop the modern day coffin ships leaving our shores. My party will get this country back to work."

Coalition For Cuts is Insult against Irish People

Cllr Anthony Kelly has condemned Fine Gael, Labour and the Green party for helping to prop up a dying Fianna Fail by forming an undemocratic coalition for cuts to push through the Finance Bill. He also described the attempted ejection of Sinn Féin finance spokespersons from last nights cross party talks as a violation of Irish democracy.

"Where else would you see it?" Cllr Kelly asked, "The so called main opposition helping an outgoing hated government push through a bill designed to hurt the average Irish citizen. We see it because we allow it. Its clear to everyone now that Fine Gael and Labour are a carbon copy of the Fianna Fail/Green coalition which destroyed this nation. If the Irish people vote them into power, they will do exactly what Fianna Fail done; feather their own nest while the Irish people suffer."

Cllr Kelly said that despite the failure of the Irish media to report a true account of events surrounding the Finance Bill, the rest of the world was reporting that Sinn Féin now stands alone as the only opposition party in this state.

"Sinn Féin stands alone against the gombeen political culture which is directly to blame for this nations downfall. Its not about Fianna Fail versus Fine Gael and Labour, its about the Coalition for Cuts against the Irish people and Sinn Féin. We are opposing this Finance Bill because it is wrong and because we are opposed to Fianna Fails failed economic policies. Obviously Fine Gael and Labour are not opposed to cuts against the vulnerable of Irish society or they would not support this cruel bill."

Kelly slams “grubby deal” to get Finance Bill through before election

Cllr Anthony Kelly has described as ‘deplorable’ the actions of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, the Greens and Labour in assembling a quasi-coalition to push the dreadful Finance Bill through this Dail before the General Election.

“The people of Ireland are demanding an immediate General Election,” Cllr Kelly said, “Instead we are presented with this unholy, undemocratic alliance of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Labour and the Greens – The consensus for cuts. The Irish people have been demanding change, change which includes the reversal of the austerity measures outlined in Budget 2011. Once again Fianna Fail and the Greens have ignored, but now so have Fine Gael and Labour. Are these the people you want running the next government?”

“Any party that stands for change and a better Ireland must oppose this bill. The labour party should remove its support from the consensus for cuts coalition immediately and bring forward its motion of no confidence which will finally end Cowen’s reign. It’s the right thing to do and they know it.”

Reopen closed beds in WGH now

Sinn Féin’s Cllr. Anthony Kelly has called upon the HSE to reopen thirty nine closed beds at Wexford General Hospital immediately.  The call from the general election candidate comes after a nationwide report from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation identified 1,672 beds closed, despite the fact that emergency departments are severely overcrowded at this time.

“The latest INMO survey confirms that a process of downgrading by stealth has been carried out on hospitals across this nation,” Cllr Kelly said.  “Wexford General has lost thirty nine beds.  These beds must be reopened immediately to give our patients back their dignity.  The overcrowding crisis in our hospital is manageable, but it will require original thought, prompt action and a bit of compassion, things which our current Minister for Health sadly lacks.  Sinn Féin fully supports the INMO in their call for the reopening of these beds.  We have campaigned against the downgrading of our health service right across the country, and have called for real reform of the Irelands health service for many years now.”

Cllr Kelly, a long term advocate of a fairer, more efficient health service, went on to commend frontline staff for their patience and dedication in the face of such incompetence from the Health Minister.  “The Minister for Health might be useless, and the HSE horribly mismanaged but our frontline health workers have continued to do a superb job, and the staff of Wexford General Hospital in particular must be praised for never letting our county down,” Cllr Kelly said.  “Their service can form the basis of a new national health service that will provide the highest quality care appropriate to the needs of each individual. That is the health service that Sinn Féin aims to build in a new Ireland.”

Refusal of Welfare to returning emigrants is despicable – Kelly

Contact Anthony if you have experienced
problems with your welfare
ph: 087-1361785

Cllr Anthony Kelly has slammed the government for turning its back on returning emigrants following fresh evidence of a crackdown on their claims for social welfare.  The Sinn Féin general election candidate in County Wexford was responding to a report issued by migrant advice group, Crosscare, which stated that a growing number of returning emigrants were being refused welfare, often on spurious grounds related to the recession.

“Once again the government are treating Irish citizens like dirt,” Cllr Kelly said.  “This report says that Irish citizens were refused social welfare entitlements on the grounds that they had reduced their chances of getting a job by returning to Ireland.  It’s outrageous.   If this is allowed to continue, then our young Wexford emigrants who are working abroad on visa’s will be denied welfare when they get home.  I won’t stand for that and Sinn Féin will fight this.  I am urging anyone living in County Wexford who experienced this to contact me immediately.”

Department of Social Protection figures show 1,723 Irish nationals were refused welfare payments because they did not satisfy “habitual residency rules” in 2008 and 2009, compared to 853 in the previous two-year period.  These figures do not include details on the number of people refused supplementary welfare allowance – emergency payments handled by the Health Service Executive (HSE). The HSE does not collect these statistics.

General Election must usher in major Changes in Irish Politics

County Wexfords Sinn Féin candidate Anthony Kelly has welcomed the setting of the general election date. He said he would have preferred to see an immediate election, but at least now the days of the chronically incompetent Fianna Fail/Green government were numbered.
"The people of Ireland have been calling for this election for many months now," Cllr Kelly said. "Their calls have landed on deaf ears until now. On the eleventh of March, I want Fianna Fail and the other gombeen parties calls to fall on deaf ears. Don't allow them to trick you into voting for more failed policies. Only one party offers a truly alternative vision of Ireland, by pushing progressive economic policies, sound political reform and calling for a full reversal to the recent cuts to social welfare and the minimum wage. That party is Sinn Féin."
"We welcome the setting of the General Election date. The election could and should still be held earlier - on 11 February if the Dáil were to be dissolved today, the 92nd anniversary of the inaugural meeting of An Chéad Dáil Éireann. That said, there will be widespread relief and satisfaction that the end of this Fianna Fáil/Green Government is now finally in sight."

Mass exodus while Dail "Muppet Show" continues

Cllr Anthony kelly has supported todays statement on the latest emigration figures by Sinn Féin's Spokesperson on Enterprise Arthur Morgan.
Cllr Kelly agreed fully with deputy Morgan when he said that emigration figures were certain to escalate even further with no Government recovery plan in place.
Deputy Morgan said:
“This Government are driving people onto the dole queues and out of the State.This year is set to surpass the peak levels of emigration in the 1980s."
“The ESRI have been forced to reduce their growth projections as a result of the deflationary effects of the Budget. No longer can the Government hide behind the fable that people are leaving the State for recreational purposes – they are leaving because the Government are choking economic growth, facilitating business closures and forcing people onto dole queues."
“With 100,000 people leaving the State by April next year and another 25,000 set to lose their jobs this year, what are the Government doing? They are imploding. There is no recovery plan. Their plans have brought us to this point and their successive budgets have crippled the economy.
“People, families and communities will be scarred by this- the greatest exodus of people from the State. We have surpassed the harsh economic realities of the 1980s. This Government has repeatedly failed to create jobs."
Yesterday Ryan Tubrity played the theme tune from the Muppet Show to signify Brian Cowens interparty victory. That tune seems to sum up this governments reign.

Kelly calls on government to “bail out” County Wexford’s Rate payers

Sinn Féin General Election hopeful, Cllr Anthony Kelly, has called upon the government to give a financial aid package to county Wexford’s struggling rate payers.  He added if the government could justify pumping money into failed banks, then it could surely see the rationale behind stopping more local businesses from closing down.  Cllr Kelly made the comments after being approached by a number of struggling business people who made it clear to him that unless change is made to the current system of rates, they will have no choice but to close their doors.

“I’ve been a member of the local authority for over a decade and know full well the importance of those rates to the local councils, but crippling businesses and eventually bankrupting them cannot be allowed,” cllr Kelly said.  “It is up to central government to release adequate funding to the local authorities so that we may avoid these ludicrously high rates.”

“I’m calling on County Wexford’s outgoing TDs, and more importantly on those candidates who will occupy those positions after the next general election to make a solemn oath that they will demand major reform to local government to avoid the utterly devastating taxes being placed on our local businesses.  I can promise you one thing, if I am one of those newly elected Wexford TDs, I will be making a strong stand on this issue and demanding that change is made.”

Kelly says, “Let them vote”

Sinn Féin's General Election candidate in County Wexford, Cllr Anthony Kelly, has called for an introduction of new legislation so that Irish emigrants may retain their voting rights.  On current Irish law, a citizen may not vote in a general election unless resident in Ireland on September the first of the previous year.

“Is it not bad enough that our people are being driven out of their country due to the mistakes of a blundering government, that they must bear the added burden of not being recognised when an opportunity for electorate change does come about?” Cllr Kelly asked.  “It is an utter insult to those unfortunate enough to have to leave that the law fails to give them the opportunity to cast their vote from whatever far flung land they end up in.”

A 2006 study undertaken by Global Irish, a website dedicated to Diaspora issues, concluded that 115 countries, including all of Ireland’s EU partners, allow their overseas citizens to vote in state elections.  Cllr Kelly is campaigning for the introduction of a postal vote for Irish citizens abroad.

Sugar Beet for County Wexford

Sinn Féin’s general election hopeful in county Wexford has suggested that the Irish sugar beet industry should be resurrected right here in the model county.  Cllr. Anthony Kelly has said that the opening of a sugar beet processing plant in county Wexford could revitalise Wexford agriculture as well as providing a vital employment stimulus for our county.

“For years now I have been listening to men in suits saying that the Irish sugar beet industry was not viable,” Cllr Kelly said.  “They claimed that sugar can be bought and refined cheaper in other countries, never admitting to the deserved international reputation that Irish sugar has had for quality. They have claimed that uncertainty over a full beet supply, and the collapse of the EU temporary quotas meant that the industry was unsafe for both buyers and sellers. Now it turns out they were wrong.”

A recent report from the EU Court of Auditors found that statistics which culminated in the collapse of the Irish sugar beet industry in 2005 were out of date.  Cllr Kelly claims that this was no mistake and believes strongly that the Irish Sugar Beet industry was purposely run into the ground.

“Now we are being told that it would be hard to return the original services to the old processing plants.  If this is true, then why can’t County Wexford become the home of a new, improved sugar beet industry?  God knows we have enough qualified beet farmers in this county to make it work.  We also have a world class port.  The Rosslare to Waterford Rail line could also be reopened and utilised for the transport of beet once again.  The possible benefits are immense.”

Fill the Potholes or face the taxpayer

“Fill the potholes or face the taxpayer,” was the dire message delivered to Wexford Borough council by Sinn Féin’s Anthony Kelly last week.  Cllr Kelly had his motion calling for the immediate repair of county Wexford’s crippled road network passed at the monthly meeting of the Borough council.

“Everyone knows that County Wexford’s local authorities are cash strapped. It’s an obvious effect of the economic climate in which we live,” Cllr Kelly said, shortly after the meeting had ended.  “Families across this county are cash strapped too, but they still find the money to pay their road tax. It’s a disgrace that they have to drive on roads that resemble the face of the moon and pay for the privilege.”

Cllr Kelly, County Wexford’s Sinn Féin candidate in the next general election, went on to say that he had received phone calls and emails from across the county, begging him to do something to deal with the pothole plague.  “From Ross to Gorey, it’s the same old story – potholes, burst tyres, damaged cars and more bills for the ordinary Joe soap.  One of the things that I will be campaigning for in the upcoming election will be the creation of a special fund to improve roads damaged by our recent hard winters.”

Forgotten County pays for poor representation

Cllr Anthony Kelly has expressed outrage at the amount of expenses paid to Wexford’s five sitting oireachtas members over the past year.  Cllr. Kelly said that the €823,160 paid out to these people in expenses was the equivalent of throwing the families post office savings book down the toilet.

“What precisely gave these men the right to claim such lavish expenses,” Cllr Kelly asked, “In the past year Wexford has lost a rail line and vitally needed hospital beds.  We are in the process of losing our full time psychiatric unit, our special needs assistants in our schools, and god only knows what the future holds for Wexford General Hospital now that health funding is cut.”

“That’s not to mention the thousands of Wexford people who have lost their jobs, those who have been forced to emigrate or those vulnerable citizens who have recently had their benefits slashed.  They even found time to cut the minimum wage but still they have the nerve to claim these expenses.”

Cllr Kelly said that he would be claiming nothing of the sort if elected to Leinster House in the coming election, and promised that he would campaign for the cutting of Dail wages.  “Sinn Féin was the first party to call for cuts to TDs salaries, and a restrictive use of expenses.  We have consistently called for the abolishment of the Seanad, which cost the tax payer €344,364 for Wexfords three senators alone last year.”

“We welcome Labour jumping on this bandwagon now, but fear that their coalition with Fine Gael will prevent them from bringing forth any true reform in this area.”  Cllr Kelly reiterated his party’s position, stating that Sinn Féin would not enter government without these reforms and the necessity of job creation being put at the top of the agenda.

Kelly calls for action on Hospital Crisis

Wexford Sinn Féin general election candidate, cllr Anthony Kelly, has urged the government to reverse cuts to the health service immediately after it was revealed that hospital A&E units are already being over ran.

“We have a record-breaking number of 569 patients on trolleys and chairs in our public hospital A&E departments but this situation is set to worsen as a result of the cuts imposed in the Budget," Cllr Kelly said, "We have had over 1500 acute hospital beds closed due to cuts even before Budget 2011."

“The Fianna Fáil/Green Government has taken €765 million out of the public health budget for 2011 and its four-year plan would take a total of €1.4 billion by 2014."

Cllr Kelly said that this would leave the Irish health service wiped out. He restated that if Sinn Féin enters government, these cuts will be stopped.

Are you entitled to the Household Benefits Package?

In this time of economic misery, its necessary for you to claim all of your entitlements. Due to the nature of the Irish Welfare service, you may not be aware of these entitlements. For example, If you satisfy a number of conditions, you may qualify for the Household Benefits Package.

The Household Benefits Package is made up of:

• The Electricity Allowance
• The Natural Gas Allowance
• The Electricity (Group Account) Allowance
• The Bottled Gas Refill Allowance
• The Telephone Allowance
• The Free Television Licence.

Broken down:

The Electricity Allowance-
This covers up to 400 units of electricity in each two month billing period. It also covers the Public Service Obligation (PSO) levy and VAT on the levy.

The Natural Gas Allowance-
Since 1 November 2009, you get €52 deducted from your gas bill every 2 months for the summer months. For gas used during the winter months, you get €111 deducted from your gas bill every 2 months. The summer months are from June to November. The winter months are from December to May. If you don't use your full allowance you can carry up to €150 to your next bill.

The Bottled Gas Refill Allowance-
If your home is not connected to an electricity/natural gas supply but you satisfy the conditions of the scheme, you can avail of the Bottled Gas Refill Allowance of €40.70 each month instead.  The Bottled Gas Refill Allowance is only available to people who do not have an electricity or natural gas supply.

The Telephone Allowance-
This is a payment towards your mobile phone or landline phone bill. You can get only one Telephone Allowance per household which can be used for either a mobile phone or landline but not both. If you use the Telephone Allowance for your landline phone, it is paid as a credit on your phone bill. If you use the Telephone Allowance for your mobile phone, you can use it to pay your mobile phone bill or to buy credit for your phone.

The Free Television License-
When you qualify for the Household Benefits Package, the Department issues you with a TV licence, and also notifies An Post of your entitlement to a free licence for as long as you are entitled to the Household Benefits Package.

Am I entitled to this package?
You may qualify for the Household Benefits Package if:
You are aged 70 or over
OR
You are getting Carers Allowance
OR
You are caring for a person who is receiving Prescribed Relative's Allowance or Constant Attendance Allowance
OR
You are between 66 and 70 and are receiving

• State Pension (Contributory)
• State Pension (Non Contributory)

• Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension
• An ordinary Garda Widow's Pension from the Department of Justice and Law Reform or
• An equivalent Social Security Pension/Benefit from a country covered by EU Regulations or from a country with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement

and live alone or only with certain excepted persons - see 'Excepted persons' below.
OR
You are under 66 and are receiving:

• Invalidity Pension
• Blind Pension
• Incapacity Supplement or Workmen's Compensation with Disablement Pension (for at least 12 months)
•  Disability Allowance
• An equivalent Social Security Pension/Benefit from a country covered by EU Regulations, or from a country with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement

and live alone or only with certain excepted persons.

If you believe that you might qualify for this package, and want help with pursuing it, feel free to contact you local Sinn Féin councillor.

Kelly, AnthonySinn Féin
3 Glenbrook, Wexford Town
Mobile phone: 087 1361785
Email: cllrakelly@eircom.net

Mythen, JohnnySinn Féin
Ballyorril, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford
Mobile phone: 087-9847278

Kelly fears mass "Wexodus"

Wexford Sinn Féin councillor Anthony Kelly has called for immediate action to deal with rising emigration figures, which the ERSI has predicted will hit 120,000 by the end of 2011.  Cllr. Kelly, Sinn Féin’s General Election candidate in county Wexford, has described emigration as being the biggest threat to this county since Cromwell.

“Recently I was talking to a member of a prominent Wexford GAA club, who told me that their minor team would have trouble fielding a side next year due to the loss of so many young players to emigration,”  Cllr Kelly said,  “Over the Christmas period I was also approached by a number of concerned parents whose sons and daughters have been forced to leave their homes to look for work abroad.  They fear that their children will never come home. I don’t want to live in a country where our number one export is our children.”

Cllr. Kelly went on to condemn the Fianna Fail/Green government, and the Fine Gael/Labour opposition for not giving the people who are emigrating an alternative.  “Neither Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Labour or the Greens have put forward any realistic job creation plans.  Our young people are leaving because there is no work here for them, yet these political parties have put no emphasis on job creation.  We in Sinn Féin have put forward detailed, realistic job creation measures in our recent pre budget document.  We want to transfer €7 billion from the National Pension Treasury Fund and use it to employ Irish people in the construction of much needed infrastructure like schools and hospitals.” 

“Fianna Fail would prefer to pump this money into toxic banks.  This is unacceptable.  It’s time for our politicians to put the needs of the Irish people before the needs of failed banks, NAMA protected property developers and European bond gamblers.”

Are you entitled to a council house?

Local authorities in Ireland are the main provider of social housing for people who need housing and cannot afford to buy their own homes. Local authority housing is allocated according to housing need, and rents are based on your ability to pay.

If you think you may qualify, you should apply to your local authority, which will take account of factors such as your household size, income, your present accommodation (if any), the condition of that accommodation and any special circumstances, including age, disability, medical circumstances, etc. Some local authorities in Ireland impose an income limit on applicants. Someone from the local authority may visit you to assess your present housing circumstances.

There is nothing to stop you applying to more than one local authority, for example, you might register on a county council list, in addition to an urban district council in that area. Local authorities have the power to accept applications from people who do not live in their area, but practice varies from area to area.

If you are accepted by the local authority as being in need of housing, you are then placed in the local authority housing waiting list. Each local authority draws up its own rules for deciding order of priority on the waiting list, called "'schemes of letting priorities". You can get a copy from your local authority. Some local authorities operate a points system. Each household on the waiting list is given a number of points depending on its circumstances. The greater your housing need, the more points you get.

You may be able to specify areas where you would like to live, but you should remember that if you choose a popular area, you may wait longer for an offer of housing than if you choose a less popular area.

As houses become available to your local authority for letting (renting out), they are allocated from the waiting list in order of priority, taking account of all the relevant circumstances. If you want to know your position on the waiting list, your local authority will inform you. You should remember that your position may go up or down depending on the circumstances of other people on the housing waiting list and as your own circumstances change. In practice, priority is generally given to families and elderly people rather than single people or couples without children.

If you are offered a house you do not want, you can refuse it. But if the local authority thinks that you do not have a good reason for refusing the offer of the house, it may reduce your priority on the waiting list, particularly if you refuse more than one offer.

Local authority housing is unfurnished. If you are offered a local authority home and you do not have and cannot afford to buy furniture or appliances, you may be eligible for help from the HSE's local Community Welfare Officer.

If you need help on this or any other issue effecting you in Wexford, please feel free to contact one of local SF councillors or your local SF cumann.

Cllr Anthony Kelly - Wexford town - 0871361785
Cllr Johnny Mythen - Enniscorthy - 0879847278