Budget 2012

The Labour party went into last year’s general election with the warning that a one party Fine Gael government could not be trusted to maintain child benefit rates, that they would increase VAT by 2%, increase car tax and introduce water rates.

However, since entering government the Labour Party has betrayed the people who put their trust in them. They have capitulated to each and every right wing policy put forward by Fine Gael including the reduction in child benefit payments for third and subsequent children and the reduction of eligibility for lone parent payments.

The Labour party is simply acting as a mud guard for Fine Gael’s right wing policies and they are quickly becoming as irrelevant in this government as the Green Party were in the last.

People are now seriously asking the question; what’s the point in having Labour in government if they cannot protect the most vulnerable in society or at least live up to their pre-election promises.

They should be ashamed of this budget and they should be ashamed of their role in government.

Sinn Féin had shown that there was an alternative to harsh austerity measures. We set out, in our pre-budget submission, how the deficit could be reduced in a progressive way without cutting the social welfare budget or targeting the least well off.

Labour chose the wrong way and in doing so they have turned their back on their traditional base.

This photo shows myself and my colleague Sorcha NicCormaic with local party activist Chris Curran protesting at Labour TD Alex White's constituency office in Rathfarnham in the aftermath of the budget.

Holy Trinity National School

The news that Holy Trinity National School will go to construction this year is a very welcome development.

This is a school that was promised when my parents first moved to Ballyogan in 1986. It was a school that I should have attended. My two nephews are now being taught in the school's current pre-fab accomodation.

Praise and congratulations must go to the staff and parents at the school who have campaigned for many years for a permanent school building.

And while no doubt government TDs will laud this announcement and attempt to claim credit for it, it must be remembered that both Fine Gael and Labour were in power in both the 80s and the 90s and on both occasions they failed to deliver this much needed school. And Fianna Fáil, having been in power for 13 years straight never managed to get the school built.

I hope this school will now be built as soon as possible so that the children of this area can be educated in the best possible environment and in their own community.

Glencullen/Sandyford Garda services devastated by budget 2012

Budget 2012 has reduced both Stepaside and Cabinteely Garda stations to part time status leaving the Glencullen/Sandyford ward without an open Garda station between the hours of 10pm and 8am. This leaves thousands of people vulnerable during these hours.

We have four government TDs in this constituency and not one of them could save Stepaside or Cabinteely Garda stations. In fact all four of them have supported the budget including the savage cuts and increases in regressive taxes.

The reduction in opening hours at these garda stations means thousands of people will be without this essential service during late night hours including at pub closing times.

There are problems in many areas with anti-social behaviour and this decision will leave many people fearing that they have no protection from these elements.

Gardaí will now have to serve the Glencullen ward from Dundrum or Dún Laoghaire during these hours giving a green light to criminal elements to ply their trade.

This budget has targeted families, children, women, students and people with disabilities. It has devastated communities and, in the Glencullen/Sandyford ward, it has left thousands of people with a drastically reduced garda service.