Fine Gael General Election candidate, Cllr Richard Daly, has called for a fresh debate on the role played by the rural post office, and particularly in South Kildare. He said the review of post offices being currently carried out by An Post must take into account the crucial role played by such offices in rural Ireland.
‘’It can be very easy for people who don’t understand the dynamic of the local post office to be ruthless in deciding its future. But it’s my view, and it’s also the view of the Fine Gael Party, that the rural post office plays an enormous role in community life and without it, local communities struggle to survive.
‘’I have seen at first hand the devastation caused in areas where local post offices close. People in South Kildare understand that the post office has a place at the heart of its community and it provides a vital social outlet for people to meet and exchange views on a variety of issues. For many people, it’s their only opportunity to meet their neighbours and have some social interaction and the demise of the post office is extremely concerning for the people of South Kildare.
“Recent post office closures have left a real need and void and created huge difficulties for elderly people in particular. Some have no transport and others live alone and it really impacted on them. That’s what must be avoided in the new review.”
Cllr Daly said that any review must be guided by proper planning. “Maintaining an appropriate service is vital but the viability of add-on services must be taken into account as part of an overall strategy. The current evaluation of post offices being carried out by An Post should not arbitrarily conclude with large-scale indiscriminate post office closures.
‘’What is of critical importance here is the need to ensure the retention of the optimum number of post offices to provide an adequate network throughout the country thus enabling the service that extends on a daily basis into every part of the country both urban and rural,’’ said Cllr Daly.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Monday, February 19, 2007
Daly calls for return of summer jobs scheme for students
Fine Gael Kildare South General Election candidate, Cllr Richard Daly, has criticised Community Affairs Minister Éamon Ó Cuív for his decision to rule out a summer jobs scheme for students.
“Fine Gael raised the matter with the Minister because many third level students are finding it impossible to secure summer jobs due to the extremely competitive lower end of the labour market.
“The Minister replied that: ‘This scheme was discontinued in 2003. In view of the fact that third level students have had the benefit of a good secondary education and are by definition in the fortunate position to be in third level education, it was felt they should have enough education to enable them to access employment during holiday periods.’”
Cllr Daly said: “I certainly know there will be lots of students and parents who will be dismayed and disappointed by Minister Ó Cuív's attitude. Last summer I was contacted by numerous parents and students complaining that the traditional supply of summer jobs had dried up.
“For years the Summer Jobs Scheme gave valuable employment to thousands of students throughout the country during their summer holiday break. Many of the jobs in question involved working for local community organisations such as sporting and social clubs, which was of enormous benefit to both the clubs and the students.
“The Minister's argument that students should have enough education to enable them to access employment during holiday periods is disingenuous. I am not satisfied with the Minister's reply. Fine Gael will be taking the matter up with the Union of Students in Ireland to see if they can join in a campaign to put more pressure on the Minister and the Government, particularly in the run-up to the forthcoming Election.”
“Fine Gael raised the matter with the Minister because many third level students are finding it impossible to secure summer jobs due to the extremely competitive lower end of the labour market.
“The Minister replied that: ‘This scheme was discontinued in 2003. In view of the fact that third level students have had the benefit of a good secondary education and are by definition in the fortunate position to be in third level education, it was felt they should have enough education to enable them to access employment during holiday periods.’”
Cllr Daly said: “I certainly know there will be lots of students and parents who will be dismayed and disappointed by Minister Ó Cuív's attitude. Last summer I was contacted by numerous parents and students complaining that the traditional supply of summer jobs had dried up.
“For years the Summer Jobs Scheme gave valuable employment to thousands of students throughout the country during their summer holiday break. Many of the jobs in question involved working for local community organisations such as sporting and social clubs, which was of enormous benefit to both the clubs and the students.
“The Minister's argument that students should have enough education to enable them to access employment during holiday periods is disingenuous. I am not satisfied with the Minister's reply. Fine Gael will be taking the matter up with the Union of Students in Ireland to see if they can join in a campaign to put more pressure on the Minister and the Government, particularly in the run-up to the forthcoming Election.”
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced in Kildare - Daly
FG to table Dáil Bill on mandatory bio fuel blending
Fine Gael Candidate for Kildare South, Cllr Richard Daly has today 9th Feb said that his party would introduce a Bill in the Dáil next week which would see all motor fuel blended with percentage of bio fuel in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create a market for the production of bio fuel crops.
“The recently leaked EPA report revealed that Ireland has the highest level of CO2 emissions per head of population in the world which means we have reached a crisis point in terms of the damage we are doing to our environment. The current Fianna Fail/PD Government has failed to treat this area as an urgent priority and it is time for new thinking and clear policies that will deliver.
“The transport sector has been identified as one of the largest offenders in terms of green house gas emissions. That is why Fine Gael’s policy is that we will introduce mandatory fuel blending. We will table a Bill at Private Members’ Time in the Dáil next week which would mean that all petrol would be blended with ethanol and diesel with rape seed oil to produce bio diesel.
“The reality is that mandatory fuel blending is standard practice in other EU States and should be introduced here immediately. Not only that but our policy will not cost motorists extra because the bio fuel levels proposed will not require engine conversion or modification.
“The Fine Gael Bill would produce only positive results:
· It would reduce carbon emissions from the transport sector and help in meeting our Kyoto obligations.
· It would stimulate a viable, domestic market for Irish farmers who are keenly interested in growing bio fuels, but who are hesitant because they remain unsure of the long term future of the bio fuel market.
· It would be an important step in making Ireland more self sufficient in meeting its own future energy needs.
“We have heard much talk from the current Government but very little action on climate change. We must kick-start mandatory blending and give wider supports to rural communities to develop alternative energy generating projects. Communities and farmers up and down the country are positively disposed to playing their part in tackling Ireland's energy crisis and in producing cleaner, greener energy. The Fianna Fail/PD Government TDs have an opportunity next week to demonstrate their commitment to addressing the growing energy crisis and to putting in place measures to safeguard Ireland’s future.”
Ends
Fine Gael Candidate for Kildare South, Cllr Richard Daly has today 9th Feb said that his party would introduce a Bill in the Dáil next week which would see all motor fuel blended with percentage of bio fuel in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create a market for the production of bio fuel crops.
“The recently leaked EPA report revealed that Ireland has the highest level of CO2 emissions per head of population in the world which means we have reached a crisis point in terms of the damage we are doing to our environment. The current Fianna Fail/PD Government has failed to treat this area as an urgent priority and it is time for new thinking and clear policies that will deliver.
“The transport sector has been identified as one of the largest offenders in terms of green house gas emissions. That is why Fine Gael’s policy is that we will introduce mandatory fuel blending. We will table a Bill at Private Members’ Time in the Dáil next week which would mean that all petrol would be blended with ethanol and diesel with rape seed oil to produce bio diesel.
“The reality is that mandatory fuel blending is standard practice in other EU States and should be introduced here immediately. Not only that but our policy will not cost motorists extra because the bio fuel levels proposed will not require engine conversion or modification.
“The Fine Gael Bill would produce only positive results:
· It would reduce carbon emissions from the transport sector and help in meeting our Kyoto obligations.
· It would stimulate a viable, domestic market for Irish farmers who are keenly interested in growing bio fuels, but who are hesitant because they remain unsure of the long term future of the bio fuel market.
· It would be an important step in making Ireland more self sufficient in meeting its own future energy needs.
“We have heard much talk from the current Government but very little action on climate change. We must kick-start mandatory blending and give wider supports to rural communities to develop alternative energy generating projects. Communities and farmers up and down the country are positively disposed to playing their part in tackling Ireland's energy crisis and in producing cleaner, greener energy. The Fianna Fail/PD Government TDs have an opportunity next week to demonstrate their commitment to addressing the growing energy crisis and to putting in place measures to safeguard Ireland’s future.”
Ends
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Daly congratulates Athy Boxers on National success
Fine Gael General Election candidate for Kildare South, Cllr Richard Daly, congratulated St. Michael’s Boxing Club, Athy on its hat trick victory at the National Championships this week end.
“Boxers from St. Michael’s have brought great credit to the town and have repeatedly won national acclaim. I congratulate the club and am particularly delighted to see two of my own past students in the finals. It was both unfortunate and a measure of the clubs success that the 57kg final was between two from the same club.
Congratulations to Roy, David Oliver and John Joe and continued success to Eric who relinquished his title. A special work of thank to Dom O’Rourke who has brought the club and the town onto the national stage.
These young people are an example of what can be done with determination and the town should be very proud of all of them.”
“Boxers from St. Michael’s have brought great credit to the town and have repeatedly won national acclaim. I congratulate the club and am particularly delighted to see two of my own past students in the finals. It was both unfortunate and a measure of the clubs success that the 57kg final was between two from the same club.
Congratulations to Roy, David Oliver and John Joe and continued success to Eric who relinquished his title. A special work of thank to Dom O’Rourke who has brought the club and the town onto the national stage.
These young people are an example of what can be done with determination and the town should be very proud of all of them.”
Smokers Helpline Number Should go on Cigarette Packets – Daly
Cigarette manufacturers should be forced to advertise the telephone number of the Smokers' Helpline on all cigarette packets according to Kildare South Fine Gael General Election Candidate Cllr Richard Daly.
"It has come to my attention that tobacco companies, in certain countries in Europe, are already printing the smokers' helpline number on each packet of cigarettes produced.
"While the compulsory health warnings on packets of cigarettes and other tobacco products are welcome, there is an obvious opportunity to marry the negative health warning messages with the positive suggestion that help to quit smoking is readily available at the end of a telephone line.
"In spite of all the medical evidence that smoking leads to a variety of illnesses such as respiratory failure, lung cancer, hardening of the arteries and cardiac arrest the number of smokers in Ireland still remains alarmingly high. The inclusion of the helpline number on cigarette packets and tobacco products might go some way towards reducing the numbers. I call on the Minister for Health, Mary Harney, to consider the merits of my suggestion."
"It has come to my attention that tobacco companies, in certain countries in Europe, are already printing the smokers' helpline number on each packet of cigarettes produced.
"While the compulsory health warnings on packets of cigarettes and other tobacco products are welcome, there is an obvious opportunity to marry the negative health warning messages with the positive suggestion that help to quit smoking is readily available at the end of a telephone line.
"In spite of all the medical evidence that smoking leads to a variety of illnesses such as respiratory failure, lung cancer, hardening of the arteries and cardiac arrest the number of smokers in Ireland still remains alarmingly high. The inclusion of the helpline number on cigarette packets and tobacco products might go some way towards reducing the numbers. I call on the Minister for Health, Mary Harney, to consider the merits of my suggestion."
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