Coffey reveals cuts to home help hours in Louth

Emma Coffey

New figures obtained by Fianna Fáil Dáil candidate for Louth/East Meath Emma Coffey have revealed that the number of home help hours available to older people in Louth have been slashed by the Government in recent years.

In response to questions from Fianna Fáil, the HSE has confirmed that Louth has suffered a cutback of 43,038 hours to home help care hours since 2010. In 2010 263,038 home help hours were made available to older people but the HSE now says that just 220,000 hours will be delivered in 2015.

The Drogheda-based solicitor, who hails from Dundalk, said: “I was shocked to learn of the extent of the cutbacks to the Home Care Package. We have seen a sustained and sneaky attack to supports for older people and people with disabilities over the past four years.  However the figures that I have obtained are the clearest sign yet that Fine Gael and Labour are eroding core medical services for older people.

“Since coming to office this Government has overseen a cutback of over 1.2m home help hours across the country. We now have 43,038 fewer home help hours available to older people in Louth when compared to 2010. This is despite the fact that there is a growing demand for services to assist older people continue living in the comfort of their own home.

“The underprovision of home help hours is just the latest example of the State not playing its part in ensuring that people who need help in the home get the services that they deserve.

“The Home Help Care Package is the best way forward to allow older people to continue living an active and fulfilling life. The availability of home help hours is a vital component of this package and it is disappointing to see Fine Gael and Labour continue targeting these supports for sustained cutbacks.

“I believe we should be putting more money into the provision of supports for older people. The withdrawal of home help hours is counter-productive. It means that many older people now have to attend hospital just to receive basic treatments that can be delivered in the comfort of their own home. This in turn is putting further pressure on our hospitals which are already chronically overcrowded.

“We should be facilitating older people to continue living active and fulfilling lives in the comfort of their own homes where they have a strong community network looking out for them. Cutting home help hours is not the way forward and with that in mind I will be campaigning for more investment in community based care services for older people,” said Emma.

Number of large bets placed on McGuinness to be next president

Mairead McGuinness in the European Parliament in Strasbourg

Ardee woman Mairead McGuinness’ odds on becoming the next President of Ireland after Michael D Higgins have fallen.

The Fine Gael MEP was available at 7/1 earlier in the week but has been cut into 11/2 following some hefty bets in the last few days with bookmakers Boylesports.

The betting is interesting as there will be no Presidential election in Ireland until 2018.

RTÉ presenter Miriam O’Callaghan remains the 9/2 favourite with Bernardos chief executive Fergus Finlay behind McGuinness at 7/1.

Local TD Gerry Adams is an 80/1 outsider.

Liam Glynn, BoyleSports’ spokesperson said: “The past few days has seen some hefty bets placed on Mairead McGuinness to become the next President of Ireland with one punter staking €200 on McGuinness at 7/1 in one of our North Leinster shops.”

He added: “Miriam O’Callaghan remains favourite to succeed Michael D. Higgins as President but we have had to clip Mairead McGuinness into 11/2 as the former Ear To The Ground presenter and now MEP is now a five figure loser for the firm.”

Breathnach hits out at Government over rise in urban and rural crime

Cllr Declan Breathnach

Fianna Fáil General Election candidate Declan Breathnach has hit out at the Government for the rise in urban and rural crime in the last few years.

He says their cynical attempts to blame everyone else for the rising problems, as well as increased isolation in rural communities, will not wash with voters when the country goes to the polls either before or after Christmas.

In the build-up to the impending election, Cllr Breathnach has called on the Government to adequately resource Gardaí to ensure they are best placed to tackle growing crime rates.

He said: “In 2010 there were 314 Gardaí based in stations across Louth but by February this year that number was down 35 to 279. Fine Gael and Labour have allowed the strength of the Garda force to drop below 12,800 nationally and closed almost 140 local Garda stations across the country.  In fact this Government’s commitment to rural communities has been abysmal.

“Communities in Louth are feeling increasingly isolated by the withdrawal of Government services.  Ensuring the public are protected from criminals is a basic obligation of the Government and Fine Gael and Labour are failing in their duty.

“I welcome the fact that the number of Gardaí is starting to increase but I believe the strength of the Garda force was allowed to fall to a dangerously low level, dropping below 12,800 as of June this year.  There are a further 1,498 officers eligible to retire this year.  Fianna Fáil has committed to restoring the manpower of An Garda Síochána to 14,000.  We need an appropriate and safe domestic policing and security strategy in place for all our communities in Louth and restoring Garda numbers to this critical level is key to that.

“In recent weeks the government has finally woken up to the crime wave in rural communities and is bringing forward legislation in response to the rise in burglaries.  Fine Gael has also cynically sought to blame everyone else for the rise in crime and fall in morale amongst Gardaí.  Our rural communities feel more vulnerable and more isolated because of the policies pursued by this government.  Fine Gael and Labour cannot hide from that reality and their attempts to blame everyone else won’t wash with voters in Louth,” said the Knockbridge man.

O’Dowd calls for pre-Christmas General Election

Fergus O’Dowd

Local Fine Gael TD Fergus O’Dowd has called for a snap General Election.

The Drogheda man told The Irish Times today that he believes a pre-Christmas election is the best option for the current government.

This was despite the majority of the 34 TDs spoken to by the paper saying they did not expect an election to take place until early 2016.

O’Dowd said: “It is better for us to go as soon as possible, before Christmas.

“The only show in town is the budget. It is the right moment to go,” he said.

O’Dowd will once again be on the Fine Gael ticket, along with fellow TD Peter Fitzpatrick.

Louth County Councillors vote to reduce Property Tax rate by 1.5%

Louth County Councillors have voted to reduce the Local Property Tax by 1.5% this year.

This will mean households will pay the same property tax bill in 2016 as they did last year when a similar cut was implemented.

The decision to put forward the same cut as 12 months ago came after a Sinn Féin proposal to reduce the tax by the full 15% allowed was defeated.

The debate on the issue followed roughly the same lines as last year when a similar proposal from Sinn Féin was also rejected before a 1.5% cut was eventually passed by the casting vote of chairman Cllr Oliver Tully. This time Fine Gael put forward a motion to leave the Property Tax payment as is.

Chief Executive Joan Martin once again pointed out to councillors that a cut of 15% in the property tax would result in a €1.3 million hit in the council’s budget that would have to be made up elsewhere.

Sinn Féin representatives said they were disappointed with the outcome with Fine Gael’s Cllr John McGahon reiterating his comments from 12 months ago when he accused the party of being irresponsible, accusing them of trying to send the council over a “financial cliff”.

Sinn Féin to propose 15% cut in Local Property Tax at this morning’s council meeting

Some of the Sinn Féin councillors who will be voting to cut the property tax rate this morning

Sinn Féin will put forward a motion at this morning’s meeting of Louth County Council to reduce the Local Property Tax rate by 15%.

The party, who have 10 representatives on the council, put forward a similar motion last year. While they received support from three Fianna Fáil councillors at that time, council officials warned that they would have to make up a €1.4m shortfall if the cut was applied.

This led to the vote being defeated, with subsequent proposals from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael representatives for cuts of 7.5% and 2% also rejected.

Instead a vote was later passed in September 2014 to reduce the property tax rate by 1.5%, with chairman Cllr Oliver Tully using his casting vote to pass the proposal after the vote had been tied at 13 for and 13 against.

At the time Fine Gael’s Cllr John McGahon accused Sinn Féin of making a “reckless political move” by trying to cut the property tax rate by the maximum 15% allowed, adding that it would have pushed the council “off a financial cliff.”

Commenting yesterday, Sinn Féin’s Cllr Imelda Munster said: “The Sinn Féin team will be proposing a 15% cut in the Local Property Tax.

“As you are probably aware last year the government handed over the Local Property Tax collected to Irish Water despite saying it was for improving local services. Local services have been cut to the bone!

“We already pay Road Tax, Bin Charges, Toll Charges, A&E Charges, Emergency Call Out Charges, Universal Social Charges, PAYE, PRSI, Local Property Tax, and they are trying to force us to pay Water Charges. It’s high time people got some relief. Where is this so called recovery for the ordinary person??

“I hope the other councillors support us,” she said.

D’Arcy speculates on possible Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin voting pact

Jim D’Arcy

Local Fine Gael Senator Jim D’Arcy had said that recent comments from Sinn Féin leader and Louth TD Gerry Adams would suggest there is an ever increasing possibility of a voting pact between his party and Fianna Fáil.

Deputy Adams said yesterday that he will go into government with any party. However, Senator D’Arcy said it would be hypocritcal of Fianna Fáil to go into government with Sinn Féin after the next General Election.

“Gerry Adams said he will go into government with any party who has the mandate from the electorate. While at their party think-in Micheál Martin said he believes he is the only alternative Taoiseach on offer. This would suggest that there is every chance of Fianna Fáil and Sinn Fèin coming together.

“Micheál Martin has said in the past that he will not go into coalition with Sinn Fèin, but considering his party’s constant desire to be in power, it would not be unreasonable to think that he may take up Sinn Fèin’s offer, if given the opportunity.

“Comments from some of Micheál Martin’s Dáil deputies would support this view. The idea of doing a deal with Sinn Fèin has been openly touted by Eamonn O’Cúiv and Colm Keaveney, while Bobby Aylward, only this week, said that many Fianna Fáil members would like to enter Government with Sinn Féin, as they come from the same republican background. Are these TDs trying to soften up the electorate in preparation for a voting pact between Fianna Fáil and Sinn Fèin?

“Having experienced the boom and bust eras of Haughey and Bertie, I like many others, am all too aware of the results of Fianna Fáil’s obsession with power, and I believe that Sinn Fèin are eager for any opportunity to be in Government.

“Gerry Adams has predicted that his party will be in government on both sides of the border come 2016, and only yesterday he has said he is willing to do business with anyone to make that happen here in the south.
“Considering what Martin and Adams have said up to this point, it is reasonable to ask, will a vote for Fianna Fáil in the next General Election be a vote for Sinn Fèin?”

Adams fears health crisis in Co Louth

Adams has raised concerns over patient safety at the emergency department of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital

Local TD Gerry Adams insists he has deep concerns at a potential crisis in health services in County Louth following a meeting with INMO representatives earlier this week

On the back of the meeting the Sinn Féin leader again made a call for an independent, root-and-branch investigation into all care facilities in the State for citizens with intellectual disabilities.

He said: “I held a very informative meeting with INMO representatives on Tuesday at which serious concerns within the health services in Louth were made clear.

“There are serious concerns over patient safety in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Emergency Department in Drogheda.

“These problems were evident under the previous Fianna Fáil-led government and now we see failure by Fine Gael and Labour and Health Minister Leo Varadkar to address the issue.

“There are considerable frustrations that after a decade of overcrowding we still have patients lying on trolleys.

“The resulting stressful working conditions in the Emergency Department is having a major impact on staff at Our Lady of Lourdes, with resilience training recently undertaken at the hospital.

“The issue of acute beds is being directly and adversely impacted by a lack of resources in care for older people, in particular the lack of fully staffed step down beds.

“INMO representatives confirmed that Louth and its environs are the most underfunded and under resourced regions in the state in terms of the provision of services for older citizens.

“An ageing population, lack of cohesive or long-term policies, and years of underfunding under the current and previous Governments have seen long term care/respite beds and services reduced.”

Gerry Adams pictured with Tony Fitzpatrick of the INMO and David Gray of St Mary’s Drumcar

Mr Adams said the HSE was making cut after cut but said these instructions were coming from a higher level.

“The HSE appears focused on reducing staffing levels, meeting fiscal targets and implementing budgetary constraints, rather than ensuring the provision of quality care to patients. This is being driven at a national level and co-ordinated by the HSE’s so called service improvement teams.

“A failure to operate the Fair Deal scheme effectively and the lack of staffed stepdown beds has led to significant delays in patients being discharged from acute hospital beds. This is compounded by a failure to allocate funding to follow need rather than budget schedules.

“Enabling more people to stay at home requires that the serious deficits in Home Care packages are immediately addressed, as well as having sufficient funding ring fenced for housing adaptations all year round.

“Last month, members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation at St Mary’s, Drumcar, balloted for industrial action over budget cuts and inadequate staffing levels which required the intervention of the Labour Relations Commission.

“A HIQA report in June into the unit in St. Mary’s, which has 16 patients with intellectual disabilities, raised very serious concerns and highlighted major non-compliance in nine of the 10 outcomes inspected.

“Lack of sufficient funding is having a huge impact at this facility.

“While there may be longer term plans for moving people with Intellectual Disabilities into community based settings, there are also concerns as to what this will mean if sufficient funding does not follow the patient.

“Quick-fix plans based on firefighting problems as they come to light are not in anyone’s interests .

“I also discussed with the INMO representatives wider concerns that exist around facilities for people with Intellectual Disabilities in light of several critical HIQA reports.

“In this regard, I wish to repeat the calls I have previously made for an independent, root-and-branch investigation into all care facilities in the State for citizens with intellectual disabilities.”

Mr Adams added that currently there are 11 beds closed in the Louth County Hospital in Dundalk and four more at Boyne View House in Drogheda due to nursing shortages.

Fitzpatrick spent the most on getting elected of local TDs in last election

Peter Fitzpatrick TD

Peter Fitzpatrick spent more money campaigning for the last election than any other TD in the county, new figures have revealed.

A new analysis of election spending by The Irish Times shows that successful TDs spent an average of €18,746 campaigning, equivalent to €2.25 for each first-preference vote received.

However, Fitzpatrick was well above that with Fine Gael pumping €33,428 into his campaign. That equates to €4.26 per first preference vote.

The former Louth GAA boss wasn’t the only local TD to spend above the national average though.

The next biggest spend in Louth was by Ged Nash, with the Labour Party pumping €23,210 into his 2011 campaign. That equates to €2.66 for each of his 8,718 first preference votes.

Meanwhile, poll topper Gerry Adams of Sinn Féin spent €20,896 on his campaign, which worked out at €1.39 for each of his 15,072 first preference votes.

At a cost of €1.13 per first preference vote the best value for money was Fine Gael TD Fergus O’Dowd’s who spent €15,867 on his campaign. The Drogheda man secured 13,980 first preference votes and like his three other Dáil colleagues from Louth will stand again in the next election.

Fianna Fáil’s Seamus Kirk – who is retiring at the next election – is not included because, as Ceann Comhairle, he was returned to the Dáil automatically in 2011.

A full breakdown of figures can be found here.

Fitzpatrick and O’Dowd to represent Fine Gael in next General Election in Louth/East Meath

Peter Fitzpatrick TD is to run alongside Fergus O’Dowd

Sitting TDs Peter Fitzpatrick and Fergus O’Dowd have been, as expected, selected to represent Fine Gael in the next General Election in the Louth/East Meath constituency.

The pair were given the party’s seal of approval at a selection convention in the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

Deputy Fitzpatrick, from Belfry Gardens in Dundalk, had initially pulled out of the running for a Fine Gael nomination but did a u-turn after being given assurances that just two candidates would be put forward for election.

While this caused some rumblings amongst the party’s representatives in the mid-Louth area, Fitzpatrick told LMFM this morning that the party was in a good place in Louth at present and that he was honoured to be representing Fine Gael.