Meeting on guidance and counselling cuts in Dundalk is well attended

Pictured at the public meeting on guidance cuts that was held in Colaiste Ris on Monday were from left: Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick; Craig McHugh; IGC President Betty McLaughlin and Deputy Fergus O’Dowd

An important and well attended public meeting on the crisis in guidance and counselling in schools at second level was held on Monday in Coláiste Rís in Dundalk.

The meeting was addressed by the President of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors Betty McLaughlin. Ms McLaughlin said that the 2012 cuts were now making huge and deepening inroads into the mental health supports in schools. She said that it was quite clear that if the cuts were not reversed immediately that the guidance counsellor would be a thing of the past within five years.

Ms McLaughlin said that issue at national level was reaching a crisis point. She emphasised the mental health and vocational support that counsellors give in schools to their students. The president said that the counsellor was one of the main key frontline staff in any school.

Coláiste Rís principal Padraig Hamill also made a very passionate plea to the government to have the cuts reversed. He said that quite simply the guidance counsellor had a unique skill that is not possessed by other school personnel.

Mr Hamill also said that to preserve guidance in his school was the single biggest item that put principals under pressure in regards to the timetable planning of the school. His fear was how the preservation of guidance was being left at the behest of school principals to the detriment of other staffing areas that were also so vital. He stated that there was no guarantee that when a new principal in a school takes over that guidance and counselling at second level would be maintained within the school.

The former president of the Secondary Schools Students’ Union Craig McHugh called for the cuts to be reversed immediately. He said that the school counsellor was the person who directed the young person in the school on a particular career path. They were also there to act in a leadership and central pastoral role for the young people of second level schools. Young people he said need their counsellors and to be left without them was a very serious threat. He said that as the government have such an emphasis on job creation it was very foolish to slowly eradicate guidance counselling in school.

Local guidance counsellor Gerry Malone launched a scathing criticism on former Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn. He said that the minister at the time who introduced the cut had at one stage even said that the job of a guidance counsellor could be done by the school janitor.

Mr Malone said that, with no disrespect to these key staff, they would most certainly not be qualified to do the job of a counsellor. Mr Malone also said that he was very disappointed at the time of the cuts at the lack of support that counsellors got from the ASTI union. He hit out at Ruairi Quinn, who he said had proved to be the most divisive education minister the country had ever seen. He said that as a result of his attempts at other changes in the education system he had left morale among teachers at an all time low.

Mr Malone also said he was very disappointed at the way the Labour Party had held the education portfolio.

Two Government TD’s who attended the meeting said that counsellors now had their full support in seeking a reverse of the guidance cuts. Deputies Peter Fitzpatrick and Fergus O’Dowd said that they would lobby hard to have the guidance cuts reversed. They said that the counsellor played a key role in the mental health support of young people and dealt with many issues and were a key member of personnel in every school.

Fine Gael Education Senator Jim D’Arcy has also pledged his support for the reversal of the guidance cuts. He is working away on the issue in the background.

At the end of the meeting it was suggested that counsellors and parents set up a committee to make the cuts a central issue in the General Election. This was agreed and it is hoped a meeting to set up such an organisation can materialise soon.

57 Louth childcare services to benefit from grant funding

Senator Mary Moran

Senator Mary Moran has welcomed the announcement that 57 Louth childcare services have been allocated grant funding through the Department of Children and Youth Affairs as part of an overall almost €7 million in capital grant funding allocated to early years services across the country.

In a statement the Labour Party senator said: “I am delighted that 57 Louth childcare services will receive grant funding to make various improvements to their facilities.

“Seven services in our county have been allocated funding towards works to improve the Building Energy Rating of the facility and medium scale essential maintenance works. Fifty-four services have been allocated funding for upgrades to ICT equipment.

“I look forward to the positive impact these improvements will have for each of the 57 childcare services in Louth who have been allocated funding.”

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.

Moran to run alongside Nash as Labour candidates in Louth and East Meath

Ged Nash, Mary Moran and Minister Brendan Howlin at last night’s Labour Party selection convention in Drogheda

Local senator Mary Moran was last night selected to run as a Labour candidate in the next general election in Louth and East Meath.

The former St Vincent’s schoolteacher will be joined on the billing by sitting TD, Ged Nash, from Drogheda.

Senator Moran entered politics in the 2011 General Election where she took 4,546 (6.6%) of the first preference votes, eventually being eliminated on the 11^th count with 6,974 votes to help Nash over the line with her transfers in the next count.

Peter Fitzpatrick would go on to take the fourth and final seat up for grabs, with only Fianna Fáil’s James Carroll polling better than her of those not elected.

The 55-year-old from Haggardstown was later appointed to the Seanad as a Taoiseach’s nominee in May 2011, becoming the first female member of the Oireachtas from Co Louth in the process.

Commenting on her selection, Senator Moran said: “I am delighted to have been officially selected as a candidate to run in the next General Election.

“Since I entered the Seanad Éireann in 2011 I have taken great pride in working for the people of Louth/East Meath over the last four years.  My experience on the ground working on a number of issues relating to education, housing, mental health, disability and social welfare amongst others have equipped me to efficiently and accurately represent the constituency at a national level.

“I believe I have a great deal to contribute in the coming years and want to continue my work with local groups and people on issues of local and national importance.

“I look forward to continuing to work on behalf of the people of Louth/East Meath in the coming months and dedicating myself to better serve them through my General Election campaign for Dáil Éireann,” she said.

Labour expected to run just one candidate in Louth

Ged Nash with Labour leader Joan Burton

The Labour Party could be set to run just one candidate in Louth in the next General Election.

That’s according to a report in today’s Irish Independent, which suggests the party is preparing to radically downsize its number of candidates in a bid to han onto 20 Dáil seats.

That means they expect to lose as many as 12 of their TDs, with party strategists adopting a “greatly consolidated and reduced” approach to the number of candidates in a bid to avoid a split vote. Labour had 37 elected in the 2011 General Election but defections and walkouts seen them lose five of this total.

If one candidate is all that is put forward in Louth, then it is likely to be sitting TD, Ged Nash, who is a current Minister of State in the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.

That will lkely see Senator Mary Moran miss out on a candidacy, with the mother of five having taken 6,974 votes in her first campaign four years ago, including 4,564 first preference votes – a result that seen her come in sixth.

Meanwhile, Cllr Declan Breathnach – who took 6,001 votes in the last General Election – has declared his intention to seek a nomination from Fianna Fáil.

The party has yet to declare their candidates for the next election – which will take place sometime in the next 12 months – although current sitting TD Seamus Kirk has already announced his intention to step down.

Moran to host public meeting for SNAs next Monday in Dundalk

Senator Mary Moran

Senator Mary Moran will host a public meeting in the Crowne Plaza Hotel Dundalk on Monday night at 8pm to discuss the Joint Committee on Education and Social Protections’ report on the ‘Role of the Special Needs Assistant’.

Commenting ahead of the meeting, the Labour Party Senator said SNAs were most welcome to attend the event.

“As the committee rapporteur, I am inviting Special Needs Assistants around the country to attend.  The views and opinions expressed at this meeting will assist in compiling a report which is accurate and reflective of the current situation regarding the role of the SNA.

“I am actively engaging with a number of educational stakeholders and have also published a survey for Special Needs Assistants to fill in which can be found on my blog: www.marymoran.ie.  I feel it is important to host a public meeting for SNAs as it provides an open platform to express their views and opinions and how we may proceed forward.

“I would encourage Special Needs Assistants in Co. Louth and around the country to attend the meeting if possible,” said Mary.

Senator Moran urges teachers to reconsider next week’s strike action

Senator Mary Moran

Local Senator Mary Moran has expressed her disappointment that second level teachers are set to carry out a proposed strike next Tuesday over Junior Certificate reforms and has called on them to reconsider their decision.

The Labour Party representative, a former schoolteacher in St Vincent’s, said the only losers would be the students if secondary schools across the country were to close on December 2nd and added that she felt new Minister for Education Jan O’Sullivan had been doing a good job since her appointment last summer.

“In my opinion Minister O’ Sullivan has made considerable movement to address the concerns of students, parents and teachers about Junior Cert reform since she became the Minister for Education.

“She has recently agreed to proposals that students will continue to receive a state certificate recognising student achievement after three years in second level education. She has also proposed that as a result of consultation with the relevant parties that a final exam in 3rd year will account for 60% of total marks while the other 40% will be marked on continuous assessment.

“I believe the Minister has made great efforts to bring a satisfactory resolution and I would urge all sides to continue to negotiate to ensure that students do not lose out,” said the Senator.

Adams rejects claims that Sinn Féin helped cover up child sexual abuse

Gerry Adams speaking in the Dáil yesterday

Local TD Gerry Adams has rejected claims made by Taoiseach Enda Kenny and other party leaders that the IRA and Sinn Féin were involved in the cover up of child sexual abuse.

Speaking during a Dáil discussion on allegations of sexual abuse by members of the provisional republican movement, the Taoiseach also suggested that Sinn Féin had helped moved those accused of offences from Northern Ireland to the Republic.

Máiría Cahill’s allegations that she was raped and then forced to face the alleged assailant in a republican-style court prompted the debate.

Ms Cahill watched proceedings from the public gallery in the Dáil.

Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said he believed Ms Cahill was abused but rejected claims his party was involved in a cover-up of abuse.

In a strongly worded address, Mr Kenny said Sinn Féin and the IRA were guilty of “unholy collusion” in covering up sex abuse.

The Taoiseach said Ms Cahill’s testimony has been chilling and compelling, consistent and sincere.

He said it was the polar opposite of Sinn Féin’s handling of it.

Mr Kenny said Ms Cahill as a victim felt horrified and traumatised.

He said that instead of manning up and doing what real men would have done, she was humiliated and degraded all over again with a Kangaroo court, inflicting on her an extravagant cruelty.

He told the Dáil that Ms Cahill came up against people “who had the delusion and the gall to refer to themselves as Óglaigh na hÉireann”.

Mr Kenny told the Dáil that it is clear that in the case of Ms Cahill, Sinn Féin and the IRA put the institution first.

Mr Adams called again on former IRA volunteers who have any information about abusers being expelled from Northern Ireland to bring that information forward.

He said surely there is agreement in the Dáil on the urgent need for an all-island victim-centred process for those who were failed and let down in the past.

Allegations of an IRA cover-up have “morphed” into claims of a Sinn Féin cover-up, he said.

Mr Adams told the Dáil that if he or Sinn Féin were at fault, he would accept and acknowledge that.

However, he said he and other Republicans who spoke to Ms Cahill did so out of concern for her welfare.

Mr Adams said Ms Cahill was advised to go to the RUC. She was an adult at that time and refused to go to the police, he said. “That was her right.”

He accused the BBC Spotlight programme of subverting the justice process and engaging in “trial by media”.

He told the Taoiseach that child protection failed time and time again “under your watch”.

Mr Adams said there is also a damning reflection on the previous government, which failed to use the wealth of the boom of the Celtic Tiger to invest in child protection services.

Mr Adams said he would welcome any measure that could bring truth and closure to victims of abuse.

Concluding his statement, he wished Ms Cahill well and said he hopes she gets justice.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Six One this evening, Ms Cahill said she regrets that Mr Adams had an opportunity, in the Dáil, to tell the truth, but that he did not, describing it as “despicable”.

She said she finds it “deeply ironic and hugely upsetting” that Mr Adams, who, she said, is now wishing her well and hoping that she achieves justice, is the leader of the party that denied her achieving justice.

She said that she believes there are a huge number of abuse victims – “well over the 28 mark” and that she would like confirmation from Sinn Féin’s deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald that a Sinn Féin internal review took place into the matter.

Ms Cahill also said she will work with the authorities to try to ensure that proper child protective checks are in place in respect of the alleged abusers, who, she claims the IRA moved from Northern Ireland to the Republic and to England.

Ms McDonald said accusations that Sinn Féin is ambivalent to child safety is untrue and these “slurs” are political which makes them beneath contempt.

She said it is essential the State and its institutions have the confidence of victims and families so people might come forward and that confidence did not exist in Northern Ireland.

She said many victims of sexual violence and rape never reported to anyone, while others went to social services and the police and were exploited. Others went to the IRA, who she said, should never have been involved in these cases.

This afternoon, Fine Gael TD for Meath East Regina Doherty told the Dáil she has knowledge of eight male abusers who were facilitated by Sinn Féin in moving to the Republic.

Ms Doherty said she was too afraid to name them today but has made an appointment in her local garda station for Friday morning to hand over the information.

She said she was dizzy from the amount of changes in Mr Adams’ story about an IRA investigation being carried out into the allegations made by Ms Cahill.

Ms Doherty asked Mr Adams about an investigation carried out which identified 100 victims of sexual and physical abuse.

She asked Mr Adams why a senior Sinn Féin press person was told to prepare a press strategy in case that information was leaked.

Ms Doherty then told Ms McDonald she was disgusted and disappointed beyond belief by her response to Ms Cahill and all the other victims.

She said naked political ambition caused her to fail the children of Ireland in the name of a cheap power grab.

Tánaiste Joan Burton said the debate is about providing justice today for people who have been abused in the past.

“And it is about the standards and behaviour that we expect of the leaders of Irish democracy as represented in this House.”

She said Ms Cahill “painted a picture of justice denied”.

She raised the issue of the extent of child abuse by members of the republican movement and the denials and live cover-up that is ongoing.

“And second, the attacks that have been unleashed by Sinn Féin members and supporters on the character of Máiría Cahill in what appears to be an attempt to warn-off other victims from coming forward.”

She said that responding to the Ryan Report less than five years ago, Ms McDonald said it exposed how “the most powerful men in the Catholic Church in the Dublin Diocese conspired to protect abusers of children.”

Ms Burton said she further said that anyone found to be complicit in the cover up of child abuse “must be arrested and made to face the full rigours of the law”.

“I agree fully with Deputy McDonald’s sentiments. And I ask her to apply those same standards to Sinn Féin and the IRA.”

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said it is clear that victims coming forward are honest and brave.

He said he is proud to stand with them against a cowardly movement.

He said within the communities that the Provisional IRA worked to dominate, the abuse of children was frequent and any action which was taken was designed to limit the publicity rather than to ensure justice.

Mr Martin called for a “legally empowered, independent inquiry” and said nothing else was acceptable.

He said he understands there are as many as 28 victims now discussing how to have the truth of what happened to them acknowledged.

Many more remain scared of the power and reach of a movement which retains iron discipline, he added.

There are legitimate concerns about the handling of cases and this issue needs to be addressed, he said.

Source: RTÉ News

Local drivers warned about petrol-stretching

Senator Mary Moran

Labour Senator Mary Moran has warned motorists in the area to be cognisant of the dangers of ‘petrol-stretching’, which involves fuel being illegally contaminated with kerosene.

She said: “In recent days, there have been reports of cars across the midlands, west and border regions having their engines severely damaged due to petrol-stretching.

“Petrol-stretching involves a supplier adding up to 10 percent kerosene to petrol before it is being sold on to unwitting drivers. It is seen to be more dangerous than laundered diesel because of the speed at which it can damage an engine.

“I would urge all motorists in Louth, particularly those with smaller engines, to be cognisant of this potentially serious threat of petrol stretching. Watch out for the key signs that your car has been affected, including a lack of power, misfiring of the engine and a knocking noise. Customers who notice any of these should immediately alert a mechanic and the petrol station they last visited.

“According to the authorities, the petrol is being mixed with kerosene after it arrives into a county, and identifying the culprits is proving difficult due to the multitude of suppliers.

“However, I am aware that an investigation involving the Revenue, Customs and Excise Officers, and the Gardai is looking into this worrying new trend.”

Moran expresses good wishes to Leaving Cert students

Senator Mary Moran

On the eve of the Leaving Certificate results, local Labour Party Senator Mary Moran – her party’s spokesperson on education in the Seanad – has expressed her good wishes to all students who are awaiting their results.

A former teacher in St Vincent’s Secondary School, Ms Moran said: “This is a stressful time not only for Leaving Cert students but also for their families.  After all the effort and hard work which has gone in to the preparation for the exam, results day is finally here.

“As a former secondary school teacher and a parent of past Leaving Cert students, I am fully aware of the pressures surrounding the day of the results and the subsequent days, when decisions have to be made regarding college places and courses.

“A free helpline run by the National Parents’ Council is available to offer advice and support to students and parents.  The freephone number is 1800 265 165 and will be open on Wednesday and Thursday from 10am to 7pm, and on Friday from 10am to 1pm.

“I would like to wish all students the very best, and I would appeal to everyone to celebrate wisely and safely in the coming days.”