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O’ROURKE WELCOMES ADDITIONAL BUS ON 67X ROUTE

Frank O’Rourke had been campaigning for additional resources for some time

Frank O’Rourke TD has welcomed the news that four additional 67X services are on the way for Celbridge commuters. From November 5th, two additional 67X Bus morning and evening services will be in place.

Frank commented, “These additional direct services are needed for Celbridge commuters. I have campaigned for some time to have additional direct bus services provided for Celbridge commuters. I debated this with the Minister for Transport in Dáil Éireann in April and I had many meetings with the NTA and Dublin Bus to secure these much needed additional services for Celbridge, which has a population of 22,000 people.”

“The 67X is operating at capacity and we need to increase the capacity and frequency to cater for current demand, and these additional services are a step in the right direction. We are making progress on the 67X and the 67 service. 67X is a direct Celbridge/Dublin service providing commuters with a relatively high speed connection to and from Dublin City Centre.”

“As the college students return, this improved service will ease some of the pressure on the route. I will continue to campaign for better public transport services for Celbridge commuters”

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LAWLESS SUPPORTS SCHOOL SECRETARIES’ STRIKE ACTION

James joined school secretaries on the picket line in Sallins today

        James supporting the School Secretaries protest

James said, “I was delighted to join local School Secretaries in Sallins this morning and offer support to them in their strike for proper pay and conditions. 90% of school secretaries do not have the same safeguards in place as the other 10% who are employed directly by the Department. They are at a great disadvantage in terms of sick pay, certainty of hours or pay increases. Many have to sign on for social welfare payments during the summer months as there is no holiday pay.”

“School secretaries are vital to schools and they have to be treated with the respect they deserve. The Workplace Relations Commission has mandated that talks would take place between the Government and the Unions. It is not good enough that the Government has not engaged in this process.”

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O’ROURKE SLAMS A+E WAITING TIMES FOR OLDER PATIENTS

Frank O’Rourke TD has reacted angrily to the news that 690 patients Over 75 enduring 24-hour waits in the Accident & Emergency Department of Naas General Hospital

Over 10,000 waited longer than 24 hours in an Emergency Department across the country so far in 2019 

Frank O’Rourke TD has said that the statistics are unacceptable and that waiting a full day in an emergency department is gruelling for a person in the full of their health let alone an elderly person who is experiencing ill-health.

                                                Naas Hospital

Frank explained, “Across the country more than 10,000 over 75’s have been forced to wait over 24 hours before being admitted or discharged from an emergency department so far in 2019. In Naas General Hospital alone this figure stands noticeably high at 690.”

“As we approach the winter months it’s inevitable that this number will only continue to rise. A lack of basic bed capacity is a fundamental problem in health care in Ireland and if the Minister can’t get to grips with even the basic problems, three years into his tenure, then we are going to see thousands more over 75’s languish in A&E’s across the country.”

“Stories of elderly patients being left lying in pain in emergency departments with no privacy are becoming all too frequent. The HSE’s own target of admitting or releasing all patients over the age of 75 within 24-hours is being breached literally thousands of times.”

“This is causing hardship to the patients, their families and to the nurses and doctors who are trying their best to cope with overflowing A&E’s. It’s totally unfair”

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LAWLESS URGES GOVERNMENT TO ACT ON CLIMATE CHANGE

James Lawless spoke in the Dáil today about climate change and criticised the Government’s inaction.

James said, “The Government recently published a climate action plan but their failure to properly finance public transport and the SEAI retrofitting fiasco highlights their hypocrisy on this most important issue, as does the Taoiseach’s delayed criticism of the Mercosur deal and the fires in the Amazon.”

“Tomorrow’s climate strike by students across the country is a timely reminder for the Government that minds need to be focussed on urgently improving Ireland’s climate record.”

You can watch James’ speech below :

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O’ROURKE CONCERNED AT LACK OF SUPPORT FOR SMEs

Lack of Support from Government for SMEs a Real Concern says O’Rourke. Local Fianna Fáil TD, Frank O’Rourke, has called on the Government to provide more supports to the SME sector, specifically Direct grant aid, in the context of BREXIT.

Frank commented, “I have consistently raised the challenges the SME sector are experiencing, in particular in the context of Brexit. With increased interest rate as compared to the EU average, increasing labour costs , increased insurance costs, increased commercial rates and now the threat of Brexit, the Government in my view are very slow to respond to the emerging challenges faced by SMEs.”

“Government Ministers continuously reference the Brexit loan funds as the solution to any questions posed on business support preparedness for Brexit. Yet few businesses have utilised these funds with only 11% of the €600m Brexit loan funds been approved for lending, with over €500m still to be sanctioned.”

“Revenue previously identified around 90,000 Irish businesses who traded with the UK in 2018. Yet one 675 of these businesses, less than 1%, have participated in the Brexit preparedness one-day customs workshops, run in all counties by Local Enterprise Offices.”

“The Government needs to outline all the contingencies and supports that will be available for businesses to cater for all scenarios including a hard Brexit. Direct grant aid is an urgent necessity for SME to deal with Brexit. Fianna Fáil have consistently called for an enterprise stabilisation fund and employment support scheme to be made available to the worst affected firms, as a policy response from the impact of a hard Brexit.”