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O’ROURKE INTRODUCES BILL TO BROADEN ACCESS TO HAP

Frank O’Rourke TD introduced a bill into the Dáil last night that seeks to allow families facing eviction access the HAP scheme sooner.

Frank commented, “This Bill aims to prevent families from entering homelessness, by making changes in access to HAP. As it stands, a family served with a tenancy termination notice can only access HAP as their eviction date looms. My Bill seeks to give families access to HAP at a much earlier stage of their notice period, thereby giving time to seek and secure alternative accommodation. As well as the social implications, my Bill also makes economic sense, as it costs the state significantly more to house families in emergency accommodation, than in a stable home assisted by HAP.”

You can see Frank speak in the Dáil here

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O’ROURKE RAISES WAITING TIMES FOR SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS

Frank O’Rourke TD spoke on the unacceptable waiting times for children with special needs requirements in getting an appointment for an Assessment of Needs with the HSE.

Waiting times average 2 years and the delay in any diagnosis has a knock on effect at a critical stage in a child’s development, causing further delays in accessing essential services and supports, such as Psychology, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, and Speech and Language Therapy.

You watch Frank speak here

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LAWLESS RAISES MAYNOOTH TRAFFIC CONGESTION IN THE DAIL

James Lawless TD raised the recent chronic traffic congestion in Maynooth town in the Dáil this afternoon

James asked the Tánaiste to ensure government prioritises work on the second motorway interchange.

James said, “This is one part of the puzzle in relieving pressures across the town which have brought traffic to a standstill of late.”

Raising Traffic Congestion in Maynooth with Tánaiste in Dáil

I raised the recent chronic traffic congestion in Maynooth town in the Dáil this afternoon and asked the Tánaiste to ensure government prioritises work on the second motorway interchange – this is one part of the puzzle in relieving pressures across the town which has been at a stanstill of late.

Posted by James Lawless TD on Thursday, October 3, 2019

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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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JAMES LAWLESS : “IRISH RESEARCH IN CRISIS”

James tackled the Government in the Dáil today on the stagnation in Irish Research

James Lawless TD questioned the Government on the current state of Irish Research on the first day of the new Dail session . It has emerged that just one of more than 400 recently announced European Research Council grants has been awarded to Ireland.

James said, “Many stakeholders would agree that Research in Ireland is in crisis. The Government responded with the usual bluster but they cannot deny that changes brought in by Fine Gael and Labour in 2012 hindered Irish Research by directing funding away from discovery research. This is why I have introduced the Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) (Amendment) Bill 2018, which aims to achieve a better balance between discovery and commercial research.”