March 2007 archives for Press Releases
March 30, 2007
Dempsey must act to prevent total collapse of post office network - Crowe
Dempsey must act to prevent total collapse of post office network - Crowe View more
March 30, 2007
Crowe criticises government response to MRSA
Speaking this morning, Sinn Féin Dublin South-West TD Seán Crowe heavily criticised the government and their “lethargic response to the deadly MRSA infection crisis which is striking fear into hospital patients throughout the state”. Deputy Crowe revealed today how a personal friend of his actually signed himself out of hospital for fear of MRSA. The very next day there was an outbreak in the ward he had been staying in. View more
March 29, 2007
Harney forcing through private for-profit hospital co-location – Ó Caoláin
Sinn Féin Dáil leader and Health spokesperson Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin TD has said the Minister for Health Mary Harney is forcing through her private for-profit hospital co-location plan against widespread opposition. He was reacting to the Minister’s reply to his Dail Question in which the Minister states that the Invitation to Tender for the private hospitals “will issue in the next few days”. View more
March 29, 2007
Ó Snodaigh proposes alternative to McDowell’s flawed Garda Executive Management Board
Sinn Féin Justice Spokesperson Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD has submitted 88 amendments to the Criminal Justice Bill which will be debated in the Dáil today. Deputy Ó Snodaigh said today there is an urgent need to get tough on crime but described the Criminal Justice Bill as a joke which only promotes gimmicks that have been tried and failed in other jurisdictions. Deputy Ó Snodaigh said, “There are deep concerns about this legislation and with the manner in which the minister is trying to rush this through the Dáil with very limited debate.” View more
March 28, 2007
Taoiseach fails again to reduce fees for Tribunals – Ó Caoláin
Sinn Féin Dáil leader Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin has criticised the Government for not introducing the new lower scale of fees for lawyers at the Mahon Tribunal which were supposed to be introduced on 31st March. The Taoiseach told Deputy Ó Caoláin in the Dáil on Tuesday that the matter remained “under discussion” but also on Tuesday the Cabinet shelved the plan to reduce legal fees for the Mahon Tribunal. View more
March 28, 2007
Ferris slams loss of Atlantic Dawn quota
The Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Fisheries, Martin Ferris TD, has slammed the fact that the fish quota allocated to the Atlantic Dawn will now be lost to the Irish fleet following the sale of the vessel to a Dutch consortium. Deputy Ferris was responding to a reply in the Dáil yesterday from Minister John Browne. The new owners will be entitled to retain the quota for two years. View more
March 28, 2007
Crowe calls on minister to remove anomaly to ensure equality for all students
In view of the recent landmark decision for leaving certificate students with dyslexia, who were successful in their claim of discrimination under the Equal Status Acts 2000 to 2004 against the Department of Education and Science in relation to the annotation of their leaving certificate examination results, Sinn Féin Education spokesperson Seán Crowe TD has called on Minister Mary Hanafin to “remove this anomaly to ensure equality for all students”. View more
March 28, 2007
Taoiseach has no mandate for private for-profit hospitals – Ó Caoláin
Sinn Féin Dáil leader and Health spokesperson Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin TD has described as “outrageous” the claim by the Taoiseach in the Dáil that the Government has “a mandate to build additional private hospitals”. Deputy Ó Caoláin urged people to support Sinn Féin’s protests this coming Saturday 31 March at the ten public hospital sites designated for the building of private for-profit hospitals. View more
March 28, 2007
Ó Snodaigh opposes EU Battle Groups
The Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Defence, Aengus O Snodaigh TD, today spoke out against a proposal to approve of plans to establish an EU battle group. The proposal is to be made in a motion put to the Defence Committee in the Dáil this afternoon. View more
March 27, 2007
Public health services will be Sinn Féin’s number 1 priority in government
Sinn Féin Dáil Group Leader and Health Spokesperson Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin TD today announced details of his party’s proposals to tackle the crisis in hospital services. Deputy Ó Caoláin said that Sinn Féin will exercise its expected increased political strength after the General Election to press for dramatic improvements in the health services. View more
March 26, 2007
Ó Caoláin welcomes Sinn Féin/DUP agreement on Executive
Sinn Féin Dáil leader Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin has welcomed the agreement between Sinn Féin and the DUP on the establishment of the Executive under the Good Friday Agreement. Describing the joint announcement of the agreement by Gerry Adams and Ian Paisley as “truly historic”, Deputy Ó Caoláin said every effort must now be made to ensure that the Executive gets up and running. View more
March 26, 2007
Morgan outlines ongoing cancer fall out from Sellafield
Sinn Fein Spokesperson on Environment Arthur Morgan TD today met with a representative of the Norwegian Government’s delegation to Dublin for a meeting of the Irish, Icelandic, Norwegian, and Austrian Environment Ministers to discuss the issue of Sellafield. View more
March 22, 2007
Government motion nails the coffin of Ireland’s neutrality – Ó Snodaigh
Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh has described the motion going before the Dáil today to give the final go ahead to participation in an EU Battle Group as the final nail in the coffin of this state’s neutrality. View more
March 22, 2007
Government motion nails the coffin of Ireland’s neutrality – Ó Snodaigh
Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh has described the motion going before the Dáil today to give the final go ahead to participation in an EU Battle Group as the final nail in the coffin of this state’s neutrality. View more
March 22, 2007
Early intervention crucial for children in violent and abusive environments
Sinn Féin Justice Spokesperson Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD has called on the Government to formulate a multi-departmental initiative to prioritise early intervention for children and young people who grow up in violent and abusive domestic environments and who are at risk of becoming serious offenders themselves. View more
March 22, 2007
Morgan welcomes High Court decision in favour of worker
Sinn Fein spokesperson on Workers Rights Deputy Arthur Morgan has welcomed a High Court ruling today that upheld a Labour Court decision that awarded €10,000 compensation to a civil servant who had worked in the state laboratory and had been denied pension rights and access to promotion because she was on a fixed term contract. View more
March 22, 2007
Criminal Justice Bill has more to do with populist vote than being tough on crime – Ó Snodaigh
Sinn Féin Justice Spokesperson Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD has once again expressed Sinn Féin’s opposition to the Criminal Justice Bill 2007. Speaking in the Dáil today during the second stage debate on the Bill Deputy Ó Snodaigh said, “This Bill unnecessarily and unjustifiably curtails the rights of citizens and crucially it will not address gangland crime or the related drugs crisis.” View more
March 21, 2007
Dublin Sinn Féin holds City-wide day of action to highlight public transport chaos in the capital
Speaking this morning after a citywide Transport Day of Action by Sinn Féin, where activists dropped banners and handed out thousands of leaflets in Fairview, the Red Cow Junction, Blanchardstown and at the Ha’penny Bridge, Transport spokesperson Seán Crowe said, “Today Sinn Féin are highlighting the capital’s traffic chaos and telling commuters that it does not have to be this way if our range of proposals are implemented. Sinn Féin is calling for an end to tolls and for an extra 500 buses for Dublin Bus.” View more
March 20, 2007
Government must stop plan to reward private for-profit hospital developers – Ó Caoláin
Commenting on the Taoiseach’s response to his Leader’s Question on the Government’s hospital ‘co-location’ plan, Sinn Féin Dáil leader Caoimhghín Ó Caolain TD said, "The Taoiseach’s reply confirms that the Government is preparing to sign these deals with developers of private for-profit hospitals before the General Election." View more
March 15, 2007
Gangland crime continues despite McDowell’s gimmicks
Responding to the latest gangland killing in Dublin last night and to the publishing of the Criminal Justice Bill 2007 today Sinn Féin Justice Spokesperson Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD said Michael McDowell is continuing along his usual route of proposing gimmicks that are unnecessary and destined to failure and communities will have an opportunity to judge his record on gangland crime in the elections in the summer. View more
March 15, 2007
Judge’s comments sinister and dangerous – Ó Snodaigh
Responding to comments reportedly made by a District Court Judge in Monaghan that he would blow the head off anyone who came into his house and to the publication yesterday of the Criminal Law (Defence of Life and Property) Bill 2007 Sinn Féin Justice Spokesperson Aengus Ó Snodaigh accused both the Judge and the Minister of sending a sinister and dangerous message. View more
March 15, 2007
Government must significantly increase number of educational psychologists – O’Toole
Speaking this morning as it was revealed that almost 18 per cent of Irish children have special educational needs, Sinn Féin’s Dublin North East general election candidate Councillor Larry O’Toole said, “These figures should be a wake up call to the Government to significantly increase the number of educational psychologists, reduce assessment waiting times, and ensure that all children receive the right to a full and fair education.” View more
March 14, 2007
Harney presiding over dental scheme fiasco – Ó Caoláin
Sinn Féin Health spokesperson Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin TD has said the Minister for Health and Children Mary Harney should intervene immediately to prevent the total collapse of the free scheme of dental treatment for medical card holders. View more
March 14, 2007
Proper training and sentencing guidelines for judges required – Ó Snodaigh
Sinn Féin Justice Spokesperson Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD has said the suspended sentence handed down to a convicted rapist this week highlights the need for proper training and sentencing guidelines for judges. View more
