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6 reasons to join Sinn Féin

Take an active part in changing Irish society
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Be part of building Sinn Féin for the future

Anger at education cuts

In a recent statement issued by Clondalkin Sinn Féin Councillor Shane O Connor and North Clondalkin election candidate Matthew McDonagh said they fully support the three teacher unions I.N.T.O., T.U.I., and the A.S.T.I. in their efforts to reverse the savage cuts that wil effect the education of every student in our community & in particular those with special needs. They call on Minister for Education Batt O Keefe to reverse the swinging cuts which his government has introduced. In particular cuts to teacher salaries, school funding, pupil teacher ratio, special needs/resource teachers, school transport, grants for adult and further education, book rental scheme, library grants, and school building funds. In adition they call on the minister to immediately provide funding for a new school building for Gael Scoil na Camóige in Clondalkin. They fully endorse Sinn Féins policy on eduaction which is outlined below
Equality of opportunity, access and provision is a basic entitlement.The ability for learners to achieve their full potential by having access to the levels of curriculum, institutions and type of teaching and learning best suited to deliver such success is a fundamental right. Individuals should be able to do so at any age and stage of their lives.Such provision calls for adequate and sustained investment in our richest resource - our people. Such provision necessitates clear, key objectives.
Key ObjectivesSinn Féin will support and work for an education system that will:
liberate and facilitate the potential of all; address and redress educational and generational disadvantage; deploy resources to promote access to education by disadvantaged and marginalised groups; effect meaningful partnership in a democratic education service; put learners and teachers at the heart of neighbourhood networks of learning; create and translate into action ˆnational priorities,national perspectives and national provision; promote school achievement through quality of delivery and resources rather than narrow measurement of performance; intervene at the earliest possible stages to include people and groups hitherto excluded from, or disempowered and alienated by,the operation of the present systems north and south.
These Key Objectives, and the broad principles that underlie them,must govern priorities,strategies and structures in education. They can only be achieved through a significant and sustained investment in education.The Irish languageSinn Féin will support and work for increased availability and better resourcing of Irish-medium education and for significantly strengthened recognition of the essential place of the Irish language in an Irish education system.

Concerns over future of Tallaght Hospital

Clondalkin Sinn Féin Councillor Shane O 'Connor and local election candidate Matthew McDonagh have expressed Serious concerns about the future of Tallaght Hospital as a result of current plans to close down most of its major cancer services and relocate them elsewhere.
However despite these concerns, the hospital says it has now accepted the plan to establish eight designated cancer centres around the country and to transfer cancer services from Tallaght.A senior consultant and board member at the hospital told the Department of Health recently that Tallaght could "close as a viable facility" as a result of plans to relocate its major cancer services elsewhere , irishhealth.com has learned.Dr Stephen Lane, in a letter to a Department of Health official last November, said up to 60% of the work at Tallaght is involved in cancer."Unless a 'magic wand' can fill this gaping downgrade in services in the immediate term, this effectively means closure of the hospital as a viable facility", he said.Dr Lane added that on the basis of best available data, Tallaght is the third busiest cancer centre in the country, yet was being forced to transfer its cancer services elsewhere.Referring to the current cancer services reorganisation plan, Dr Lane said: "We are not Ennis, Castlebar etc, with no disrespect intended to those institutions."He feared a major downgrade "if not closure" of Tallaght.Last month, Cancer 'Tsar' Prof Tom Keane said it was planned to transfer breast cancer services to St James's and St Vincent's Hospitals from Tallaght by late spring. Other major cancer services are set to be transferred from Tallaght.Dr Lane told the Department of Health that there were "grave concerns" at Tallaght that it is being instructed by the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) under Prof Tom Keane to remove all cancer surgery from the hospital "in the absence of a cogent and resourced plan as to where all our cancer patients are to be followed up."He said the hospital believed this to be unsafe in the short term for patient care.Dr Lane added there were growing concerns that the rigid timeline of the cancer services reconfiguration regarding Tallaght is an "irresponsible decision" and the numbers of patients attending Tallaght for cancer care have been seriously underestimated.He said there has been no attempt at a "plan B" as to where all these vulnerable patients with cancer were going to go for their care in the immediate and intermediate future.Dr Lane expressed concern about the capacity of St James's Hospital at this stage to take on Tallaght's cancer patients and called for the timeframe for the transfer to be altered.The correspondence was made available under FOI. Dr Lane's concerns were passed on to Prof Keane by the Department, the corresponence shows.FOI documentation also shows that shortly after Dr Lane's letter late last year, the Tallaght Board met with Health Minister Mary Harney and her officials on the cancer transfer.The minutes of the meeting show that Dr Lane reiterated its concerns about the timeframe for the cancer services transfer and said patients must be transferred in a safe fashion.He called for some latitude over the transitional period while services were being transferred from Tallaght.Another Tallaght board member, Dr Ian Graham, said at the meeting that while Tallaght was utterly committed to the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) process, there must be a fair and equitable division of services between hospitals.The Minister, at the meeting, agreed that further engagement with Prof Keane was needed to ensure a smooth and safe transition of services from Tallaght.Asked about Tallaght's concerns, the NCCP told irishhealth.com that planning for the transfer of the diagnostic and surgical components of the Tallaght Breast Unit to St James's and St Vincent's is underway.It said medical oncology services for breast cancer patients will continue to be provided in Tallaght for the hospital's catchment area."The NCCP is seeking to ensure that this transfer occurs in a safe and appropriate manner in the best interest of patients. Tallaght Hospital has established a transition group to allow for this to be safely achieved," an NCCP spokeswoman said.She added that St James's and St Vincent's are working with the NCCP to ensure that the necessary services and resources are in place to allow for this transfer."The NCCP would reiterate our commitment that no transfer will not occur until we are satisfied that the designated cancer centre (at St James's and St Vincent's) is in a position to care for the patients."According to hospital sources at Tallaght, while concerns remain about the hospital's future, it has in general been accepted that the cancer move will inevitably go ahead, and the NCCP has stressed that an exception cannot be made in Tallaght's case.A spokeswoman for Tallaght Hospital said it had accepted that plan to establish eight leading cancer centres in Ireland. "This is the best assurance to patients that cancer diagnosis and care wil be of the highest quality."The hospital said its board had "one overriding motivation" in this plan and that was "to ensure that the best cancer care for all present and future patients in Ireland."The hospital spokeswoman said Tallaght is confident that the hospital will continue to develop into the future. She said the recent report recommending that the Coombe Hospital should transfer to Tallaght has been warmly welcomed by the Tallaght board.It is understood that the current deadline for transfer of breast cancer services from Tallaght is now early summer at the latest.
While Tallaght may gain a maternity unit in the future, it may also lose its major children's hospital when the new Mater children's hospital is built.However, this project may now be long-fingered as a result of the economic crisis.Councillor Shane O Connor and Sinn Féin will continue to put pressure on the Government to overturn these disgraceful cutbacks to health service in Tallaght Hospital.

Cancer vaccinations for teens axed

Councillor Shane O Connor and North Clondalkin local election candidate Matthew McDonagh have called on the Government and in particular Health Minister Mary Harney to reverse their appalling decision regarding the provision of the cervical cancer vaccine for all young women.The vaccine was to be offered to all 12-year-old girls in primary schools from next September, at an estimated cost of under €10m. The government is being widely condemned for its decision to scrap plans to provide teenage girls with a cervical cancer vaccine. Sinn Féin Health Spokesperson Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, speaking during the Private Members Motion on the decision to axe the HPV Vaccination programme, said the money spent on tax breaks for the developers of private hospitals could have paid for the HPV Vaccination Programme several times over.Ó Caoláin said, “Once again the Dáil has to call to account this discredited Minister for Health & Children for yet another disgraceful decision that will have a most negative impact on the health of the people. Last weekend the Minister’s party abolished itself but it’s a great pity that the anti-people policies of the PDs, so long now embraced fully by Fianna Fáil, were not abolished as well. But those policies live on in Fianna Fail and in this Government.“The decision to cancel the HPV vaccination programme arose from an ethos and a policy which puts public health in second place to petty book-keeping and a privatisation agenda.“The Health Information and Quality Authority has estimated the total cost of introducing the HPV vaccine at €9.7m. Allegedly to save this sum a public health programme which would have saved women’s lives is being axed by Minister Harney. Yet the Budget left intact the tax breaks for the developers of private hospitals at far greater cost. In the year 2006 alone – the latest year for which figures are available – this Government gave tax breaks worth €10.6 million to the developers of private for-profit hospitals.
Both Councillor Shane O'Connor and Matthew McDonagh believe that it is time for Minister Harney to do the honourable thing and resign.

Clondalkin Sinn Féin against anti-social behaviour

Clondalkin Sinn Féin Councillor Shane O Connor and local election candidate Matthew McDonagh has said that a comprehensive strategy is needed to effectively combat the problem of anti-social behavior which he said was a scourge afflicting communities across the country. He also said that the failure to adequately protect communities meant that many decent, law-abiding people had lost faith in the policing and justice system.
Councillor O Connor said:
"The Government's record on justice and community safety is woeful. Instead of concentrating police resources where they are needed most, all they have done is introduce gimmicky Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) and the Garda Reserve. . Intimidation, abuse, car theft, vandalism, public drug-dealing, drunken rowdiness and graffitti are widespread daily expriences which are destroying the quality of life for many. "People in the areas worst affected see no intention on the part of the authorities to adequately deal with the situation. The problem is now at such a serious level that some in our community, have lost faith in the policing and justice system. "Clondalkin Sinn Féin has been active in working with communities at ground level to devise solutions to deal with this problem. We want to build on this work.Clondalkin Sinn Féin calls for social investment in those marginalized areas worst hit by problems of anti-social behaviour, drugs and crime. We propose, early intervention and support services for those at risk of offending, effective rehabilitation programmes and post-prison release supervision, and community restorative justice alternatives for most non-violent offenders. "Sinn Féin activists through our work in local communities have an unparalleled understanding of these issues.Councillor Shane O'Connor has raised these matters continuously and has given a voice to communities which previously felt unheard. We are commited to making this a key issue in the forthcoming local elections in June.Working with local communities we want to deliver real solutions

Sinn Féin back Cherrywood residents on off license decision

Residents of Cherrywood in Clondalkin are annoyed at An Bord Pleanála decision to give the go ahead for an off license beside the Nangor Medical Centre.
Sinn Féin Councillor Shane O’Connor said " 95 per cent of residents signed petitions against an off license ’
Residents of Cherrywood, Oldchurch and Mill Park estates all signed petitions which were sent to SDCC last year after it was learned that permission had been sought to sell alcohol from the existing shop premises at Cherrywood Crescent. Following representaion by local councillors & T.D's South Dublin County Council refused to grant permission. However the proprieter appealed to the bord ignoring the wishes of the local community & the council
Councillor Shane O'Connor said: “The comparison I would draw is that An Bord Pleanála turned down a similar off licence request at Green Park a couple of years ago but grants one for Cherrywood even though houses & creches are actually nearer to the premises.
“The bords descision beggars belief "
Cllr O’Connor says the decision is all the more surprising after South Dublin County Council. local community safety forums, residents groups and even the gardaí spoke out against granting permission for the off licence.
He adds that the only course of action remaining is to ask for a judicial review at Richmond (District) Court in April.
Councillor Shane O'Connor calls on all local represenatives to support the community in their continuing campaign against the off licence

Anti-Social behaviour

Clondalkin Sinn Féin Councillor Shane O Connor and local election candidate Matthew McDonagh has said that a comprehensive strategy is needed to effectively combat the problem of anti-social behaviour which he said was a scourge afflicting communities across the country. He also said that the failure to adequaely protect communities meant that many decent, law-abiding people had lost faith in the policing and justice system.
Councillor O Connor said:
"The Government's record on justice and community safety is woeful. Instead of concentrating police resources where they are needed most, all they have done is introduce gimmicky Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) and the Garda Reserve. "Communities, partcularly in our major cities but also in many towns are now scourged by anti-social behaviour. Intimidation, abuse, car theft, vandalism, public drug-dealing, drunken rowdiness and graffitti are widespread daily expriences which are destroying the quality of life for many. "People in the areas worst affected see no intention on the part of the authorities to adequtaely deal with the sitituation. The problem is now at such a serious level that many, decent, law-abiding people have lost faith in the policing and justice system. "Sinn Féin has been active in working with communities at ground level to devise solutions and strategies to deal with this problem. We want to build on this work. "In government Sinn Féin would implement a comprehensive strategy to effectively combat anti-social behaviour. This would include robust law enforcement to deal with offenders involved in what is clearly criminal behaviour. "We would also ensure visible and locally accountable community policing which is key to tackling this issue and which communities have been crying out for over many years now. "We would also ensure systematic social investment in those marginalised areas worst hit by problems of anti-social behaviour, drugs and crime. We propose, early intervention and support services for those at risk of offending, effective rehabilitation programmes and post-prison release suprevision, and community restorative justice alternatives for most non-violent offenders. "Sinn Féin activists and representatives, through our work in commnities across this country over many years have an unparalleled understanding of these issues. Our concillors and TDs have raised these matters continuously and have given voice to communities which previously felt unheard. We are commited to making the issue a key priority in government and, working with the people, we want to deliver real solutions

Dublin Bus Protest

Dial to Stop Drug Dealing funding terminated

Sinn Féin Councillor Shane O Connor and North Clondalkin representative Matthew McDonagh sharply criticised the government after the Minister for Drugs announced that the Dial to Stop Drug Dealing non Garda confidential free phone line will cease to operate when funding runs out, which could be imminent. This is despite the success of the initiative in generating useful information and leads for Garda investigations, a fact acknowledged by the Minister himself.
They said "This is an absolutely ludicrous position to be in just five months after the campaign was officially launched. The project which was piloted in Blanchardstown has been extremely successful and it is not at all expensive relative to the cost of drug related crime. Certainly it has more than provided value for money unlike some of the other schemes that this Government has embarked on. The Minister himself has previously noted the success of the scheme. They are sure that those in the community who have used this service will be stunned at this decision. "The Minister has revealed that there is a fixed price per call made to the line and when the small amount of dormant accounts funds remaining are expended the service will cease to exist. We are in the paradoxical situation whereby the more successful this initiative is the quicker it will be pulled by government."
"We are calling on the Minister to secure ongoing funding for this campaign to ensure that its operation is secured into the foreseeable future. It must not become another victim of the recession. It is not a huge investment that is required. Sinn Féin feels that investment in combating drugs will have a positive economic return in the long term as associated crime rates drop and the number of addicts seeking treatment falls."