We need action on Shannon flooding now, not new laws in a decade The ESB opened sluice gates in Athlone last July to allow more water into the Shannon Callows as flood waters rose at Meelick Weir. This exposes the fact that there is little co-ordination between the ESB and Waterways Ireland on the management of water levels on …
We need to change the way we manage Covid 19
The problem with lockdowns is that we don’t know what bits work and don’t work. Each and every one of these measures are having a direct impact on the mental health of every person in this country. We could potentially have further lockdowns for Valentine’s Day and our 4th lockdown over the June Bank Holiday Weekend. The only way to …
€430,000 for local Clár projects to improve community facilities and school safety – Naughten
Denis Naughten TD, Chairperson of the Join Oireachtas Committee Community & Rural Affairs, has confirmed the allocation of over €430,000 to projects across Roscommon and East Galway to address safety at schools and the upgrading of local community and sports facilities. The focus of this year’s grants has been on community well-being as well as school safety, with 11 local …
Mother & Baby clarity welcome but we still don’t know what records we are talking about
The clarity that came from the Government last night in relation to mother and baby home records and personal data and its accessibility under GDPR is very welcome. It is important to point out right up until last year the plan was to “completely seal [the records] for a period of at least 75 years following which access to them would be subject …
Where is ‘Be On Call For Ireland’ as nursing home left without staff?
Urgent action needed to protect nursing home residents – Naughten Denis Naughten TD has called for clarity on staff available under the Be On Call For Ireland initiative to deal with a crisis situation has arisen in a nursing home in the West of Ireland, which has had just three staff running the facility for the last three days. …
Naughten seeks new Government services to save Post Office network
Local Post Offices must become the one-stop-shop for all Government services not only to minimise the risk of Covid-19 but to ensure that the 950 strong network does not collapse, says Denis Naughten TD. “Since the emergence of Covid-19 last March access to many Government services has been restricted for those who don’t want to, or who cannot, use …
Budget 2021 is a missed opportunity to create a new sustainable Irish economy – Naughten
Budget 2021 speech While Budget 2021 is looking to the combined challenges of Brexit, Covid and housing it fails to bring about structural change to our economy to make it more sustainable for all sectors of our economy, according to Denis Naughten TD. “While Budget 2021 talks about reforming motor tax and VRT and further sets out increases of carbon …
€70,000 in Covid support funding for local groups – Naughten
Chairperson of the Dáil Committee on Community & Rural Affairs, Denis Naughten TD, has confirmed the allocation of €70,000 to support three local voluntary organisations to cope with the impact of Covid-19. The three services are: Elphin Social Services which is to receive €25,303; Ballinasloe Social Services which is to receive €25,374 to support its work with older people, especially …
Electricity bills to jump by an unjustifiable €54 from Thursday – Naughten
Cost of subsidy jumps by 140% but less renewable electricity generated Denis Naughten has described the fact that electricity bills will jump by €54 a year from Thursday to subsidise renewable electricity as “completely unjustifiable”. He has highlighted that despite the jump in cost there will be 44,000 less homes supplied with green energy. Under a decision taken during …
Post Offices must be the Government’s off-line gateway
While Government policy is to offer Government services online particularly now as a result of Covid 19, there will always be a segment of the population that are not comfortable or proficient accessing online tools or services. Due to its nationwide network and existing strong relationship with offline citizens, the Government took a decision in 2017 to develop the post …