Gas call fuels Kelly anger at government

 Roscommon People, 28th April, 2010.

Seamus Duke

 

 

The Government is neglecting rural Ireland and the latest example is ‘evidence’ that towns in County Roscommon are not in line to be connected to the national grid to receive natural gas.   That’s the view of Labour Party Councillor John Kelly who made a barely veiled criticism of local Minister Michael Finneran in the course of lamenting what he said was “very disappointing” news for towns like Ballaghaderreen, Roscommon and Strokestown.   An Bord Gais conducted a cost analysis of 29 towns around the country – on whether it would be viable to connect them to the national grid – but only four were identified as being suitable in Phase 3 of the plan. Cllr. Kelly said that the four towns deemed eligible all have ministers in their area. Referring to Minister Michael Finneran, he added: “There is no political power in Roscommon, it’s as simple as that.” 

Kelly slams gas decision

Roscommon People, 28th April, 2010
Seamus Duke 

Roscommon Labour Party Councillor John Kelly says that the chances of any town in County Roscommon being connected to the national grid to receive natural gas are now “almost nil” after An Bord Gais revealed the outcome of Phase 3 of its ‘Towns Analysis.’  Cllr. Kelly says that the news that towns like Ballaghaderreen, Strokestown and Roscommon will not be connected to the national grid is a further sign of the “neglect of rural Ireland by the Government”. 

  The An Bord Gais website reveals that following a cost analysis of 29 towns around the country – on whether it would be viable to connect them to the national grid – only four were identified as being suitable in Phase 3 of the plan. They are Tipperary Town, Inishannon (Co. Cork), Kinsale and Kells.  Cllr. Kelly says that the news is very disappointing for towns like Ballaghaderreen. “We had a task force here in Ballaghaderreen trying to get a natural gas supply to the town. We had bodies like the BMW and the Western Development Commission backing us, but to no avail. It would seem that unless a town has a huge population it is not even considered” he said. 

  “We pointed out to the authorities that we have a local industry in Ballaghaderreen – Shannonside Co-Op – which uses a massive amount of electricity and that for that industry alone it would be viable to have natural gas here, but they have ignored us again. Remember that there will be huge carbon taxes on the way and a company like Shannonside Co-Op will be paying a high carbon tax if they have to continue using electricity. It is completely unfair” he said.  “I said at the Labour Party conference in Galway at the weekend that this uncaring government has completely neglected rural Ireland and I stand by that. Towns like Ballaghaderreen, Charlestown, Swinford and other towns including those in County Roscommon are being ignored” he said.  “It’s the same old story. Look at the four towns that have been accepted under this programme. All have ministers there. There is no political power in Roscommon and it is as simple as that” he concluded.

New thinking needed to tackle jobless figures -– John Kelly

Roscommon People, 22^nd April, 2010

 

 

The live register figures for March which indicate a year-on-year increase of 66,000 make for grim reading. This is the tenth month in a row where we have had in excess of 400,000 people claiming jobseeker payments, according to Cllr. John Kelly, who this week asked, “Why is it that this government can go hell for leather when it comes to bailing out the banks, but are entirely bereft of ideas, energy and creativity when it comes to tackling unemployment?”He continued: “The approach of standing back and hoping that an international recovery will eventually filter through to this country is simply no longer adequate in the face of forecasts that we could have another 60,000 or 70,000 on the Live Register before the end of the year.

 

“One in three young men in the labour force are out of work at present and in some parts of the country it is as many as one in two. We are again facing the terrible prospect of long-term unemployment that caused such social damage during the 1980s. “Last month Labour proposed the establishment of a Strategic Investment Bank that would have the capacity to invest in SMEs and innovative companies and raise finance for appropriate infrastructure projects. Such a bank would play a vital role in that jobs strategy, securing existing jobs and creating new ones.

 

“Ireland needs investment in infrastructure like renewable energy and next-generation communications networks. This will create the environment for a new wave of indigenous companies focused on the huge opportunities that will arise as a result of the expansion of digital technologies. Those companies must also have access to working capital and growth capital, and to a range of other supports. Providing finance for this new innovative economy will be the role of the SIB.  “Creating Jobs is the key to getting Ireland moving again. The Strategic Investment Bank is one of number of proposals that Labour is advancing as part of our Jobs Strategy. Labour’s Jobs Fund would also provide other supports for firms, and would fund a major programme of training and work experience,” concluded Cllr. Kelly.

Interest rate hike will ‘cripple’ people – Kelly

 Roscommon People 15^th April, 2010. 

The decision by AIB to raise interest rates by half a percent the day before the Government made the announcement on the future of Irish banking is an example of cynical news management at its worst, according to Cllr. John Kelly. The Labour councillor said, “Either the announcement was made in the hope that it would become buried in a flurry of banking related stories, or the increase is part of the game-playing that is going on between AIB and the Government, in which mortgage owners are the big losers.” He added: “We already know that tens of thousands of homeowners are under immense pressure with their mortgages, with many of them falling into arrears, and an increase in interest rates, such as the one announced by AIB can only exacerbate this problem. “While official figures suggest that there are somewhere in the region of 28,000 homeowners in arrears, an additional 30,000 have been forced to switch to interest-only payments. Many of these families are on the edge, and AIB’s announcement may well push them over.

 “Labour has consistently called for meaningful action from the Government to tackle this burgeoning problem, but these pleas have fallen on deaf ears. The Government has displayed absolutely no sense of urgency about this whatsoever. Almost two years after the banking crisis first blew up, the best plan they have come up with is to set up an ‘expert group’ and even that will not report back until after the summer. “Banks have been bailed out to the tune of tens of billions of euro, courtesy of the Irish taxpayer, and one might have expected them to act in accordance with their social responsibilities. Sadly, this is far from the reality. 

“It is patently clear that we need an independent body such as a National Home Mortgage Service to set out the criteria and rules as to how mortgage difficulties would be addressed and managed and would identify the obligations of government lending institutions and borrowers. The NHMS could set out the eligibility factors to qualify for assistance taking into account factors such as capacity to make some payment, fairness to the lender and the borrower’s true circumstances.”


Kelly nails colours to Labour party mast

Roscommon Herald 23^rd February, 2010.

Maresa Fagan

 

Former Independent councillor John Kelly has nailed his colours to the Labour party mast in the hope of securing a seat at the next general election.  The Ballaghaderreen area councillor and new Labour member was unveiled at press conferences in Roscommon and Dublin last week, where Labour Leader Eamon Gilmore explained why it was a “good day” for Lanbour and for the people of Roscommon/South Leitrim.   Deputy Gilmore explained that the Labour Party was hoping to secure a TD in every constituency in the next general election to get into government and how John Kelly could play a part in this. 

“This is a good day for the Labour party and I hope a good day for Roscommon/South Leitrim.  I am very much aware that the Labour Party has not been strong in Roscommon/South Leitrim in recent times and that is something that we’re going to put right,” the Labour Party Leader said.  “I believe that in every constituency in this country, urban or rural, east of Ireland or west of Ireland, that it is possible to elect a Labour party Td and I think that that is true of Roscommon/South Leitrim as it is of any other part of the country,” he added. He said that people wanted “real change” and “a new alternative” and that John Kelly would provide another choice for the electorate in Roscommon/South Leitrim. Deputy Gilmore said that Cllr Kelly had given a “huge commitment” to the people of Roscommon by representing them on Roscommon County Council and he noted his strong performance record since elected in 2004.

“He put in a very impressive performance at the last local elections; anyone who gets two quotas in a revised electoral area is somebody who has the confidence of the people,” Deputy Gilmore said. He also noted John’s “very impressive” run in the last general election having secured4,500 votes on his first time out in the race for a Dail seat. Deputy Gilmore confidently predicted that Roscommon/South Leitrim would return a Labour TD in John Kelly at the next general election and said that this “was necessary not just in the interests of this constituency but in the interest of the country”. Explaining his reasons for joining Labour, Cllr Kelly said that his policies were very much aligned with those of Labour and that he had no difficulty in making the decision.

He thanked his many supporters and expressed confidence that they would continue to support him as a Labour party representative. “They are behind me 100% and, I’ve said it before, it doesn’t matter what flag I’m flying they vote for me because of my issues, and my issues as it happens are a mirror image of Labour’s issues,” the new Labour councillor said. “It’s a very easy decision for me to decide to go with what I consider to be the most popular and upcoming party in my belief, and most certainly the most popular leader in the country... I’m very impressed with Labour, with their spokespersons, their issues, and their leader,” Cllr Kelly said. Cllr Kelly explained that as part of a deal to join the party he had secured assurances from Labour on the retention of Roscommon County Hospital and the restoration of turf cutting rights.

“In my negotiations with the Labour party I did say that I did have two preconditions and they were number one, Roscommon hospital, and number two, the turf cutting issue. And I’m pretty sure that before the next general election we’re going to get reassurances from the Labour party in relation to those issues,” the new Labour councillor said. “There is one thing that I can guarantee the people of Roscommon/South Leitrim and that is that the Labour party will be in government the next time. There is no question of that,” Cllr Kelly said. “If somebody like me can go to the people of Roscommon/South Leitrim and give guarantees that Eamon Gilmore is willing to honour all they have to do is elect me and those guarantees will b honoured,” he said.

Cllr Kelly said that” not enough people took a chance” on him in the 2007 election but that he hoped that this would change next time out. “I’m telling people this time that we want a Labour candidate elected to the Dail, who will deliver on the promises and commitments that I am giving,” Cllr Kelly said. “For far too long in Roscommon/South Leitrim the choice was A or B, now there is C and it is a more viable choice that A or B right now,” he added. Chairman of the Labour Roscommon/South Leitrim constituency party, Willie Tiernan described Cllr Kelly as “our man” to win a seat. “Labour needs a TD here and John Kelly is our man. Roscommon has nothing to show, going years back, for having ministers in this county. What did we ever get, nothing. Now we have a man who is willing to fight for the county of Roscommon and for the people of South Leitrim,” he added.

Labour move no affect on council alliance – Kelly

Roscommon Herald, 23^rd February, 2010.

Maresa Fagan

 

The Independent, Sinn Fein and Fianna Fail alliance holding the balance of power within the chamber of Roscommon County Council will not be affected by John Kelly’s move to Labour, the newly appointed Labour councillor insisted last week.  The former independent councillor now turned Labour said that he would honour the deal agreed with the independents, Sinn Fein and Fianna Fail following the last local elections and that he didn’t see his move to Labour having any impact on the existing alliance.

“As far as I’m concerned I have made a deal as part of a group of Independents with Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein and we’re running the council and I’m not going to renege on that deal just because I’m a Labour councillor,” Cllr Kelly said.  “If Fianna Fail turn around and say they don’t want me well then they are as well to hand the reigns over to Fine Gael because that’s where the power is going to go,” he added.  Cllr Kelly is due to become Mayor of Roscommon in June this year but regardless of what might happen in the future, he said that he was happy that he would still have the power to speak his mind in the council chamber. “If they don’t support me who are they going to support?” he added.

Cllr Kelly acknowledged the challenge facing Labour to build support in a constituency where it had traditionally been low but said that he was confident that Labour could take the lead in the constituency. “There are Labour voted out there and as distinct from 2007 there are Labour issues out there. In 2007 there was no issue in relation to public servants having to pay a second pension levy or no mention of cutting public servants pay.  They weren’t issues at the time but they’re huge issues today,” Cllr Kelly said.

“I support public servants and the Labour party supports them, they are aligned to the unions. So I’m expecting my own level of support on local issues that I’m going to get commitments on, and along with the public servants that are disgruntled with the two major parties, and the fact that Eamon Gilmore is the most popular leader in this country, we can build a Labour party in this constituency and I’d be happy that we can do that,” he added.

Gilmore expects strong Dáil challenge from new recruit

The Irish Times - Tuesday, February 16, 2010

LABOUR LEADER Eamon Gilmore has said he is confident the party’s newest recruit, John Kelly, will mount a strong challenge for a seat in Roscommon-South Leitrim in the next general election.

Mr Gilmore yesterday announced that Mr Kelly, an Independent member of Roscommon County Council, had joined the party. Mr Kelly has been a councillor since 2004 and topped the poll with two quotas in the Castlerea electoral area when re-elected last year. He stood as an Independent in the 2007 general election polling over 4,500 votes, or about 40 per cent of a quota.

Mr Gilmore admitted that the presence of the Labour Party in Roscommon had been a “bit thin on the ground”. The last national representative was the late Jack McQuillan, who was a Labour TD for only two years: he first won his Dáil seat for Clann na Poblachta and was re-elected for three successive terms as an Independent. The Labour candidate in the 2007 election, Hughie Baxter, polled just 832 votes.

Mr Gilmore said of Mr Kelly yesterday: “I have been seeing his work on Roscommon County Council and he has caught my eye . . . He is deeply rooted in the community and has a long record of campaigning on social and economic issues. It has been clear to me for some time that he shares many of the values and political priorities of the Labour Party.”

Mr Kelly said that Labour’s policies were “a mirror image of my own issues. I do not see it as a big move to move from being an Independent to Labour.

“I am quite confident that the electorate of Castlerea and Roscommon will follow suit and continue to vote for me no matter what party I am,” he said.

Asked how his views on abortion and same-sex unions, which were described as conservative, tallied with that of his new party, Mr Kelly replied: “I don’t have opinions on everything. I wouldn’t like to think that anybody, including the media, should think that I do have an opinion on everything. As regards same-sex unions, the choice is there for people and I would respect that choice.”

Kelly opts for Labour

BY MAIREAD O SHEA
ROSCOMMON HERALD 16^TH FEBRUARY 2010

Ballaghaderreen based Independent Councillor John Kelly is set to become a Labour Party candidate in the next General Election.  The surprise move was announced at a special press conference in Hannon’s Hotel, Roscommon town on Monday afternoon.  Cllr Kelly, known for his outspoken views, topped the poll for the Castlerea/Ballaghaderreen Electoral area in the last local elections. He also ran as an Independent in the last General election in the Roscommon/South Leitrim constituency but he failed to secure a Dail seat, being eliminated on the third count, having secured 4.539 first preferences.

He was elected to Roscommon County Council in 2004 for the Ballaghaderreen area, polling over 1,100 voted. He was re-elected to in 2009 for the amalgamated Castlerea/ Ballaghaderreen area with 2,230 votes.  A native of Rath, Ballintubber, he has worked as a Community Welfare Officer for the Ballaghaderreen area for more than twenty years. He is married to Brid and the couple have three children.  Labour party leader Eamon Gilmore said that Cllr Kelly was deeply rooted in the community and had a long record of campaigning on social and economic issues.

“He has made a big impact on Roscommon County Council, having served as mayor in 2007.  It has been clear to me for some time that he shares many of the values and political priorities of the Labour Party.  “The recruitment of john Kelly is a very significant development for the Labour Party. While there is a tradition of progressive politics in Roscommon, typified by the election of Jack McQuillan who represented the county in the Oireachtas between 1951 and 1969, Labour has not been strong in the county in recent years,” said Mr Gilmore.

Cllr Kelly said that he has had been contacted by Labour a number of weeks ago to consider joining the party.  “For some time now many of my supporters have been telling me that I need the support of a party to get elected to the Dail but Fianna Fail and Fine Gael have failed and are not an option for me. A lot of my own issues are in line with Labour’s policies and there are many similarities,” said Cllr Kelly.  The Labour Party does not have a great track record in this constituency, but Cllr John Kelly is confident, that his strong personal vote will transfer to Labour when he runs for the party in the next General Election. “There is a very strong John Kelly vote and I believe that my vote will hold up,” said Cllr Kelly.

Kelly wants Drumm to donate bonus to home help budget

Roscommon Herald, 20^th October, 2009.

 

A Ballaghaderreen based councillor has this week urged Health Service Executive CEO, Professor Brendan Drumm to donate the €70,000 bonus payment to a much needed home help budget “where elderly people are struggling big time and striving to stay out of nursing homes”.

 

“When you think it couldn’t get any worse and that very soon the Government would have all its I’s dotted and t’s crossed we hear of yet another bonus we simply cannot afford or indeed comprehend,” said Cllr John Kelly.  “With the best will in the world I presume that Professor Drumm thought that he could sort out the health service.  What he did was to take away local accountability and replace it with yet another monster that’s out of control.  In this case it’s the HSE.  It now appears to me that every Minister wants to set up a sub organisation within his/her own department and blame them for everything that goes wrong.  I am not even going to give one example because that would lead to two, three, four, etc,” said the Independent councillor.

 

“It is now so outrageous that the elderly person that wants home help has to be almost on his/her death bed to get help, but yet there is no problem finding €70,000 as a bonus for Professor Drumm for the fine way that he has rehabilitated the health service.  Why does every hard working person across the public sector not get a bonus for performance? Why in my own day job, since it had been proven that I am doing the work of two people, do I not get a bonus,” asked Cllr Kelly.  “The answer is quite simple, you get your bonus for sticking within budgets and that entails cutbacks and people other than the beneficiary of the bonus, suffer.

 

“I can speak for almost everyone in County Roscommon when I say that if I was on a salary of €425,000 per annum I wouldn’t really be concerned about a bonus.  “I can sill recall my days going to school in the CBS in Roscommon as my father drove past the courthouse he pointed to a room in it and told me that the administrative side of Roscommon Hospital was run from that room.  Back then we had a hospital to be envied. Now we are giving bonuses to downgrade them or as the HSE spin it ‘he delivered on the HSE service plan’ i.e. bonus for cut back.

 

“At this stage I would like to think that Professor Drumm took on this job for all the right reasons but pencilling into his agreement that he should get a bonus makes a mockery of that,” concluded Cllr Kelly.

Kelly believes the bogs should be given back to the people

Roscommon Herald, 20^th October, 2009.

 

The Government, Government Ministers and particularly the Minister for Environment should listen to the turf cutters in a bid to find common ground to resolve the potentially explosive bogs issue, Cllr John Kelly said this week.

 

The Independent Ballaghaderreen based councillor believes that Minister Gormley set up a working group pre Lisbon to lead people affected by the proposed turf cutting ban to believe that he may be prepared to listen to the other side of the argument. “Now it appears that this was designed to hoodwink the people affected,” said Cllr Kelly. “Albeit that we the Independent grouping on Roscommon County Council are aligned with Fianna Fail in the running of the council, I believe that in Dail Eireann Fianna Fail has destroyed every bed partner it ever had and will do the same with the Greens. The reality is that all the Fianna Fail councillors in County Roscommon fully support the right of the ordinary person to continue turf cutting, but in the disconnect that exists with Fianna Fail in Government they have agreed a program for Government that goes against all of that,” said Cllr Kelly.

 

“ I am on the record as having said, and I fully believe that we the people of Roscommon will never see any positive result of us having a Government minister in our county.  So far I am right.  All we have to do is look around the county and see the developments in other ministerial counties today and down through the years. We have to continue to fight to keep what is rightfully ours and the best we can get from our minister is advice to stick with the protracted process,” said Cllr Kelly.

 

“For one that got over 2,200 first preference votes in a local election and is totally in touch with the mood of the people I can tell you that this issue will not fizzle out like the Corrib gas field local issue, this will bring about national anarchy.  Consequently, I am now calling on Minister Finneran to influence Minister Gormley positively on this issue.  Michael your time has come to prove your worth now so do it or get off the gravy train,” concluded Cllr Kelly.

Kelly’s message to Minister Finneran: ‘Prove your worth!’

Roscommon People 23^rd October, 2009.

 

Cllr. John Kelly has launched a fierce attack Minister Michael Finneran – demanding that he “prove his worth to the people of County Roscommon on the turfcutting issue” or “get off the gravy train.”  Cllr. Kelly said, “Michael, your time has come to prove your worth now, so do it or get off the gravy train.” Cllr. Kelly this week called on the Government, Government Ministers and particularly the Minister for Environment to listen to the turf cutters in a bid to find common ground to resolve this issue.

 

Kelly believes that Minister Gormley set up a working group ‘pre-Lisbon’ to lead people affected by the proposed turf cutting ban to believe that he may be prepared to listen to the other side of the argument. “But now that they have fallen in love again with the same bed partners, their program for Government, which includes the full implementation of the Habitats and Birds Directive, suggests that this was designed to hoodwink the people affected.” He continued: “Albeit that we, the Independent grouping in Roscommon County Council are aligned with Fianna Fáil in the running of the Council, I believe that in Dáil Éireann Fianna Fáil have destroyed every bed partner they ever had and will do the same with the Greens. “As they say ‘if you go to bed with dogs you wake up with fleas’. The ironic thing here is that fleas are also protected by the Habitats Directive.

 

The reality is that all the Fianna Fáil councillors in Co Roscommon fully support the right of the ordinary person to continue turf cutting but in the disconnect that exists with Fianna Fáil in Government they have agreed a program for Government that goes against all of that. I am on the record as have said and fully believe that we the people of Roscommon will never see any positive result of us having a Government Minister in our county. So far I am right.

“All we have to do is look around the country and see the developments in other Ministerial counties today and down through the years. We have to continue to fight to keep what is rightfully ours and the best we can get from our Minister is advise to

stick with the protracted process and no input from himself….

 

“Like the Corrib gas field issue, this will bring about national anarchy. Consequently, I am now calling on Minister Finneran to influence Minister Gormley positively on this issue and remember that his party sold him to the people of Roscommon in 2007 as being a potential Minister which people supported expecting great things and will sorely regret if they don’t see some semblance of what addition that is to us.”

New scheme does not address hardship cases – Kelly

Roscommon Herald 13^th October, 2009.

BY MARESA FAGAN

 

The Fair Deal scheme offering financial support for nursing home care does not make provisions for hardship cases, according to Cllr John Kelly, who has reiterated his concerns over aspects of the new scheme.

 

Under the new scheme, Cllr Kelly said provisions would not be made for hardship cases and the family home would now be included as part of the means testing process and, where necessary, used to pay off nursing home bills in the future. “The family home or principal private residence is now being included as an asset as part of a new financial assessment process for all applicants but provisions have not been made for hardship cases, where for example, members of the family still reside in the family home and are unemployed or on disability,” Cllr Kelly said.

 

“Take for example a single man, who is on social welfare and is living in the family home while his mother is in a nursing home.  Under the new scheme, the State will be looking for 15% of the value of the home to fund nursing home care, but how is someone like that going to be able to pay that? It will be like a noose around their neck.  I don’t think that’s fair and the scheme should make provisions for people in such circumstances,” he added. “Under the scheme the payment of that charge or loan can be deferred but it means that there will always be a hold on that house.  I believe that no claim should be made on a principal private residence where a member of the family, who is on social welfare or disability, continues to reside,” Cllr Kelly said.

 

He added that public nursing homes were also being brought in under the new “Fair Deal” and that the same repercussions would apply to any new applicants seeking financial support under the new scheme.  “The Government should have left the public nursing home facilities as they were, that is, for people who have not the wherewithal to pay for nursing home care and to cater for hardship cases where they arise,” Cllr Kelly said.

 

Under the scheme applicants will not be guaranteed a nursing home place, Cllr Kelly said, explaining that people would only be admitted on “ absolute medical need” and based on assessment.  He added that there was also no guarantee that applicants would get a place in a nursing home of their choice.  “When the funding runs out people will be placed on a waiting list until the money becomes available. This could result in people being forced to rely on a slipshod home help service, which is not being adequately funded at present, or people taking up hospital beds. There is nothing fair about that and I don’t believe that it’s a fair deal,” Cllr Kelly said.

REPS decision slammed as ‘stupid’ by councillor

11^th August, 2009

Roscommon Champion

 

Councillor John Kelly has expressed his outrage at the savage REPS cuts imposed by this Government on disadvantaged farmers in Co Roscommon.  “Being aligned with FF in the council chamber to run council business will never deflect me away from expressing my views about what I believe to be the most incompetent government that has ruled this country in thirty years.  In as much as FG were gone stale in the Co council, FF are gone stale in Government,” Cllr Kelly said. 

 

“This short-sighted move on behalf of yet another SNIP Minister may yield little or nothing for the exchequer are assessed and no doubt the Minister has not even thought them through.  Many farmers could now get increases in their farm assist payment equal to their monetary loss of REPS or farmers who don’t get farm assist may now very well qualify, he states.  This now means that it could cost the exchequer much more than the Minister thinks he has saved because only one quarter of REPS payment comes form the Irish Govt and the remainder 75% comes from the EU. 

 

“Furthermore, factories and the local economy depend on the farmers as much as the farmer depends on having the finances to be able to do business with them and unfortunately this measure could put the local businesses under threat.  “If there are factory closures which mean job losses and if as I predict more people that lose REPS have it replaced with farm assist, it is the tax payer of this country yet again that pays the bill and yet again for an ill thought out incompetent decision by a stale Government.”

Reduced opening hours at HSE pharmacy criticised

Roscommon Champion

Tuesday, 11 August 2009

 

THE NEWS that the HSE are to reduce opening hours in its contingency dispensing facility in Castlerea by eight hours a week has been strongly criticised by local politicians.  With immediate effect, the contingency pharmacy will be closed between 2pm and 4pm. According to the HSE the new times have been introduced to allow HSE pharmacists the opportunity to fill scripts received in the morning and to accommodate staff rest period.  In a statement issued to the Roscommon Champion, the HSE conceded that although the "scale of the operation over the course of last week posed challenges for HSE staff around the country, they worked diligently to deliver essential services to isolated communities".

 

Opening times are now Monday to Friday, 10am to 2pm and 4pm to 8pm; and Saturday, 10am to 2pm and 4pm to 6pm. Last week the facility had been open continuously from 10am to 8pm and from 10am to 6pm respectively.  But local politicians have said that the reduction in opening hours further illustrate the HSE's inability to deal with the crisis and a further inconvenience to patients and customers.  “The reduction in hours shows illustrates fully that the HSE contingency to deal with this crisis is failing.  “As it was last week, people were being forced to wait hours for their medication, often times having to call back hours later to pick up their prescriptions.  “I even spoke to one woman who had to travel to Castlebar to pick up medication that was not in stock in the HSE facility in Castlerea. It is not good enough and the people of this county deserve better," he said. 

 

Castlerea councillor Luke 'Ming' Flanagan said that people in the area are very unsatisfied with the service being provided at the HSE pharmacy in Castlerea.  “As it was last week, people were waiting obscene amounts of time to get their prescriptions filled. And now the HSE are set to compound patients' misery by reducing the opening hours," he said.  "Although this is little surprise, the HSE and the Government are failing to get the basics right.  “The health service is a shambles and this latest fiasco is further proof of it," said the Independent councillor.  Castlerea area councillor John Kelly has urged Minister Harney to negotiate with the pharmacists and was also critical of the waiting times that people in Castlerea and surrounding areas were forced to wait to get their prescriptions.  "The HSE in their efforts to play "'pharmacy' last week frustrated thousands of people and indeed put some of these patients lives in danger by pretending to be able to cope with and replicate the efforts of our local caring pharmacies.  “If last week's efforts by the HSE are a gauge as to their potential to solve problems, we most certainly are on a loser because they are reminiscent of a local authority saying that they will only repair a bad bend on a road when someone gets killed on it first," he said.

Kelly accuses HSE of putting patients’ lives in danger

Roscommon Herald

11^th August, 2009.

 

The HSE is being accused of putting patients’ lives in danger and is being urged to stop playing the game of poker on the issue of dispensing drugs to medical card holders.  Cllr John Kelly has called for the HSE to stop blaming the pharmacists and to start negotiating in everyone’s interest.

 

“The one thing that I have seen since the HSE was established is that there is more and more conflict and disagreement between management and staff and indeed contractors than there had ever been under the old health board system,” said the Independent councillor.   “ The reason for this I believe is that too many people were unnecessarily employed by the HSE when it was established and now that this is becoming somewhat apparent these people are trying to make a name for themselves by justifying their jobs,” said Cllr Kelly. 

 

The Ballaghaderreen area councillor said that in its efforts to play ‘pharmacy’ last week, the HSE frustrated thousands of people.  “ It has put some of these patients’ lives in danger by pretending to be able to cope with and replicate the efforts of their local caring pharmacies.  “If last week’s efforts by the HSE are a guage as to its potential to solve problems, we most certainly are on a loser because it is reminiscent of a local authority or the National Roads Authority saying that it will only repair a bad bend on a road when someone gets killed on it first,” said Cllr Kelly.

Confusion reigns as pharmacy dispute deepens

Ciara McCaughley

Roscommon Champion, 4^th August, 2009.

 

A Ballaghaderreen councillor has strongly criticised the contingency plans put in place in Roscommon by the HSE to deal with the on-going dispute with the pharmacists, claiming it has led to a weekend of confusion for people around the country. Independent councillor John Kelly says that there is still huge confusion around the issue and was contacted by several people over the weekend who were experiencing difficulty in getting their medication.  “The lists published by the HSE last week that appeared in the national newspapers had listed pharmacies that were open, but then it turns out that although the HSE listed them as being open, on Saturday when people went to get their prescriptions, the pharmacies were closed.  People are contacting me to find out what is going on.  People’s lives are what we are talking about here and this mess has to be sorted out immediately,” he said.

 

According to a list published yesterday on the HSE website, 20 pharmacies in Roscommon continue to be available to dispense drugs on the state drug schemes, however, “Pharmacies were closed in towns around the county at the weekend even though the HSE is printing lists that are at odds with this.  It is terribly confusing for people and an extra worry for those who need to receive specialised medication,” he said.  The HSE announced last month that it would set up a community pharmacy at Aras Naomh Chaolain in Castlerea, but Cllr. Kelly has said that this is not enough to cope with the numbers of people who will need to get their medication.  “Generally what is being felt is that what is being put in place is piece-meal.  The row should not have come to this stage.  The pharmacists are willing to sit down with the Minister, but their calls are falling on deaf ears.  Once again, it is the most vulnerable who are affected”.

 

Media reports over the weekend highlighted the plight of one Ballyforan pensioner Tony Kenny who faced a 90 mile round trip to Castlerea in order to pick up his medicine.  The 80 year old had been out of hospital for just a week following treatment for cellulitis but now faces an arduous journey to collect his medicine.  Cllr. Kelly’s concerns have also been echoed by Tony Kenny of Active Age Roscommon who has said that he expects the problem to get worse in the coming weeks.  “Some of the pharmacies in the county are not open for business, and as the weeks go on, there will be an extra pressure put on the staff in the HSE dispensary.”

 

“I just hope that the chemists that are open can deal with the extra work load and that people are not inconvenienced.  “I think it is completely ridiculous that the situation has come to this stage and would expect that as many elderly people get their prescriptions filled in the coming weeks there problem will become greater.  “This dispute should have been sorted out months ago”, he said.  Meanwhile, The Irish Pharmacists Union has also criticised the HSE’s emergency dispensaries.  “The IPU has warned that the likelihood of inexperienced and overworked staff in these dispensaries making mistakes would increase from today as demand for prescriptions is expected to rise significantly after the bank holiday weekend”, it stated.



Kelly wants prisoners to pay for their terms in jail

Roscommon Herald

21^st July, 2009.

 

 

Prisoners should be made pay for their time in jail, an Independent councillor has suggested.  Detailing his plan to make prisoners pay for their incarceration, Deputy John Kelly pointed out that if people were ill and went to either a hospital or a nursing home, they had to pay.  “If you break the law and are sent to jail the tax payer pays.  It does nothing to deter the criminal from a life of crime,” he asserted. 

 

“I believe that legislation should be introduced allowing the Department of Justice to get a full refund of the cost to the State of the prisoners’ stay in jail,” stated Cllr Kelly.  Cllr Kelly suggested that in the case of someone going onto social welfare or returning to fulltime employment when released from prison, measures could be put in place to deduct from wages or social welfare the full cost over a period of a number of years.

 

“These are the types of measures our Government should be looking at in recessionary times, rather than contemplating education cuts, which will inevitably mean that young people who can’t afford to go to third level may end up in a life of crime,” he said.  “Prevention is better than cure and it is a fact of life that the hardest way to hit someone is in the pocket, so if someone was to spend ten years repaying the Minister for Justice for his holidays in Castlerea Prison surely Castlerea Prison would be the last place he would like to see again,” Cllr Kelly concluded. 

Kelly slams decision

Roscommon People
17^th July, 2009.

 

Independent Councillor John Kelly has expressed his outrage at the “savage” REPS cuts imposed by the Government on disadvantaged farmers in Co. Roscommon.  “Being aligned with Fianna Fail in the council chamber to run council business will never deflect me away from expressing my views about what I believe to be the most incompetent government that has ruled this country in thirty years. 

In as much as Fine Gael were gone stale in the Co. Council, Fianna Fail are gone stale in Government,” he states. “This short-sighted move on behalf of yet another SNIP Minister may yield little or nothing for the exchequer when other considerations are assessed and no doubt the Minister has not even thought them through.  Many farmers could now get increases in their farm assist payment equal to their monetary loss of REPS or farmers who don’t get farm assist may now very well qualify”, he states. 

“Furthermore, factories depend on the farmers as much as the farmer depends on having the finances to be able to do business with them and unfortunately this measure could put factories under threat.  “If there are factory closures which mean job losses and if as I predict more people that lose REPS have it replaced with farm assist, it is the taxpayer of this country yet again that pays the bill and yet again for an ill-thought out incompetent decision by a stale Government,” Cllr. Kelly concluded.

Introducing ... YOUR MAYORS FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS

 

Fianna Fail’s Fine Coup!

 

Paul Healy
Roscommon People 19^th June 2009.

 

Cllrs. Tony Ward, John Kelly, Eugene Murphy, Tom Crosby and Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan are each set to serve a one-year term as Mayor of Roscommon over the next five years after Fianna Fail pulled off an unlikely coup ahead of Friday’s first meeting of Roscommon County Council. Fine Gael and the HAC have been dramatically left out in the cold after effectively handing the reins of power to Fianna Fail, who will now coalesce with an unlikely set of partners. A number of Independent County Councillors who have been publicly at odds with Fianna Fail in recent years met with the party’s councillors last night (Wednesday) to shake hands on a deal which has stunned Fine Gael. It all means that Fianna Fail will be the dominant player on Roscommon County Council for the first time in eighteen years.

 

A number of Independent County Councillors who have been publicly at odds with Fianna Fail in recent years have dramatically signed up to a Coalition deal which will allow Fianna Fail to sensationally wrestle control of Roscommon County Council from Fine Gael for the first time in almost twenty years on this Friday afternoon. Four terms as Mayor for four separate Independents –including the outspoken Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan – was the heavy price Fianna Fail had to pay for a deal which has wrong-footed and angered Fine Gael. Prominent Fine Gael Councillor and out-going Mayor Michael McGreal told the Roscommon People that he was “disappointed that people we have worked with for a number of years refused to attend a scheduled meeting (between Fine Gael and Independents) on Tuesday night”.  Independent councillors Tom Crosby, Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan, John Kelly, Jimmy Kenny and Tony Ward and Sinn Fein’s Michael Mulligan have all signed up to a pact with Fianna Fail’s eight councilors – meaning that with fourteen members, this unlikely Coalition will have a majority in the new Council. It leaves Fine Gael’s ten councillors in opposition, the first occasion since 1991 that the party has not had control of Roscommon County Council. Also out in the cold are HAC Councillors Paula McNamara and Valerie Byrne.  

The new council meets for the first time today (Friday) at 2.15 – when the new arrangement is set to take effect. As part of the deal, completed on Tuesday, the group of Independents will hold the prestigious (and lucrative) position of Mayor of Roscommon for four years during the five-year term of the Council. Fianna Fail will only have the position for one year. The first Mayor of the new Council term will be Independent Cllr. Tony Ward, who looks set to be followed in years two, three, four and five by Cllr. John Kelly, Cllr. Eugene Murphy, Cllr. Tom Crosby and Cllr. Luke Flanagan. Independent Jimmy Kenny will be Deputy Mayor for two years. The Roscommon People understands that Fianna Fail councillors, the Independents and Cllr. Mulligan of Sinn Fein signed up to the pact at a meeting in Athlone on Tuesday. On Wednesday night the eight Fianna Fail councilors met in Roscommon town and later that night the new Coalition of fourteen formally met.

Kelly is top vote getter

Pauline Scott

Roscommon People

12^th June, 2009.

 

The county’s top vote getter, Cllr. John Kelly, was this week relaxing safe in the knowledge that he will now be representing the people of the Ballaghaderreen and Castlerea areas on Roscommon County Council for the next five years.  

Cllr. Kelly, an Independent candidate, polled 2,230 first preference votes, almost 700 votes ahead of the next candidate Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan, and was elected on the first count. Reacting to his vote, he said, “I’m delighted, I’m thrilled, over the moon. It was an endorsement of my hard work over the years and I would basically say that for anyone that polled well, it was because they were viewed locally as hard workers. 

So if you worked hard, the people appreciated it and if you didn’t, you didn’t get elected and that’s what this was all about. He said that he didn’t analyse the figures yet, but was well pleased with the vote received in Ballaghaderreen and Clooneygormican, or the Ballinaheglish area. He noted that people in the Ballinaheglish area had been moved from mid Roscommon to the Castlerea Ballaghaderreen area and many opted to vote for him. “I didn’t get a good vote in Castlerea and did average in Ballintubber. Mainly my vote came from Ballaghaderreen, which was an endorsement of the work that I have done for the people.  “In terms of Ballinaheglish, I will continue to work for the extension of Oran graveyard at the present location because it was a big issue for the people on the doorsteps.”

Election Results 
Roscommon People
12th June, 2009. 

 

This was always going to be a dogfight and that’s how it proved. John Murray and Michael Frain of Fine Gael were squeezed out by the bigger guns while James Kilcoyne was just pipped in a frantic race for the final seats.  The votes achieved by John Kelly and Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan at the top of the poll are truly phenomenal. John Kelly got almost two quotas, which is a fantastic performance by any yardstick. 

Kelly is by far the top vote-getter in local politics in Roscommon now.  It is also a fantastic performance by Ming who increased his vote by over 500 on his last local election effort. An astounding quota-smashing result for both councillors. The big question as the count (and recount) went on was – could Paschal Fitzmaurice of Fianna Fail get a seat – and the answer was yes and he did well to do so. Liam Callaghan will be another new face on the council (for Fine Gael) and he will join sitting councillors Michael McGreal (who got a very good vote) and Michael Creaton (also of Fine Gael).

Independents John Kelly, Paula McNamara (HAC) and Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan all increased their vote. Michael Mulligan of Sinn Fein was also a big winner. He increased his vote from 2004 and was also aided by a massive transfer of votes from John Kelly’s surplus. The Sinn Fein man retained his seat with relative ease.  The decision to change this area into a 7-seater from the old two-area situation did not seem to have too much of a bearing on the result but the fact that there was almost 4000 first preference votes given to ‘Ming’ and John Kelly shows that there was a huge anti-establishment, anti-government vote in this area.  FG 3 IND 2 FF 1 SF 1


KELLY AND FLANAGAN LEAD THE WAY
12th June, 2009.
Roscommon People
Pauline Scott

Independent councilor John Kelly proved the county’s biggest votegetter last weekend, taking 2,230 first preference votes, almost two quotas. The Castlerea Ballaghaderreen area is now represented by seven councillors, three Fine Gael, two Independent, one Fianna Fáil and one Sinn Féin. The five sitting councillors who stood for election were all re-elected. John Kelly, the Ballaghaderreen-based community welfare officer, benefited from the inclusion of his home area of Oran in the area and he received support all across the region. 

As expected, Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan also polled very well, taking 1,556 first preference votes and being elected on the first count. While it took until the sixth count for long-serving councilor Michael McGreal to be elected, his seat never really appeared to be in jeopardy. Sitting Sinn Féin councilor Michael Mulligan polled well once again, taking 695 first preference votes, polling well all across the region and particularly in Frenchpark. 

Two new councilors were elected in the Castlerea area. Liam Callaghan for Fine Gael continues a family tradition and was elected on the sixth count, after polling 743 first preferences.  Castlerea shopkeeper Paschal Fitzmaurice took the Fianna Fáíl seat previously held by Tony Waldron and became the first Fianna Fáíl councilor based in the town for many years. Publican John Murray’s attempt to get re-elected to Roscommon County Council foundered, after he polled a disappointing 430 first preferences. Independent candidates Padraig Morris and Ger O’Brien failed to make any impression on their first outings. 

Two new candidates who lost out in this area were Fine Gael’s Micheál Frain and Fianna Fáíl’s James Kilcoyne. Both have come up steadily through the party ranks and polled over 500 votes on their first outing. While both will be disappointed with their failure to get elected, no doubt they will have learned from the experience and both would be expected to contest future elections.

 

Kelly calls on Government to help employers to kick start the economy

 

Noel Fallon
Roscommon Champion  19^th May 2009.

 

Councillor John Kelly has warned that the social welfare bill will “cripple the country” unless the Government takes urgent action.  Cllr. Kelly, who is also a community welfare officer, has called on the Government to provide a supplement to employers to keep employees at work.

 

“It is now unrealistic that we should keep the social welfare budget going in the one direction when we have employers, that with a little bit of financial support, could actually keep that particular person at work, everyone benefits” said Cllr. Kelly.

 

“There has been a huge increase in my workload in the office since 2007, the situation is completely and utterly out of control.  The social welfare bill will cripple the country unless we address it.”  In a stinging attack Cllr. Kelly described the Government as “non-attentive”.  “They must listen to the people who have expertise in particular areas before they come up with anymore hair-brained ideas of their own that simply don’t work,” he said.

 

Cllr. Kelly believes that a mechanism should be worked out whereby people work for their social welfare but can also get it supplemented by employers’ wages.  “Why are we giving social welfare to someone to either stay at home or remain in rented accommodation when we as a nation could gain something?  “Everyone that is depending on Social Welfare will also cost the state on receiving a medical card, a rent allowance or mortgage supplement and many exceptional needs payments when if my proposal of subsidising the former employer with the equivalent rate of social welfare, the state would have a tax and PRSI income and, of course, a pension levy.

 

“Serious consideration should be given to setting up a scheme where the government offers to pay an employer to keep a person at work.  If the employer is able to top up the government supplement it will keep the person at work for half the price to the employer.  The state will pay the other half but the state is paying more at present for full unemployment benefit.

 

“This is an emergency situation, factories are closing down and manufacturing is shutting down.  Small manufacturing businesses need an incentive to keep going.  Let’s do it for six months and see what happens.  Paying out unemployment assistance for no productivity isn’t going to give an incentive to anybody to go back to work.” 

People should work for social welfare – Kelly

 Roscommon People 15^th May 2009

 

Ballaghaderreen area Independent Councillor John Kelly, who is also a Community Welfare Officer, is calling on the Government to listen to the people who have expertise in particular areas before they come up with any more hair-brained ideas that simply don’t work.

 

Cllr. Kelly believes that a mechanism should be worked out whereby people work for their social welfare but can also get it supplemented by employer’s wages in certain cases. “It is now unrealistic that we should keep the social welfare budget going in the one direction when we have employers, that with a little bit of fi nancial support, could actually keep that particular person at work,” he stated.

 

 

“Why are we giving social welfare to someone to either stay at home or remain in rented accommodation when we, as a nation, could gain something?” he said. “The vast majority of people want to work and don’t want to be sitting at home taking money from the state, so we could work out a system whereby employers could be subsidised by the amount paid out in dole payments and it would  keep people in work.

 

 

The companies to be subsidised could be vetted by the local County Enterprise Board to establish who are the genuine companies to qualify to prevent abuse of the system.”

“If we could introduce this system it might stop the re-emergence of the black economy because as economic times get worse I can see that the payment of cash is slowly coming back into fashion. This system would keep everything above board,” he said. “Everyone that is depending on Social Welfare will also cost the state with medical cards, a rent allowance, mortgage supplements and many exceptional needs payments. If my proposal of subsidising the former employer with the equivalent rate of Social Welfare payment were to come into being, the state would have a tax and PRSI income and of course a pension levy too in some cases", he concluded.

Election Launch

 

A great crowd recently gathered in the Abbeyfield Hotel Ballaghaderreen for Councillor John Kelly’s election launch and the atmosphere and entertainment was second to none.

 

Kelly said that despite the recession people came out in there hundreds to enjoy the night and indeed they did just that. Later on Marian Harkin MEP spoke about her upcoming European Election and asked that the people of Ballaghaderreen continue to support her as they did before and she also paid tribute to John’s ongoing hard work for the people of his electoral area and beyond.

 

Kelly himself while listing many positive things that he was responsible for bringing about in his area also outlined what his main issues were for the immediate future.  Amongst them was to ensure that there would be no downgrading of services at Roscommon County Hospital.  He will also be campaigning for the restoration of peoples right to cut turf, natural gas for West Roscommon, investment in Erritt Lake, medical cards for cancer patients, proper funding for the home help service and many other important issues.

 

Kelly asked that the people put their trust in him again for another five years and indeed he hinted that he was also ready for a surprise General Election.  The last five years absolutely flew by and without paraphrasing any previous political leader I can justify the much stated phrase ”a lot done, more to do” he concluded.

Affordable housing scheme could be unaffordable, Kelly

Ballaghaderreen based Councillor John Kelly has highlighted some upcoming possible changes to the affordable housing scheme that will make houses under this scheme unaffordable.

At present under this scheme eligible candidates can make savings of 30% on the cost of a house and if they keep the house for a maximum of twenty years can make a handsome profit on same, he states. However, at the moment there is legislation before the Dail designed at eliminating this provision. 

Under new proposals everything stays the same until the twenty years are up and then you must repay 30% of the then market value of your home to the Department of Environment of which our own Minister has full remit.

In effect it will mean that when you have your mortgage paid the Department will expect you to get another one, despite your possible age at the time and then repay them in full, which of course is ridiculous but just continues to display our Governments total incompetence and proves how out of touch they are with the common people, he concluded. 

                                                 28^th April, 2009.
                                           Roscommon Herald

Social Welfare recipients to lose medical cards

Thousands of social welfare recipients throughout the country face losing their medical cards following a proposal to means test all card holders as of July. Independent Councillor John Kelly has warned this week. 

Cllr Kelly warned that a new government proposal to means test all medical card holders come July would result in thousands of social welfare recipients losing their entitlement to a medical card.  It is understood that the proposal will review the income and circumstances of all medical card holders, with the exception of those who are entitled to a card due to ill health or a medical condition.  

The move follows a decision by government to means test all medical card applicants over the age of 70, as the government clawed back on an automatic entitlement to a medical card for every citizen over 70.  Now Cllr Kelly warned social welfare recipients would face a similar fate and many would face losing their medical card: “ There is a proposal on the cards that everyone on social welfare will be means tested for a medical card come July.  Around 50% of social welfare recipients currently qualify for a medical card but the majority of them now facing losing their cards because of this means test.”

Cllr Kelly explained that, at present, many social welfare recipients qualified for a medical card despite the fact that their incomes were above the income thresholds specified in the medical card guidelines.  He said, however, that if the medical card guidelines were rigidly applied it would result in thousands of social welfare recipients losing their medical cards.

He also pointed out that the income thresholds specified in the medical card guidelines were out of date and had not been increased in the last four years.  Cllr Kelly placed a joint notice of motion on the matter at this week’s meeting of Roscommon County Council, Independent Councillors john Kelly and Tony Ward called on the county council to request the Minister for Health, Mary Harney to instruct the HSE that there should be no change to the present system of applying for medical cards. 

“Since 2005 there has been no increase in the medical card guidelines but they kept increasing Social Welfare payments to the ridiculous degree that anyone on Social Welfare who is over the guidelines for a medical card now has to be means tested.  They are going to means test people on Social Welfare for the first time ever!

“Take for example a single man on the dole who is getting €204 per week and the medical card guidelines is €184 which means he is €20 over the limit.  The reality is that a lot of people on Social Welfare are in danger of losing their medical cards,” said Cllr Kelly.  The Ballaghaderreen area councillor went on to say that the HSE proposed to save millions of euro by introducing a means test for medical card applications but he noted that it was a “scandal” to “look to the bottom of the ladder to solve the problem.”  “I know one particular lady who was relying on the Social Welfare Christmas bonus to pay for her alarm pendant.  Once again it’s the weak and vulnerable who are being hit and it’s a scandal,” said Cllr Kelly.

28^th April, 2009.

 Finneran disputes claims about lack of funding for Ballagh bypass

Richard Canny & Ciara McCaughley
Roscommon Champion

Local Minister Michael Finneran has disputed angry claims by a local Ballaghaderreen councillor that no funding is available to build the Ballaghaderreen bypass.  The controversy arose once more this week following claims by lobby group IBEC West that it had been told officially there was no funding for the long-awaited bypass scheme.

Following a recent meeting between IBEC West delegation and the National Roads Authority in Dublin, IBEC claimed in a media statement that while planning had been approved for both the Ballaghaderreen and Longford by-passes, NRA officials informed the business lobby group there was no funding available to commence construction.

This week, Independent Councillor John Kelly said the IBEC statement proved yet again there was never a serious commitment to the Ballaghaderreen bypass.  “Deputy Finneran’s public announcement of more than €60m funding for the scheme before the last election was used as an election ploy to get a sizeable Fianna Fail vote out of the Ballaghaderreen area.  Now it’s clear that voters have been sold a dummy,” said the councillor.

In 2007, Deputy Finneran said publicly that the by-pass could not go to the CPO stage without the €62 million funding already in place.  The scheme has now reached this stage and Minister Finneran, speaking yesterday (Tuesday) believed the project was still on track.  “As far as I am aware, the bypass is not yet ready to go out to tender.  The minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey only a few weeks ago at a public meeting in Ballaghaderreen, told a large crowd that when finance for the bypass was required, then it would be made available.  But to the best of my knowledge, the project is not at that stage yet.  I do not believe there is an issue with funding or will be in the future,” said Minister Finneran.

The Minister for Housing went on to say that the signing of the Compulsory Purchase Order was one of the major obstacles that any such project would face, yet this stage has already been completed.  “The project is on track to be delivered and to my knowledge there has been no impediment to the local authority on any front.  There are other stages to be completed before the bypass goes to tender so finance is not yet an issue, but when it is needed we have the assurance from the Minister of Transport that it will be provided,” he said.

However, Cllr John Kelly was adamant that given that the Ballagh bypass was not included in the Government’s Transport 21 document, which prioritises infrastructural projects up to 2010, casts further doubt over the validity of Minister Finneran’s assertions.  “When I told officials in the Department of the Environment and the NRA at the time about the big funding announcement from Deputy Finneran, they were flabbergasted.  They said they didn’t know anything about it.  This scheme will be long-fingered and that’s a certainty,” he said.

28th April, 2009. 
Illegal dumpers to be named and shamed

By Mairead  O’Shea
Roscommon Herald

 

A name and shame campaign is set to get underway in the county as Roscommon County Council gets tough on illegal dumping.  Roscommon’s new County Manager, Mr Frank Dawson outlined his get tough approach on Monday when he pledged that the council would publish the names of litter offenders as part of its crackdown on illegal dumping. 

 

The council’s decision comes as the Roscommon Herald was informed of the dumping of animals in the Leam area of Boyle.  According to local residents a number of animals and farm waste have been dumped in a wooden area not far from the local school in Grange.

 

Residents, who are “disgusted” by what they witnessed over the past few days pointed to dead calves, a dead horse, farm plastic and other items.  They have now called for action from the council and the Gardai.  At a meeting of Roscommon County Council on Monday a debate on the whole issue of illegal dumping was sparked by controversy over income shortfalls of €500,000 from Ballaghaderreen landfill.  The council stressed that intake at the site would have to be maximised.

 

Cllr John Kelly highlighted the serious problem of illegal dumping in Ballaghaderreen and warned that it was an impossible task for two litter wardens to police the entire county.  “It’s impossible for two litter wardens to go door to door around the county asking people to account for disposal of their waste,” said Cllr Kelly.

 

Cllr Michael Mulligan proposed that the landfill site in Ballaghaderreen be opened on Saturdays. “People who are working all week would be able to bring their rubbish to the landfill on Saturdays and that might bring some more money into the coffers,” Suggested Cllr Mulligan.  Cllr Tom Crosby also hit out at the problem of illegal dumping and he stressed that the penalties were not severe enough with a fine of €130.

The chances of being caught are about 20,000 to one so you don’t have to be a mathematician to work out that it would be more economically viable to dump waste rather than risk being caught.  With a fine of only €130 you would have to be caught four times before you would have to pay the same amount for a wheelie bin,” said Cllr Crosby.

 
22nd April, 2009.
Kelly slams means testing of the medical cards for over 70’s

BY MARESA FAGAN

 

INDEPENDENT COUNCILLOR John Kelly has this week slammed the government and HSE for placing “untold hardship” on medical card holders over 70, who now face an arduous review and application process to retain their cards. The means test that has been introduced for medical card holders over the age of 70 is causing great distress and anxiety for elderly people, many of whom have contacted Cllr Kelly in recent weeks. 

"Those over 70 now have to go through a hugely complicated application or review process and must provide a copy of their pension book, proof of their income, in addition to completing a six or seven page application form and getting their doctor to sign it, and this is causing untold hardship for many,” Cllr Kelly said. 

Cllr Kelly said that the move to means test applicants also went against the commitment by government last year to leave it at the discretion of card holders, above the income threshold, to declare or hand back their cards. To date more than 10,000 medical cards have been returned and a further 9,000 cards have been cancelled following a review of the Medical Card Register. Cllr Kelly added that the decision by the Department of Health to centralise the processing of medical cards at a new “quango” in Dublin had also created difficulties as well as significant time delays for applicants.

           
“People are being left in limbo without medical cards especially those whose cards have expired and who are now facing a wait of between eight and ten weeks,” Cllr Kelly said. “This new quango off the M50 in Dublin – the HSE Primary Care Reimbursement Scheme – is going to fail.  We’re told that there are two telephone helplines for people to call but the problem is that people can’t get through, so what does that tell you about this new set up,” he added.  

The independent Councillor, who works as a community welfare officer, called on the government to reverse its decision to means test medical card applicants over the age of 70 and to revert back to how the scheme had operated. “The government should revert back to the way the scheme had operated and should provide the necessary support and assistance to community welfare officers who are best placed to deal with medical card applications,” Cllr Kelly said.

Twenty year wait for Ballaghaderreen pool could be nearing an end

This year two independent councillors will assume the respective roles.

Monday’s election of Ballaghaderreen area councillor John Kelly as Mayor or Cathaoirleach and South Roscommon area councillor Tony Ward as Deputy Mayor or Leas Cathoirleach could not have gone smoother.

There were no counter proposals or objections and within 30 minutes of the meeting both were duly elected and all tributes were paid.

Independent councillor John Kelly was proposed for Mayor by fellow independent Tom Crosby and seconded by Fine Gael councillor John Connor.

Cllr Crosby remarked that Cllr Kelly had a wealth of experience outside of his role as a county councillor and was a member of a number of boards such as the enterprise and partnership boards and Ireland West Airport advisory board to name a few.

He noted that Cllr Kelly was “narrowly defeated” in his recent bid for a seat in Dail Eireann. Cllr Crosby added that it was “a big loss” that Cllr Kelly was not one of the Independents that was needed to form the current government.

Cllr Crosby paid tribute and commended outgoing Mayor Charlie Hopkins for the fair and impartial manner in which he managed meetings and for representing the county nationally and around the world.

Seconding the proposal, Cllr Connor remarked that Cllr Kelly was competent, experienced and very well distinguished in how the council operated.

Newly elected Mayor, Cllr John Kelly remarked that it was an honour for him and his family to be elected Mayor.

He remarked that he wasn’t sure that he would assume the role but on Cllr Hopkin’s endorsement it was “one of the greatest honours the county will bestow on you”. He was delighted to be elected.

He noted that just over three years ago he had nothing to do with politics and during this short time he had secured local election success by being elected on the first count in 2004. This year he undertook an exhausting general election campaign.

To be elected Mayor within this three year period, he said, was a great honour.

Mayor Kelly outlined that he hoped to see “measurable movement” on the development of a swimming pool for Ballaghaderreen after 21 years of lobbying by the community for this facility.

The establishment of a Youth Council was his other key objective over the next 12 months. The setting up of such a body has worked in other counties, such as Donegal, he said and would give youths an input into the development of facilities and amenities.

Independent councillor Tony Ward was elected as Deputy Mayor following a proposal by fellow independent colleague Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan and seconded by Fine Gael Councillor Michael Mc Greal.

Cllr Flanagan described Cllr Ward as the most genuine and hard working of councillors, who “has no other motive other than to serve his constituents”.

Newly elected Deputy Mayor, Cllr Ward thanked his proposers for the kind words expressed and vowed to do the best job he could during his term.

He also took the opportunity to congratulate Cllr Kelly on his election to Mayor and noted that he would do an “excellent job”.

He remarked that he was encouraged to run in the local elections by people in his area of Cam and Kiltoom and that his working goal was to serve all of the people of South Roscommon.

Tributes from councillors of all political persuasions were paid to the newly elected Mayor and Deputy Mayor, as well as to outgoing Mayor Charlie Hopkins and outgoing Deputy Mayor John Naughten on the excellent job conducted over the past year.