We all had a brilliant night in Kilcock GAA last night (the 8th) attending Susan O’Brien’s fundraiser who is suffering from Lyme’s disease. Susan is heading to Germany on Monday next to start her two weeks of treatment and we all wish her the best of luck 👍🏻 well done to everyone who helped organise last nights fundraiser which was a great success. I really enjoyed judging the “Rugged Rose” of Kilcock with our very own Kildare Rose Deirbhle Mulvihill which was great fun. Congrats to the winner “Phyllis”. Well done to all the “Rose’s” for been great sports. Susan will be giving us regular updates in the weeks ahead. Well done again to everyone involved in last nights success 👏🏻👏🏻

Following on from representations I have made to the relevant parties, please see the below reply I received;

The departure time for buses catering for pupils in Celbridge PP centre has been adjusted to 15.50 each Wednesday effective from next Wednesday 13th September (changed from 16.05).
School Closures are Salesians 15.20, St. Wolstans 15.20 and Celbridge Comm at 15.40 We allow for 10 minutes approx. for students to leave classroom and make their way to the buses.
The route of the buses is as follows in the afternoons: Salesians, Community School & St. Wolstans this is due to traffic congestion and not backtracking on the routes in question.

Local Fianna Fail TD, and Deputy Spokesperson on Finance, Frank O’Rourke, has called on the Minister for Finance to focus on widening the tax bands rather than on reducing the tax rates in the forthcoming budget.

“At present, the standard rate tax band for a single person is €33,800.  PAYE employees pay the higher rate of tax of 41% once they earn over this amount. In my view, we should increase the standard rate tax band to €40,000 in the forthcoming budget, enabling more workers to be taxed at the lower rate and incentivising work.”

“Reducing the higher tax rate would disproportionately assist the better off.  Widening the tax bands is a fairer way of reducing the overall tax burden, but it is less headline friendly. This Government seems more focussed on spin and getting headlines rather than on substance and delivery, so could favour reducing tax rates rather than widening the tax bands.”

 “We are seeing the cost of living increasing, with increases in motor insurance, fuel, in public transport costs, in rents, medical expenses and back to school costs. Workers, particularly those who are earning modest incomes, need their tax burden reduced.”

“Widening the tax bands is much fairer than reducing the higher rate of tax and we must focus on reducing the tax burden where lower income families derive the most benefit. I will continue my work in relation to holding the Government to account in relation to the rising cost of motor insurance, to ensure what people get in one hand is not taken by the insurance companies in the other hand,” concluded Deputy O’Rourke

Recent Retail Interest Rate statistics published by the Central Bank show that mortgages rates are falling in Ireland. However, they are not falling at the same pace that deposit rates are falling, and mortgage rates in Ireland remain dramatically out of line with rates charged elsewhere in Europe, according to Fianna Fáil’s Deputy Finance Spokesperson, Frank O’Rourke.

“These statistics published by the Central Bank recently show that despite modest reductions in mortgage rates, Irish mortgage holders are continuing to pay dramatically more than consumers elsewhere in Europe.”

“For example, in Ireland, the interest rate on all new mortgages, fixed and variable, stood at 3.3% in June compared to a Euro area rate of 1.83%. This means that a borrower with a mortgage of €200,000 is paying €250 per month more than they would be paying in the average Euro area country. That is €250 a month, each and every month, which could be spent by families on other household necessities. There has yet to be a credible explanation for such a dramatic difference in the rates charges and it is depriving our economy of much needed money which could be spent more productively in our economy” stated Deputy O’Rourke,
“In May 2016, a Fianna Fáil Bill designed to give the Central Bank powers to tackle excessive variable mortgage rates passed second stage in the Dáil. The progress of the Bill through the legislative process has been tortuous and painfully slow. Despite not opposing the Bill at second stage, it is abundantly clear the Government does not want the Bill to become law.”

“As I have said in the Dail on a number of occasions, we must focus on reducing the cost of living as well as reducing the burden of taxation. There is little point in reducing tax rates, if the banks are continuing to charge excessively high variable mortgage rates or insurance companies are continuing to increase their rates, taking back a multiple of any reduction in taxation.”

“However, key elements of our Bill on mortgage rates will proceed when the Dail returns next month which will be of help in relation to securing fairer mortgage rates in the Irish market,” concluded Deputy O’Rourke.

Local Fianna Fail TD, Frank O’Rourke, has called for further investment to increase the capacity of the car park at Maynooth Rail station. Deputy O’Rourke made the call following representations he made to the National Transport Authority (NTA) seeking increased park and ride places for Maynooth rail commuters.

“The Maynooth Rail Car Park is full at around 7.30am or 7.45am in the morning. Driving to city centre is becoming increasingly difficult and we need to encourage more people to use public transport. However, we must provide facilities which encourage the use of public transport, and one such facility is adequate park and ride facilities at our rail stations.” Stated Deputy O’Rourke.

Home Carer Tax Credits are available to many people in Ireland and according to local Fianna Fail TD, Frank O’Rourke, not everyone that is entitled to this credit is availing of it.

“Home Carer Tax Credit are given to married couples or civil partners (who are jointly assessed for tax) where one spouse or civil partner works in the home caring for a dependent person; such as child, elderly person or a person with a disability who requires care. This tax credit was increased to €1,100 in Budget 2017. Recent Budgets also increased the amount of income the stay-at-home person can earn before they lose this credit altogether.”

Congrats to everyone in Celbridge Youth Café that was involved in organising a brilliant summer camp. I was delighted to drop in to meet everyone today on their last day. The feedback was great and that they all really enjoyed the camp. There was a fantastic atmosphere with great fun and entertainment. The BBQ was great and I enjoyed the burger 😃 well done again to everyone that participated and organised the camp 👏🏻👏🏻 great to see so much positive things happening

Local Fianna Fail TD, Frank O’Rourke, has called on the Government to reduce the monthly threshold applicable under the Drugs Payment Scheme. Deputy O’Rourke made the comments in the context of reducing the cost of living for people.

“Under the Drugs Payment Scheme, you pay a maximum of €144 in a calendar month for approved prescribed drugs, medicines and certain appliances for use by yourself and your family in that month. This equates to an annual threshold of €1,728, which is a significant outlay on any family with health issues.”

“Reducing this, even by a modest amount of €14 per month to €130 per month would provide direct help for those that most need it. I am having discussions with my colleague Deputy Michael McGrath, our Finance Spokesperson, on this issue as I want it on our agenda for discussions with the Government in relation to our priorities for Budget 2018.”

“It is not all about reducing tax rates. It is about reducing the cost of living. As I have repeatedly said in relation to the rising costs of Motor Insurance, there is little point in reducing the Universal Social Charge (USC) if the Insurance Industry is going to retake a multiple of the reduction in USC with the increase in the cost of Motor Insurance.”

“Reducing the monthly threshold from €144 to €130 would provide a direct benefit to those that most need it. I believe that this is an issue which should be pursued by the Government in the forthcoming budget, and focus on reducing the cost of living for our citizens” concluded Deputy O’Rourke.