New figures reveal 22% jump in housing waiting lists in Kildare – O’Rourke
– FOI request by FF reveals a surge in number of people needing housing –
– Govt using outdated figures that mask the true extent of housing crisis –

New figures obtained by Cllr Frank O’Rourke have revealed a surge of 22% in the social housing waiting list in Kildare in less than two years.

Cllr O’Rourke made the revelation following a Freedom of Information request made by Fianna Fáil to Kildare County Council to obtain the most up to date figures for the social housing waiting list in the county. The figures returned reveal that the Government has grossly underplayed the extent of the housing crisis.

“The official government figure states that there are 5,454 people on the housing waiting list in Kildare. However data revealed to Fianna Fáil shows that this has jumped by 22% to over 6,668 households” said Cllr O’Rourke.

“These figures are truly shocking. Minister Kelly claims that he has the housing crisis under control. However these figures reveal that the crisis is far worse than we imagined. The government is significantly understating the extent of the crisis, using figures that are actually two years out of date.

“The government has to start facing up to the reality of the housing emergency. Up until the end of 2014 it only built 1,252 new units nationally, compared to 15,000 units built between 2007-2010. This is the primary cause of this emergency. I have been fighting for greater investment in housing in Kildare to tackle this crisis head on. Unfortunately the Government has not been proactive on this issue and has allowed a major crisis to emerge as a result.

“The most worrying aspect is the fact that the housing crisis is accelerating year on year. The figures we have obtained clearly show this. However despite this the Government is seemingly more interested in prioritising tax cuts for the rich rather than investing in housing and public services.

“We have to start getting to grips with it by building homes that families want to live in. Fianna Fáil is proposing a new national housing roadmap to build 150,000 new homes by 2021 including 45,000 social housing units. I am urging the Government to give strong consideration to our fully costed plans,” said Cllr O’Rourke.

Fianna Fáil calls for expanded civilian recruitment with Gardaí 

Civilians should be posted to garda stations to carry out administrative work 

Fianna Fáil has called for an expansion of the civilian recruitment programme within An Garda Síochána to free up gardaí for community duties.

According to Kildare North general election candidate, Cllr Frank O’Rourke, sustained cuts to garda resources have left many gardaí who should be on the beat stuck in garda stations filling out paper work.

Cllr O’Rourke explained, “The gardaí are currently overburdened with paperwork and administrative duties. Given the huge reduction in garda numbers over the past 5 years, it is a shame that our highly qualified gardaí are often stuck to their desks doing basic work that could be carried out by clerical staff.

“The reality is that gardaí in every community across the country are being expected to do a lot more with a lot less resources.  We should be utilising their skills and training, by ensuring that they are out and about in the community preventing and investigating crime.  It is a complete waste to have them stuck indoors stamping forms and answering the phone.

“I am calling on the Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald and the Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan to consider posting civilian employees to garda stations to carry out basic clerical work and allow gardaí to get away from desk work.  This could include answering phones and processing forms relating to motor tax, social welfare payments, electoral register changes and passport renewals.   It would allow our highly trained gardaí to get out into the community and do the job that they were trained to do.

“It is crucial that these clerical staff would not be seen as a replacement for qualified gardaí.  Rather, this system must be used in tandem with an accelerated garda recruitment process.  Garda numbers have fallen to dangerously low levels.  In my own county of Kildare, there is now just 1 garda for every 650 people. There is no doubt that the cuts to garda resources have had a direct impact on crime levels.  We need more gardaí and we need a better system to ensure that our trained professionals are not wasted on basic paperwork.”

Dear All,

As you are aware work is well underway to develop the first Local Economic and Community Plan for Kildare.  The general public are now invited to input into the plan from this week until Friday 11th September 2015. An extensive range of consultation and stakeholder engagement is planned over the coming weeks and months. I’d encourage you all to take a look at information provided in the links below, in particular the comprehensive baseline report produced with Maynooth University and also to carry out the short survey. A hardcopy of the report will be sent you next week. Continue reading →

Irish Cancer Society ‘Care to Drive’ Seek Volounteers

The Irish Cancer Society’s Care to Drive service is currently seeking volunteer drivers from all over Kildare to drive local patients to and from their treatments.

Tel: Rebecca on 01 2316642 or email transport@irishcancer.ie
Further information on how you can volunteer available on Irish Cancer Society website.

9,000 FREE higher education courses are now available through Springboard+.

Springboard+ allows unemployed people to re-skill in areas where we know there are sustainable jobs, and eligible participants are able to retain their social protection payment whilst on the course.

Continue reading →

The EU’s statistics agency Eurostat announced today that the financial model for the beleaguered State water utility failed to meet key EU rules. As the Government continues to spend hundreds of millions of euro on water meters, consultants’ fees, billing and other set-up costs for Irish Water, the EU is saying that bills for distressed households are not high enough in effect. Irish Water has been, and continues to be, a complete waste of money.

Fianna Fail is committed to dismantling this bloated entity that has no prospect of securing the confidence or support of the Irish public.  The Fine Gael Labour coalition Government needs to recognise the extent of its failures with Irish Water.  It is simply not credible to do otherwise.

A copy of Kildare County Council’s Draft Litter Management Plan 2016-2019 is attached below.

This is being published until Friday 4th September and is open to public submissions. I would welcome any submissions or comments you may have. You can contact me on:

Ph: 087 255 5257 or email: frankorourke1@gmail.com

All submissions will be discussed at the Environment SPC in October before going to the council for discussion and adoption later in the year.

To view the report… download here