Ballesty calls on Green Party TD to reverse savage cutbacks in education - Press Release 25 October 2008

Ballesty calls on Green Party TD to reverse savage cutbacks in education

Sinn Féin representative for Lucan and Palmerstown Robert Ballesty and members of Dublin Mid West Sinn Féin today held a protest outside the constituency offices of Green Party TD and Chair of the Education and Science Committee in the Oireachtas, Paul Gogarty.

Robert Ballesty said. "We are here today to demand that the government reverse the cuts in education. The Fianna Fáil/Green Party government promised that education would be free from frontline cuts, but with this budget have produced devastating cuts that will adversely affect, children, parents and teachers. Classes sizes are getting bigger, there are more charges for school transport and college registration fees are to rise. This government promised before the general election in 2007 that class sizes would be reduced, and many schools that were promised new buildings still find themselves in rundown and dilapidated pre-fabs. I am calling on Paul Gogarty to ensure that funding is made available to Gaelscoil Eiscir Riada in Lucan which has been officially recognised as a school and have been given a site on which to build but there is still no sign of funding to build a permanent school.

"Fianna Fáil and the Green Party thought that the easy targets for budget 2009 would be pensioners, children and working families. The senior citizens who protested this week showed that people power works. They have forced a government climb-down. What the Government have done on the medical card for over-70s does not go far enough but they would have done nothing if older people had not risen up, made their case in the clearest and strongest terms and demonstrated their anger on the airwaves and on the streets. They have shown that the Irish public does not support this budget. We demand that the Fianna Fáil/Green Party Government reverse their savage cutbacks in education."

Ballesty calls for budget decision on Medical Cards for over 70s to be reversed - Press Release 18 October 2008

Ballesty calls for budget decision on Medical Cards for over 70s to be reversed

Note to editor: Photo of Robert Ballesty and Mary Lou McDonald at today's protest in Lucan attached, as well as a photo of some of the other protestors. Sinn Féin representative for Lucan and Palmerstown Robert Ballesty was today joined by Sinn Féin MEP Mary Lou McDonald on a demonstration organised by Lucan Sinn Féin outside Minister for Health Mary Harney's constituency clinic today in Lucan, in response to the government's decision to means test the over 70s access to medical cards.

Speaking afterwards Robert Ballesty said "We in Lucan Sinn Féin organised this protest today, after receiving many calls from angry constituents who have expressed concern and confusion with the latest government policy, especially regarding the income limits that will apply. We call on the Health Minister to immediately reverse the decision to withdraw automatic medical card provision for the over 70s without delay."

Sinn Féin calls for immediate action on local drugs den - Press Release 9 October 2008

Sinn Féin calls for immediate action on local drugs den


Sinn Féin representative for Lucan and Palmerstown Robert Ballesty has called on South Dublin County Council to immediately take measures to tackle the regular drug dealing and abuse in Ballyowen Park. Robert Ballesty has been contacted by local parents who complained that their children were recently approached by drug users while they were playing in the local park. On further inspection Ballesty discovered that the area behind the changing facilities for football teams using the park, is littered with drug paraphernalia

He said, "Having been contacted by concerned parents in the area I visited the park with one of the parents and found the area littered with tinfoil, syringes and crack pipes. There was also a tent that the drug users use to sleep off their 'fix'.

"I have contacted South Dublin County Council and asked them to immediately clean the area around the changing facilities in Ballyowen Park, and to clear some of the bushes and undergrowth away, as this has become a haven for drug users.

"This park is used by families and young people playing football, it isused by many residents in nearby estates as a shortcut and for peopleout walking. I am also calling on South Dublin County Council to install adequate lighting in the park, to ensure the safety of the residents who use it once darkness falls.

"This park is just 400 metres from a Garda Station. I have called in to see them, showed them the photographic evidence from the park and put them on alert to the situation. It is imperative that they act to stem this problem with extra patrols in the park.

"Last week I welcomed an announcement by John Curran the Minister of State, on the roll out of the 'Dial to Stop Drug Dealing' scheme. Sinn Féin had been asking for this scheme to be extended across the state for some time now and we are glad that the government has eventually agreed to our demand. What we need now is action not words. We need to move more Gardaí out from behind desks and into their communities, where they belong.

"Funding must also be increased for drug treatment and rehabilitation. The numbers of people presenting for help with drug addiction is at record levels. This is particularly so in the case of heroin addiction. The current economic slowdown must not be used as an excuse to cut funds for drug treatment and rehabilitation.

"Proper investment in all five pillars of the national drugs strategy will have a significantly positive impact in the community in the longer term. Anyone seeking help to come off drugs must be provided with the proper facilities to do so, not just for their own sake but for the sake of the wider community."