Category Archives: Health

Alternative Ignored by Minister Rabbitte in Telephone Allowance Cut

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Ignoring panic calls system but cutting telephone allowance not acceptable.

I was less than impressed at Minister Rabbitte for his disregard towards the elderly and disabled in light of axing their telephone allowance. It’s also especially disgraceful of the Minister for a failure to utilise standard telecoms technology which would allow emergency panic calls across all rural areas and might help alleviate concerns at much lower cost.

This regressive approach by the Minister for Communications towards elderly people and the disabled leaves them in probable danger and perhaps helpless as a consequence.

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Work Finally Started on Kilcullen Childcare Centre

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I was delighted to attend the turning of the sod at Kilcullen Childcare Centre earlier today. A decent crowd gathered, despite the inclement conditions, to cheer on one of the most experienced volunteers and one of the youngest care-lings in turning the sod to formally declare the building project open,

The centre is the fruition of much dedicated work by the local committee and at one stage looked in jeopardy after Minister Hogan threatened to pull the plug on funding (see story here for full details). I was happy to lobby for a reversal of that decision, along with my colleague Deputy Sean O’Fearghaill, and all was well that ended well in the end as funding was approved. In any event it is all systems go now and good luck to them on the road ahead.

Lawless Backs FF Bill to Share Parental Leave

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The new Fianna Fáil bill which proposes that the father of a new born child can share the 26 weeks of maternity leave with the mother is progressive and deserves full support through the Oireachtas. The bill is being promoted by Senator Mary White and is part of a series of pro-enterprise proposals being brought forward by the party.

This innovative piece of legislation entitled the ‘Parental Leave Bill 2013’ proposes that the current maternity leave scheme be amended to enable a woman to transfer a proportion of her maternity leave and benefits to the father of the child, if she so wishes.

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Lawless Slams An Bord Pleanala Refusal for Nursing Home in Sallins

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Local Representative for Sallins, James Lawless, has lashed out at An Bord Pleanala and Kildare County Council for refusing permission for a change of use from hotel to nursing home in the Waterways complex, Sallins. “What was being sought was a change of use, the unit is already there, the only thing that would have been different is that there would have actually been people employed and working and living in it. Better a live centre than a dead building. The bricks and mortar are still standing there either way. And the unit already has permission for a hotel to operate. What is the difference between a nursing home and a hotel that has proved so insurmountable?” James fumed.

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Access Concerns on New Childrens’ Hospital

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Fianna Fáil’s Naas Area Representative, James Lawless, has expressed concern over the government’s choice of site for the childrens’ hospital and has expressed reservations on the city centre location chosen in Dublin 8.

“A great many people from the Naas Area and across North Kildare will have had occasion to visit Tallaght hospital with their children and most will have found it accessible, clean, efficient and convenient” said James.

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