Govt still have not provided a firm date to provide
                                 overdue pension payments to Dubliners 

Fianna Fáil TD, Darragh O’Brien has said that while the Government's recent announcement on a new Home Caring credit, for calculating pensions is welcome, there are still a number of issues that need to be clarified by Minister for Social Protection, Regina Doherty.

The Total Contributions Approach will see all contributions over a person’s full career included when calculating their pension entitlements.

The Dublin Fingal TD explained, “I and my Fianna Fáil colleagues trenchantly opposed the changes made to State Contributory Pension by Fine Gael and Labour in 2012. 


“This decision was also made against the background of the blatant and crude raid on the private pension funds of hundreds of thousands of people to the tune of more than €2.4 billion.


“The Government's decision resulted in some instances of people losing in the region of €30 per week, which is €1,500 per annum; a significant sum of money for most people, especially those who were solely dependent on the State pension.

“While the Government’s recent u-turn is welcome, there are still a lot of unanswered questions about how it will actually be rolled out. Minister 
Doherty’s refusal to rule out a full reversal of the 2012 changes is disappointing.


“While the Total Contributions Approach (TCA) combined with the new Home Caring credit is a step in the right direction, it falls well short of a complete solution.


"The fact that payments will not be made until next year is in itself is a major issue. Pensioners across Dublin have been waiting long enough for their entitlements, and now they’ll have to wait another year before they start receiving their payments.


“The pension's anomaly has to be addressed but it must be addressed for all of those who are affected and not just for the portion of people identified by the Minister. I remain very concerned that many men affected by the 2012 changes may not benefit all those affected.


"I, along with my Fianna Fáil colleagues will continue to raise this issue with the Minister and the Government until it is satisfactorily resolved,” concluded Deputy O’Brien.

My colleague Cllr Brian Dennehy and I have received a notice from Fingal County Council in relation to an application has been received from Gas Networks for permission to temporarily close a road in the Skerries area for the purpose of carrying out upgrade works to the Gas Network.

It is proposed that the road will be closed from 10.00am to 4.00pm Saturday 17th February and Sunday 18th February 2018.

The road in question is:
Convent Lane, Skerries, Co. Dublin.

Alternative routes available for vehicular traffic are as follows:
• Strand Street
• Thomas Hand Street
• Church Street

Any person may lodge an objection online through the Consultation Portal, at https://consult.fingal.ie, or in writing to the Senior Executive Officer, Balbriggan Swords Operational Area, Fingal County Council, Grove Road, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, to arrive no later than 10.00am on Friday 2nd February 2018.

Please see below further Parliamentary Question responses that I received last week from the Minister for Education & Skills Richard Bruton TD regarding a new school building for St Joseph's Secondary School and the provision of a new site and school for Gaelscoil Ros Eo.

School provision in Rush has and continues to be an absolute priority for me. Be assured that I will continue to follow up both of these projects with Minister Bruton and the Department of Education & Skills. 



______________________________________________
For Written Answer on : 16/01/2018
Question Number(s): 354 Question Reference(s): 54727/17
Department: Education and Skills
______________________________________________


QUESTION

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a new school building project for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. (Details Supplied) St Joseph's Secondary School, Rush, County Dublin

REPLY



"As the Deputy is aware the building project for the school in question is included on my Department's capital programme.

A new school site is required to accommodate this project and officials in my Department have been in contact with the school patron and trustees in relation to the site acquisition."


______________________________________________
For Written Answer on : 16/01/2018
Question Number(s): 356 Question Reference(s): 54729/17
Department: Education and Skills
______________________________________________


QUESTION

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the provision of a new site for a school (details supplied) as announced in November 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. (Details Supplied) Gaeilscoil Ros Eo, Rush, Co. Dublin

REPLY



"As the Deputy is aware, a project to provide permanent accommodation for the school in question is included on my Department's Capital Programme.

Officials in my Department continue to liaise with officials in the relevant local authority in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the acquisition of a suitable site for this school.  Discussions with relevant parties regarding the potential acquisition of a preferred site option are currently in progress with a view to advancing matters as expeditiously as possible. 

While I am not in a position to provide further information at this time, I can assure the Deputy that my Department is in communication with the school patron and representatives to keep them appraised of progress and they will be informed of the proposed location as soon as it is possible to do so."

I will keep you informed of progress. In the meantime if you have any queries in relation to this or any other issue please do not hesitate to contact me. 

​I am glad to see that work has finally commenced on phase 2 of the school building project for Lusk Community College.

I would like to take this opportunity to commend both Principal Orla Forde and Lusk Community College Parents Association, without whom I am certain this work would not yet have commenced.

For you own records please see below the Parliamentary Question response that I received last week from the Minister for Education & Skills Richard Bruton TD.

______________________________________________
For Written Answer on : 16/01/2018
Question Number(s): 355 Question Reference(s): 54728/17
Department: Education and Skills
______________________________________________


QUESTION

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the next phase of the school building project for a school (details supplied) in County Dublin will commence; the status of this project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. (Details Supplied) Lusk Community College

REPLY



I am pleased to inform the Deputy that construction commenced on the 3rd January 2018 on the school referred to by him.

Subject to no issues arising it is envisaged that construction will take approximately 18 months.

Please see below further Parliamentary Question responses that I received last week from the Minister for Education & Skills Richard Bruton TD regarding provision of a new secondary school for Malahide and Portmarnock and provision of a permanent site Malahide/Portmarnock Educate Together National School.

The continued delay's in the provision of a new secondary school for the Malahide/Portmarnock area is extremely disappointing considering the Minister Richard Bruton TD  had previously stated that the new school would be open in time for September 2017. 

School provision in Malahide and Portmarnock has and continues to be an absolute priority for me. Be assured that I will continue to follow up both of these projects with Minister Bruton and the Department of Education & Skills. 

______________________________________________
For Written Answer on : 16/01/2018
Question Number(s): 351 Question Reference(s): 54724/17
Department: Education and Skills
______________________________________________


QUESTION
To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the provision of a new secondary school for the Malahide and Portmarnock areas of County Dublin as announced in November 2015; if locations for these proposed schools have been identified; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
REPLY


As the Deputy is aware, a project to provide permanent accommodation for the new post primary school to serve Malahide/Portmarnock is included on my Department's Capital Programme.

Officials in my Department are working with officials in Fingal County Council in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the identification and acquisition of a suitable site for this school and the process is ongoing. 

My Department has been in contact with the school patron to appraise them of progress in this regard. 

______________________________________________
For Written Answer on : 16/01/2018
Question Number(s): 352 Question Reference(s): 54725/17
Department: Education and Skills
______________________________________________


QUESTION
To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the provision of a permanent site for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. (Details Supplied) Malahide/Portmarnock Educate Together National School
REPLY


As the Deputy is aware, the project to provide permanent accommodation for the school in question is included on my Department's Capital Programme.

Officials in my Department are working with officials in the relevant local authority in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the identification and acquisition of a suitable site for this school and the process is ongoing.  

My Department is in contact with the school patron to appraise them of progress in this regard.

I will keep you informed of progress. In the meantime if you have any queries in relation to this or any other issue please do not hesitate to contact me. ​