• Recommendation has been outlined in key report
• Motion to be presented at Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting

 

Fianna Fáil TD for Clare Cathal Crowe is calling on the government to introduce a Public Service Obligation to save the post office network from terminal decline.

Deputy Crowe has drafted a motion making the call, which has been co-signed as a joint motion by Senator Timmy Dooley and Deputies Jackie Cahill, Pádraig O’Sullivan and Joe Flaherty, and is to be presented at the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting this evening.

It follows the recent confirmation that Broadford’s post office is to permanently close after 190 years in operation; marking a significant blow for rural Clare.

“I am asking colleagues in government to consider introducing a Public Services Obligation to help sustain the Irish post office network as a matter of urgency,” said Deputy Crowe.

“The post office network is facing an existential crisis and without a funding stream to rescue it from continued loss making we will, possibly within this year, see more than half of the post offices in the country facing possible closure.

“In Broadford, the community has enjoyed having a local post office for an unbroken 190 years and they’re completely devastated that An Post senior management is now using a national consolidation plan to shut the doors on this branch forever.

“Despite a mammoth effort put in by the community in terms of putting a case forward for keeping the branch open, An Post has responded to all of this research with a copy and paste answer – not even on letterhead, but by email.

“That’s treating the community with disdain and it’s not the way this should be playing out in its final hours.

“That said, there’s still a battle to be fought here and I’m more than up for the task of doing so, along with others in the county.

“The much-publicised Grant Thornton report into the future of the post office network recommended that a PSO costing in the region of €17m per annum could sustain the network in its current form.

“I think this amounts to small money when you consider the immense benefit of the post office network throughout the country, but particularly in rural areas which are constantly being left behind.

“As a country, we need to do some soul searching and ask ourselves a simple question – do we place value on this service that’s a backbone to rural life?

“Covid has reminded us that our dependency on our local services is as important as ever and for that reason it’s an absolutely retrograde step and short-sighted move to allow post offices to shut their doors for good.”

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• Will end uncertainty facing locals there
• 30-month timeframe outlined

 

Fianna Fáil TD for Clare Cathal Crowe has welcomed confirmation by the Minister for Education Norma Foley that work on the long-awaited amalgamation of secondary schools in Ennistymon is expected to commence by the second quarter of the year.

In response to a parliamentary question tabled by Deputy Crowe, the Minister has confirmed that the project is at an advanced stage of the tendering process and a preferred bidder has been identified.

“This is very welcome news for parents, pupils and teachers alike in Ennistymon and the surrounding communities,” said Deputy Crowe.

“Last September, we heard the welcome news that the amalgamation had moved to tender stage, the last key stage before construction, but no timeline had been given.

“I’ve now been assured by Minister Foley that, subject to no issues arising during the balancing of the tender process, work should be able to commence in the second quarter of the year.

“This project has an estimated timeframe of 30 months to completion meaning, all going well, the amalgamated school should be completed by December 2023.

“At long last, there is light at the end of the tunnel. I’m continuing to liaise with Minister Foley on this and am working closely with my colleague, Councillor Shane Talty, to see it over the line.

“I look forward to visiting the site this summer when hopefully our restrictions have lifted and work can commence in earnest.”

Cllr Talty added “This is a project that has been bedevilled by delays and false dawns for over 30 years and it’s wonderful for the community to see that construction can shortly finally commence and it’s nearing delivery.”

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• First report of group makes key recommendations
• Future of tourism sector at stake

 

Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Tourism and Aviation Cathal Crowe has welcomed the recommendations of the first report of the Recovery Oversight Group for Tourism.

The group, appointed by Minister Catherine Martin in December, has made its first report back to the Department of Tourism, with a number of key areas which its members believe require urgent attention.

“I fully welcome the recommendations contained in this report,” said Deputy Crowe.

“The experts involved in this group have called for both the CRSS and EWSS to be extended; for the rates waiver to be continued and for the 9% VAT rate for tourism to be kept in place until 2025, among a number of other recommendations.

“It’s vital now that we listen to what they have come out and said.

“Although all the measures to keep the tourism sector buoyant at this time are costly to the state, it makes sense that they should continue – because simply put, the alternative is to stand back and watch the sector collapse, resulting in a huge amount of other pressures on the state’s social welfare system

“We’ve now been living with the Covid-19 pandemic for a full year.

“In this time, we have seen the tourism sector reach a rock bottom point but – crucially – also enjoy a reasonably healthy summer season, with plenty of domestic tourism, which we need to focus on again.

“We also need to acknowledge that the tourism sector has a vast supply chain. A hotel in Clare, or anywhere in Ireland, may have a hundred or so on payroll but the same hotel sustains local butchers, bakers, farmers, dairy suppliers, launderettes and so on.

“In parts of rural Clare, tourism businesses are the only local source of income for a lot of people – so many of our teenagers and young adults start out in these businesses and fund their education through that income.

“We need to acknowledge that money in tourism circulates better than probably most sectors in our economy.

“As Fianna Fáil’s Spokesperson on Tourism, I will be lobbying for as many of these supports as possible to remain in place and for the oversight group’s recommendations to be taken on board and implemented.”

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• Minister Eamon Ryan confirms news
• Long-awaited project can now proceed

 

Fianna Fáil TD for Clare Cathal Crowe has welcomed confirmation from Minister Eamon Ryan that his department has given the green light to Phase 1 of the Limerick Northern Distributor Road and the project can finally proceed.

The news brings an end to a significant amount of doubt over the future of the entire project in recent weeks, which has been 12 years in the making.

“I’m delighted that Minister Ryan confirmed on Limerick’s Live 95fm Limerick Today programme that Phase 1 of this long-awaited project can finally go ahead,” said Deputy Crowe.

“This ends weeks of recent uncertainty and alarm in the locality that this road, despite 12 years of public consultation and preparatory works may not take place

“I’m grateful that Minister Ryan has taken time to consider the merits of Phase 1 of this project and that it can now proceed immediately, and a contractor is in place so construction could very realistically begin this side of the summer

“Already, there is a causeway built along the Coonagh to Caherdavin stretch of the roadway, comprised of large boulders with an earth embankment.

“There is already an extensive network of drainage of sluice gates in place and the entire corridor from Coonagh as far as Meelick has already been fenced off.

“The road will incorporate approximately 10km of new footpath and 10km of new cycleway and it will open up South-East Clare to new opportunities, also alleviate traffic problems in South Clare and the north suburbs of Limerick City.

“In all of my years as a councillor, I attended briefing sessions and meetings relating to Phase 1 of this road and a lot of work has been undertaken in partnership with local community over the years.

“It would have been wrong for landowners and homeowners nearby to have seen this project pulled at the eleventh hour so thankfully, that concern is no longer there for them.

“At last week’s Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting, I joined with my colleague Willie O’Dea in tabling a motion calling for this road to progress.

“Our motion got full backing of the party colleagues and it resulted in the Taoiseach contacting Minister Ryan directly to make this call.

“I think people in South Clare will breathe a sigh of relief knowing that years of uncertainty will now end and this project will begin in earnest.

“The opportunities with this are endless and it’s now vital that both Clare and Limerick councils engage proactively with residents along the corridor of Phase 2 of this road so that their concerns can be listened to and some certainty can also be found for them.”

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• Funding signed off on by Education Minister
• Follows funding allocation for St Aidan’s NS in Shannon

 

Fianna Fáil TD for Clare Cathal Crowe has welcomed the confirmation that funding has been secured to build a two-classroom Special Educational Needs base at St Tola’s National School in Shannon.

Minister Norma Foley has signed off on the project, which will play a part in addressing the shortage of SEN facilities in the county.

“I’m delighted to have received the confirmation today that funding has officially been approved for this project at St Tola’s NS,” said Deputy Crowe.

“This will see two brand new SEN base classrooms constructed there, which will help bolster the existing SEN resources serving Shannon and its surrounding hinterlands.

“There was a time up to the mid-90s were SEN kids weren’t properly catered for but thankfully that all changed with the Educational Act and various other pieces of legislation.

“As a teacher who has taught many kids with special educational needs, I’m all too aware that the legislation is only worthwhile if the resources and supports are actually in place to cater for those children’s needs.

“St Aidan’s NS, just around the corner, has also been approved funding in recent weeks for emergency electrical works so it’s all looking positive for school kids in Shannon at present.

“The past few weeks have been tough on children with special educational needs and for their families and hopefully with the agreement struck now to return to classrooms there is an end in sight to that.

“I am aware, too, that there is significant concern in Shannon and its surrounding areas about the lack of facilities for second-level SEN pupils and I continue to engage with Minister Foley with a view to finding a solution to that.”

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