GARDA SIOCHANA OMBUDSMAN COMMISSION POWERS SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO INCLUDE GARDA COMMISSIONER - KENNY
Posted on February 26, 2014 4:57 PM
Speaking on the Statements on Allegations by Members of An Garda Siochana I am glad of the opportunity to speak in the House on what is now an issue of substantial national importance and which has been in the public domain continuously for several weeks. I was pleased to see the government's announcement yesterday that a Senior Counsel will be making an assessment of all the issues which have recently been the subject of so much controversy. This, I believe, is the right thing to do, and I am certain that, if that assessment recommends a Commission of Inquiry, there...
UNRELIABLE AUDIO SYSTEM ON SOME DART TRAINS IS TO BE REPLACED - KENNY
Posted on February 25, 2014 5:49 PM
Dublin Bay North Labour TD and member of the Oireachtas Transport Committee Sean Kenny has welcomed the news that the unreliable audio message system that is in use on some DART trains is to be replaced. "All DART trains are equipped with an on-board system. This allows for automatic announcements and also for announcements made by the crew on board the DART. Of the 144 carriages in the DART fleet, 76 of these carriages had a system installed in 2007 and 2008 under the Transport 21 programme and this is working very well and without problem. However, the remaining 68...
KENNY WELCOMES PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON BUS RAPID TRANSIT FOR DUBLIN
Posted on February 25, 2014 3:53 PM
Dublin Bay North Labour TD and member of the Oireachtas Transport Committee Sean Kenny has welcomed the start of the consultation process for a Bus Rapid Transit system in Dublin. "There are two cross-city routes being proposed - the first is in my own constituency of Clongriffin to Tallaght, the second is from Blanchardstown to UCD, and there is a third route from Swords to the City Centre." "I think these are excellent proposals and complement the earlier Metro North and Metro West plans. While they would operate in a system very similar to the Metro or Luas, they are...
TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICE MUST ENSURE RAIL SERVICES NOT JUST ROADS ARE DEVELOPED - KENNY
Posted on February 20, 2014 4:11 PM
Speaking on the Roads Bill 2014 The proposal to merge the National Roads Authority (NRA) and Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) is consistent with Government plans for Public Sector reform and, in particular, its programme for rationalisation of State Agencies. The amalgamation is being implemented through the dissolution of the RPA and the transferring of its functions and staff to the NRA. The merger will add one more to the 43 State agencies already merged or amalgamated at the last count. It is expected that there will be over a hundred fewer State agencies and public bodies before the term of...
HSE MODEL HAS NOT WORKED, IT'S TIME FOR GREATER ACCOUNTABILITY - KENNY
Posted on February 19, 2014 5:16 PM
Speaking on the Health Service Executive (Financial Matters) Bill 2013 Under the Health Act 2004 the Health Service Executive has its own Vote - in other words, it is funded through a separate process from the Department of Health. The Programme for Government contains wide ranging commitments regarding reform of the Health Services and the dissolution of the HSE is also a necessary step in the process of implementing these. "The Health Act 2004 provided that the Minister for Health had no legal role in setting the HSE budget. The intention then was to give the HSE greater operational autonomy...
LOCAL AUTHORITY HOUSING TO GET €30m ENERGY EFFICIENCY INVESTMENT - KENNY
Posted on February 18, 2014 2:52 PM
Labour TD, Sean Kenny, has welcomed the news that €30m will be invested in upgrading the energy efficiency of local authority homes this year. "The funding is part of a three year jobs stimulus programme that will see the energy efficiency of 25,000 of the poorest insulated local authority homes sorted out. An initial allocation of €15m for energy efficiency measures is being released now. This funding means that every local authority house will have at a minimum draught proofing, attic insulation and where appropriate cavity wall insulation. The majority of this work is expected to be complete in most...
KENNY WELCOMES PROGRESS ON RAILWAY WORK AT BAYSIDE
Posted on February 13, 2014 3:59 PM
Local Bayside TD and member of the Oireachtas Transport Committee, Sean Kenny has welcomed the progress made recently on the DART line in the vicinity of Bayside DART Station. "I have been working with local residents in Sutton Park who live close to Bayside DART Station who have been campaigning for years to get work done that was required in order to alleviate flooding concerns. I have been informed that after consultation with Irish Rail, this work has finally got underway. I am delighted to hear this and hope that the outstanding work can be completed before much longer." "The...
COMPENSATION IN LIEU OF CUSTODIAL SENTENCING IS INAPPROPRIATE AND WILL BE ENDED - KENNY
Posted on February 12, 2014 12:08 PM
Labour TD and member of the Oireachtas Justice Committee, Sean Kenny has said that the judicial practise of compensation in lieu of custodial sentencing in serious cases is inappropriate and that the practise is to be ended. "I have been disturbed in recent times at the apparently increasing number of cases where those convicted of sexual offences have been able to walk free from prison because they have been in a position to provide financial compensation. I have been contacted by many women around the country, who are deeply worried at the apparent ease at which men in particular, who...
€20M FUND RELIEF FOR LOCAL AUTHORITY MORTGAGE HOLDERS IN DISTRESS
Posted on February 11, 2014 4:58 PM
Dublin Bay North Labour T.D., Sean Kenny, has welcomed the announcement by Minister Jan O'Sullivan that a new €20m fund will be put in place in order to offer a 'mortgage-to-rent' solution to local authority mortgage holders across the country who are in distress. "Across the local authority sector, it is easy to see how serious this problem is. Roughly 31% of all local authority loans are in arrears for 90 days or more. The Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process (MARP) has been implemented across the local authority sector, this announcement will ensure that the 'mortgage to rent' option is also...
KENNY WELCOMES FUNDING FOR ST. BRIGID'S CONVENT NS IN KILLESTER
Posted on February 7, 2014 11:58 AM
Dublin Bay North Labour TD Seán Kenny has welcomed the provision of funding for 2 classrooms and 1 Special Education Teacher rooms at St. Brigid's Convent NS, St. Brigid's Road in Killester. "St. Bridget's needs this funding as they continue to provide primary education to our local children." "I warmly welcome the funding. It is vitally important that the country maintains its educational facilities at primary level, in order to accommodate the increasing numbers of pupils over the next few years. We have to plan ahead for this, and this funding is a part of that planning." "Minister Quinn unveiled...
WHISTLEBLOWING LEGISLATION IS WELCOME AND LONG OVERDUE
Posted on February 5, 2014 1:30 PM
Speaking on the Protected Disclosures Bill 2013 The Programme for Government makes a clear commitment to the introduction of whistleblower protection legislation. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform subsequently reiterated this commitment on a number of occasions in undertaking to introduce overarching legislation which would provide protection for workers in all sectors and the legislation before us today is result. I very much welcome this legislation. Comprehensive legislation that protects those making disclosures is long overdue. The term 'whistleblower' is a convenient shorthand way of describing a person who discloses information regarding concerns about some form of wrongdoing or...
CUSTOMERS MUST BE AWARE OF DIFFERING PAYZONE SURCHARGES - KENNY
Posted on February 3, 2014 4:24 PM
Dublin Bay North Labour TD, Sean Kenny, today called on consumers to be price-savvy when it comes to using payzone services, as it had emerged that retail outlets are charging differing amounts, with some charging .50 cent per transaction while others impose no surcharges at all. "A constituent of mine has carried out a survey of Payzone outlets in the Dublin 17 area and discovered noticeable variations in the transaction charges imposed by outlets on customers paying energy bills, Dublin City Council rental and loan repayments, TV cable charges, etc." "Many people, particularly those on low and medium incomes, try...
