Category Archives: News
Four Mayo candidates to run for FF Ard Comhairle
Fianna Fáil members from across Co Mayo will travel to Dublin this weekend for the party’s largest annual gathering, the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis. The event, which takes place at the RDS in Dublin this coming Friday and Saturday, culminates in the election of a new National Executive. There are four Fianna Fáil members from Co Mayo running for positions. Ballina TD Dara Calleary is set to be re-elected as Honorary Secretary of the party, while 26 year old barrister from Castlebar Lisa Chambers will be re-elected as party Vice President. Westport journalist Joan Geraghty, who was recently appointed a Fianna Fáil Local Area Representative, is also seeking election to […]
Calleary calls for emergency measures to support Mayo farmers
Fianna Fáil Deputy Dara Calleary has called for emergency measures to help Mayo farmers who are serious difficulty as a result of the unprecedented fodder crisis. The Mayo Deputy has accused the Government of refusing to recognise the devastation in the farming sector caused by unseasonable weather over the past number of months. “I and my colleagues have raised this issue a number of times with Minister Coveney and he has refused to acknowledge just how bad this situation has become. We are experiencing an unprecedented fodder crisis that is seriously damaging the farming sector in Mayo and across West of Ireland,” said Deputy Calleary. “The heavy rain last summer […]
Read MoreMayo primary schools facing funding crisis
Mayo Deputy Dara Calleary has said that more and more primary schools across Co Mayo are falling into unmanageable debt as a result of a series of cuts introduced by the Education Minister Ruairí Quinn over the past two years. The Fianna Fáil Deputy has called on the Government to immediately address what has become a funding crisis at primary school level. According to Deputy Calleary, the scrapping of the Minor Works Grant last year has hit local schools particularly hard. “Teachers and parents attached to a number of different schools have contacted me to express their concerns about the deepening financial problems at their school. The loss of the […]
Calleary calls for reversal of ‘discriminatory’ changes to Farm Assist
Mayo Deputy Dara Calleary has called on Fine Gael and Labour to rethink their ‘disgraceful and highly discriminatory’ changes to the Farm Assist payment. The Fianna Fáil Deputy said the changes to the qualification criteria for Farm Assist introduced in the Budget have already had an enormous impact on the most vulnerable farmers in Mayo, to the point that for many of them, it’s simply not worth their while continuing to farm. “These changes, which were introduced by the Social Protection Minister Joan Burton in Budget, came into effect at the beginning of this month. The 1,817 farmers affected in Mayo have seen a huge cut in their income as […]
Read MoreRadical new approach needed to tackle unemployment crisis
Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Jobs Dara Calleary has called for an urgent and radical change in the Government’s approach to tackling the jobs crisis, as long-term unemployment reaches alarming levels. According to the latest CSO figures published today, 44% of those on the Live Register are now trapped in long-term unemployment and the unemployment rate remains stuck at 14%. “The IMF has this week described the jobs crisis here as ‘staggering’ with an alarming 23% of the labour force now either unemployed or underemployed. Behind these figures are people in extreme difficulty who feel there are no realistic work options available to them,” said Deputy Calleary. “It is clear that […]
Read MoreBonniconlon FF to host CAP Reform Information Meeting
Bonniconlon Fianna Fáil is hosting a public meeting on CAP Reform and its effects on North Mayo and South Sligo farmers on Tuesday April 16th in Bonniconlon Community Centre. This meeting will address the many concerns of local farmers with regard to CAP Reform 2013 and will be attended by Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Agriculture Eamonn O’Cuiv T.D. as well as Mayo Fianna Fáil T.D. Dara Calleary and local Councillor Annie May Reape. Deputy Dara Calleary is urging all farmers in the region to attend. “This is an ideal opportunity for farmers in the North-east Mayo and South-west Sligo region to arm themselves with information relevant to the ongoing CAP […]
Read More8,000 DAS payments outstanding
Mayo Fianna Fáil TD Dara Calleary is calling for the Minister for Agriculture to immediately ensure the payment of all outstanding Disadvantaged Area Scheme (DAS) monies owed to farmers. Fianna Fáil has recently been informed that of the 102,090 applications for the DAS, 8,000 have not yet received payment. “It is not acceptable that 8,000 farmers have been waiting since September for their DAS, which many are depending on. The delay has been caused by the retrospective stocking density requirement that was imposed by the Minister last year; it saved virtually no money and managed to add an extra layer of bureaucracy to the scheme for both farmers and the […]
Read MoreTeachers concerns must not be dismissed
Fianna Fáil has urged the Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn not to dismiss genuine concerns of teachers and parents about the severe impact of cuts to frontline education services. Mayo TD Dara Calleary said, “Our Spokesperson on Education Charlie McConalogue attended this week’s National Conferences of the ASTI, TUI and INTO and reports that teachers are angry about the litany of broken promises on education from the Labour Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn and his government. “They feel the Minister has failed to take on board their genuine concerns about cuts to frontline education services, cuts to supports for children with special needs, cuts to small schools, cuts to guidance […]
Read MoreNew insolvency rules causing distress among Mayo families
Mayo Deputy Dara Calleary has said the Government’s incoherence over new personal insolvency rules is creating great distress among Mayo families who are crippled by debt. The Fianna Fáil Deputy has also criticised the Taoiseach for washing his hands of the exorbitant cost of childcare – an issue that is putting thousands of families in an impossible position. “There is still much confusion over just how far families will have to go to resolve their debt issues under new personal insolvency arrangements introduced by the Government,” said Deputy Calleary. “While the Taoiseach has said no-one will be forced to quit their job, he stopped short of stating that childcare costs […]
Read MoreRheumatology services are to be provided at Mayo General Hospital
Fianna Fáil TD for Mayo Dara Calleary has been informed that Rheumatology services are to be provided at Mayo General Hospital from July. The issue of providing Rheumatology services at Mayo General Hospital was once again raised by Ballina-based Cllr Annie May Reape at this week’s Regional Health Forum. Cllr Reape, a long-standing campaigner for Rheumatology services at Mayo General, has been making representations on behalf of the hundreds of adults and children suffering from arthritis on County Mayo for some time now and is delighted to report that an appointment is imminent. “Following questioning of the HSE West at last week’s forum by Cllr Annie May Reape, assurances have […]
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