This government is continuing to evict families from their homes.
In the Dáil last Thursday, I appealed to Minister Michael Noonan to order the banks he owns to withdraw repossession proceedings in light of the extreme housing emergency which exists.
The Minister refused. This means that the government has given the green light to the banks they own, to continue to evict families.
Court Orders for repossession of 47 primary residences were granted at Clonmel and Nenagh Circuit Courts in the first 3 quarters of 2015. A further 8 buy-to-lets which also house families were also repossessed. Banks are now seeking a further 97 repossession orders for dwellings in Tipperary, of which 32 are being sought by AIB, EBS and Permanent TSB which are owned by the Government through Michael Noonan (FG) Minister for Finance.
Minister Noonan claimed that the issue was being reasonably handled by the banks. Totally misrepresenting the situation, Mr Noonan quoted the 208 orders for repossessions for the whole country for Quarter 3,2015 as representative of the scale of the problem. COURTS ONLY SIT FOR 1 OF THE 3 MONTHS IN QUARTER 3!! The Court Service Figures for the whole country for Quarters 1 and 2 are 586 and 314 respectively.
The proposed Eviction of 97 Tipperary Families Must Be Stopped Now!
Senior Minister Alan Kelly (Lab) and Minister of State Hayes(FG) must now intervene at Cabinet to have a Housing Emergency Declared and all repossession applications withdrawn.
In particular they must force Minister Noonan to withdraw the repossession applications by the banks he owns.
This can be done by government decision and does not require legislation.
Seamus Healy T.D. 18/01/2016
Tel 087 2802199
I will be raising this issue directly with the Taoiseach in the Dáil, today when I will be taking Leaders Questions on behalf of the Technical Group at 4.30 pm.
The closure of the C&C plant in Borrisoleigh with the loss of over 140 jobs is a huge blow to the town, the surrounding area and the county as a whole. Since the company took over Gleesons in Borrisoleigh and Bulmers in Clonmel, it has been cutting jobs and worsening terms and conditions of employment.
We can be sure that this shameful decision to close the Borrisoleigh plant is the prelude to further attacks on the conditions of employees. Now it says it will provide 80 extra jobs in Clonmel. We will believe it when and if we see it because of the track record of the company.
The workers and their trade union representatives must receive the fullest support from the government and its agencies in the face of this disgraceful development.
This blow is all the more devastating because of the dreadful unemployment rate in County Tipperary and the continuing neglect of the county by the government.
It follows the loss of jobs at Grants and Supervalue stores in Clonmel and Tipperary Town with attendant redundancies.
The rate of unemployment in County Tipperary is well above the national average. TIPPERARY is being forgotten despite the county being represented by a Labour Senior Minister and a Fine Gael Minister of State in government.
∗ There was a nett loss of 321 IDA jobs in the County over the 3 years to 21/12/2014-the first 3 years of this government’s term of office
∗ Not a single Tipperary town was included in government’s decision to provide 150 million for advance factories and offices despite my protests to Minister Bruton in the Dáil.
∗ Disposable income in Co Tipp is 5% below the national average and 16% below that in Dublin.
∗ Tipperary is not getting its fair share of new jobs- the vast majority of jobs are being created on the East Coast, Cork and Limerick.
I have repeatedly raised these matters in the Dáil and I have sought more spending on roads, house building and other infrastructure in the county.
There is an emergency employment crisis in Co Tipperary. Promises by government are not enough. Action by Government Now, before The Election, is Necessary.
Firstly, the Government must intervene to save the jobs in Borrisoleigh and instruct Enterprise Ireland accordingly
Secondly, the decision to exclude Tipperary including locations such as Borrisoleigh from the building of IDA Advance Factories and Offices must be reversed and the government strategy must be formally amended in this regard.
Seamus Healy TD 087-2802199
13/1/2016
Workers & Unemployed Action 