This week’s e-letter

Welcome to this week’s e-letter. After months of waiting, we are now at the mouth of the most significant general election in a generation. To date, my team and I have touched upon some 5,000 houses in the constituency through leaflet drops and canvassing, since we began campaigning in November. I am confident that Labour will take a seat in this constituency as increasing numbers of voters see the appeal in my own record in local Government for 16 years, in Labour’s sensible policy platform, and in the leadership of Eamon Gilmore. Therefore I would urge you to Vote HARTE No. 1 on election day. By giving me your number one vote, you are voting for Jobs, Reform and Fairness.

In the meantime, if you wish to contact me, I can be reached at 087-2511037 or jimmybharte@gmail.com.

Regards,
Jimmy

Deputy Joan Burton’s visit to Donegal North-East
The Labour Party’s deputy leader and finance spokesperson, Joan Burton, will visit the constituency on Friday where she will officially open our constituency office, meet several community groups and meet some local media. Deputy Burton is a highly-respected politician and has an extremely strong grasp of her finance portfolio, and we are delighted she has accepted our invite to visit Donegal NE. Her visit comes shortly after the party’s justice spokesperson, Pat Rabbitte, paid a visit to the constituency two weeks ago. Deputy Ruairi Quinn also visited before Christmas.

Next Govt must look at rates reduction for rural businesses
This week I proposed that the incoming government look at revising the rates for businesses to take account of the difficulties face by rural businesses. As it stands, rates are calculated on an archaic system and there is a need to revise the method of valuations. The recent threatened closure of small retail businesses in rural areas in Milford and Inishowen not to mention Letterkenny will be replicated across the county unless we deal with the prohibitive rates issues facing small rural towns. While I accept that the knock on effect of such a measure is the reduction in income for the local council I believe that the shortfall could be made up by introducing an increase in rates on holiday homes. This money could be ring fenced for local businesses that are struggling to survive. This would ensure that the money for services is not lost and more importantly that the funding would be allocated specifically for that particular area.

Tribute to Blaney but FF still ‘full of wind’
I wish to extend my best wishes to Niall Blaney following his announcement not to run in the general election. Deputy Blaney, like myself, comes from a family with a strong tradition of public service. However I am appalled at the continuing arrogance of Tanaiste Mary Coughlan who said on Sunday night that Fianna Fail ‘had to remind people of all the work they had done’. Let me remind her of the work they have done: up to four hundred thousand unemployed, thousands more facing job losses and uncertainty, the export of our children, a banking crisis, and the continued depressed level of both consumption and investment through an absence of affordable credit. Her deluded mantra stated: “We are going to take on a hurricane but we would like to reduce that down to a gentle breeze.” The only response those comments warrant is that the FF party are clearly full of wind.

Moratorium in health service must be addressed
I am concerned that Letterkenny General Hospital is expected to provide care to patients where staffing cover is insufficient for this to be done reliably and safely.
Recently I have been in contact with numerous health service staff and they are very concerned that the moratorium shows no signs of ending anytime soon. It is affecting all acute services across the hospital and that staff are being seriously stretched. While the moratorium isn’t a new development, it is an issue that is still deeply affecting frontline services and we cannot become immune to its effects. The freeze is having a profound impact on the ability of staff within the hospital to deliver a quality service through absolutely no fault of their own. Unless the issue is addressed, it could lead to seriously diminished health services in Donegal. The public are justifiably concerned that the moratorium introduced primarily as a cost-cutting measure is in practice becoming a safety issue.

Are you registered to vote?
As the election nears, it is important to check that you are definitely registered to vote. You can do this by logging onto checktheregister.ie, and follow some simple steps to see if you are on the register. If not, download an RFA2 or RFA3 form, fill it out, get it stamped by the local Garda station and drop it into the nearest Public Service Centre to you. You can also drop it into my office at 7 Castle Street where myself or someone else can ensure to drop it to the local PSC. If you don’t vote you have no say!

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NEXT GOVERNMENT MUST LOOK AT RATES REDUCTIONS FOR RURAL BUSINESSES – HARTE

Cllr Jimmy Harte Labour candidate for the forthcoming general election is proposing that the incoming government look at revising the rates for businesses to take account of the difficulties face by rural businesses .As it stands rates are calculated on an archaic system and there is a need to revise the method of valuations.

The recent threatened closure of small retail businesses in rural areas in Milford and Inishowen not to mention Letterkenny will be replicated across the county unless we deal with the prohibitive rates issues facing small rural towns.

While I accept that the knock on effect of such a measure is the reduction in income for the local council I believe that the shortfall could be made up by introducing an increase in rates on holiday homes. This money could be ring fenced for local businesses that are struggling to survive.
I have spoken to several small business owners who are on the verge of closure and have been in business over 50 years and need assistance to get through these tough times.
This would ensure that the money for services is not lost and more importantly that the funding would be allocated specifically for that particular area Above all it would guarantee the protection of small businesses which are integral to the economic and social fabric of small rural towns.

Labour’s Reading as a Right document

The road to literacy for the 21st Century.
According to the educational psychologist Jean Piaget ” Only education is capable of saving our societies from possible collapse,whether violent or gradual”
This is why our literacy levels must not be allowed to slip as has been happening.

http://www.labour.ie/policy/listing/129578234116850225.html

Cowen and his Cabinet are all culpable

The Irish people do not want this government to remain in office for another single day.
I was canvassing today in Glencar Letterkenny and the mood of the residents is that this government has embarrassed the country and conducted themselves in a most digraceful fashion.
They do not greatly care who leads Fianna Fail. They want a new government with a fresh mandate and the commitment and ability to get our country working and to get our people back to work.
Today’s announcement by Brian Cowen that he is standing down as Leader of Fianna Fail now means that a general election simply cannot be deferred any longer.

It is simply not tenable for Mr. Cowen to remain on as Taoiseach as his colleagues in Fianna Fail squabble over the remnants of their party. Less than a week ago Mr. Cowen said that such a scenario would not be credible.
The issue is not simply about Mr. Cowen, but about the collective performance of this government and the need for a new start.
All of those who have been spoken of as possible contenders to replace Mr. Cowen share with him responsibility for the disastrous state in which they have left the country. The all backed and voted for the disastrous bank bailout in September 2008.
Those who vote confidence in this disastrous and discredited government will have to justify that position to voters when they go knocking on doors in the coming weeks.

The people of Donegal deserve that the next government bring respect into politics and I know that Eamon Gilmore can deliver that honesty and respectability we need at this time.

Pat Rabbitte’s visit to Donegal NE

This gallery contains 38 photos.

Here are some pictures of Pat Rabbitte’s visit to Donegal NE today and yesterday. We were delighted that, despite the rapidly unfolding events in Dail Eireann this week, Pat made the effort to come to the constituency and formally launch my … Continue reading →

This week’s e-letter

Welcome to this week’s e-letter. As usual, if you have any queries or concerns please contact me on 087-2511037 or jimmybharte@gmail.com.

Regards,

Jimmy

Sub-post offices needed for Letterkenny area

For some time now I have been campaigning for sub-post offices in the Glencar and Gortlee areas of Letterkenny. I am firmly of the view that we need post offices in these areas in order to service the burgeoning populations there and to ease pressure on the already-busy post office on the main street.  The sight of queues coming out of the post office on Letterkenny Main Street is one we are all too familiar with and it is not acceptable that people, especially the elderly, are expected to queue for a long time. Petitions asking people whether they would like a sub-post office in their area have been up in a number of local businesses for several weeks now. Already we have collected hundreds of signatures from people who support the campaign and we continue to do so. The post office on the main street is an important asset to the town centre area but it has been overwhelmed in recent times because they are offering more services and dispensing more social welfare payments than before. Sub-post offices would help take the pressure of the main facility, which is an integral part of the main street area.

New Labour website launched

This week saw the Labour Party launch its new website. It is a great resource for anyone looking to find out more about Eamon Gilmore’s party and their policies. The site is packed with up-to-date news, election updates, candidate information, pictures, blogs, policy documents and more. Check it out on www.labour.ie and my own section within it on labour.ie/jimmyharte.

Letterkenny Link Road, Blaney too late

The planned Letterkenny relief road, which will stretch from Bonagee roundabout to beyond Arena 7, has been on the agenda for several years. I have been at numerous town council and county council meetings where the route has been discussed and where the cost benefit analysis has shown that it has qualified under all qualifying criteria according to the NRA. The only missing link is funding. Fianna Fail and Niall Blaney TD are a bit late to come out this week and promise action on the issue as they have been in power for 13 years and this was never a priority with them. However, it is the most important link road in east Donegal that will facilitate both the Fanad and Milford areas and Gweedore areas, as well as local traffic in Letterkenny. We are at present depending on the Port Bridge to bring all our traffic in and out of Letterkenny and North Donegal. If for any reason the Port Bridge was to be temporarily closed, then there would be a traffic backlog that would strangle the tourism and economic industries of the town. Niall Blaney TD and FF are taking a sudden interest in this project but to date their actions have been less than supportive when it came to producing funding. Now with an election imminent, false promises will be the order of the day. 

Rural schools in Donegal under threat

It emerged this week that some 57 rural schools in Donegal could be closed or amalgamated in a value-for-money review being undertaken by the Department of Education. Labour’s view on this is that we favour clustering small schools together, and should the situation arise, we could look at options such as having all the children in junior classes taught in one school and those in senior classes taught in another nearby. They could also share secretaries and a board of management. It is important to keep in mind that many of these schools are the heart of their rural communities and any decision to close one should be taken with the greatest consideration for the community in mind. It should also be an imperative that, if schools are amalgamated, that adequate facilities and resources are in place in the receiving school so that it is properly equipped to deal with the influx of new pupils and in some cases, teachers.

Eamon Gilmore and myself this weekend in Labour HQ

Pics from Labour HQ

Here are some pics from this weekend, when I attended an event in the new Labour HQ offices in Golden Lane in Dublin. Pictured alongside myself are Ruairi Quinn TD, national director of elections, and party leader Eamon Gilmore, while Joan Burton TD was also in attendance. The event was aimed at assisting candidates and directors of elections in their campaigns going forward. Not only was it a good up-skilling event and anopportunity to see the new offices, it also allowed Labour candidates to touch base with one other and exchange information about their respective campaign experiences. There’s a positive vibe and sense of real vigour running throughout the Labour team, and a genuine hunger for contest. This is a Change Election.

Grants should be made available to Farmers to assist with Snow clearing Cllr HARTE

Grants should be made available to Farmers to assist with Snow clearing HARTE

Snow clearing in country areas could be helped with assistance from the farming community says Cllr JIMMY HARTE,Labour General Election Candidate

” The last month has shown us that the severe weather can bring the country to a halt and many schools,shops and businesses could not open as stafff and pupils were unable to get to their places of employment.
Retailers have also been affected and the economic cost cannot be calculated,” says Cllr Harte

“We must look to the farming community who have the local knowledge and can use equipment to clear many side roads that the council cannot get to. I feel that by getting farmers involved would be a benefit to the commmunity and we as a council should help with a grant to purchase equipment that farmers can use to get the roads open again. This severe weather may return and we need all the help to get the community functioning and the farming community have shown in the past that they are willing to be participants in the process.Other countries such as France are engaging in this and we can learn from their experience.”

Health services in Donegal are under fresh threat from new HSE plans

Health services in Donegal are under fresh threat from new HSE plans to implement cuts of almost e700m across the sector, according to Labour General Election candidate Jimmy Harte. The HSE Service Plan for 2011, published today, plans to implement … Continue reading →