Anthony Lawlor TD - Working for the people of Kildare North

Anthony Lawlor’s Newsletter

It is hard to believe that it has been year since I

was elected, and what a busy time it has been!

Personally it has been a steep learning curve and

I will continue to encounter new challenges every

day. Over the past year I have tried to make myself

as accessible to the public as possible. I have a

constituency office in Naas which is open daily, and

I encourage you to drop in if you wish to raise an

issue with me. I would also be more than happy to

organise tours to Dáil Éireann for individuals, groups

or schools. After all it is your parliament! Please do

not hesitate to contact me to arrange a tour.

A message from Anthony

FINE GAEL’S FIVE POINT PLAN – A YEAR LATER:1. New Politics - Aim: To reform and

improvethecurrentpoliticalsystemAchievedtodate:• CutthenumberofOireachtascommittees• Changedthelegislativeprocessto

givebackbenchersmoreofavoice• Passedareferendumonjudges’pay• Implementedministerialpaycutsand

eliminatedtheuseofStatecars

2. Jobs-Aim:Todoeverythingpossibletocreatejobs

Achievedtodate:• Reduced the VAT rate for hotels,

restaurantsandleisureto9%• Reducedemployers’PRSIinorderto

reducethecostofhiringpeople• Increasedtourismmarketing• EstablishedNewEra,theStrategic

InvestmentFund,theJobBridgeScheme&anActionPlanforJobs

3. TaxandtheBudgetDeficit-Aim:Togetthebudgetdeficitundercontrol

Achievedtodate:• Noincreaseonincometax

• RenegotiatedtheIMF/EUagreementtoreducetheinterestrate

• ProvidednomorecashtoAnglo• ForcedState-ownedbankstoreduce

interestratestobeinlinewithECB

4. PublicSectorReform-Aim:Toreformandstreamlinethepublicservice

Achievedtodate:• Draftedaplantoreducethesizeof

thepublicserviceby23,500• Endedprivilegedaysinthepublic

sectorandthedecentralisationplan• Openedupseniorpositionstoprivate

sectorapplicants• Planstoabolishormerge40quangos

in20125. Health-Faircare-Aim:Toreformour

healthservicesbytransitioningtoauniversalhealthcaremodel

Achievedtodate:• TheHSEBoardhasbeenreplaced• TheMinisterforHealthistaking

greatercontrolofthehealthservice• Cancercareandscreeninghavebeen

improved• ASpecialDeliveryUnit(SDU)has

beensetuptodrivechangeswithinindividualhospitals

ALLOCATION OF FUNDING FOR ROADS IN CO. KILDARE Kildare CountyCouncil is toreceive €20.8million inoverall grantsfor RoadA l l o c a t i o nFunding in2012. IncludedisaRestorationGrant of €4.8million whichgives localauthorities the discretion to spend thefundsastheyseefit.

Fundingtothevalueof€410,000hasalsobeen allocated in a Block Grant to NaasTown Council. This grant gives greaterflexibility to Naas Town Council to selectroads which they believe require work.It also allows for a greater consultationprocesswiththeircolleaguesintheCountyCouncil to allocate funding appropriatelytoroadsintheNaasarea.

STATE SUPPORT FOR BUSINESSESAlongwiththerecentlyannouncedGovernment’sJobPlantocreate100,000jobsby2016,therearealsoanumberofsupportsavailabletoassiststart-upbusinessorenterpriseswantingtoexpandand/ortakeonnewrecruits.Ifyouarestartingupyourownbusinessassistancecanbefoundthrough:• CountyEnterpriseBoardTheirroleistoprovideasourceofsupportformicro-enterpriseinthestart-upandexpansionphases,topromoteanddevelopindigenousmicro-enterprisepotential and to stimulate economic activity andentrepreneurshipatlocallevel.See:www.enterpriseboards.ie/forfurtherinformation.• HighPotentialStartUp(EI)EnterpriseIreland’sHighPotentialStart-Up(HPSU)teamprovidesintensesupport,seedandventurecapitaltoentrepreneursandearlystagecompaniesthatareconsideredtohaveaninnovativeproduct,service or technology, and have the potential to achieve exportssales and create employment. See http://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/Start-a-Business-in-Ireland/formoreinformation.• Competitivestartupfund(EI)The Competitive Start Fund awards €50,000 to innovative start-ups, which have the capability to succeed in global markets.For more information on the Competitive Start up Fund e-mail:csf@enterprise-ireland.comorphone017272202• MicroFinancefundTheGovernmentisfinalisingaMicrofinancefundtargetedatstart-up, newly established, or growing micro enterprises across allsectors,employingnotmorethan10people.Itwillprovideloansofupto€25,000forcommerciallyviableproposalsthatdonotmeettheconventionalriskcriteriaappliedbycommercialbanks.ItshouldbeupandrunningbyApril2012.

• SeedcapitalschemeIf you startupandwork full-time inyourowncompany, youcanclaim back the income tax you paid in the previous six years toinvestequityintoacompany(subscribedasshares)engagedinaqualifying trade. For full information see: http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/it/leaflets/it15-seed-capital-scheme.pdf

Ifyourequireassistancetotakeonnewworkers:• RevenueJobAssistRevenueJobAssistoffersbothemployersandworkersanincentivewhere people who have been 12 months on the live register (ordisabilityallowance)aretakenon.

-Theemployergetsdoublewrite-offofthewagesplusemployersPRSIforthreeyears.Furtherinformationforemployersisavailablehere:http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/it/leaflets/it59.html

-Theworkergetsanextrataxallowance.Furtherinformationforemployeesisavailablehere:http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/it/leaflets/it58.pdf

• JobBridgeJobBridge is a new National Internship Scheme that will providean initial 5,000 places for 6-9 months in the private, public orcommunity and voluntary sectors. Toqualify youmust be signingonasavailableforworkandgettingapaymentorcreditsforthreemounts.Participantswillreceiveanadditional€50ontopoftheirwelfareentitlement.Forfurtherinformationseewww.jobsbridge.ie

Minister John Perry also recently launched a new website whichis an open resource for small businesses of all background atvariousstagesofdevelopmentonbusinessplanningandfinancialmanagement.www.smallbusinessfinance.ie

Relief for Stressed Home OwnersWhentheBudgetwasannouncedlastDecemberitwasbroughttomyattentionthatsomehomeownerswhoboughtduringtheyears2004-2008wouldnotbeentitledtothehigherrateof30%interestmortgagerelief.IraisedthismatteronanumberofoccasionswiththeMinisterandwasdelightedtoknowthatmyeffortspaidoffwithanamendmentintheFinanceBill.AccordingtoMinisterforFinanceMichaelNoonanTD:“I have been impressed with how active Anthony Lawlor has been in working for his constituents. After the Budget, he actively lobbied for the inclusion of those who drew down their mortgage between 2004 and 2008 and those who made their first interest payment in those years in order to qualify for the revised mortgage interest relief arrangements. After considering his proposals and consulting with the Revenue Commissioners, I was pleased to be able to extend the eligibility in the Finance Bill.”

New contact details for Naas Town Council planning applicationsFrom January 2012 Planning Applications relating to Naas TownCouncil are to be submitted to Naas Town Council PlanningDepartment,ArasChillDara,DevoyPark,Naas,Co.Kildare.

Contactdetailsinrelationtoplanningapplicationsareasfollows:PlanningEnquiries 045980845FaxNumber 045980834EmailAddress plandept@kildarecoco.ieDevelopmentContributions 045980843Compliance 045980833

GOVERNMENT CREATION OF JOBS TO DATE

✔ Extra15,900placesforfurthereducationand trainingprogrammes

✔ NewNationalInternshipSchemeproviding5,000 workexperienceplaces

✔ Lowerrateofemployers’PRSIhalved✔ VATontourism-relatedservicescutbyathird

undertheJobsInitiative✔ Reversalofminimumwagecut✔ Extra€75mforshovel-readytransportprojectsto

create/sustain1,000jobs✔ Extra€40mfor2011SummerWorksSchemefor

453schoolstocreate2,400jobs✔ Newsupportprogrammeforhomeenergy

retrofittingtocreate2,000jobs✔ RollingoutthelastphaseoftheNational

BroadbandScheme

ANTHONY LAWLOR TD • Tel: 045 888488 • Email: anthony.lawlor@oireachtas.ie • www.anthonylawlor.ie

ANTHONY LAWLOR TD • Tel: 045 888488 • Email: anthony.lawlor@oireachtas.ie • www.anthonylawlor.ie

58% decrease in people on trolleys in Naas General Hospital Thenumberofpeoplewaitingontrolleysin Naas General Hospital has beenreduced by 58%, thanks to initiativesundertakenby theSpecialDeliveryUnit(SDU)overthewintermonths.BetweenJanuary3rdand25thofthisyear,therewas a total of 178 people waiting ontrolleysatNaasGeneralHospital,whichis a significant drop of 58% comparedto the figures for the same period lastyear, which saw 425 people waiting ontrolleys.Whilehaving178peoplewaitingon trolleys over a three week periodis still toomany, adecreaseof58%onlast year means we are moving in therightdirection.

The SDU, which was established byMinister James Reilly last June, isproviding tailoredguidance tohospitalson how to cope with, and reduce,overcrowdinginemergencydepartments.The success of the SDU to date will befurther built on over the coming year,withmoreambitioustargetsthanbefore.

Itwillaimtoensurethat95%ofpatientswillbedischargedoradmittedwithinsixhours of registration at an emergencydepartment.We alsowant to ensurenooneiswaitingmorethanninemonthsforplannedsurgeryand further targetswillbe set to improve access to outpatientanddiagnosticservices.

I’dliketothankthehospitalmanagementandstaffofNaasGeneralHospitalfortheirtremendous hard work and dedicationoverthelast12monthswhichdeliveredsuch impressive results. It is importantthat we continue to work together andfurtherimproveonthesefigures.

ENTERPRISEANDINNOVATION

FUNDFORNAAS

Naastowncouncilpasseditsbudgetatthe

endof2011.Thekeyachievementwasthe

creationofanEnterpriseandInnovation

fundforthetown.This€100,000fund

willbeusedtosupportinitiativesthat

contributetotheeconomicwellbeingof

thetown.Towncouncillorsarecurrently

workingonthetermsofthescheme

withapublicationdueshortly.Further

informationisavailableat

www.naastowncouncil.ie

CASUALTRADING

Followinganextensive

consultationprocess,NaasTown

councilhasintroducedanew

setofcasualtradingbye-laws.

Thesebye-lawsmakeitillegal

forstandstobeerectedwithout

theexpressapprovalofthe

councilandunderonlylimited

circumstances.

All Politics is Local

OSBERSTOWNJUNCTIONSALLINSIhavemadeanumberofrepresentationsinrelationtotheneedtoinstalltrafficlightsattheOsberstownJunctiontoaidpedestriansaccessingthetrainstation.NegotiationsarecurrentlyunderwayinrelationtotheallocationofgrantfundingtoundertakethisworkandourlocalCouncillorsareworkinghardtoensurethisworkiscompletedwithoutdelay.

NAASCIVICAWARD

NaasTownCouncilhostedits

annualcivicawardsinlate

February.Theawardswent

toindividualsorgroupsin

thetownwhohavemadean

importantcontributiontothe

lifeofNaas.Theceremony

washeldinthetownhalland

Iwouldliketocongratulate

allthewelldeserved

recipientsofawards.

Success of Punchestown 2011 It was recently revealed that €60 millionwas generated by the 2011 Irish NationalHunt Punchestown Festival. Interestingly,inexcessof€8millionwasspentonattirealone.Astaggering€7millionwasspentbyfemale attendees on hats, dresses, coats,shoesandaccessories in2011.Almosthalfof the visitors attending the Festival werefemaleandonaveragespent€196preparingfortheday.

Maleattendeesalsowenttoextralengthstocompete with their female counterparts byspending inexcessof€1millionon racingattire. This is very welcomed news for thelocal shops and boutiques, particularly inNaas,whoreapthebenefitsofsuchspending.

Competition Time! For the opportunity to win a tour to Dáil Éireann followed by a meal in the Dáil Restaurant for two people, email me the answer to the following question:

Q .Who is the current Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport?

All correct answers to anthony.lawlor@oir.ie. Deadline for receipt of entries Friday 16th March

Useful NumbersKildare County Council (045) 980200 www.kildarecoco.ieNaas Town Council (045) 980990 www.kildare.ie/naastowncouncilHSE Local Health Office (045) 876001 St. Mary’s, Craddockstown Road, NaasNaas Citizens Information Board (045) 879 489 www.citizensinformation.ieNaas Social Welfare Office (045) 884430/884431 Unit 2, Rathesker Square, NaasNaas Garda Station (045 897 333) Kilcullen Road, NaasNaas General Hospital (045) 897 221 www.hse.ie Naas Fire Station (045) 879964KDOC (out of hours GP Service) 1890 599 362 Vista Primary Care Campus, Ballymore Rd., Naas.

ANTHONY LAWLOR TDEmail: anthony.lawlor@oireachtas.ieConstituency Office: 56 South Main Street, Naas, Co. Kildare.Contact Number: 045 888488Opening Hours: 9am -12am & 3pm – 5pm

Cllr. Fintan Brett MCCEmail: fintanpbrett@gmail.comAddress: 5 Johnstown Gardens Johnstown Naas Contact Numbers: 087 6257842

Cllr. Darren Scully MCC TCEmail dpscully@hotmail.comAddress: 3 Kerdiff Park, Naas, Co. Kildare Contact Number: 086-3860955

Cllr. Alan O’Kelly TCAddress: 67 Oak Glade, Blessington Road, Naas, Co. Kildare Contact Number: 086 3623940

Cllr. Emer McDaid TCEmail eimearmcdaid@hotmail.com Address: 11 Maple Walk, Oldtown Demesne, Naas, Co Kildare Contact Number: 085 7054862

0612

Clinics: Naas – Every Monday 4pm – 7pmWebsite: www.anthonylawlor.ie

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