02/10/2019
Other News In Brief
Gaelic Games Programme Funding Announced
Funding of more than €120,000 has been announced for the Gaelic Games Programme for schools in the Munster Gaeltacht.
The funding, announced by the Minister of State for the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Islands Seán Kyne, will provide further support to the language planning process and the policy on Gaeltacht education. This will enable them to run the Gaelic Games Programme in up to 26 schools in the Munster Gaeltacht over a period of three years. It is estimated that up to 1,900 schoolchildren will benefit from the programme which includes the school years 2019/20, 2020/21 & 2021/22.
Minister of State Kyne said: "I am pleased to be able to approve this allowance. The trainers employed under the programme are carrying out meaningful work to the benefit of the Irish Language and the Gaeltacht community. The announcement of this support is another practical step forward which will benefit both the Gaeltacht education policy and the language planning process. Moreover, it also demonstrates the partnership which has been ongoing for a few years now between the Department and Comhairle na Mumhan."
This funding is being made available as a specific support to the implementation of both the Gaeltacht Education Policy and the language planning process in accordance with the commitment made under action 2.17 of the Government’s Irish Language Action Plan 2018-2022.
Labour Calls For Urgent Response To University Hospital Limerick Over-Crowding
Labour TDs for the Mid-West region, Jan O'Sullivan and Alan Kelly have called for urgent and emergency measures to deal with the over-crowding crisis in University Hospital Limerick.
Deputy Kelly, the Labour Party Health spokesperson said:
"Trolley numbers in University Hospital Limerick have hit an all-time high of 82 today. This is unacceptable, for patients, families and hospital staff.
"Earlier this morning, I raised this issue directly with the Minister for Health and his officials, and to say the response I got was pathetic, is an understatement.
"We need real investment in UHL, in both a capital sense and a staffing sense. I am constantly in contact with officials from the hospital who tell me that if the HSE invested in an MRI scanner, it would clear some of the daily trolley backlog. The pathways for sending patients to the minor injury units in Nenagh and Ennis need to be widened.
"The Government have completely left behind UHL in their capital plan for the next three years, the 60 bed block will not open on time and who knows if the long promised 96 bed block will ever happen?
"It is time for Minister Harris to come forward with emergency proposals to deal with the crisis in UHL, and this needs to happen fast."
SF Proposed Inheritance Tax Increase Criticised
A Sinn Féin proposal to increase inheritance tax has been described as an "attack on middle Ireland".
Deputy Colm Brophy, TD for Dublin South West, was speaking in response to Sinn Féin’s pre-budget proposals.
He said: "Sinn Féin’s proposal to increase inheritance tax is based on a misplaced notion that anyone who inherits anything must be rich.
"The reality of their proposal is that ordinary families across middle Ireland would be severely penalised.
"Sinn Féin propose to increase inheritance Tax (Capital Acquisitions Tax), by increasing the rate from 33% to 36%.
"This will affect ordinary families across the country seeking to pass on their family home and life savings to their children.
"In total, Sinn Féin’s budget proposals include over €2.88 billion in new taxes as a result of 18 separate tax increases.
"Sinn Féin is simply not fit for office. Their economic policies would decimate the progress made under Fine Gael to the detriment of families and workers across the country."
Funding of more than €120,000 has been announced for the Gaelic Games Programme for schools in the Munster Gaeltacht.
The funding, announced by the Minister of State for the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Islands Seán Kyne, will provide further support to the language planning process and the policy on Gaeltacht education. This will enable them to run the Gaelic Games Programme in up to 26 schools in the Munster Gaeltacht over a period of three years. It is estimated that up to 1,900 schoolchildren will benefit from the programme which includes the school years 2019/20, 2020/21 & 2021/22.
Minister of State Kyne said: "I am pleased to be able to approve this allowance. The trainers employed under the programme are carrying out meaningful work to the benefit of the Irish Language and the Gaeltacht community. The announcement of this support is another practical step forward which will benefit both the Gaeltacht education policy and the language planning process. Moreover, it also demonstrates the partnership which has been ongoing for a few years now between the Department and Comhairle na Mumhan."
This funding is being made available as a specific support to the implementation of both the Gaeltacht Education Policy and the language planning process in accordance with the commitment made under action 2.17 of the Government’s Irish Language Action Plan 2018-2022.
Labour Calls For Urgent Response To University Hospital Limerick Over-Crowding
Labour TDs for the Mid-West region, Jan O'Sullivan and Alan Kelly have called for urgent and emergency measures to deal with the over-crowding crisis in University Hospital Limerick.
Deputy Kelly, the Labour Party Health spokesperson said:
"Trolley numbers in University Hospital Limerick have hit an all-time high of 82 today. This is unacceptable, for patients, families and hospital staff.
"Earlier this morning, I raised this issue directly with the Minister for Health and his officials, and to say the response I got was pathetic, is an understatement.
"We need real investment in UHL, in both a capital sense and a staffing sense. I am constantly in contact with officials from the hospital who tell me that if the HSE invested in an MRI scanner, it would clear some of the daily trolley backlog. The pathways for sending patients to the minor injury units in Nenagh and Ennis need to be widened.
"The Government have completely left behind UHL in their capital plan for the next three years, the 60 bed block will not open on time and who knows if the long promised 96 bed block will ever happen?
"It is time for Minister Harris to come forward with emergency proposals to deal with the crisis in UHL, and this needs to happen fast."
SF Proposed Inheritance Tax Increase Criticised
A Sinn Féin proposal to increase inheritance tax has been described as an "attack on middle Ireland".
Deputy Colm Brophy, TD for Dublin South West, was speaking in response to Sinn Féin’s pre-budget proposals.
He said: "Sinn Féin’s proposal to increase inheritance tax is based on a misplaced notion that anyone who inherits anything must be rich.
"The reality of their proposal is that ordinary families across middle Ireland would be severely penalised.
"Sinn Féin propose to increase inheritance Tax (Capital Acquisitions Tax), by increasing the rate from 33% to 36%.
"This will affect ordinary families across the country seeking to pass on their family home and life savings to their children.
"In total, Sinn Féin’s budget proposals include over €2.88 billion in new taxes as a result of 18 separate tax increases.
"Sinn Féin is simply not fit for office. Their economic policies would decimate the progress made under Fine Gael to the detriment of families and workers across the country."
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