Fianna Fáil Councillor, John Paul Feeley called for immediate political accountability for the total cervical cancer debacle rather than establishing another Tribunal of Enquiry.
‘The recent revelations about the cervical screening programme has done massive damage to the entire notion of health screening. We have to encourage people to take up appointments offered under the Cervical Cancer Screening Programme and also Breastcheck. I and I am sure every public representative in the country have spoken to people with concerns about checks they have had under either scheme. I urge them all to immediately contact their GP.’
‘Minister Harris and the CEO of the HSE Mr. O’Brien seem to conveniently know little about what actually happened. It seems extraordinary that the fact the State was involved in such a sensitive case involving a US lab and a major national screening programme was not discussed with both the CEO of the HSE and the Minister for Health. It begs the question that if this is not brought to the Ministers attention exactly what is on his desk.’
‘In recent weeks we have had Denis Naughton given a free pass on his ‘split personality’ response and now Minister Harris is getting a free pass on this serious matter. It seems normal political accountability has been suspended until such time as the referendum is dealt with at the end of the month. It seems the political establishment are determined to insure nothing gets in the way of their current objective’
‘I urge anyone with concerns about their previous screening results to seek medical attention urgently and I also urge anyone who has been affected by these disgraceful events to pursue this matter vigorously through the courts. It is only through the Courts that any mistakes in the HSE are properly held to account.’
ENDS
Category Archives: Press Releases
Fodder Scheme must continue beyond 30th April 2018 – Feeley
Fianna Fáil Councillor, John Paul Feeley has called for an extension to the April 30th deadline on the Fodder Transport Support Scheme. The Scheme was introduced to try assist farmers deal with the severe shortage of fodder especially in the northwest of the country.
‘At meetings of Cavan County Council since last December I have been calling for the introduction of a comprehensive scheme to assist farmers with the current crisis. These calls have been constantly ignored by Minister Creed in the face of mounting evidence of the complete lack of fodder. We asked that a voucher scheme be introduced for feed stuff rather than assisting in the purchase of hay and silage.’
‘Instead the Government introduced an unworkable scheme and had to concede once the south and east of the country bore the brunt of Storm Emma that a more user-friendly scheme be made available. However, they introduced a deadline of the 30th April’
‘The reality is that the recognised supplier have found it very difficult to secure fodder and get it distributed. In fact it is being rationed in the co-ops and marts who are administering the scheme.’
‘In West Cavan it will require many weeks of good weather to allow land to dry and see grass start to grow. Farmers will need access to fodder supplier well into the month of May and I am calling on the Government to extend the Scheme beyond the end of April to at the very least the last week of May.’
‘I note that Brendan Smith TD has tabled a number of Questions in Dáil Ėireann in relation to the fodder scheme and sought a further extension and expansion of the scheme.
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Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands an easier fit for western half of Cavan- Feeley
Fianna Fáil Councillor, John Paul Feeley has broadly welcomed the launch of the “Ireland’s Hidden Heartland’s” brand to market the central region of the country for tourism purposes. The new brand stretching from North Leitrim to Limerick includes approximately half of County Cavan and focuses on that part of the country influenced by the River Shannon. It is anticipated that in 2018 €2 million will be assigned to promote this new brand.
“As chairperson of the Economic SPC of Cavan County Council we have engaged on a regular basis with the tourism sector and launched a new tourism strategy for County Cavan towards the end of 2017. This week our council approved the adoption of a new angling strategy. These are all significant developments for County Cavan. One anomaly in the tourism marketing of the region was finding parts of the county as far west as Blacklion included in Ireland’s Ancient East.”
“I was very pleased that Cavan Burren Park had been recognised as a flagship site within Ireland Ancient East as indeed had the Cavan County Museum at Ballyjamesduff. However from a practical perspective it was not realistic to anticipate that a tourist would travel from the Viking City of Waterford also part of Ireland Ancient East to a site on the Fermanagh Leitrim border such as Cavan Burren Park.’
“I believe this new designation recognises the significance of the Shannon-Erne Waterway, the River Shannon, the source of which is in Glangevlin and is itself one of the key sites in the Marble Arch Global Geopark along with the Cavan Burren Park and the sister sites focusing around Cuilcagh Mountain and the other sites throughout Cavan and Fermanagh which flow naturally from that.”
‘I know the Cavan County Council have prepared substantial plans for significant investment in the various sites in County Cavan which form part of the UNESCO Marble Arch Global Geopark. These plans would take up the entire budget allocated by Failte Ireland for promoting this new brand. If Government are serious about promoting this new region then it must be matched with very significant funding to ensure that sites such as Cavan Burren Park, the Shannon Pot, Killykeen as the flagship sites in our county must be the recipient of significant, frontloaded government investment.’
‘The test for this new brand is not the glossy launch in Athlone, it will be whether there is follow through in investment in the area from Blacklion at its very northern most and on from there.’ concluded Feeley.
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‘Targeted funding scheme available to communities under CLÁR 2018’ –Feeley
Press Release
‘Targeted funding scheme available to communities under CLÁR 2018’ –Feeley
Fianna Fáil Councillor, John Paul Feeley has welcomed publication of details of the CLÁR 2018 funding scheme which under three measures targets supports for the provision of safety measures at schools, play areas at schools or in communities and a First Response Support Measure the closing date for which is 18 April 2018.
“From its introduction by then Minister Eamon Ó Cuiv, the CLÁR program has provided targeted funding to the most disadvantaged rural communities in Ireland. After an absence of a number of years and in accordance with the terms of the Confidence and Supply Agreement at the behest of Fianna Fáil, Minister Ring reintroduced this funding programme in 2017 and many communities throughout the country have benefited as a result. In 2018 a further tranche of funding will be available and I urge local schools and community groups to contact the municipal district offices or the Community Enterprise Section of Cavan County Council so that applications can be put together in accordance with the requirements of the Department and lodged without delay.”
The 2018 Scheme administered under three headings must be lodged on behalf of the individual applicants by Cavan County Council with the Department and only 15 applications are allowed per county under measures one and two dealing with support for school/community safety measures and school/community play areas. The separate heading dealing with first response support measures involves an application directly to the Department.
“The application process is not particularly complicated, however for projects is set in excess of €50,000 they must be offered under the e-tender process. Under measure one dealing with support for community/school safety measures and minimal grant of €1000 is payable towards the cost of the measures to be covered under this scheme. The grant rate of 90% of the total expenditure applies with a minimum 5% cash contribution from the school/community with the balance to be made up by the local authority if applicable.’
“Under measure two which provides assistance towards the provision of play areas at schools and in communities there is a minimum grant rate of €5000 and a maximum grant of €50,000 which covers 90% of the overall cost of the project.
“As the timelines are tight I urge schools and communities to contact the county council as a matter of urgency. Last year the officials of Cavan County Council did excellent work engaging with communities to ensure that great value for money was obtained under the various CLÁR heading and I am sure that they will work equally hard in 2018 to ensure the communities the length and breadth of this county benefit under this funding stream.”
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Contact (087)6989304
Conditions-for-Clar-2018.docx
Letter-to-Councillors-2018.pdf
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