Labour leader Eamon Gilmore TD will cut the tape on our new office at 1 Bird Avenue tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon at 2.30 pm. If you are in the area, you are more than welcome to come along for a cup of tea and a chat.
More :: See where the new office is
New Constituency Office at 1 Bird Avenue, Dundrum
As part of our continuing campaign in the run-up to the Dublin South by-election on June 5, we have opened a new constituency office on Bird Avenue, Dundrum, right in the heart of the constituency.
For several years, we have had an office in Rathfarnham which has been open to accommodate the needs of the people of Rathfarnham, Knocklyon, Ballyboden and Churchtown.
With these new premises, we will seek to assist the residents of Dundrum, Ballinteer, Sandyford, Windy Arbour, Goatstown and Mount Merrion.
A drop-in service is available in both Rathfarnham and Bird Avenue. Our office at 1 Main Street, Rathfarnham is open between 10am and 1pm on Fridays and the office at 1 Bird Avenue is open between 2pm and 4pm also on Fridays.
If you would like to arrange a meeting to discuss a matter of concern in Dublin South please do not hesitate to contact me. You can call (01) 618 3972 or email [email protected].
Alex (Left) and Cllr Paddy Cosgrave (Second Left) weet locals at last night's meeting
Last night, my colleague Cllr Paddy Cosgrave and I met with a group of local people from the Whitechurch area of Dublin South. It was an opportunity for those in the community to come together and discuss problems that are occurring at local and national area and where possible, myself and Paddy sought to accommodate those concerns.
It was a successful evening with topics such as local parking and refurbishment coming up for discussion as well as issues such as pay for TDs and Senators and the cumbersome way the grant system works.
This is only the first of quite a number of public meetings we plan to do in the constituency in the run up to the local elections and, of course, the Dublin South by-election on June 5.
Keep an eye on the blog for further updates.
Tonight in Whitechurch, in the local National School - Scoil Mhuire, sees the start of what I hope will be a series of community engagements across Dublin South.
These meetings are about creating an opportunity for me and our local councillors, Paddy Cosgrave is our councillor for the Rathfarnham ward, to listen to the concerns and learn from the ideas local people have on how we’re doing right now as a community, an economy and a society.
If you know of anyone who lives in the area, or indeed, if you fancy coming along yourself, then why not let them know that we’ll be there from 8pm.
Statement by Eamon Gilmore TD:
The Labour Party has tabled a motion moving the writ for the Dublin South By-election. It is expected that the motion will be taken in the Dail early next week.
The Party Leader, Eamon Gilmore TD, said that Labour had made the decision to move the writ because of the failure of the government to take any decision as to when the by-election would be held.
“It is now almost seven months since the death of the much-respected Seamus Brennan. I have, on several occasions, raised the matter of the by-election with the Taoiseach, but the standard response I have received on each occasion has been that the matter had not yet been considered by the government.
“On the last occasions when vacancies occurred in the Dail, the by-elections were held within a matter of months. John Bruton and Charlie McCreevy both resigned as Deputies in November 2005, and the writs for the by-elections in Meath and Kildare North were moved in the Dail by the Government Chief Whip on February 15th.
“The people of Dublin South are entitled to the full level of representation in the Dail provided for under the constitution. It is simply not acceptable that the government should deny them that level of representation by refusing to hold the by-election.
“Furthermore if the government believes that it has the confidence of the people in terms of its performance in office so far and particularly in regard to its handling of the economy, then surely it should put this to the test by having the Dublin South by election as early as possible.
“The fact that the country is experiencing serious economic difficulties is no reason to suspend normal democratic procedures. Nor is the possibility of an embarrassing result for Fianna Fail and the Greens sufficient justification for the continued refusal to hold a by election.
“I hope that there will be support from all parties for the moving of the writ and the setting of an early date for the by-election.”
This week sees the beginning of my campaign to secure the support of the people of Dublin South in the forthcoming by-election.
Over the coming weeks, I will be out and about meeting the people of Dublin south, listening to their views on the challenges we face together, and sharing with them my perspective on the need now for a fresh approach to politics.
To mark the beginning to this intensive period of campaigning, we have mounted a short outdoor advertising campaign which will run on bus shelters and Luas across the constituency.
Remember to keep an eye on the website and blog and I have just launched my new Facebook page. You can become a supporter of mine on Facebook and receive regular updates from the campaign trail, along with receiving notification on the where we’ll be canvassing.
I hope to meet and exchange views with as many constituents as I can. In the meantime, you can contact me by using the ‘Contact Alex’ section of the site.
More :: Visit my Facebook page by clicking here
More :: Visit the main website at alexwhite.ie
Yesterday, I was pleased to attend the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition in the RDS and meet with pupils from some local schools. I was thoroughly impressed by the high standards the students have set themselves this year, and local students were particularly inspiring!
I managed to catch up with students from Wesley; Our Lady’s Grove Secondary School; St. Columba’s and Pobail Scoil Naomh Choilm Cille.
Above is a photo of myself with Danielle Ronan from Mount Anville Secondary School. She explained to me her project on producing Siamese Fighter Fish!
More :: View more photos of the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition at the Labour Flickr Site
Senator Alex White, Labour Leader in the Senate and his party’s candidate in the Dublin South by-election, has expressed dismay at the fact that primary schools in Dublin South will lose up to 14 teachers under the new pupil-teacher ratios set by the Government as a result of the Budget changes.
Speaking prior to a Labour Party motion in the Dáil on class sizes, Senator White stated that: “The Government are saying that class sizes will be increasing by only one child. In reality, it’s much more serious than that. Schools will lose teachers, every child’s education will be compromised, and class sizes in Dublin South will be as high as 32.
“The worst case is St. Colmcille’s National Schools in Knocklyon, who will lose an extraordinary 5 teachers according to initial figures from the INTO. This is the same school that, in the last election, the Government promised to redevelop, ending the plight of 500 students in prefab accommodation. Today, the Government will still not let the school apply for planning permission.
“The INTO have also reported that Taney NS, Dundrum and St Mary’s NS, Lamb’s Cross will each lose a teacher. Holy Cross NS, Dundrum will lose 3 teachers and Oatlands NS, Stillorgan will lose 4 teachers under the new rules. 14 teachers is a shocking number to be lost in one constituency, and this doesn’t include the loss of English Language Support Teachers.
“The Government has responded by insisting that these measures are required in these tight budgetary times.
“However, Minister O’Keeffe is ignoring the fact that the people who will be most affected by his cuts are children, who in many cases already have had to endure high class sizes, and low standard accommodation.
“What Labour is asking tonight is simply for the Minister to stick to his own Programme for Government - which promised to decrease class sizes, not increase them.”
More :: Labour’s Private Members’ Motion will be taken in the Dáil at 7.30 pm tonight. You can view the proceedings live by clicking here.
