MARTIN VISIT
MICHEÁL MARTIN VISITED TUBBERCURRY LAST WEEK TO GET A SENSE OF ISSUES AFFECTING LOCALS.
FIANNA Fáil leader Micheál Martin took to the streets of Tubbercurry last Tuesday to meet local business owners, education providers, healthcare providers and locals to discuss the issues that are affecting people in the area.
Having stayed in Cawley’s Hotel on the Monday night, he was given a pretty clear view of the main issue affecting people in the South Sligo area at the moment.
Martin said it is a matter of urgency now that a resolution can be found to the current water crisis affecting households and businesses in the area.
“The water issue is the one in this particular area affecting people. Last night I stayed in Cawley’s, I really enjoyed it. They were pointing out the water problem to me, that can be very challenging for businesses and for families and mothers of young babies and so on. It’s incredible to believe that a planning issue has been the main stumbling block for this,” he told The Sligo Champion.
He continued: “I think human health and the availability of water is a fundamental and it should take priority, in my view, in terms of planning criteria and I think it is urgent now that, I understand that efforts are being made, to re-submit that plan for the water treatment plant to get it off the ground and I think our view is that should happen as quickly as possibly.”
The current trolley crisis in Irish hospitals is just one of the big issues in the health system at the minute.
The Fianna Fáil leader was visiting the nursing home in Tubbercurry during his visit to get the thoughts of workers and residents regarding potential home care packages.
“The health issue looms large in every area and here in terms of the needs of Sligo and rural Ireland, particularly the need for greater investment in home care packages, more home help hours. The home care packages are key because they are an alternative to the nursing home. Whilst we will need more nursing home places, more home care packages will enable more people to stay ion their homes longer.
“I believe that over the last number of years we haven’t got a straight story from the Government in terms of the amount of money we require to provide for an aging population, and a population that’s living longer in terms of the array of supports that elderly people need. We have Sligo Hospital itself and the need for increased bed capacity there.”
Deputy Martin knows the importance of IT Sligo to the region. He says the IT is a ‘ key driver’ for Sligo and the North-West.
“The Institute of Technology is one that I’ve been associated with as a former Minister of Education. I would have put a lot of supports there in my time and indeed Fianna Fáil, when last in Government, had a very massive investment in terms of Yeats’ Library and that €14 million project.
“It is one of the most important institutions in the region, going back to the days of the regional colleges when it was first established it has been a very significant factor in supporting industry, business, providing graduates with work as well as research in niche areas particularly robotics and so on. We see the IT as a key driver for Sligo and the region into the future.”
Deputy Martin recently went on the record to speak of his support for repealing the 8th amendment. His Sligo/Leitrim TDs Eamon Scanlon and Marc MacSharry are both opposed to repealing that amendment.
Martin says he made his mind up on the issue having met with women who were forced to travel to the United Kingdom to terminate pregnancies.
“Over two years ago I would have met women who had to travel to England to terminate their pregnancies as a result of a diagnosis of fatal foetal abnormality.
“Their stories were horrific in the sense that they were harrowing stories, they wanted to have their babies but had been given this terrible diagnosis but had to go to England to have a termination and then bring their babies back in the boot of a car in some cases. It was very difficult. I don’t feel, in conscience, that I can force women in those situations to have to go to England in the future.
“I would equally have a view of rape and incest, particularly in the case of young women, all women, but it gets even more acute when you’re talking about 14/15 year olds who become pregnant as a result of rape/incest. You cannot force women in those situations to go through a pregnancy, in my view, I couldn’t. The only way to legislate for that then is the Oireachtas committee’s determination that up to 12 weeks is the only way you could legally deal with the rape and incest issue.”
The availability too of abortion pills has made the procedure more accessible for some, and Deputy Martin says article 40.3.3 of the Irish constitution has not prevented women from having abortions.
He says voters need to trust women.
“Then you have to factor in the emergence of the abortion pill which is used up to 10/12 weeks is happening whether we like it or not so article 40.3.3 hasn’t stopped abortion in Ireland and unfortunately women are availing of the abortion pill online without any medical supervision so it’s a very difficult issue.
“I respect people with a different view to mine, I think it’s a deeply personal issue that people will take themselves in the privacy of their ballot box. I believe we need to trust women, I believe we need to trust obstetricians and gynaecologists and doctors because I don’t believe a change is going to open ‘ the floodgates’, to use that terrible phrase.
“I’m not an advocate for abortion, I just believe that in certain circumstances, women shouldn’t have to go to England for terminations in the cases I have outlined.”
He has previously been critical of the delivery of the National Development Plan which took place in Sligo a number of weeks ago.
The advertorials which appeared in newspapers following the launch of this plan, have been the subject of much criticism since.
“On the National Development Plan, it’s all about delivery. At the moment, the Government has failed spectacularly on housing. We had many plans in the last 4-5 years, rebuilding Ireland, we’ve had a five year capital plan a few years ago, and many of the projects that were announced five years ago have been re-announced in the 20140 plan, about 40%. So why are we spending tax-payers’ money on ads for projects that have been already announced?” said Deputy Martin,
He continued: “In some cases the CPOs, the compulsory purchase orders, are underway, in the case of roads, or design teams have been appointed in some schools, or very little has happened in some projects.
“There’s a huge question over the nature of the advertising, the nature of the promotion, which is in my view, way out of sync with what is the reality of what is happening. That’s not information, that’s propaganda. Does it need bus ads? Bus ads traditionally aren’t going to give you information.”
Following his Tubbercurry visit, Deputy Martin then went to Boyle.
He will be returning to Sligo town and its environs in due course.