Tuesday 18 December 2012

Workers' Party (Cork) Christmas Draw 2012

Winners in Workers' Party, Cork Region, Christmas Draw 2012.


Prize                         Ticket No.                                         Winner

1st 1006 Anne Hales, Bandon
2nd  0954 Len McCarthy, Ballinspittle
3rd 1690 Roy Keating, Ballyphehane
4th  1500 Josephine Power, Mayfield
5th  0082 Sean Crowley,
c/o Three Horseshoes Bar
6th 0676 Owen O'Sullivan, Ballinure
7th 0927 Eileen McCarthy, Ballyphehane
8th  1448 Aaron Sherin, Mayfield
9th  0166 Pat Manning, c/o, Sean Crowley
10th  2081 W. Murphy, c/o, Mick Crowley
11th  1175 Nina Ahern, Clonakilty
12th  2067 Pete, c/o, Mick Crowley
13th  1691 Maura Keating, Ballyphehane
14th  0268 Sean Tynan, c/o, Ted Tyan
15th  2209 Frances O'Neill, Knocknaheeny
16th  2212 M. O'Neill, Knocknaheeny
17th  1682 Eryn Keating, c/o, Roy Keating
18th  1900 Josh Murphy, c/o, Mick Crowley
19th  1003 Mary Hales, Bandon
20th 0440 Billy Kiely, c/o, Ted Tynan
All winners will be notified. The Cork Regional Council of the Workers' Party would like to thank all our ticket sellers, buyers and prize donors. Seasons greetings and many thanks.

James Connolly Rolling in His Grave



I was stunned by Labour Party Minister Sean Sherlock's response on the front page of the Echo (Dec 14th) to comments that James Connolly would be rolling in his grave over the policies of the current government. Minister Sherlock was quoted as saying that 'I sometimes think those invoking James Connolly have not read his works. James Connolly was first and foremost a patriot'. As a reader of Connolly myself, I wonder which works in particular Minister Sherlock could be referring to. It certainly could not be the article published in Workers' Republic in 1900 which states clearly Connolly's position on so-called patriotism. Let me refresh the Minister's memory: 

'Ireland without her people is nothing to me, and the man who is bubbling over with love and enthusiasm for "Ireland", and can yet pass unmoved through our streets and witness all the wrong and the suffering, the shame and the degradation wrought upon the people of Ireland, aye, wrought by Irishmen upon Irishmen and women, without burning to end it, is, in my opinion, a fraud and a liar'.

The government of which Minister Sherlock is a part has certainly wrought its fair share of suffering, shame and degradation on the people of this country with its recent budget, which has featured cuts to Child Benefit and the Respite Care Grant and a host of other regressive policies. The most vulnerable in our society are bearing the brunt of an economic program of austerity that has been designed and imposed by those who are safely protected by large salaries and positions of power and influence. The idea that this situation could be justified through an appeal to doing our patriotic duty, as Minister Sherlock suggests, is the very kind of fraudulent rhetoric Connolly was denouncing 112 years ago, and he would most surely be denouncing it if he were around today.  

Friday 19 October 2012

Tynan calls for a new deal for Mayfield



Workers’ Party Councillor Ted Tynan has called for a new deal for Mayfield which would develop the positive aspects of the Northside suburb, comprehensively deal with neglect and dereliction and put the creation of jobs and building of community on top of the agenda.

Cllr. Tynan said that Mayfield had the potential to become a model community if it had the same opportunities as other areas of the city.  Too often dereliction and anti-social activity were blamed on the local community where the real cause of these ills was official neglect, bad planning and short-sightedness on the part of the state.
Soon to be vacated AIB Bank on Old Youghal Road

Cllr. Tynan cited the forthcoming closure of the AIB and Permanent TSB banks in Mayfield as symptomatic of an attitude that the area was less important than others. The same was true of the level of dereliction, broken or overgrown footpaths and job creation.

The Workers’ Party councillor has put forward a number of motions to Cork City Council calling for action to be taken on derelict premises and calling for a proactive approach towards the impending closure of the two local bank branches.

Permanent TSB, Mayfield - Ideal for community use
Derelict private house - action from council required
“Now is the time to act on these two buildings, not in five years time when they are burnt out, vandalised or taken over by anti-social elements.  The two banks in question owe it to the local community to ensure that this doesn’t happen and I am proposing that the City Council make a direct approach to the AIB and Permanent TSB with a view to securing these premises for use by community and voluntary organisations in the area. I am also calling on the Council to take urgent steps to deal derelict properties whether publicly or privately owned.   If this kind of neglect is not acceptable in other suburbs then it’s not good enough for Mayfield either”, said Cllr. Tynan.

Cllr. Tynan also called a job creation programme for the Mayfield area, based on eco-friendly development of local amenities, rejuvenation of empty council housing and environmental improvements in the area, particularly related to protecting the Glen River Valley and improving leisure amenities there.

Saturday 29 September 2012

Ministerial pensions should spark outrage



Press Release on Ministerial Pensions

Workers’ Party Councillor Ted Tynan said that the revelation that former government ministers had received over €4 million in pensions last year while some of them continue to receive other payments from the state should spark public outrage, especially from those who are suffering the brunt of cutbacks.

Cllr. Tynan said that despite holding a referendum on judges pay last year the state was continuing to pay enormous sums of money to former ministers and other office holders, many of whom are already incredibly wealthy. 

“On a daily basis”, said Cllr Tynan,  “I am contacted by citizens who are suffering real hardship and misery as a result of cutbacks.  One of the most glaring examples is the recent cut in the hours of Home Helps.  This is a heartless decision which seriously erodes the quality of life of those dependent on the Home Help service. News of these ministerial pensions can only add insult to their injury”.

Cllr. Tynan said that with a further €1 billion to be paid out to AIB bondholders next Monday it was an utter affront to the Irish people that many of those who presided over the collapse of the economy and the banking bailout are still receiving golden handshakes and bloated pensions. 

“In addition to the obscene payments to the likes of Bertie Ahern and Mary Harney we also have huge sums of money being paid out to a number of extremely wealthy former ministers such as Michael McDowell and John Bruton.  Worst of all we have a convicted tax evader Ray Burke receiving a ministerial pension of over €1,000 a week.   It is time to call a halt to this squalid circus.”, said Cllr. Tynan.

Wednesday 19 September 2012

Hogan cravenly distances himself from actions of councils

Phil Hogan says that he did not ask local authorities to withhold student grant applications. The Minister, even though he supports the withholding of grants, is now cravenly trying to distance himself from this debacle because he knows it's a public relations nightmare. I am reminded of our campaign against services charges (double taxation) back in the 90s, when the government of the time tried to implement the same policy of blackmail against the sons and daughters of families applying for student grants. Padraig Flynn was the Minister for Environment and Local Government. Under the leadership of the late Paddy Mulcahy, a school teacher, we resisted their campaign of terror waged against families. Are they going back down the road jailing people I wonder?

Tuesday 18 September 2012

Labour suggest it's 'reasonable' to deny student grants


It was announced today that Mary McAlesse was appointed Chair of a High Level EU Group for Higher Education. McAleese was quoted as saying that her goal is to 'ensure that every student, regardless of where they live or study in Europe, will benefit from quality teaching'. Nice sentiment. The former President is, presumably, as outraged as I am at the news that some local authorities are threatening to deny students access to third level education by withholding their grants if their parents have not paid the Household Charge. It is entirely appalling that a denial of education is being used to squeeze the poor, and the Minister of Education Ruari Quinn should be ashamed of himself for suggesting that such behaviour is 'reasonable'. The Labour Party clearly feel it's 'reasonable' to deny the children of poor families an education in order to bail out bondholders and banks. It's an utter lie to suggest that the money from the Household Charge is going to local services, this money is only going to fill the gap created by cuts.

Saturday 2 June 2012

Govt should not assume apathy means indifference


Cork Workers’ Party Councillor Ted Tynan has said that the government and others on the Yes side in the EU fiscal treaty would be making a huge mistake if they assumed that the poor turnout in the referendum meant people were indifferent to austerity and mass unemployment.

Cllr. Tynan said that the Northside of the city had delivered a massive rejection of the government’s policies which was only hidden because rural votes in the North Central constituency had masked the true scale of public anger.   The urban part of the constituency had delivered a NO vote of approximately 60% with a NO vote of well over 80% in many areas.

“Right across the Northside of Cork the government and other Yes parties had their policies completely rejected.  People are seething with anger.  Support for the Treaty and for austerity is practically non-existent and could only be gathered through scare tactics and the belief of many people that the treaty would be run again if there was a NO vote”, said Cllr. Tynan.

“The government would be making a huge mistake if they assume that the low turnout in the referendum means people are indifferent to the pain that is being inflicted on them to prop up banks and the German economy.  Sooner or later the government and other establishment parties will feel the wrath of the people and they will pay for the damage they have done to people’s lives.  Last Thursday they got their way through sheer intimidation.  People will feel less restrained at the next local and general elections and deliver the punishment these parties will have brought upon themselves.” 

Saturday 5 May 2012

Tynan calls for a NO vote on Fiscal Treaty

Councillor Ted Tynan has called for a NO vote on the EU Fiscal Treaty referendum which takes place on Thursday, 31st May.

Cllr. Tynan said that if the treaty is passed it will mean more of the economic misery and hardship that the Irish people and other Europeans have had to endure these last number of years.

We have had years years of Austerity budgets which have increased unemployment, led to the return of emigration, pay cuts and loss of pensions, households in mortgage distress, the education and health service budgets slashed and social welfare targeted for cutbacks.

New taxes like the Household Charge and proposed Water Charges hit those most in need not those who can afford to pay more.
The proposed Treaty will decree that this is the only possible economic policy for any future government to follow and will guarantee further austerity and pain for decades to come.
It means a loss of our political and economic sovreignty and the transfer of powers to unaccountable and unelected bureaucrats in the European Commission and the European Court of Justice.

The Workers' Party has set up a special website with information on its no campaign. You can visit the website at www.workerseurope.ie

Public Meeting in Cork

The Workers' Party will hold a public meeting on the Fiscal Treaty on Wednesday, 16th May at the Metropole Hotel, Mac Curtain Street, Cork at 8.00pm.  
The speakers will be:-
  • Michael Donnelly,  lecturer in sociology and politics in Galway
  • Councillor Ted Tynan, Workers Party, Cork City Council
  • James Coughlan, trade unionist, WP activist from Churchfield

All are welcome.

Wednesday 2 May 2012

Vita Cortex settlement is tremendous news says Tynan

Vita Cortex offices on Cork's Kinsale Road

Cork Workers’ Party councillor Ted Tynan has described as “tremendous news” the settlement tonight (Wednesday) of the Vita Cortex dispute following a 139 day sit in by 32 workers at the Cork plant in order to get an acceptable redundancy deal.

Cllr. Tynan said that the news was what all of Cork had been waiting to hear and he praised the workers saying they had been an inspiration to the people of Cork, Ireland and the wider world.  Their dispute, he pointed out, had been just 6 days shorter than the Dublin Lockout of 1913 but unlike that dispute the Vita Cortex workers had ultimately won out.

“The Vita Cortex workers and their families”, said Cllr. Tynan, “have endured five months of hardship and uncertainty.  The strain on them and their wider families and communities must have been enormous but they saw it through with unstinting determination aided by the absolute justness of their cause”.

The Workers Party councillor concluded by saying it was now incumbent on the government and the trade union movement to ensure that no other workers in the future would have to endure such difficulties in achieving just settlement after their years of service.