Workers Party will oppose rejigged pact

Workers’ Party Councillor Ted Tynan has said that under no circumstances will he support any nominee of a pro-austerity party for the position of Lord Mayor of Cork

Councillor Ted Tynan - always opposed pacts

Cllr. Tynan said that he was shocked to discover his name was being bandied about as part of a deal on the mayoralty.   This was absolutely untrue, he stated.  He said somebody was spinning stories to suit their own agenda and there was no question of the Workers’ Party’s single vote on the City Council going to elect right-wing parties.  “It would go against everything we stand for”, he said.

“The Workers Party, out of courtesy, met with all the groups on the City council who had asked to meet us.  We agreed no deal with anyone and made it clear that our anti-pact position of the past three decades had not changed and would not change.  Our opposition to water charges and privatisation of council services is not going to change”  

“I am most disappointed that Sinn Féin, having being elected on an anti-cuts platform, is to re-build the mayoral pact which was torn asunder by the voters of this city three weeks ago.  It does not matter whether it is elected under the D’Hondt system or any other, this is a reincarnation of the old pact, with Sinn Féin and a few independents taking the place of the Labour Party.  I wish to make it absolutely clear that the Workers’ Party is not part of the Independent group and will oppose tonight’s nomination of the pact’s candidate”.

Thank You!

THANK YOU!

My sincere thanks to all the people of the North East Ward for re-electing me as a councillor for the area. Thanks also to my family, my comrades in the Workers' Party and all those who helped out in the election.  I am humbled by the huge support I got from people and I hope I can live up to your expectations of me.   Sorry I could not be joined by my party colleague and comrade James Coughlan who got a very respectable vote in Cork City North West on his first electoral outing.  I think James has shown great heart and has the potential to make it next time.

Congratulations to Stephen Cunningham who just pipped me at the post for the first seat.

The result of this election is a clear message to the government, the EU and the banking elites that the people will no longer be taken for granted, but the battle is a major one and has really only just begun.   The issues of water charges, cutbacks in health, education, welfare and essential services have not gone away. The battle against privatisation is still to be fought.  The austerity agenda is being driven by powerful forces and can only be defeated if the majority in society, the working class, stand united and fight.  That fight will not be won in the council chambers alone, in the Dáil or in the European Parliament.  It can only be won on the streets and in the communities across this city, across the country and worldwide.

Once again thank you to everyone. I continue to be available to constituents and can be contacted at (086) 1908281 or by email at tedtynan@gmail.com

Save Mayfield Post Office says Tynan

Mayfield Post Office

Mayfield Workers Party Councillor and local election candidate Ted Tynan has accused the government of deliberately putting off a decision on the future of local post offices until after the European and Local elections.

Cllr. Tynan said that Minister Pat Rabbitte was holding off on a decision on the future of local post offices and outsourcing the tender for social welfare payments away from An Post.  The Workers’ Party councillor said that for a full week the government had been in overdrive making apparently positive announcements to boost support for the coalition parties but had been silent on issues such as the post office controversy.

In particular, Councillor Tynan expressed concern that the local post office in Mayfield would close if the government proceeds with its plans.   “Mayfield has already lost its two banks which have been left as empty buildings. More and more people are unable to make simple transactions locally such as paying bills and cashing cheques. If the post office closes then the heart will truly be gone from Mayfield and other communities like it.”

The recent introduction of “Post Points” in supermarkets such as Tesco and Dunnes Stores was another sign of things to come, Cllr. Tynan warned. “These Post Points may seem convenient but they could spell the death knell for local post offices.

The Workers’ Party councillor said that while the government had heralded the departure of the Troika as the return of Ireland’s economic sovereignty, the coalition is acting as if the Troika was still telling it what to do.  “What does economic sovereignty mean if the state has to slavishly do the EU/IMF’s bidding and privatise services, sell off our water,  our state companies and now the post office network?  They won’t be happy until they have left many parts of this country an economic wasteland”

Government intent on shutting down social housing says Tynan

Workers’ Party Councillor Ted Tynan has warned that the government and city managers are intent on shutting down social housing and handing it over to private or voluntary groups.

The Mayfield based councillor said that while there have been long-term problems without housing waiting lists, over the past few months the allocation of social housing units had come to a virtual standstill while the building of new housing units directly under local authority control was practically non existent.

Cllr. Tynan said: “I am deeply concerned that Cork City Council and other local authorities are going to offload social housing in the same way as they privatised the refuse service and now the water service.  Social housing provision is more likely to be handed over to housing charities or indeed to private landlords.  I believe this would be a very bad outcome for local authority tenants and those on the waiting lists”.

He continued, “This government, in league with the European Union bureaucracy which brought us the Troika, is determined to turn a whole raft of state agencies, including local authorities, into purely regulatory bodies.  In effect the state is divesting itself of social responsibility.  The rights of citizens to jobs, roofs over their heads and a social welfare safety net is being eroded day by day.

Cllr. Tynan, who is standing for re-election in the Cork City North East ward, said that local government would cease to be relevant to citizens if its role as a service provider is abolished. “There will be a major battle on the new councils to preserve key services such as social housing.  If re-elected I intend to fight to keep these services under public control through the local authorities.”, he said.

Deduction of Household Charge is theft says Tynan

Workers Party Councillor Ted Tynan has said that the Revenue Commissioners’ imminent deduction of unpaid Household Charges was nothing less than pure theft from the pay-packets of workers and the welfare payments of honest citizens.

Cllr. Tynan said that the circulation of letters of intent to thousands of homes in the last few days had caused anguish and anger and many people already struggling to make ends meet now find their meagre incomes are about to be raided.

He pointed out that when the Household Charge was introduced originally it had nothing to do with Revenue and was supposed to be about funding local government, recent legislation converted unpaid charges into a portion of Property Tax purely to give Revenue the power to deduct it directly from pay or welfare.

“This is the lowest of the many disgusting decisions taken by the present government. It is utterly reprehensible.  It is theft by any other name.    I think the best way householders can respond to this larceny is to join the protests against the installation of water meters because converting water charges to a tax is likely to be the coalition’s next nasty step.  If governments resort to coercion to enforce an injustice then there can only be one answer and that is mass organised resistance”, said Cllr. Tynan.

Local Elections 2014 - Cork City North East - Vote No.1 Ted Tynan

Over the past five years, Ted Tynan, has been by far one of the most active and consistent members of Cork City Council in many years, representing the people of the North East Ward of the city.

On Friday, 23rd May this year there will be local elections across the state.  Ensure that Ted Tynan continues to serve you and the citizens of the North East Ward by giving him your No.1 vote in the election.

Government playing a "softening up" game on water charges

Councillor Ted Tynan

Cork Workers’ Party Councillor Ted Tynan has accused the government of playing a cynical game of rumour and denial as part of a “softening up” exercise to prepare people for much higher water charges than originally stated.

Cllr. Tynan said that the issue of whether there would be a standing charge on water bills was a “red herring”.  The real issue, he said, was the fact that these charges are unnecessary, have nothing to do with water conservation and are a prelude to privatisation of water services in this country.

“Water”, said “Cllr. Tynan, “ is essential to human life, wellbeing and hygiene.  It is already more than paid for through central taxation as it has been for decades. The new water charges are nothing less than extortionary double taxation.”  

“The standing charge issue is just further proof that water charges will cripple working class families and must be resisted and stopped.  If we do not fight the installation of meters and these unjust charges then the sky is the limit on how high the prices will soar”, said the Workers Party councillor.