Budget 2014 will effect the least well off in our Society-Cllr. Peter Ormond

Cllr. Peter Ormond has stated that the less well off in our society were hit hardest in last weeks budget. There has been a €2.5billion adjustment to the budget and certainly the effect of that adjustment is clearly effecting those who can least afford it.

Cllr. Ormond welcomed certain aspects of the budget such as the 9% retention on the Vat rate for tourism providers and the income taxed credit for home owners who carry out renovations on their homes and the exemption from income tax for new start-ups for the unemployed who earn up to a maximum profit of 40,000 per annum.

However, the people with no lobby groups and voices at the top table were hit with the hardest measures. Our young people and our elderly were hit particularly hard last week. Our elderly who have done so much for our country over the years have been particularly singled out. The removal of the household packages was an important package to so many people, particularly people living on their own. There is also the introduction of cap on tax relief for medical insurance premiums which will have the greatest impact on the elderly. This will result in increase in premiums for many people. These changes combined with the increase for prescription charges for medical cards will place greater hardship on our older population. If we take the introduction of cap on tax relief for medical insurance companies €94m, medical card review €113m, increase in prescription charges €43m, abolition of telephone allowances €44m, this is evidence enough of the hardship being forced on our elderly. Its easy do the figures.

When examining the budget and trying to find the savings, the one figure that stands out is in the health budget. The health Minister now has a job to find €666 million in savings in 2014. We only heard last week that there is likely to be an over run of €150 million in the health service this year. We already know that with the changes in discretionary medical cards there is a savings of €113 million and the question needs to asked where is the other €550 million going to come from. I hope and I urge the Minister not to reduce the budgets in our homecare packages and to deliver a budget cut of this size is simply not possible without reducing the current level of service. I understand that a new service plan for the HSE has to be drawn up based on these cuts and I hope the people who need the practical services are afforded these services. While I welcome the introduction of free GP Care for Under 5’s, it is hard to believe with the changes in the discretionary medical cards, that children over 5 years with illnesses and special needs will not qualify for a medical card. 

The other area that stands out is the reduced social welfare payments for people until they reach the age of 26. While I appreciate that we don’t want people coming out of school and receiving social welfare payments, we don't want to create a situation whereby we have people who have a primary degree, a masters degree living on €100 per week until they reach 26 years. We want these people working in our communities and contributing to the economy. However most young people are find employment difficult to find and this cut to social welfare will undoubtedly lead to an increase in emigration among our young people.

Film Celebrates What Is Special About Shinrone

Cllr. Ormond Disappointed at Announcement of Birr Court House.

Cllr. Peter Ormond has expressed his disappointment that the Court House in Birr is to close. This is another blow to the town of

Birr and the surrounding areas. Last year, we witnessed the closure of Roscrea Court House and now with the imminent closure of Birr, there will be no court houses between Nenagh and Tullamore. If people of South Offaly need to avail of our Court Services, they will have to travel to Nenagh or Tullamore. 

We are regularly seeing these announcements right across the board in different sectors where we are seeing the reduction and merging of services. We have yet to hear what the total cost of these savings are. The closure of the Court house in Birr will result in officials and members of the Gardai travelling further to the new courts. 

This announcement will greatly effect the businesses in the town . During Court Sittings, there was a financial spin off in terms of restaurants, hotels, accommodation providers and retail. When the government were looking at these savings, the financial loss to the the town wasn't taken into consideration.

I am calling on the government parties to inject some capital funding into Birr and the surrounding areas. We have recently seen the closure of Shannon Development in the town, the tourist office is due to close at the beginning of August with no definite plans going forward, the Town  Council is to finish next June. These are all vital services that are important to a town like Birr and they're closing at an alarming rate. 

Cllr. Ormond welcomes Extra Roads Allocation.

Cllr. Peter Ormond has welcomed an extra allocation for the maintenance of lighting and roads restoration in the Birr Electoral Area. Cllr. Ormond stated that he was stunned two weeks ago when he heard that the lighting budget had been spent and that the maintenance of lights would be deferred until early 2014. It is important that Offaly County Council maintain front line services And in one of my last acts as Chairman of Offaly County Council, I was delighted to negotiate an extra €80,000 with the executive towards the lighting budget. This figure will ensure the adequate maintenance of lighting for the reminder of the year.

Cllr. Ormond also welcomed the additional funding of €234,000 towards roads restoration in the Birr area. This extra funding will be spent on the following, Dromoe Road, Moneygall, Cemetary Road, Dunkerrin, Grogans Lane, Kilcolman to Jackies Cross, Ballystanley to Abbey Mills, Mountmask Lane & Letter Lane.
Cllr. Ormond stated that this extra allocation will greatly enhance these roads and it is hoped that these works will be completed in the next couple of months.

-From this week's Midland Tribune

Cllr. Ormond calls for reversal of Special Needs Cuts.

Peter Ormond has expressed his disappointment at the announcement last week that another 12.5% cut to resource teaching hours will commence. This cut will serve to further disenfranchise our children with special needs. In total there is a 25% reduction in resource hours since 2011. This is another targeted cut by our government who should be investing heavily in our education system. This is a deliberate cut to the children in need, their families and those who are unable to defend themselves. The effects of these cuts will be felt not only by children with special needs and their families but amongst other pupils and right across school communities.

Cllr. Ormond has urged the Minister to immediately reverse this cut. Parents and children are finishing the school year this week and this cut is leaving them with further uncertainty. A child that was allocated 5 hours per week will now only receive 3.75 hours next year. The savings here are minimal and whilst acknowledging that savings have to be made in our economy, they should be made in other areas.
Schools are already working under tough conditions with pupil teacher ratios already causing difficulties. The separation of Learning Support and Resource as two distinct teaching jobs is also challenging for schools.  A direct consequence of this is that schools that do not have adequate hours for a full time resource teaching job now have part-time teachers who travel between schools - a situation which is hardly ideal for anyone concerned. Schools are not entitled to combine learning support and Resource even though teachers are qualified in both teaching scenarios.

The children of today are tomorrow's future. We have to give these children a voice and I call on these cuts to be reversed immediately. These cuts will have consequences on all children in our education system. The timing of this announcement is also questionable. It was foisted on school communities and families days after teachers voted to accept the Haddington Road Agreement.   After making considerable progress in the area of Special Needs in recent years, it now looks as if this government does not see the true value of providing adequate resources for our young people with special needs. The Minister should  make an announcement to reverse these cuts before the end of the week.