News | MATT CARTHY TD

Carthy presses Tánaiste on cost-of-living crisis at his first Leaders Questions

Carthy presses Tánaiste on cost-of-living crisis at his first Leaders Questions

In his first time standing in for Marylou McDonald on Leaders Questions, Cavan Monaghan Deputy Matt Carthy last Thursday pressed the Tánaiste on the response of government to the cost-of-living crisis.

In an exchange with Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar, Deputy Carthy accused the government of failure to recognise the impact of rising prices on ordinary workers and families.

Deputy Carthy told the Dáil:

“At this stage, we are running out of words to describe the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on ordinary workers and families. Households simply cannot keep up. They are struggling to make it to the end of the week. Their hard-earned money is going out faster than it came in.

“While people watch every cent they spend and do everything they can to provide for their children, they also hear that the wealth of Ireland’s nine billionaires rose by €16 billion since the start of the pandemic.

“This cost-of-living crisis is happening at a time when inequality and the lack of fairness in Ireland is writ large. It is up in lights for all to see. People are working long, hard hours but they cannot afford to pay utility bills, put a roof over their heads, put fuel in the car and put food on the table.

“It is an understatement to say the packages the Government has introduced do not go far enough. They did not make a dent in the astronomical living costs people face.

“The €200 energy credit was overtaken before it was delivered. The excise measure to deal with the soaring costs at the pumps was wiped out virtually overnight.

“Incredibly, the Government still has not done anything to reduce the cost of home heating oil. In fact, at the beginning of this month it did the exact opposite, hiking the cost even further.

“What has been the result of the Government’s slow and sluggish response? The impact is felt sharply right across the board. The price of groceries is now soaring, as farmers warned us it would. Increases in the prices of essentials like milk, bread and butter have hit people hard and more and more families are depending on food banks and charities like St. Vincent de Paul. All the indicators point to further dramatic rises in food prices.

“Fuel prices are now back to the levels they were at before the Government introduced a measure it was told was not enough. In some places, in fact, the price at the fuel pumps is even higher today than it was then. It is Groundhog Day for those who are paying huge sums to fill the tank to get to work or get the kids to school. We have all heard the stories from people like nurses, teachers and many others who simply cannot afford to run their cars any more. These people live in communities where there are virtually no public transport options. The car is the only option.

“For too long, the Government has skirted around the edges of this crisis. We know international factors are at play. We accept that reality and I accept the Government cannot do everything, but the truth is it can and should do a lot more.

“People struggling to make ends meet today do not want to hear what the Government did three months ago. They certainly do not want to be told they have to wait until the budget in October. That is for the birds.

“There are options. Sinn Féin has presented a comprehensive package of measures that would make a real difference. We called for a mini-budget but the Government has sat on its hands.

“What is the Government’s plan for now, for 26 May 2022, knowing the reality faced by so many workers and families who are struggling to make ends meet and who do not know how they will reach the end of the month? People want to know what the Government is going to do now, today, to help the people who are going without lunch so they will be able to put fuel in the car on their way home. That is happening today. This situation is beyond a crisis. We need to hear that the Government intends to act and we need to hear that right now.”

In his response the Tánaiste acknowledged that Ireland, and the entire world, is facing a cost-of-living crisis driven by inflation. However, while stating that new measures would be explored, Mr. Varadkar did not specify any further actions that the government plan to introduce.

Time for exploring is over

In his follow up remarks Deputy Carthy stated:

“On the back of a piece of paper, I can think of: rents, mortgage interest costs, childcare costs, insurance premiums and healthcare access. These are all areas where Irish workers and families were already paying among the highest rates in the world under your Government, and all of that has been added to by the soaring cost of electricity and fuel prices that are quite simply out of control, and now we know grocery prices are also going to soar even further.

“I asked the Tánaiste what the Government is planning to do today to help those families. His response was, essentially, that it is exploring things. The time for exploring is over.

“We have given the Government options and measures that will support workers and families in the here and now, put money back into the pockets of hard-pressed workers in the here and now and reduce costs today.

“I will ask the Tánaiste again. What can the Government do to assure those people who at this moment are scratching their heads and wondering which choice to make, such as whether to put fuel in the car or miss work, or whether to put food on the table and not pay the ESB bill?

“Does the Tánaiste have a proposal to provide them with the supports they need here and now?”

In his final reply the Tánaiste said:

“One thing we want to avoid as a Government is getting into a situation whereby we are using borrowed money. Interest rates for government borrowing are rising too, and we want to avoid a situation whereby we borrow money to help people with the cost of living because that is false help. We would then have to take it back off them down the line, and that is something we want to avoid. Whatever we do, we need to make sure we do it in a way that is prudent, helping people with the cost of living but not using their own credit card to pay for it, and that is why the Government has put so much effort into securing investment and employment, which drive the growth we need to pay for things.”

ENDS

Proposal to segregate Children with autism must be scrapped

Proposal to segregate Children with autism must be scrapped – Matt Carthy TD

Cavan Monaghan TD Matt Carthy has described government plans to create Special Education Needs (SEN) centres in Dublin as ‘segregation’ and called for the proposal to be abandoned.

Deputy Carthy challenged Tánaiste Leo Varadkar on the issue during questions on promised legislation last Thursday. Earlier the Tánaiste had said that the issue was one of ‘not the best language’ being used.

Deputy Carthy responded:

“Returning to the issue of special education, the language is not the problem. The problem is the policy and the scandalous fact that in late May there are 80 children in Dublin and many more across the State who do not yet have special classes assigned to them for next September.

“The problem is that the Government has not planned to put in place the measures that would fulfil the parents’ wishes that these children with disabilities will be part of the school community rather than some anonymous special education centre, which now appears to be proposed.

“The NCSE and the Department have the data on the number of children with special educational needs, they have the budget and they have the powers to put these special classes in place. Those classes need to be provided. The Tánaiste needs to say very clearly today that any proposition that children with autism or other disabilities be segregated in the manner that has been suggested is unacceptable.”

Responding, Leo Varadkar said: “Whatever about language, and language is important, the policy is clear and the Government’s policy is absolutely clear. It is one of integration. If we want an integrated society, we must have integrated schools. It is the Government’s policy to provide children who have special educational needs with mainstream education. That could be in a mainstream class with the help of an SNA or it could be in a special class in a mainstream school. Three hundred additional special classes opened in mainstream schools in the past year and that is very significant. For every €4 we spend on schools now, €1 is spent on special education, more than ever was the case before. We are very committed to making sure that children get the education to which they have a right and which they need.”

Speaking this week, Deputy Carthy said:

“We only need to look to Direct Provision or the prefabs in schools across this country to see how a short-term measure can end up becoming a permanent fixture.

“Where a child needs a special class place, parents do not want them to be totally separated and segregated from other children. They want them to be part of the life of a school community.

“It is devastating for these parents that the government’s lack of planning has stripped them of this option.

“Families across the State would much prefer if the government focused on using the powers available to them to open special classes and ensure schools that do open classes are properly supported, funded and staffed.

“That way the government would be living up to its commitments to children with special educational needs – to have a place in a special class in a school, not a special education ‘centre’, segregated and isolated from the school community.

“The suggested proposals must be scrapped.”

ENDS

‘Just Transition is required to deliver Climate Action – but it’s not happening under current government’

‘Just Transition is required to deliver Climate Action – but it’s not happening under current government’ – Matt Carthy TD

The Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Matt Carthy TD, has labelled the actions of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party in government as rendering the term ‘just transition’ as a meaningless. He accused government parties of advancing a ‘penalisation model’ by punishing ordinary workers, farmers and families rather than providing sustainable alternatives.

Speaking in the Dáil during statements on Just Transition last week, the Cavan Monaghan deputy said:

“It is clear that the phrase ‘just transition’ has virtually no meaning under this government.

“There is nothing ‘just’ about the course it is pursuing, nor is there much evidence that government policies are leading to a transition at the pace required.

“In agriculture, government policy has been exposed as a fallacy. While always quick and eager to impose penalties and additional charges on family farmers in rural communities, these are never matched with the provision of alternatives.

“In effect, the Government charges people for not using alternatives that are not actually available to them. We hear that the receipts from carbon taxes are ring-fenced for transition measures, but that is simply not true. It is claimed, for example, that farmers will receive €120 million annually from the carbon tax towards agri-environmental schemes, but that is disingenuous in the extreme.

“The funding does not even replace the monies for farmers the Government parties gave away in the EU budget negotiations. It is incorporated into the CAP budget, despite assurances that it would be additional.

“Basically, farmers will receive fewer supports while being asked to do more. Then we hear Fianna Fáil Deputies and other trying to sell that as a success.

“In the areas where the interests of farming and climate action collide, the Government fails at every single turn. Organic farming, for example, presents a unique opportunity to support family farm incomes through pursuing a premiumisation model in a way that completely aligns with our environmental ambition, but this Government has set an abysmal target of 7.5% organic conversion, as against an EU target of 25%, and under a Green Party Minister of State, we are nowhere near reaching even that meagre target.

“Likewise in forestry, a sector where we could be making a significant impact on carbon sequestration, we have an unmitigated disaster.

“Rather than the delivery of a forestry policy that supports the environment, local communities and the timber industry, this Government has overseen a scenario where all three have failed.

“It is the same story in areas where farmers can take a lead in renewable energy provision, such as in solar and anaerobic digestion. Blockages and barriers are the order of the day.

“Nowhere within the Government’s agriculture policy can we point to a provision that could in any way be described as pursuing a just transition.

“What is required to secure the future of our family farms is a fair CAP, fair prices and fair play.

“The delivery of these principles are also central to a just transition if that term is to have any basis in the language we use.

“Government parties continue to pursue the penalisation model, hiking charges on fuel and energy, but doing virtually nothing to allow those who bear the brunt to source alternatives.

“Through its retrofitting and electric vehicle grants policy the Government is essentially providing for a further transfer of wealth from those who are struggling the most to those who are financially better off.

“It is a twisted policy that bears no semblance to what a just transition should actually look like.

“Let us recall that the parties of Government have never achieved a single climate target that they have set.

“Rather than delivering on climate action, it further frustrates, angers and alienates those who could, should and want to play a positive role in protecting our environment, biodiversity and air and water quality.

“The Minister needs to change direction or he will again fail to deliver the change that is required.”

ENDS

Carthy welcomes Brexit funding for Seed Potato sector

Carthy welcomes Brexit funding for Seed Potato sector

The Sinn Féin spokesperson on Agriculture, Matt Carthy TD, has welcomed the proposed allocation from the Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR) to the seed potato sector saying that it must represent just the first tranche of BAR funding to farmers.

Teachta Carthy said:

“I welcome the proposal that €3million will be allocated from Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR) fund to the Irish Seed Potato sector. I have been pressing the Agriculture Minister to support this sector since last year and I had requested that the BAR be utilised for this purpose considering the impact that Brexit has had on the sector.

“Irish growers have relied heavily on the importation of seed potato from Scotland. Brexit has severely disrupted this supply so it stands to reason that the BAR would be used to assist develop the sector domestically and help make Ireland more self-sufficient in seed potato.

“The decision to support this sector should now be followed by funding provision to other sectors impacted by Brexit.

“That Ireland received almost 25% of the Brexit Adjustment Reserve was due largely to the understanding in Europe of the threat that Brexit was and remains to our farming and fishing communities.

“However, up until his point, farmers had not received a single euro from the fund, although bizarrely €100 million was secured for food processors.

“In my correspondence with Minister McConalogue in respect of the Brexit Adjustment Reserve I had sought supports for the domestic seed potato sector. I welcome that there is now a proposal in that regard.

“However, the delivery of this €1 billion fund to date has been abysmally slow. It must be now be further utilised to support the pig, beef and horticultural sectors from negative impacts associated with Brexit.

“The impact of Brexit alongside the spiralling costs of inputs such as fuel, feed and fertiliser mean that farmers need immediate supports. The BAR is a mechanism that can provide some assistance as should the European Crisis Reserve but the Minister has yet to commit to maximum co-financing in respect of the later. There must be greater urgency on all potential support schemes for our family farmers.”

ENDS

‘Clontibret to border’ road scheme could be delayed until after 2033!

‘Clontibret to border’ road scheme could be delayed until after 2033! – Matt Carthy TD

Cavan Monaghan Sinn Féin TD Matt Carthy has asserted that the government have placed ‘Clontibret-to-the-border’ N2 Road Scheme ‘on hold’, and highlighted ‘a worrying lack of transparency regarding the future of the project.’

Carthy was speaking at a meeting of the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee last week in response to correspondence from the Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) which described the next steps in relation to the road were ‘under consideration’.

Deputy Carthy informed the Committee that NTA documents released to him under Freedom of Information request indicated that the project was ‘suspended’. He expressed fear that a TII review of currently funded projects arising from spikes in construction inflation meant that ‘the failure to secure funding to date could see works on this section of the N2 delayed well beyond 2030’.

Teachta Carthy said:

“The Clontibret-to-the-Border scheme was included in the National Development Plan but it emerged in January that it had been ‘shelved’ from funding by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII).

“But, in January, the Minister responsible, Eamon Ryan, reversed the decision to shelve other projects due to demands from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil representatives in those affected constituencies. This begs the question as to the role of Cavan Monaghan government representatives with regard to the Clontibret to the border scheme.

“The lack of clarity and transparency surrounding this project over the past two years will be of deep concern to communities for whom it can have a real impact, unlocking opportunities for Monaghan and the wider border region.

“Since that time government representatives and state agencies have sought to obfuscate the matter with various claims and meaningless language such the most recent comments that it will remain ‘under consideration’.

“The plain truth of this matter is that TII themselves have now said that it’s on hold and have given 2033 as the estimated completion date. This date will be missed unless government changes course now”.

Crucial piece of infrastructure

Deputy Carthy continued: “The government must restore funding to allow progress to the next planning phase of the Clontibret to the border N2 road scheme. It is a crucial piece of infrastructure for the economic development of our county and region that have been poorly served by successive governments, particularly in respect of public transport.

“My previous assertion that a cabinet instruction to Minister Eamon Ryan will ensure that TII earmark this road as a priority project was confirmed by the decision to restore funding to other projects in the south of the country in January.

“The upgrading of the N2 from Clontibret to the border is vital if we are to enhance economic activity in this region. But, money meant for this road went instead to pet projects of the Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan.

“It is unfair to ‘sterilise’ the land of Monaghan landowners while this project is suspended indefinitely. Therefore, our constituency government representatives, including the Minister for Rural Development, must intervene publicly to demand that the funding be restored”.

ENDS

Government failures denying Monaghan families their own homes

Government failures denying Monaghan families their own homes – Matt Carthy TD

Sinn Féin TD Matt Carthy has said that the refusal of Cavan Monaghan government TDs to back Sinn Féin’s plan to tackle the housing crisis means that they are complicit in the housing crisis now facing many of their constituents.

Deputy Carthy was speaking after government indicated that it will reject a motion, brought forward by Sinn Féin’s Spokesperson on Housing, Eoin Ó Broin TD, that would dramatically increase direct capital investment in the delivery of genuinely affordable homes to buy.

During the debate on the motion Teachta Carthy said:

“Not a single affordable house will be provided over the next four years in counties Monaghan and Cavan.

“That is not speculation or a guess on my part. It is the target number of affordable houses the Government has set for my constituency.

“Some might say that at least there finally is a housing target the Government will meet. In fact, it is a scandalous statement of reality.

“The Minister’s response or justification, in essence, will be that house prices are not expensive enough in those counties to warrant being considered for inclusion under the affordable housing scheme.

“This is despite the fact that house prices in the Border region increased by almost 25% last year and 17% the year before. How high do prices have to get before affordable housing will be provided?

“The truth is that homeownership is already beyond the reach of most young workers and families and, at the same time, rents are completely out of control. I want the Government either to accept that it is incapable of recognising the scale of the challenge or to admit it is not serious about meeting it. It is one or the other.

“We cannot say we are serious about homeownership and delivering houses, as the Minister does in this House from time to time, while a couple with four children earning €27,000 cannot get on the social housing list in my county, cannot pay the rent and will never be in a position to buy their own home while the Government provides no affordable housing option to them.

“It is time to get real. Either we accept that Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing Eoin Ó Broin’s policies are there and ready to be implemented and will make a difference or we carry on as before with one false promise and one false dawn after another.

“The truth is now evident: this Government and the parties that make up the Government simply do not have the capacity to address the housing needs of our people.”

ENDS

Ambitious vision needed for Irish Agriculture

Ambitious vision needed for Irish Agriculture – Matt Carthy TD

The Sinn Féin spokesperson on Agriculture, Matt Carthy TD, has told the Dáil that a new, ambitious vision for Irish Agriculture is needed.

Deputy Carthy was speaking during a debate on food security last Thursday. He said that a long-term vision that would secure family farms for successive generations is required, something he said is lacking in the current Minister for Agriculture.

Highlighting the importance of the family farm network to rural economies, Carthy hit out at the Minister for failing to challenge embedded domestic and EU policy which leaves farmers exposed to volatility, while also failing to champion a premiumisation model and ensure fairness in the sector.

Teachta Carthy said:

“The Minister has a tough job at a very difficult time in Irish agriculture. In fairness, he gets some things right as issues arise, although he also gets some things wrong. However, what is consistently lacking in all of his deliberations is a vision for Irish farming, Irish food and Irish agriculture. That is concerning.

“We need to have an ambitious vision. We need to recognise the challenges the sector is facing and put in place measures to address those challenges and to provide for that unique and very important aspect of Irish farming, the family farm model. We know that it is a model worth preserving.

“It is good for rural communities. In fact, many towns and villages would be nothing were it not for the network of family farms. They are the nearest thing those towns and villages have to an industry. They are also good for the economy. The family farm network was our saviour during the financial crash because family farmers do not operate at the whim of shareholders, stock markets or international investors. They do not up and leave whenever supply chains get disrupted. They are here for the long haul.

“I also argue that our family farm network is good for food security and for the quality of our produce. There are approximately 135,000 farms in this State. We have to work together to protect them and to ensure they employ best practices and will be here into the future.

“The truth is that certain hallmarks have become embedded in agricultural policy not just domestically but at EU level that put this model under threat. Farmers have been encouraged, incentivised and, in some cases, forced to intensify and specialise. We see the challenges that presents. As farmers intensify and specialise, they also become more vulnerable.

“Certain sectors may sometimes have good years but they are often incredibly vulnerable to international shocks, as we have seen in the current situation where input costs are out of control and prices are dictated by processors and retailers. Farmers are increasingly being asked to do more with less support.

“The Minister did not say much about the next Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, which will be a crucial aspect of how we move forward. We welcome some parts of his strategic plan. Some of the gross inequalities that have formed part of the fabric of successive Common Agricultural Policies have been addressed. We have seen some movement on upper payment limits, front-loading and convergence but it has been far too slow and these changes are coming at a time when the CAP budget is reducing, which is a fact the Minister has consistently refused to accept.

“We have had a number of discussions on the strategic plan, although they were very limited. The Minister refused our request to bring the plan before the Houses of the Oireachtas for debate. The European Commission saw the CAP strategic plan before any farmer or any Opposition Member or member of the Minister’s own party in this House did.

“That is not the way to do business.

“When we are talking about a CAP strategic plan that could have implications for Irish farming for generations, there should be a collective effort on the part of the Irish Parliament so that we have all bought into it. The European Commission sent the Minister back what can only be described as a scathing communication.

“We still do not know whether the Minister is going to come back to this House to engage with us and to address some of the issues.

“The truth is that Irish farmers will not survive unless they get fair prices for their produce. The Minister referenced significant and unsustainable increases in input costs and some of the supports that have been made available, supports I would describe as minimal and, all too often, too little too late. He referenced the crisis reserve but has yet to give a commitment that his Government will co-finance that crisis reserve to the maximum permitted, 200%.

“We still do not know whether Irish farmers will see a benefit from the Brexit adjustment reserve fund or whether important sectors, such as the pig sector and others, will be able to survive into the future.

“The truth is that, if we want the model of Irish farming to be one of premiumisation and for it to be sustainable and in line with our climate obligations and all of the stated objectives of Members of this House, a premium price must be paid for that premium product.

Best model of beef production in the world

“It is absolutely ludicrous that the best model of beef production in the world, that of the Irish suckler beef herd, continues to operate at a loss.

“One of the things that needs to happen in that regard is that an enforcement authority needs to be introduced that can monitor the processors and retailers that have strangled the sector for far too long and hold them to account.

“I have often said here and elsewhere that there is money to be made in Irish beef. That is the big secret of Irish agriculture.

“The problem is that the people who are making that money are not the people who are doing the work, our primary producers. The Minister has promised an office for transparency and fairness rather than the meat regulator we would like to see. I again appeal to him to work with us to ensure that authority becomes a corporate enforcement authority that has full access to the accounts of processors and retailers in respect of the food they sell so that our farmers can finally have a level playing field.

“The Minister’s targets in respect of organics are one of the areas where the needs of the environment and those of Irish farming can coincide but those targets are absolutely pathetic, even compared to those of other EU states. Rather than leading the charge in developing our organic sector, we are following at the rear in every sense of the word.

“We know that, quite naturally, farmers will only move to organics if they see it as a secure move to make. The way to make it a secure move is to guarantee that they will get a premium price for their new premium product. That means the Government must be committed to ensuring that Irish organic products are marketed in a coherent and long-standing way. Through the procurement policies of every Government Department, we have to ensure that every cent of taxpayers’ money that is spent on the procurement of food prioritises locally-produced home-grown organic food.

“In respect of climate action, there are dozens of ways in which our farmers want to play their part and rather than supports, this Government is putting in place barriers in regard to low emissions slurry spreading, solar energy, anaerobic digestion and organics, as I have mentioned.

“In every one of those areas, the Government is always far too slow to act but always far too quick to implement the provisions that penalise farmers in much the same way as workers and families.

“It is time for a sea change. It is time to have a vision for a family farm network that will last not just a year, not just the lifetime of a Government, but for successive generations.”

ENDS

Campaign for truth on Dublin Monaghan bombings must continue

Campaign for truth on Dublin Monaghan bombings must continue – Matt Carthy TD

Cavan Monaghan Sinn Fein TD, Matt Carthy, attended a memorial event at Talbot Street, Dublin which marked the 48th anniversary of the Dublin-Monaghan bombings.

Carthy commended the survivors and families of victims of the bombings for their relentless pursuit of truth and justice. He described it as ‘scandalous’ that the campaign must continue. He also said it was a bitter coincidence that the event took place while the British government were announcing their amnesty for state forces in Westminster.

Speaking after the event Deputy Carthy said:

“As a representative of the people of Monaghan, I was proud to join the gathering at the memorial on Talbot Street to remember the families of the 33 civilians and one unborn child who died in the Dublin-Monaghan bombings in May 1974, and to pay tribute to those who have campaigned for truth and justice over the five decades since. It is scandalous that the campaign must continue.

“The Dublin-Monaghan bombings were carried out by the Glennane gang based in South Armagh which included UVF, MI5, RUC, as well as UDR members.

“The co-ordinated, no warning bombings resulted in the highest amount of deaths and casualties in the conflict and yet, no one has ever been brought to justice.

“In 2008, 2011 and 2016, the Dáil unanimously passed motions on the bombings, which called on the British Government to release any relevant files that they hold and for the Irish Government to press them to comply with this reasonable request.

“The British government has, however, remained steadfast in its refusal to release the files. In my view, Irish governments have not been sufficiently robust in challenging this refusal.

“It is important that we continue to remember those lost as we resolve to continue the campaign for truth. It is also important that we commend the Justice for the Forgotten organisation for their work in leading that campaign.

“Their struggle and search for truth and justice has been a long and a difficult one and continues to be delayed by this British Government.

British amnesty proposals

“It was a bitter coincidence that, as the commemorative event for the Dublin Monaghan bombings was taking place, the British government were announcing their so-called legacy measures for state forces in Westminster.

“These latest proposals are effectively an amnesty through the back door for British state forces, their intelligence services and agents who murdered Irish citizens during the conflict in Ireland.

“These proposals have been opposed by the victims, their families and by political parties, north and south.

“It is yet another example of this Tory government attempting to bin an international agreement made with the Irish government and the other parties at Stormont House in 2014 which gave victims and their families access to truth, justice and reconciliation.

“This is also an attempt to shut citizens out of the courts, to deny families inquests on the deaths of their loved ones, to deny access to judicial reviews and to the civil courts.

“The British government is acting like a totalitarian state and their actions are a cruel blow to families who have waited more than five decades on truth and justice.

“The campaigns by the families cannot be wished away by a British government determined to pull a veil of secrecy over the actions of the state during the conflict.

“Sinn Féin will continue to stand with the families in their campaigns for truth and justice.

“There is also an onus on the Irish government to stand up for the agreement it made with the British government and oppose this latest heartless attempt to close down truth and justice.”

ENDS

Carthy hails seismic northern election results

Carthy hails seismic northern election results

Cavan Monaghan Sinn Féin TD, Matt Carthy, has congratulated his party colleagues north of the border on what he described as ‘seismic’ Assembly election results.

The return of Sinn Féin as the largest party in the north and the ability for Michelle O’Neill to be designated as First Minister is historic by any standard and clearly demonstrated that the northern state has changed forever, he said. The refusal of the DUP to agree to the establishment of an executive was evidence that they had not yet realised the permanence of that change, he said.

Teachta Carthy said.

“The people of the six counties have spoken. Just as the General Election south of the border in February 2020 it is clear that the appetite for change is firmly rooted across Ireland.

“The return of Sinn Féin as the largest party in the north is seismic. It is historic by any standards.

“I commend all those Sinn Féin candidates across the 18 constituencies – particularly in our neighboring constituencies of Fermanagh/ South Tyrone and Newry/ Armagh. I thank all those Sinn Féin members in County Monaghan who participated in the campaign in those areas.

“The electorate delivered a message of hope and optimism for the future.

“The voters clearly want all parties get back down to business; to elect a Speaker and get the Assembly functioning; to appoint a First Minister and deputy First Minister and form a new Executive in order to take the urgent decisions required to invest in health services, to help ease the burden on households struggling with the cost of living crisis; to agree a Programme for Government and a three-year budget.

“There can be no excuses and no attempt by the DUP or anyone else to punish the public and leave workers and families high and dry now or in the time ahead.

“The refusal of the DUP to establish an executive as of yet suggests that they do not recognise the permanence of the changed political landscape.

“The truth is that the assembly election marks a defining moment for our politics and all of our people. It presents us all with an opportunity to re-imagine relationships in this society on the basis of fairness, equality and social justice.

“I welcome the assertion of Michelle O’Neill that, as First Minister, she intends to work with those from all political perspectives, through partnership – not division. Her commitment to provide leadership which is inclusive, which celebrates diversity and which guarantees rights and equality for those who have been excluded, discriminated against and ignored in the past; is change in action.

“The scale of what has been accomplished since the advent of the Good Friday Agreement 24 years ago has resulted in the transformation our society, and in particular border communities, but we have much, much more to do in order to prosper and reach our full potential.

“This includes advancing peace and reconciliation, and eradicating the cancer of sectarianism in our society.

“The DUP, but also the British Government, must accept and respect the democratic outcome of this election. Brinkmanship will not be tolerated where the North of Ireland becomes collateral damage in a game of chicken with the European Commission.

“The responsibility for finding solutions to the Protocol lies with Boris Johnson and the EU, and their conversations should resume, but make no mistake this society and our businesses will not be held to ransom.

“This means applying the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts – An Assembly, Executive, North/South Ministerial Council and East-West structures without delay, and no further interruption.

“Sinn Féin remain determined to deliver all of that. But, also we are determined to deliver the change that is required across all of Ireland, the assembly elections are further evidence that the Irish people also want that change.”

ENDS

Not a single affordable home to be delivered in either Monaghan or Cavan!

Not a single affordable home to be delivered in either Monaghan or Cavan!

Neither Monaghan nor Cavan will see a single affordable home delivered within the next five years, according to the government’s own targets.

Cavan Monaghan Sinn Féin TD said that the publication of the government’s affordable housing targets, which was obtained by his colleague Eoin O’Broin in response to a parliamentary question, showed that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are not serious about tackling the affordable housing crisis.

Teachta Carthy said:

“The government’s affordable housing targets up to 2026 are truly depressing, especially for those in rural regions.

“Despite the rhetoric from government representatives about believing in home ownership, between now and 2026 they are only funding a tiny amount of genuinely affordable homes to purchase.

“None of those homes will be delivered in either counties Monaghan or Cavan. Even in those large urban centres where some affordable homes will be delivered, the numbers are pathetic.

“These targets show that the Government is not serious about tackling the affordable housing crisis.

“Instead, the Minister is doing what Fianna Fáil do best. They will give massive handouts to big developers to deliver overpriced homes, with the big losers being struggling home buyers and the taxpayer.

“We need at least 4,000 affordable purchase homes a year. The best way to deliver these homes is through Local Authorities and Approved Housing Bodies.

“This is not a new demand, Sinn Féin have been calling on government to prioritise the delivery of new social and affordable homes via local authorities for years. Government parties have instead ensured that the crisis in housing has worsened every single year.

House prices in the border region have increased by 24.7% in the past year – the highest of any region. Yet, the stated intention of government is for those prices to get out of control before providing a single affordable home. It is a dangerous strategy which has already been proven to fail. It means that many young workers and families in these counties will never be able to live in their own home – until we secure a change of government and a change in direction and strategy.”

ENDS