Pascal Donoghue TD for Dublin Central visited Sankalpa recently as part of our political awareness campaign. Drug services have not aways spent enough time telling the story of the work they do. Too often we take for granted that people understand the work of drug rehabilitation services. We just get on with the work and believe that people are aware of what we do. However this is not always the case and more and more services need to improve their relations with the media, politicians and other key stake holders. We can not take for granted anymore that our politicians know what we are doing, we have a responsibility to ensure that they know. Its a two way process, as the we can educate the politicians as to the work we do and the challenges we face.
Pascal arrived on his bicycle after getting lost on the Ballyboggan road. However I was impressed with his mode of transport as a cyclist myself. Pascal was friendly and warm to our service users and staff and after a brief meeting with myself, Pascal met with a number of participants to listen to their fears and anxieties around the cuts to CE and social welfare benefits. The session was very engaged and Pascal was reminded by one of the participants ‘remember, we vote now!’. And so goes out the reminder to all politicians that Sankalpa is raising the political conscientious of service users from Finglas and Cabra. Too often politicians think that once their elected they can do what they want. Sankalpa would like to promote a participatory democracy. A democracy that is built on genuine participation. Too often our citizens are excluded after the general election has ended and the votes have been counted. Lets start changing that and call our politicians to account to us the voters on a regular basis. Lets get more politically active!
Dr. Tom O Brien
Manager of Sankalpa
By Aoibhinn Twomey
Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Social Protection Barry Cowen has called for urgent clarification from the Taoiseach and the Minister for Social Protection as to whether or not a review is taking place on massive cuts to grants for Community Employment schemes. Minister Joan Burton created further confusion in the Dáil last night by attempting to hide behind “reviews” of the cuts she proposed to CE schemes in Budget 2012, despite the fact that yesterday the Taoiseach told the Dáil that any reviews cannot result in a reversal of the 66% cuts to grants for Community Employment schemes. Deputy Cowen said: “Fine Gael and Labour appear to be at odds over the cuts to Community Employment schemes announced in the Budget. The conflicting reports from the Government are causing great distress to those involved in community employment projects around the country. “I again questioned Minister Burton in the Dáil about what these cutbacks will mean for individual CE projects nationwide. Once again she failed to provide a clear response. She said the cuts will not result in any CE schemes shutting down, but she didn’t deny that each of them would be hit with massive cuts of 66% to the grants provided by the State. “Minister Burton has offered no solace to people around the country who are deeply worried about the impact of these cuts. There is real fear among community groups, the long-term unemployed and employers involved in CE schemes about what these cuts will mean to them. It is incumbent on the Minister to clear this up once and for all.”
Dear Roisin Shortal TD, John Lyons TD and Paschal Donohoe TD,