JOINT MENTAL HEALTH POLICY LAUNCH

SO after the summer break things have nicely hotted up already. We, Labour and Fine Gael, returned to Mullingar to review work in progress on policy development and Fianna Fail got all hot and bothered. They cant have it both ways. They complain we have no policies and they complain when we have policies!

I was really glad we published our Mental Health policy as the first chapter of the Labour/FG Health Plan. Mental Health usually comes last yet one in four of us suffer mental illness during our lifetimes. So for once the last shall be the first.

I had a great break ziplining in Mexico and walking in the Glens of Antrim. People are already getting engaged with the battle ahead.

It will be an exciting election, not least for those of us fighting it out on the hustings in 2007!

Irishblogs Liz McManus Labour Party Mental Health Labour and Fine Gael Labour Wicklow

FRIDAY 21ST JULY 2006

Now that the Dail is off on its infamous summer break, I've been around my Constituency more and more. Of course people I run into keep telling me on I'm on holidays!! Well, it's certainly been busy so far.

One of the main issues in Wicklow in recent days, which has reached the national airwaves, has been the fact that residents in Enniskerry and Rocky Valley have been without water for four days. With the weather being so hot it's particularly uncomfortable and is dangerous. These residents have been treated disgracefully by the County Council in my view.

I was in Arklow this morning showing my support to a local disability Group who are campaigning for disabled access to the Post Office on the Main Street. The group have been there for 2 days and have collected a very impressive 1500 signatures.

On Tuesday night I was in Blessington, West Wicklow at a West Wicklow Labour Party branch meeting. They have launched a recruitment drive for Labour in the area and I was delighted to lend my support to that also.

I've also been visiting people around Bray town and I have been getting a very warm response I'm pleased to say. Of course, it makes me glad I'm not in Fianna Fail!

On a very sad note, the wife of Philip Duffy, my special advisor during my time as Minister of State for Urban Housing and Renewal, Patricia Duffy has died. Patricia was a very warm person who was a good friend to all who knew her and will be sadly missed. I just want to extend my sincere sympathies to Philip, and their boys and to her extended family and friends. Ar dheis De go raibh a h-anam.

THURSDAY 20TH JULY 2006

I'VE been impressed by the work done by Newstalk recently on exposing rogue or bogus crisis pregnancy agencies. (I will be on the panel to discuss this on Thursday morning.) It is disappointing that the Minister for Health Mary Harney has said that she will not be taking any action on this. This is particularly worrying as these fake crisis pregnancy agencies are targeting young vulnerable women in difficult circumstances and manipulating them for their own agenda.

ALFEL BOCOUM

The cheque from the Liberty Hunger March for 12,000 euro was handed over successsfully last night. Congratulations to all involved.

On an entirely different note ! (excuse the pun) I went to a gig in Whelans last Saturday. It was a gig by Afel Bocoum and his band Alkibar from Mali - amazing stuff. I am related to Afel, the man himself, by marriage so it was great to see him in Dublin. The reaction to him from the packed out audience was brilliant too. Next time he's here, you should try to come along...

BRAY HUNGER MARCH

One of the recent events for the Liberty Project (which I’ve been mentioning here over the last number of weeks) was the Bray Hunger March. This march re-enacted the 1937 Bray Hunger March to raise money for projects in Africa…and I’m delighted to say that over 11, 400 Euro has been collected to date. As you can see from the pictures the large crowd braved the bad weather marching up Bray’s Main Street at 9.30 on a Saturday morning and finishing up in Rathdrum at about 7.30pm.

It was a great experience, made greater by the enthusiasm and participation of the walkers from Wicklow.

I should remind you of what exactly the Bray Hunger March was…. In 1937 60 men walked the route from Bray to Rathdrum, walking though the night, to protest at the low rate of welfare. The re-enactment as part of the Liberty March wanted to show support and solidarity for the poor of the developing world so it is hugely satisfying that so much money was raised. Thanks to all who participated and contributed to this very worthwhile project. There were some weary legs and damp clothes but it was worth every minute of it!!

The cheque of almost 12,000 Euro will be presented at the Grand Hotel Bray this Wednesday, 21st June at 9pm…all are welcome especially the walkers – proving that those who walk the walk can also talk the talk!! 

LIBERTY@BEWLEY'S

LAST night, as part of the Liberty Project I hosted an evening of readings remembering 1916 in Bewley's Cafe Theatre. I've mentioned it on the blog so I hope some fellow bloggers were in the audience! It was a hugely enjoyable evening that surpassed even my high expectations. Unfortunately the venue, which is a beautiful space overlooking Grafton Street in Dublin, have been forced to limit audience numbers to 50 which meant we couldn't fit all those who hoped to attend in. Although it was a unusual feeling turning crowds away from a Labour Party event! I could get used to it!! The line up included Fintan O'Toole, Anne Enright, Paula Meehan, Theo Dorgan, Glenn Patterson and Roddy Doyle and it doesn't get much better than that. Thanks to all who attended, and apologies to all those we had to turn away - but the fire regulations must be obeyed!

For further, future successful Liberty Project events go to this link . !




Roddy Doyle read from A Star Called Henry


Fintan O'Toole was MC for the night


Ruairi Quinn TD enjoying the evening


Jimmy Kelly and Pat entertain!

Technorati tags: LizMcManus irishblogs Liberty Project

31st March 2006

IT'S been fairly hectic all week, preparing for the Labour Party Conference - it takes place tomorrow in the Helix in Dublin City University. I'll be giving presenting at a work conference - a bit of a pre-view of Labour's health policy documents that will be launched shortly... I'll let you know shortly.

By the way, the programme of events for the Liberty Project - that I've discussed here before - is up on the Labour Party website..under the Current Campaigns section.


There are a few events around the country as well as various events in Dublin and surrouding areas. It promises to be very interesting as the programme is quite diverse. The Liberty Project for those of you who aren't sure and are interested is a joint SIPTU/LABOUR project to commmemorate the role of the Labour movement in Irish history - with particular reference to the events surrounding 1916...One of the event's I'll be looking forward to in particular will be the arts event - a serious of readings from Fintan O'Toole, Anne Enright, Roddy Doyle, Paula Meehan, Theo Dorgan and Glenn Patterson. There'll be a few songs by Jimmy Kelly too!

Oh and a Greystones update...I recently expressed concern at the revelations contained in a submission by the Minister of the Marine to An Bord Pleanala in relation to the proposed Harbour and North Beach development at Greystones.

This submission from the Minister for the Marine raises very serious flaws in the proposal. For example it recommends that the scheme will have to be redesigned to ensure that only acceptable wave heights are achieved at the Marina. This recommendation must raise fundamental doubts about the entire scheme.

On a number of points it describes the Environmental Impact Study as either contradictory or lacking clarity, and also raises concerns about the impact of dredging and on fish life.

Another disturbing finding is that the issue of coastal protection is not properly addressed. There are serious doubts raised about the modelling with regard to impacts of the development on the North Beach.

This submission must set alarms bells ringing. The original purpose of this entire proposal was to restore the harbour and prevent coastal erosion.

Concerns already have been raised about the scale of this development, the traffic implications and the pressure on the local infrastructure.

Now this new evidence from an expert Government source must be taken seriously. Coastal protection must take precedence over private profit.

There is still time to go back to the drawing board and I am urging that a re-think now takes place at Wicklow County Council level to provide a well-designed smaller scale restoration project for Greystones Harbour and the North Beach.

24th March 2006

GREAT to see all the coverage that the blog irishelection.com has been getting. As some of you may know there was a great piece on blogs and politics in the Irish Times this week..

On Tuesday of this week, I joined about 70 people, mostly parents, outside the Dail to support the call for funding for the St Catherine's Barnacoyle Preschool for Autistic Children. Of course, I will continue to support them - even after the announcement of some funding from the Department of Education. The fact that parents have to campaign for basic rights for their children is extremely ridiculous, but the parents and the Irish Autism Alliance have done so well to get this far. I will be pursuing the Minister for more answers after her announcements so this is not over yet! (Labour Cllr Tom Fortune was at the protest also - in the picture on the right)

As an add on to the PES petition against trafficking of women during the World Cup, my Parliamentary Asssistant was in Brussels for the launch of Stop the Traffik campaign. It was launced by Simon Coveney MEP, and is a global coalition for those who are concerned about the issues of people trafficking. Stop the Traffik's goal is to use the opportunity of the commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade in 2007 to create a global commitment to significantly reduce human trafficking and to uphold the human rights of those vulnerable to, as well as those who find themselves victims of, trafficking. Once the website has been set up - I'll post the details here so that you can get information on the practical ways that you can get involved - even if it's simply to sign the Stop the Traffik declaration.

Finally, for those who didn't see Brendan Gleeson's passionate diatribe against the current state of the health services - in particular the A&E crisis - I would recommend you view it on RTE's website. It was a moving and justifiably enraged account of his personal experiences of A&E....more on this again..