Newsmedianews | Progressive Democrats Ireland

Sunday, 14 September, 2008
No Deal Done With Any Party Says Cannon
Progressive Democrat leader Senator Ciaran Cannon moved today to dispel rumours that a deal to merge with any other party is “almost complete”.

His statement follows suggestions from some media sources that high level discussions had taken place between the Progressive Democrats and Fianna Fail and that the outline of a merger agreement had been drawn up.

“We are at a significant crossroads in my party's history and we have some very challenging decisions to make. However we, the members of the party and we alone will make these decisions based on a careful analysis of our current situation. There is no deal done to merge with Fianna Fail or any other party for that matter. There is no draft outline of any agreement.

“There have been approaches made by other parties to our elected representatives on an individual basis, which is no secret. However these have never developed to a point where a critical mass of defections would precipitate a merger and I seriously doubt if that could ever occur.

“Some media speculation gives the impression that the choice before our members is to decide whether or not to return to Fianna Fail or Fine Gael.

“Such commentary completely forgets the large numbers of people in the Progressive Democrats who joined the party since it’s formation over 20 years ago, people who were not members of other parties but who regard the Progressive Democrats as their natural political home.

My party is one of committed individuals who are justly proud of our achievements over the last twenty years. These are the people who will decide our future and that decision will be based on what is best for the party and in particular for our members who are facing into local elections,” said Senator Cannon.

9 July 2008
Statement from Senator Ciaran Cannon on the death of Seamus Brennan
I wish to express my sorrow on hearing of the death of Seamus Brennan.

A fellow Galwegian, Seamus Brennan had a rare combination of qualities that have been of immeasurable benefit to the people of Ireland.

He was an extremely decent, warm, gentleman who had the capacity to bring people together and to encourage them to stay working with a common sense of purpose. And yet he was also a visionary Minister with superb organisational skills.

Ireland has benefited from coalition governments, Seamus Brennan was at times the glue that held such governments together.

And in his time as Minister he was never a man to simply stick with the status quo, he was always seeking to change things for the better, sometimes with a bravery that is seldom seen.

I wish to express my deepest sympathy to Seamus Brennan's wife Anne, their six children and their extended family.

Wednesday 30th April 2008
Progressive Democrats leader calls for reform of Public Service Appointments
Cannon: "house system of senior appointments must also change"
The newly elected leader of the Progressive Democrats, Senator Ciaran Cannon has called for major changes in the manner in which public service appointments are made with particular reference to Senior Civil Service appointments and senior appointments in Local Authorities.

“I have stated that creating a climate of innovation within the Public Service is a key part of the reform agenda of my party. While, in general, I welcome the recent OECD report I am however disappointed at the failure of the report to recognise that a vital aspect of public service reform relates to the methodology for making senior appointments. It is as clear as night follows day that these appointments operate within a 'cosy club' and generally more so within a 'cosy boys club' with gender balance still a major issue. We in the Progressive Democrats have always prided ourselves in fostering competition which is one of the key ingredients if not indeed the very spice of efficiency.”

“The time is long past when senior appointments should not only be considered a preserve of those already in the service, but should be wide open to those with suitable qualifications and with appropriate experience in the private sector of business and commerce. Complacency can only result in the present system where basically "those on the outside of the system need not apply". Why should it be so? Why should it be that the only people who can be assured of making it within the senior civil and local authority services are chosen from within the system. I personally know people who were perfectly qualified and experienced and whose experience in applying for such senior positions very often didn't even merit an initial interview.”

“For real reform to happen we need to see a better mix of job applicants for positions and to see the appointments of people who can manage the position on offer and who themselves have appropriate experience of managing businesses or agencies outside the narrow confines of senior civil service or local authority service.”

The OECD report in suggesting reforms is looking for greater mobility and seeks to remove the traditional divide between the Civil Service, Local Authorities and State Agencies to create a unified public service labour market. “It is my hope that in considering the OECD Report, the Cabinet will take account of a more open public service labour market rather than the emphasis being on a unified labour market within the current system. The Government needs to take a hard look at the manner in which the Public Services Commission is effectively operating a closed shop as far as the qualified and experienced outsider is concerned in the current scenario,” concluded Senator Cannon.

Thursday, 17 April, 2008
Senator Ciaran Cannon new leader of the Progressive Democrats
Senator Ciaran Cannon has been elected the new leader of the Progressive Democrats. The result was confirmed and announced by the auditors, ‘Baker, Tilly, Ryan, Glennon’ who conducted the election count.

Mr Liam Twohig, the Returning Officer, announced the result to the Chairman of the Progressive Democrats Peter Wyre as the count ended in early hours of this morning. The counting of votes had commenced on Wednesday night at the company’s offices in Ranelagh in Dublin.

Speaking as the count was completed, Mr Twohig announced that 1,056 valid ballot papers had been returned across the three colleges. Senator Ciaran Cannon received 51% of the votes. Senator Fiona O’Malley received 49% votes.

Mr Twohig declared that Senator Ciaran Cannon had won the election and was deemed to be the new leader of the Progressive Democrats.

In a first for the Progressive Democrats, the electorate included the party membership as well as councillors, the National Executive and the parliamentary party. The votes from each college, for each Senator were combined to provide the final totals.

A press conference to unveil the new leader will be held in Buswells Hotel at 9.30am this morning Thursday 17th April. The conference will be held in the Georgian Room.

Senator Ciaran Cannon and Senator Fiona O’Malley will be joined by Minister Mary Harney and Noel Grealish TD. Party Chairman Peter Wyre will chair the meeting.

A representative of auditors will also be present at the conference.

Saturday 12th April 2008
Statement by Mary Harney on the death of Dr Patrick Hillery
It is with deep regret that I learned of the death of Patrick Hillery a man who’s ability, energy and integrity helped to secure him a significant, important and proud role in Irish political history.

Patrick Hillery shares the twin distinction of having implemented many important reforms across a wide range of areas, and of having acted with integrity and courage in a manner that was a great credit to him personally and to the office of President.

A medical doctor by profession, and a reluctant entrant into politics, he has left lasting achievements both from his time serving as a Minister, as a European Commissioner and as Uachtarán Na hÉireann.

The list of achievements by Patrick Hillery is long. As Education Minister he instituted major changes including the establishment of Regional Technical Colleges. Indeed such was his vision that it fell to subsequent education ministers to finish his work.

After his time as Minister for Industry and Commerce, he became the first Minister for Labour. As Minister for External Affairs he secured increasing international attention for the Troubles in Northern Ireland and was determined that Northern problems should be resolved by peaceful means.

As part of the team that negotiated Ireland’s entry into the EEC he shepherded the country through one of its major turning points in the 20th Century. As Ireland’s first European Commissioner he had the proud distinction of promoting equal pay for women.

As President of Ireland he showed that his greatest loyalty was to the Constitution of Ireland. His actions in 1982 will remain a testament to the importance of principle over pragmatism in key moments of history.

On a personal level he and his wife showed great fortitude in the wake of the death of their daughter Vivienne.

I wish to extend my sincere sympathy to his widow Maeve, his son John, Caroline his daughter in law and his extended family.

3rd March 2008
Cannon not willing to wait on bus competition
Progressive Democrat leadership candidate, Senator Ciaran Cannon, has today highlighted his commitment and that of his party to providing fair and open competition on Dublin's bus routes. He said that while he accepted that Dublin Bus would be "front loaded" with the buses and staffing that it required, he and his party would not relent in their pressure for the consumer driven competition promised in the Programme for Government.

"There is some merit in front loading Dublin Bus with the buses and staff that it needs to get new routes up and running. This will benefit many more commuters in the short term. It would be unfair to expect Dublin Bus to compete with private sector operators without the requisite resources. However I will now be asking for the rapid establishment of the Dublin Transport Authority so that we can have transparency in the system and the opening up of the more lucrative routes to all competitors. We cannot wait for consumer driven competition, it is needed to raise standards, to ensure that every decision taken at managerial level, either public or private, is focused on improving the service for all bus users," said Cannon.

Transport Minister Noel Dempsey announced just two weeks ago that he felt the way forward was to extract flexibility and efficiencies from Dublin Bus, rather than going down the route of privatisation. Senator Cannon has today stressed that consumer driven competition remains a core principle of the Progressive Democrats and that without it we would never have seen Ryanair in the skies and would still be paying five hundred euro to fly to London. However he said his approach to privatisation would be a cautious one.

"We need to be careful in how we proceed. A private monopoly is just as dangerous as a public one. If Dublin Bus is adamant that it can provide a high standard of services to customers at a reasonable cost then it has nothing to fear from competition and I would welcome the establishment of such services. It also has the benefit of having a head start in knowing the market intimately. However there is no better way of keeping an operator firmly on its toes than by allowing fair competition and this is what I am suggesting for the moment. Let’s open up the very lucrative routes to competition and see will standards improve and fares go down, I believe that they will and that it will happen very quickly," continued Cannon.

With the establishment of the new Dublin Transport Authority, Dublin Bus and Iarnrod Eireann will have to reveal their profitable and subvented routes. Advice from the Attorney General indicates that CIE must become fully transparent. There has been an assertion by private bus operators that Dublin Bus was using public subvention to force them off lucrative routes and that while this arrangement was in place, there would never be a level playing field for all operators.

"The DTA Bill will, I believe, contain the provisions for the opening up of certain routes to competition and we have to have the courage to go ahead and do this as soon as possible. We also need to put in place provisions for innovative approaches from the private sector in identifying new routes and demands not previously served by the public sector. The success of the Aircoach service can be replicated elsewhere if private operators are supported in their endeavours," concluded Senator Cannon.

Wednesday 30th April 2008
Progressive Democrats leader calls for reform of Public Service Appointments
Cannon: "house system of senior appointments must also change"
The newly elected leader of the Progressive Democrats, Senator Ciaran Cannon has called for major changes in the manner in which public service appointments are made with particular reference to Senior Civil Service appointments and senior appointments in Local Authorities.

“I have stated that creating a climate of innovation within the Public Service is a key part of the reform agenda of my party. While, in general, I welcome the recent OECD report I am however disappointed at the failure of the report to recognise that a vital aspect of public service reform relates to the methodology for making senior appointments. It is as clear as night follows day that these appointments operate within a 'cosy club' and generally more so within a 'cosy boys club' with gender balance still a major issue. We in the Progressive Democrats have always prided ourselves in fostering competition which is one of the key ingredients if not indeed the very spice of efficiency.”

“The time is long past when senior appointments should not only be considered a preserve of those already in the service, but should be wide open to those with suitable qualifications and with appropriate experience in the private sector of business and commerce. Complacency can only result in the present system where basically "those on the outside of the system need not apply". Why should it be so? Why should it be that the only people who can be assured of making it within the senior civil and local authority services are chosen from within the system. I personally know people who were perfectly qualified and experienced and whose experience in applying for such senior positions very often didn't even merit an initial interview.”

“For real reform to happen we need to see a better mix of job applicants for positions and to see the appointments of people who can manage the position on offer and who themselves have appropriate experience of managing businesses or agencies outside the narrow confines of senior civil service or local authority service.”

The OECD report in suggesting reforms is looking for greater mobility and seeks to remove the traditional divide between the Civil Service, Local Authorities and State Agencies to create a unified public service labour market. “It is my hope that in considering the OECD Report, the Cabinet will take account of a more open public service labour market rather than the emphasis being on a unified labour market within the current system. The Government needs to take a hard look at the manner in which the Public Services Commission is effectively operating a closed shop as far as the qualified and experienced outsider is concerned in the current scenario,” concluded Senator Cannon.

Thursday, 17 April, 2008
Senator Ciaran Cannon new leader of the Progressive Democrats
Senator Ciaran Cannon has been elected the new leader of the Progressive Democrats. The result was confirmed and announced by the auditors, ‘Baker, Tilly, Ryan, Glennon’ who conducted the election count.

Mr Liam Twohig, the Returning Officer, announced the result to the Chairman of the Progressive Democrats Peter Wyre as the count ended in early hours of this morning. The counting of votes had commenced on Wednesday night at the company’s offices in Ranelagh in Dublin.

Speaking as the count was completed, Mr Twohig announced that 1,056 valid ballot papers had been returned across the three colleges. Senator Ciaran Cannon received 51% of the votes. Senator Fiona O’Malley received 49% votes.

Mr Twohig declared that Senator Ciaran Cannon had won the election and was deemed to be the new leader of the Progressive Democrats.

In a first for the Progressive Democrats, the electorate included the party membership as well as councillors, the National Executive and the parliamentary party. The votes from each college, for each Senator were combined to provide the final totals.

A press conference to unveil the new leader will be held in Buswells Hotel at 9.30am this morning Thursday 17th April. The conference will be held in the Georgian Room.

Senator Ciaran Cannon and Senator Fiona O’Malley will be joined by Minister Mary Harney and Noel Grealish TD. Party Chairman Peter Wyre will chair the meeting.

A representative of auditors will also be present at the conference.

Saturday 12th April 2008
Statement by Mary Harney on the death of Dr Patrick Hillery
It is with deep regret that I learned of the death of Patrick Hillery a man who’s ability, energy and integrity helped to secure him a significant, important and proud role in Irish political history.

Patrick Hillery shares the twin distinction of having implemented many important reforms across a wide range of areas, and of having acted with integrity and courage in a manner that was a great credit to him personally and to the office of President.

A medical doctor by profession, and a reluctant entrant into politics, he has left lasting achievements both from his time serving as a Minister, as a European Commissioner and as Uachtarán Na hÉireann.

The list of achievements by Patrick Hillery is long. As Education Minister he instituted major changes including the establishment of Regional Technical Colleges. Indeed such was his vision that it fell to subsequent education ministers to finish his work.

After his time as Minister for Industry and Commerce, he became the first Minister for Labour. As Minister for External Affairs he secured increasing international attention for the Troubles in Northern Ireland and was determined that Northern problems should be resolved by peaceful means.

As part of the team that negotiated Ireland’s entry into the EEC he shepherded the country through one of its major turning points in the 20th Century. As Ireland’s first European Commissioner he had the proud distinction of promoting equal pay for women.

As President of Ireland he showed that his greatest loyalty was to the Constitution of Ireland. His actions in 1982 will remain a testament to the importance of principle over pragmatism in key moments of history.

On a personal level he and his wife showed great fortitude in the wake of the death of their daughter Vivienne.

I wish to extend my sincere sympathy to his widow Maeve, his son John, Caroline his daughter in law and his extended family.

3rd March 2008
Cannon not willing to wait on bus competition
Progressive Democrat leadership candidate, Senator Ciaran Cannon, has today highlighted his commitment and that of his party to providing fair and open competition on Dublin's bus routes. He said that while he accepted that Dublin Bus would be "front loaded" with the buses and staffing that it required, he and his party would not relent in their pressure for the consumer driven competition promised in the Programme for Government.

"There is some merit in front loading Dublin Bus with the buses and staff that it needs to get new routes up and running. This will benefit many more commuters in the short term. It would be unfair to expect Dublin Bus to compete with private sector operators without the requisite resources. However I will now be asking for the rapid establishment of the Dublin Transport Authority so that we can have transparency in the system and the opening up of the more lucrative routes to all competitors. We cannot wait for consumer driven competition, it is needed to raise standards, to ensure that every decision taken at managerial level, either public or private, is focused on improving the service for all bus users," said Cannon.

Transport Minister Noel Dempsey announced just two weeks ago that he felt the way forward was to extract flexibility and efficiencies from Dublin Bus, rather than going down the route of privatisation. Senator Cannon has today stressed that consumer driven competition remains a core principle of the Progressive Democrats and that without it we would never have seen Ryanair in the skies and would still be paying five hundred euro to fly to London. However he said his approach to privatisation would be a cautious one.

"We need to be careful in how we proceed. A private monopoly is just as dangerous as a public one. If Dublin Bus is adamant that it can provide a high standard of services to customers at a reasonable cost then it has nothing to fear from competition and I would welcome the establishment of such services. It also has the benefit of having a head start in knowing the market intimately. However there is no better way of keeping an operator firmly on its toes than by allowing fair competition and this is what I am suggesting for the moment. Let’s open up the very lucrative routes to competition and see will standards improve and fares go down, I believe that they will and that it will happen very quickly," continued Cannon.

With the establishment of the new Dublin Transport Authority, Dublin Bus and Iarnrod Eireann will have to reveal their profitable and subvented routes. Advice from the Attorney General indicates that CIE must become fully transparent. There has been an assertion by private bus operators that Dublin Bus was using public subvention to force them off lucrative routes and that while this arrangement was in place, there would never be a level playing field for all operators.

"The DTA Bill will, I believe, contain the provisions for the opening up of certain routes to competition and we have to have the courage to go ahead and do this as soon as possible. We also need to put in place provisions for innovative approaches from the private sector in identifying new routes and demands not previously served by the public sector. The success of the Aircoach service can be replicated elsewhere if private operators are supported in their endeavours," concluded Senator Cannon.

May 20, 2007
McDowell calls for decisive rejection of Left-wing Rainbow disaster
Thursday’s election had all the potential to become the day on which Ireland sleepwalked over a political and economic cliff.

However, we are now seeing the beginning of a decisive shift in public opinion, away from a disastrous scenario in which a deeply divided and fractured Dail might elect a weak, inexperienced divided Government.

Rainbow peril The ‘Rainbow’ lacks any credibility. It cannot hope to govern without the support of the Greens and far-Left Independents. There simply is no agreement on tax changes (the Greens don’t share any common ground with Fine Gael). There is no agreement on EU policy and neutrality (the Greens and Labour differ completely from Fine Gael). There is no agreement on attitudes to private enterprise, foreign direct investment, business and profit creation. There is no agreement on Energy (the Greens backed the Corrib gas protests). There is no agreement on Infrastructure (the Greens are opposed to the NDP roads programme for motorways). Left-dominated downturn What is on offer is a sham coalition in which Fine Gael will attempt to govern with Labour and the Greens and far-Left Independents. That would be a ‘Left’ coalition. Such a government would collapse business and investor confidence, foreign direct investment would dry up. Uncertainty would lead to recession. The construction sector would experience a slow down followed by a meltdown.

The Rainbow would end in a crock but not of gold.

Sinn Fein the would-be power brokers
We are also in danger of sleepwalking into Sinn Fein holding the balance of power - and that too spells deep trouble for Ireland’s prosperity.

Vote for prosperity, growth and stability There is one simple way to avoid throwing it all away. That way is to give new mandates to the partners in the most successful government in the history of the Irish State.

By voting Number One for Progressive Democrats candidates and returning eight to 12 PD TDs, voters can choose prosperity and real change. We can deliver the National Development Programme - that is real change. We can deliver more competition and end the dominance of the semi-State monopolies in electricity, bus transport and health insurance - that is real change. We can deliver 1500 more hospital consultants - that is real change. We can have 16,000 Gardai - that is real change. We can reduce the tax burden on workers and give Irish employment a real boost in the face of foreign competition - that is real change. We can reform stamp duty - that is real change. Above all, we can invest and grow Ireland’s prosperity and avoid a deep Rainbow recession - that is a real choice. In 18 months time we will look back to May 24, 2007. Will we collectively ask why we threw our prosperity away? Or will we remember it as the day that the Irish people had the self-confidence to say a decisive ‘No’ to the Rainbow and a decisive ‘Yes’ to stability, prosperity, growth and a better future.

By voting Progressive Democrats Number One, voters can make a safe choice for the better on Thursday.

Ireland does not need: .
A hung Dail
A king-maker role for Sinn Fein
A Left-centred government . A downturn in business confidence
A weak, inexperienced, divided cabinet

I am asking voters to decisively place the Progressive Democrats back at the heart of a Government that means business, that will do the business and that will build on and deliver our prosperity so that we stay at the top end of the EU member states.

Don’t throw it all away.

Vote PD Number One.

May 21, 2007
PDs seek mandate for ambitious health reform putting patients first
Mary Harney outlines her priorities for return to Health Ministry ‘I’ll give it my all’ Health Minister Mary Harney says the Progressive Democrats are seeking a mandate for ambitious health reform that puts patients first. She said there could be “no going back” from the major reform programme this Government has started.

“We believe there is no impossible barrier to Ireland achieving excellence in health. We are doing it on the economy; we can do it on health. “The foundations for excellence have been laid. And the improvements are now coming, in A&E, cleaner hospitals, shorter waiting times, cancer care, cardiac care, GP services, and a new Children’s Hospital.

“In September 2004, I asked for the job in Health, because I passionately believe we can change health for the better for patients and that all people should be treated on the basis of medical need in our public hospitals.

“There are big challenges in this job. And I consider it a privilege to have the chance to meet those challenges for better healthcare for patients. I would be honoured with the chance to finish the job.

“If the Progressive Democrats are given enough number 1 votes so that we can be in the next Government, and if the Taoiseach and Tanaiste agree, I pledge to give this job my all in a new term of Government. I believe in change. I believe we can deliver better healthcare. I believe in all people working in health working together for change. There is tremendous support among the public for the approach I believe in, which is to be firm, but fair, with all groups in health. Most of all, there is great support for putting patients first in everything we do in health, because that’s the way to change for the better in health.” Today Minister Harney has outlined her priorities for her return to the Health Ministry in a new Government:

1. No-one will wait more than six hours for admission at A&E.
2. Offer of appointment for elective hospital treatment within two months.
3. Patients in hospital will be discharged as soon as medically ready, seven days a week.
4. Recruit 1,500 additional hospital consultants.
5. Quality cancer care for people in every region.
6. Assured frequency of cancer screening calls for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer.
7. All children needing cardiac and cancer care procedures will be treated as soon as medically ready.
8. All beds in publicly-funded hospitals will be routinely available to all patients.
9. Standards of hygiene and infection control fully enforced.
10. No-one will face unaffordable nursing home care costs.
11. Clear standards set and enforced for nursing homes.
12. Assessment for services and a personal plan for persons with disabilities.

“We have a big agenda for change and excellence in health. It is a complex and challenging task. But it is also compelling. And that is why the Progressive Democrats seek a mandate for ambitious health reform that puts patients first,” she concluded.

May 17, 2007
PDs launch five-point plan to combat crime
Progressive Democrats Leader Tanaiste Michael McDowell and Minister Tim O’Malley outlined the Party’s five-point plan for combating crime today.

Launching the Progressive Democrats’ Justice policy in Limerick, the Tanaiste said the safety of citizens at home and on our streets is a core concern for the Party.

“Significant progress has been made in the fight against crime by this government. Garda numbers have been increased to 14,000. Life sentences are now longer. We have more closed-circuit-TV (CCTV) systems. We have introduced Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs), and the independent Office of the Garda Ombudsman has been established.”

Minister O’Malley said the public was rightly concerned about drugs and murderous gangland crime.

“The Criminal Assets Bureau is now targeting middle-ranking criminals in the drugs trade. Anyone convicted of possessing illegal drugs with a value of half a million euros or more will get a mandatory ten year prison sentence. A person convicted of a serious offence, who commits another serious offence within seven years, will be imprisoned for at least 3/4 of the maximum sentence for the second offence. These measures will effectively tackle gangland and drug-related crime.

“Five years ago, public-order offences were a major focus of public concern about crime. We took action. The Intoxicating Liquor Act 2003 reduced excessive drinking. Local partnerships involving garda, publicans and judges were set up to address the problem. And additional CCTV systems deterred misbehaviour.”
In Government the PDs will:
1. Increase garda numbers from 14,000 to 16,000.
2. Rebalance further the criminal law to make it fairer for victims - defendants will be required to outline their defence at the beginning of a trial. The prosecution will be able to challenge miscarriages of justice in the event of newly discovered evidence. Courts will have discretion to admit evidence obtained in good faith.
3. Invest in the Garda Siochana

May 4, 2007
Mary Harney is only real candidate for Health Minister
McDowell PDs offer 12 Guarantees to Patients
PD Leader Tanaiste Michael McDowell says there is just one real candidate for the position of Health Minister in the new Government: Mary Harney.

He said people wanted the Department of Health to be led by a person of experience who had their total confidence.

“This is a crucial decision for the people. They know now who wants this job as Health Minister - just four candidates: Mary Harney, Liam Twomey, Liz McManus and Caoimhghín =D3 Caoláin.

“We offer a candidate with 30 years experience in the Oireachtas. We offer a person with ten years experience at the Cabinet. We offer a candidate who, even as first-time Minister for State, achieved lasting reform for health and the environment in banning smog in Dublin.

“We offer a candidate who was the most successful employment Minister in Europe, who then asked for the job in Government no-one wanted.

“A vote for Mary Harney is a vote for change, for reform, for progress in health. This is the era of change in health. Mary has started the job. Let her finish it.” Minister Harney said she looked forward in this campaign to debating particular aspects of the PDs’ health policy agenda.

“We are optimistic about health. We will promote the progress made and address the challenges before us. This party is up for it, and I am up for it.” She highlighted her 12 Guarantees to Patients outlined in the Party’s manifesto (launched on Sunday).

“These are real and achievable. They won’t come from a wave of the wand, but from the determined efforts of many people working together in the health services and embracing change. In other words, we don’t offer these guarantees as easy certainties but as real and achievable results for patients if we work together.”
1 No-one will wait more than six hours for admission at A&E.
2 Offer of appointment for elective hospital treatment within two months.
3 Patients in hospital will be discharged as soon as medically ready, seven days a week.
4 Recruit 1,500 additional hospital consultants.
5 Quality cancer care for people in every region.
6 Assured frequency of cancer screening calls for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer.
7 All children needing cardiac and cancer care procedures will be treated as soon as medically ready.
8 All beds in publicly-funded hospitals will be routinely available to all patients.
9 Standards of hygiene and infection control fully enforced.
10 No-one will face unaffordable nursing home care costs.
11 Clear standards set and enforced for nursing homes.
12 Assessment for services and a personal plan for persons with disabilities.

Sat, 28 April, 2007
No Proposal To Sell Off St Luke's For Private Development - Michael Mcdowell
"Deputy Ruairi Quinn has recently circulated a leaflet in my area which suggests that St Luke's Hospital Campus is earmarked to be sold off for residential development. He has invented a story that some kind of decision either has been or is about to be taken to sell off St Luke's and that the Progressive Democrats are in some way driving such a sell-off.

That claim is totally untrue. There is absolutely no proposal or intention to sell off St Luke's campus full stop."

Mary Harney has confirmed to Michael McDowell that she intends that St Luke's campus will remain in long-term public ownership and that she intends that it will continue to be used for the purposes of the public health service. She has also confirmed to Michael McDowell that there is no proposal to sell off St Luke's for residential development, there never has been such a proposal, and that she has no intention of doing so.

The Board of St. Luke's Hospital has made no proposal in this regard.

The HSE has also confirmed to Michael McDowell today that they have no intention to dispose of the St Luke's site for development and that it is their desire that the campus should remain available as a public health facility even after the planned transfer of Radiation Oncology services to the campus at St James Hospital.

Long Term Public Health Use
It is the preference of the HSE that the lands and buildings at St Luke's will be made available for non-acute in-patient and out-patient services such as step-down bed facilities and for other residential and non-residential services for persons with disabilities.

The campus at St Luke's has a present total bed capacity of 179 beds. The Friends of St Luke's have, by tremendous fundraising, provided facilities with residential accommodation for 49 beds. The hospital buildings and bed capacity at St Luke's can be used for other future public health purposes ? including step-down beds, respite care and other long-term inpatient public health purposes.

The need for non-acute bed capacity at St Luke's and other public health centres in Dublin is likely to increase with time.

St Luke's has an annual budget of 35 million euro.

With the specific approval of Minister Harney, two new linear accelerators will be installed on the site in the near future. Two existing linear accelerators will also be replaced after the new machines are installed. St Luke's will not be run down in the run-up to the transfer of oncology services to St James.

Michael McDowell said today: "I am deeply saddened that fabrication by the Labour Party of a non-existent bogus plan to sell off St Lukes should be resorted to in this election period.

“There is simply no truth in the suggestion.

“To put out a leaflet bearing the message "Don't Let Him Sell Off the Family Silver" is a sad new low in party politics in this constituency where up to now there has been an abhorrence of dirty tricks and deceptions.

“Residents of Rathgar and Friends of St Luke's should know that it is not the intention or policy of the Progressive Democrats to sell off St Luke's for private development. Nor is there any basis for any claim to that effect.

“I ask voters to be very wary of dishonest inventions born out of political desperation.

“Truth does not have to be the first casualty in the run-up to an election.

“I have no intention of allowing St Luke's campus to be sold for private development and nobody in authority is proposing that it should be sold off.”

April 25, 2007
Green Party Leader Challenged to Tell the Truth
Statement from PD President Tom Parlon
Last Sunday’s edition of the Sunday Business Post (24.04.07) reported that the leader of the Green Party, Trevor Sargent, TD had described a statement I had made as ‘simply a lie’. The paper reported as follows:

Green Party leader Trevor Sargent has taken issue with claims that his party would end live animal exports if elected to power. In his address to the IFA executive as part of a pre-election lobby last week, Sargent described the claim by the Laois/Offaly TD as ‘simply a lie’.

Declared Green Party Policy
I would refer Trevor Sargent to his own party’s website and to his own party’s policy on Animal Welfare at:

http://www.greenparty.ie/en/policies/animal=5Fwelfare/animal=5Fwelfare=5Fpolicy

That document includes (as of 25/04/2007) the following statement:

3.2 The Green Party does not promote or support live exports of animals. Until a viable alternative can be offered, the Green Party will seek to reduce the dominance of the large meat factories and supermarkets and lobby for the humane transport of animals at home and abroad while seeking to phase out live exports over time.

I would further refer Trevor Sargent to remarks attributed to Patricia McKenna ‘Farmers need to face facts and prepare for an end to live exports’ (Irish Times 09/03/2004).

Key Facts I have stated that the Green Party would seek to end live cattle exports if elected to power. Trevor Sargent declared my statement as ‘simply a lie’.

But declared Green Party policy states that the party does not ‘support live exports of animals’, and would seek to ‘phase out live exports over time’.

Further to this, the Green Party candidate for Laois/Offaly Ms. Maria McKay has gone on record at two recent IFA meeting’s held in Laois and Offaly, for general election candidates, stating that she is against the live export of animals.

Conclusion I have been telling the truth in this matter. It is Trevor Sargent who has clearly not been telling the truth.

Trevor’s untruth is sadly characteristic of his party’s strategy of flatly denying its dafter policies. Maybe this is what expensive spin doctors are advising them. But whatever its political advisability, it is hardly honest. Those who practice this approach in politics open themselves to real questions about their personal honesty.

That’s why I am asking Trevor Sargent to reconsider his stance on this matter and to issue a truthful public statement which addresses sincerely his earlier characterisation of my remarks as ‘simply a lie’. They were not a lie. And well he should know.

April 20, 2007
PDs pledge Stamp Duty reform this summer
The Progressive Democrats have pledged to introduce Stamp Duty reform in a new Government before the Dáil summer recess.

Michael McDowell stressed that once the reform was implemented, homebuyers would be paying less immediately.

“Large Stamp Duty bills are impacting upon workers who need the freedom to move between regions, as well as older people who want to move to smaller second-hand homes when their children leave the family home,” he said.

“To ensure maximum market stability, we will implement our reform with immediate effect. There will be no ‘phasing in’ period. We will do this through legislation enacted before the new Dáil rises for the 2007 summer recess.” Speaking at the launch of his Party’s economic and enterprise policy Dublin Chamber of Commerce today, the Tánaiste said the PDs wanted to speedily reduce the burden of Stamp Duty on owner-occupiers and reduce the unfairness of the current system caused by the lack of tapering relief.

Noting that dramatic property price rises over the last decade had fuelled a massive rise in Stamp Duty receipts, he said it was the PD view that the tax currently operated in a way that was arbitrary and often unfair.

“Subject to maintaining budgetary prudence, in government the Progressive Democrats will abolish stamp duty for first-time buyers and make it fairer by ‘banding’ rates so that owner-occupiers pay the higher rate only on the portion of the price over each threshold,” he said.

The changes will mean Stamp Duty on the average national house price will reduce by €8,250 €15,500 to €7,250). In Dublin, the reduction will be €17,050 on average €32,250 to €15,200).

Mr McDowell first sparked the debate on Stamp Duty reform at the PDs’ ‘think in’ in Malahide in September of last year.

The PDs are also proposing to reduce the higher rate of income tax to 38% and reduce the lower rate to 18% in the lifetime of the next government.

Significant benefits arising from our proposals on families include: Increasing the children under-6 payment from €1,000 to at least €2,000 per year. €12 billion on childcare services, child protection and recreational facilities. Increasing child benefit payments to address any rising cost of living. 50,000 new childcare places by 2010. Making schools accessible to students outside normal school hours to help commuting parents. One year’s free community based pre-school; initially for low-income families/deprived areas.

Under the PDs, debt reduction policies will be continued so the net national debt is eliminated by 2013.

April 13, 2007
Stamp duty divide a San Andreas Fault between FG and Labour
Today’s revelation that Fine Gael and Labour cannot agree on stamp duty shows a San Andreas Fault-type divide between the two parties, according to PD Senator John Minihan.

He highlighted the fact the so-called alternative coalition’s long-awaited joint economic manifesto had now been delayed at least three times.

“Fine Gael, the senior party in the Mullingar Accord, proposes to drag the full implementation of stamp duty changes out over three years. Economic observers recognise that this is complete folly.

“To phase in the changes over three years would guarantee stagnation in the market for prolonged periods of time as home buyers wait for the better rates to come. Clearly Labour, the junior party in the Accord, has now recognised this reality.? The Cork South Central Senator said if the joint proposal remained three=20 years, it would show that both parties to the Mullingar Accord were prepared to put cosmetic unity above the interests of the country.

And if the joint proposal changed from the three years, it would show that Fine Gael realised that it was badly mistaken on a significant economic issue.

Senator Minihan said it had been just two weeks since the PDs launched their website highlighting some of the irreconcilable differences between the so-called alternative coalition parties - www.rainbowsplits.ie ?In that short time, further serious splits have emerged between the Rainbow parties. Not only is Labour distancing itself from Fine Gael’s stamp duty proposal, but Fine Gael is distinctly uneasy about Labour’s proposal to open access to the countryside for hillwalkers.

“The PDs were the first Party to highlight the issue of need for stamp duty reform last September, and we spelt out detailed proposals at our National Conference in February.

“We have now set out our policy on stamp duty for the forthcoming election and any future Programme for Government. We want to remove the unfair burden of stamp duty from first-time buyers immediately in a new Government.”

March 16, 2007
Fine Gael offer “PD lite” tax proposals
Stamp Duty plans discriminate against city dwellers PD Senator John Minihan says the Progressive Democrats are offering a much more generous tax package to single-income families than Fine Gael.

The Cork South Central representative said that under Fine Gael the standard rate tax band for married couples with one earner would rise by just €5,000 from €43,000 to €48,000. The PDs would push the band by €16,000 to €59,000.

“Fine Gael”s weak effort to woo single-income families is yet another example of that Party going for the “PD-lite” option. Their proposals are unlikely to keep pace with the growth in earnings. One-income families would undoubtedly be better off under our proposals,” he said.

On stamp duty, Senator Minihan said Fine Gael’s proposal not to remove the tax for all first-time buyers, and to drag its implementation out over three years, was ill-advised.

“The PDs want to remove the unfair burden of stamp duty from first-time buyers immediately in a new Government. The fact that Fine Gael would delay the full implementation of stamp duty reforms for three years would create insecurity among prospective homebuyers and destabilise the property market.

“Fine Gael has also set an exemption limit of €450,000 for abolishing the tax, which discriminates against city-dwellers who are naturally buying more expensive properties.”

Senator Minihan said the PDs had been the first Party to highlight the issue of need for reform in this area last September, and had spelt out detailed proposals last month at the Party”s National Conference.

“The reform of stamp duty was not part of the current Programme for Government, which we are working to complete. We have now set out our policy on stamp duty for the forthcoming election and any future Programme for Government.

“Most parties followed and supported our call for reform in this area. I welcome Fine Gael’s conversion to our way of thinking, although their proposals are a watered-down version of our own.”