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It was Labour Party TD & Minister Kathleen Lynch, who announced details of the long awaited ‘Over 70’s Scheme’ on Friday July 31st, 2015, at a cost to the taxpayer of an estimated €18 million a year. Minister Lynch you will remember holds special responsibility for Primary Care, Social Care (Disabilities & Older People).
 What is NOT included under free over 70’s GP Care This ‘Over 70’s Scheme’ as it is known, provides for free GP care to all persons aged 70 years and over; who do not have a Medical Card or GP Visit card, regardless of income and who ordinarily resident in the Irish State.
On Monday last a medical card carrying lady aged in her 74th year who was a former Cancer sufferer, attended her local physician here in Thurles. On the previous advice of her doctor she was attending simply to have her annual blood test.
Imagine her surprise, when leaving, to be confronted with an unexpected bill of €20.00 to cover the costs associated with her blood test. Imagine then being asked that since it was Monday, no blood samples would be collected locally, and could she deliver the blood sample personally to the local Health Centre herself.
From checks made by us, we discover that in fact ‘Blood Tests’ are not free under the 70’s and over supposedly free scheme’.
God be with the days back in the Autumn of 2008 when, following a Fianna Fáil led Government Budget, Jackie Healy-Rae (RIP) and Local Deputy Michael Lowry, both then supporting Fianna Fáil in Government as Independent TD’s, threatened to overthrow the same government, when F.F. attempted to introduce ‘Means Testing’ for Old Age Pensioners, thus cancelling their right to hold a Medical Card.
Following demands by Independent T.D. Deputy Michael Lowry, 140 workers employed at the C&C plant will meet with their management this afternoon to be briefed on future employment at the plant.
Earlier today an angry Mr Lowry demanded clarity from the C&C Company on leaked newspaper reports that the plant was earmarked for closure with the loss the majority of its workforce.
The Deputy, in addressing the media, described the present situation as utterly shocking and totally disrespectful to the Borrisoleigh work force.
“Since the acquisition of the Tipperary Water manufacturer, Drinks Supplier and Distributor Gleeson Group, for a reported €12.4million by C&C in November 2012, I have been sceptical and suspicious of their motivations. From the onset there has been great difficulty with C&C in outlining any future business plan for the Borrisoleigh plant. C&C have been reluctant to hold any meaningful engagement with employees and to communicate their future intentions for the Borrisoleigh site. After much aggravation they eventually agreed to recognise the Union SIPTU, but even then the plans for the future of the company remained sparse”, commented Lowry.
Since 2012 the plant in Borrisoleigh was gradually diluted, through the reduction of manufacturing jobs by voluntary redundancies and by the diversion of sales and administration to Belfast in Northern Ireland. The centralizing of management to their UK office saw the centralisation of their logistics office with this function outsourced to the private sector and the long practice of retaining local management of the plant, discontinued. News broke via the public media this morning that 140 staff are to be made redundant at the former Gleeson’s, now C&C owned plant, as part of future cost-cutting plans.
 Deputy Lowry stated this morning; “Effectively what we are witnessing here is ‘closure by stealth’ and the failure of a company to properly communicate with staff. The Company have been totally disingenuous with regard to their real intentions regarding the Borrisoleigh site. Their method of doing business, their conduct and overall behaviour is nothing short of despicable.
The profitable Gleeson plant is synonymous with the village of Borrisoleigh and its local residents for generations have been the very heartbeat of this local economy. This action by C&C will have a devastating impact on the workers and their dependent families in the entire community.
It is ironic that the company has been working 3 shifts in the immediate presence to meet demand and that the plant has made substantial profits during its 2015 operations. The company C+C are a publically listed company, driven by shareholder demands. The human costs of this heartless decision was not used as the deciding factor; rather the decision was made on the principle, ‘Nothing must be allowed to get in the way of maximum profit’.
I wish to convey my complete support for all the employees affected by this sudden announcement and respectfully request that C&C now enter into meaningful negotiations with their staff, their management and Union representatives; in an effort to resolve this serious matters” concluded Michael Lowry T.D.
This news follows the loss of some 380 jobs lost last December with the closure of the Lisheen Mine, situated just 15mls (24.3 km) to the north of Borrisoleigh.
Independent TD Deputy Michael Lowry has described the decision by the present Government not to proceed with a ‘statutory single waterways authority’ as simply disastrous. The government has instead set up a ‘co-ordination group’ to implement flood management infrastructure.
Deputy Lowry stated: “The setting up of a ‘co-ordination group’ instead of a ‘statutory single waterways authority’ is a formula for future confusion with regards to actual day-to-day management of Ireland’s rivers and waterways. For whatever reason best known to this Government, they appear to have panicked under the pressure of recent criticisms regarding their slow response to the unanticipated flooding crisis. In making this decision to set up a ‘co-ordination group’ they have guaranteed that any disagreements between state agencies and other bodies into the future, will only lead to long delays in almost all attempted implementation of future flood prevention measures.”
Lowry welcomed the decision to include aid under the Fodder Replacement Scheme together with Humanitarian Aid and Hardship Recognition assistance.
Lowry stated; “It is now essential that all fodder damaged through flooding be urgently replaced and that the Hardship Recognition Scheme should take into account not just the damage caused to farm buildings but also deflated farm income suffered in association”.
Deputy Lowry acknowledged the magnificent and professional work undertaken by community services, general staff and management at Tipperary County Council.
“I have now contacted Tipperary County Council in relation to recent flooding and the general repairs and works urgently required in mending drains, ditches and culverts as well as roads and bridges across Tipperary. I have insisted that I be kept fully informed of any reports or proposed future works that are to be carried out on all roads, which I have examined and listed. Requests have been forwarded on to the necessary personnel with the instruction that issues be investigated on behalf of residents. It is now essential that Tipperary Co. Council seek funding from Government for all necessary emergency repairs”, concluded TD Lowry.
 Deputy Michael Lowry has today confirmed the reinstatement of a Rural Practice Allowance Support Package for a General Practitioner (GP) vacancy, which is currently available in Bansha, Co. Tipperary.
The community of the small village of Bansha and those residing in the surrounding hinterland recently converged on their local GAA hall in large numbers, on November 27th last, to register their protest and to express serious concerns over replacement services, due to the imminent departure of their current local GP.
The reason for lack of interest by GP’s in applying for a previously advertised replacement post was the removal of a ‘Rural Practice Allowance’ by the former TD and Health Minister, Mr James O’Reilly. This Rural Practice Allowance was, prior to the ascendency of the present government, always paid to offset the high costs incurred by GP’s in attempting to run a rural surgery situated outside of larger more populated urban areas.
As Deputy Lowry had predicted, over the past week the Health Service Executive (HSE) have now agreed to the restoration of this Rural Practice Financial Incentive, in respect of this GP vacancy.
“The welcome restoration of this Rural Practice Allowance will now allow for this post to be re-advertised and I am confident it will attract a suitable number of new applications,” stated Deputy Lowry.
“The local Action Committee, lead by Mr Andrew O’Halloran and the Bansha community are to be fully complimented on taking the initiative in highlighting this issue. Through their resilience and determination they have succeeded in receiving a most positive outcome regarding this Rural Practice Allowance problem,” continued Deputy Lowry.
The local Bansha Action Committee are now expected to meet on Monday evening next, December 21st, with officials from the HSE, to further discuss the implementation of this now welcomed decision affecting this rural locality.
I was reminded of a piece of poetry today, from the pen of poet and friend Gerry Cullen, having watched with some interest, news of the arrest of my own county-man; Independent Wexford TD Mick Wallace today, during the mid morning.
On a date last April, both Deputy Mr Wallace and his colleague Deputy Miss Clare Daly were each fined €2,000 at Ennis District Court on two charges of breaching security at Shannon Airport, in July 2014. Their reasons for breaching security was that the Irish Government were knowingly facilitating the killing of innocent civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan, by allowing American war planes to land at Shannon Airport.
By Mr Wallace’s reckoning close to two million citizens were unnecessarily killed in Iraq and Afghanistan between 2001 and 2013, and the Irish Government have allowed Shannon Airport to be used to facilitate that destruction.
“The Irish Government says it cares about the current plight of refugees, and we’re still allowing Shannon to be used so that planes can go bomb their homes and create these refugees. We then kill half of them and make refugees of the rest of them,” Mr Wallace commented; on his release from jail.
Mr Wallace has since been granted temporary release from Limerick Prison following his arrest for the non-payment of his €2.000 fine. The taxpaying public will be thrilled to note that having travelled some 404km (252 miles) over a four hour period, using presumably Garda transport and being accompanied by possibly two Garda personnel, Mr Wallace is then released two hours later.
Regardless of the merits or not of Mr Wallace’s actions, isn’t Ireland, despite our recent financial difficulties, a great little country really? But enough from me – read the poem hereunder and weep.
Syrian Sand (Poem courtesy of resident Tipperary bard, Mr Gerry Cullen. © )
When Lisa sent me pictures I remembered what they say.
A picture paints a thousand words and I had none that day.
Yet words of Gods and words of men and power and greed demand
That innocence in children’s blood congeals on Syrian sand.
So where is good and where is God and where the human race.
When children die and mothers cry and hopeless every face.
The speakers, moral teachers in the halls of justice stand,
While innocence in children’s blood congeals on Syrian sand.
The Super-powers play Tug o’ War and news and printed press
Give precedence to spoilt Celebs, as the world just can’t care less.
When war spits out it’s victims there are none who understand.
Why innocence in children’s blood congeals on Syrian sand.
Then it’s always been the blameless and the unimportant poor
Who suffer most, when evil calls with blood-lust to the door.
And future prospects aren’t bright, for where’s the caring hand,
Of Gods and men, while children’s blood congeals on Syrian sand.
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