Fine Gael Cork South Central Senator, Jerry Buttimer, today (Wednesday) said proposed changes to Communications regulation must not undermine the good work being carried out by our postal workers every day.

Speaking on the Postal Services Bill, Senator Buttimer expressed his concern at the removal of the Universal Service Obligation which guarantees a five day delivery service to every address in the country.

“This Bill will change the way our postal service is run, creating different employment conditions for our postal workers. An Post is currently undergoing its own restructuring process to ensure that it offers the best service possible to the country and we must ensure that any future changes, where legislation is concerned, does not undermine the good work of the staff at An Post. Fine Gael welcomes competition within all aspects of industry but on the pretence that it benefits everyone involved.

“An Post ensured us this year that 84% of letters posted in Ireland to addresses within the State were delivered the next working day. An Post is not broken. It is working well and continues to post yearly profits, with staff processing over three million items of mail, serving 1.7 million customers, every week.

“Postal workers carry out their duties to the highest possible standard while also maintaining the vital link between the home and the community. They continue to operate in a most efficient manner to the extent that we have the eight lowest priced postal service in Europe.

“This Government has done enough damage within rural areas and communities. Fine Gael recognises the vital links that our postal workers in Cork, Dublin, Galway and the rest of country provide. They have genuine concerns with regards to this Bill and I urge the Government to examine this carefully in the best interests of An Post, its staff and all citizens.”

Posted under Communications, Cork, Cork City, Employment, National Work

Cork Fine Gael Senator Jerry Buttimer has invited Ministers Martin Mansergh and John Gormley to visit Cork this Friday on the occasion of the first anniversary of last year’s devastating flooding in Cork City.

I am calling on Ministers Gormley and Mansergh to come to Cork on the anniversary of the flooding to outline and to explain to local residents and business people what work has been carried out by the Department of Environment and OPW since last November. The people of the Marsh, the Mardyke and the Middle Parish deserve answers from Government.

“It is one year on and it’s not clear as to what has been done to assist the people so badly affected. The Ministers can update the people on the CFRAM study and on the implementation of the recommendations contained in that report. In addition it is important to inform people what measures have been taken regarding escalating insurance costs. The Government needs to allay the fears of residents and reassure them that action is being taken.

“The lives of people have been severely traumatized by the events of last November and, twelve months on, very little appears to have been done. The wall at Grenville place, where a 20 metre section of wall is missing, has not been repaired. There is still no early warning system in place and there has been no independent enquiry. This has been compounded by the refusal of Minister Gormley to meet with the Joint Oireachtas Environment Committee. There needs to be more co-ordination between local and national authorities. Ministers Gormley and Mansergh could take an important first step in that direction by responding positively to my invitation.

Posted under Cork, Cork City, Environment, Floods

Cork Senator Jerry Buttimer met with members of Macra Na Feirme in Carrigaline last week to discuss with them about the lack of Government support that continues to hinder the future development of the agri-business sector. The Macra members made an excellent presentation and outlined some key points on the various issues that they encounter.

I discussed with Macra how young farmers around the country are struggling at present. I was at the recent pre budget meeting with the IFA a couple of weeks ago and to be honest I was astounded at the figure they presented to me. 7% of farmers are now under the age of 35. This is a real concern considering the fact that we need young farmers to implement targets such as those under the Food Harvest report 2020. We talk so much about the “smart economy” but this is a true example of how, with the necessary incentives and support young farmers can be central to growth in the economy. When you consider the fact that 20% of jobs outside Dublin are in the agricultural, agri-food or related industries then we recognise the importance of putting young farmers in charge of their future.

The government’s decision to abolish key supports to farmers are one of the numerous failures by them. By suspending Installation Aid they are threatening the future of young farmers in this country and are acting as a barrier to new entrants into the farming community.  The Government’s refusal to fill vacancies in Agricultural colleges that are full of well-educated students who have a strong desire to impart their knowledge into the farming community is scandalous. I have debated many times in the Seanad about the importance of the agricultural industry to Ireland. I think any industry that is worth €1.8bn and provides 250,000 jobs should always be at the forefront of our debates. We see every week the problems that small and medium size businesses have with regards to accessing credit for their businesses. We include farmers in this. The farm family business structure that is so crucial within Irish society and that provides direct and indirect benefits to the local community is suffering because they cannot access the credit needed to keep their businesses viable. These families have been directly hit because many of their sons and daughters worked in what was once a thriving construction industry and now as their children seek employment or are forced into emigration, the government continues to tell them there is an embargo on employment in the agricultural education centres that are so important to them.

Macra’s pre budget submission has numerous important proposals to keep our agri sector vibrant. The proposal to retain CAT (Capital Acqusition Tax) at 90% would no doubt encourage young people to become involved in farming and see it as a viable future for themselves and their families. This rate is not akin to the many tax reliefs that developers got around the country. This form of relief would encourage economic activity and would be reinvested within the industry. I naturally support the need for a greater access to credit.

Farmers have suffered enough. We talk about generations of Irish people paying for the mistake of a few. I think it’s about time the Government stood up and listened to those sectors that continue to make positive contributions to our society and our economy and to support them in every way possible. Macra is truly an integral organisation within Irish society and this meeting with them last week reaffirmed this to me even more. Fine Gael will continue to publish proposals and work with farmers and farm organisations to ensure we keep this vital industry alive.

Posted under Agriculture, Carrigaline, Economic, Environment