1700 Drogheda PLC Applicants turned away- Callan
Deputy Mayor, Cllr. Kevin Callan has said that the turning away of 1,700 applicants for post leaving certificate courses from the Institute of Further Education in Drogheda was an absolute disgrace and a serious problem that would have to be addressed immediately.
“A massive number of applicants in Drogheda were unsuccessful due to the insufficient number of places on offer. These are the most up-to-date figures and highlight the short-sighted decision of the Government that has seriously affected Drogheda and its people when a cap was put on places in the town.
Cllr. Callan has said that he had received this information from those within the PLC sector who informed him that the huge increase in applications is largely as a result of mature students who have lost their jobs and wished to re-skill and retrain and students who have completed their Leaving Certificate and cannot get a job. This shows that people are trying to get back on their feet and to get onto local courses and are having their efforts hampered by central government.
“With over 8,000 people on the Live Register in Drogheda, re-training and re-skilling is central, not only to economic recovery in town , but also to producing a talented and flexible workforce. Last year, the Government announced the creation of 51,000 additional training places but these primarily went to FÁS. PLC courses are closely linked to the needs of industry but, last year, Central Government put a cap on the numbers of PLC places.
“This makes no sense. Instead of just handing over more resources to FÁS, this cap on PLC places should be lifted immediately as in Drogheda 2,500 people applied for 800 places, we have 1,700 people who were unsuccessful, not due to any issue other than the governments total failure to help and lift the cap in Drogheda. “Allowing the VEC to provide more PLC courses makes sense. The structures are already in place, the tutors have been hired, in many cases it would just be a matter of just extending current services. This could be done quickly and effectively and would account for a small portion of the funds being directed to new training places.
“The Government should be doing all in its power to encourage learning and training wherever possible. Instead, the Government is harming Ireland's ability to implement an achievable economic recovery programme by refusing to lift the cap on the number of PLC courses. This cap should be removed immediately.”
Notice of Motion ofr December meeting of Drogheda Borough Council.
Cllr. Callan is bring a notice of motion at the December meeting of the Council to call on central government to lift the cap on PLC places in Drogheda.
MAYOR KEVIN CALLAN Member of Drogheda Borough Council Contact 087 777 6648 kevinrcallanbl@hotmail.com
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Termonfeckin Road/Newfoundwell Water Pressure
Termonfeckin Road/Newfoundwell Water Pressure- Cllr. Callan
Notice of Question to be brought at December Meeting of Council by Deputy Mayor
Deputy Mayor, Cllr Kevin Callan has said that water pressure problems persist on the Termonfeckin Road and at Newfoundwell and that further investigations are needed to establish why homes in the area are still having difficulties with their water supply.
I have spoken with residents of the area in recent months and even this week the matter has arisen again, people have extremely low water pressure and even after the Council have sealed of leaks in pipes, the problem still exists. I have seen figures maintained by a local resident who has a water pump and they show water pressure levels rising and dropping severely and this is extremely worrying. I am presenting these figures to the engineering section and will be raising it at the monthly meeting of the Borough Council.
According to Cllr. Callan , “The findings of the annual report on service indicators for 2008 for local authorities showed that water leaks, unauthorised usage and metering errors are major problems for councils.
The Minister for the Environment has stated that he is highly critical of high volumes of drinking water going to waste and that councils who don't deal with such leaks could lose funding. Thee is clearly an issue of low water pressure in the area I am speaking about, I know that leaks have been repaired but there is a possibility that further leaks are causing this low pressure. I am concerned that the Minister has stated that he will hold back funding for water services from councils that failed to tackle the problem of drink water being wasted. We need to know why these problems are ongoing.
Cllr Callan said that the annual cost for treated drinking water in the State was €1 billion and that Drogheda Borough Council must establish why people are continuing to suffer from such low water pressure and to see that it is rectified as soon as possible.
Notice of Question for December Meeting of Drogheda Borough Council
Cllr. Kevin Callan
Deputy Mayor
“That this Council shall carry out investigations in relation to the matter of low water pressure which is occurring on the Termonfeckin Road and the Newfoundwell area.
Despite leak repairs carried out in the immediate area in recent times, water pressure is still a serious issue for local residents. Several homes in Beaulieu View estate and in College Rise have extremely poor and varied water pressure and this continues to be the case at the time of this notice of question”.
Notice of Question to be brought at December Meeting of Council by Deputy Mayor
Deputy Mayor, Cllr Kevin Callan has said that water pressure problems persist on the Termonfeckin Road and at Newfoundwell and that further investigations are needed to establish why homes in the area are still having difficulties with their water supply.
I have spoken with residents of the area in recent months and even this week the matter has arisen again, people have extremely low water pressure and even after the Council have sealed of leaks in pipes, the problem still exists. I have seen figures maintained by a local resident who has a water pump and they show water pressure levels rising and dropping severely and this is extremely worrying. I am presenting these figures to the engineering section and will be raising it at the monthly meeting of the Borough Council.
According to Cllr. Callan , “The findings of the annual report on service indicators for 2008 for local authorities showed that water leaks, unauthorised usage and metering errors are major problems for councils.
The Minister for the Environment has stated that he is highly critical of high volumes of drinking water going to waste and that councils who don't deal with such leaks could lose funding. Thee is clearly an issue of low water pressure in the area I am speaking about, I know that leaks have been repaired but there is a possibility that further leaks are causing this low pressure. I am concerned that the Minister has stated that he will hold back funding for water services from councils that failed to tackle the problem of drink water being wasted. We need to know why these problems are ongoing.
Cllr Callan said that the annual cost for treated drinking water in the State was €1 billion and that Drogheda Borough Council must establish why people are continuing to suffer from such low water pressure and to see that it is rectified as soon as possible.
Notice of Question for December Meeting of Drogheda Borough Council
Cllr. Kevin Callan
Deputy Mayor
“That this Council shall carry out investigations in relation to the matter of low water pressure which is occurring on the Termonfeckin Road and the Newfoundwell area.
Despite leak repairs carried out in the immediate area in recent times, water pressure is still a serious issue for local residents. Several homes in Beaulieu View estate and in College Rise have extremely poor and varied water pressure and this continues to be the case at the time of this notice of question”.
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