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All €300,000 of Autism Fund spent in Reilly's constituency

  • 24-06-2013 06:53AM
    #1
    nesf
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 27,644 ✭✭✭✭


    Details: http://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/all-300-000-from-autism-fund-spent-in-reilly-s-heartland-1.1440375?utm_source=morning-digest&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=digests
    All the money so far provided from a funding boost for autism services announced by Minister for Health James Reilly last year has been spent on cutting waiting lists for children with the condition in his political heartland in north Dublin, newly released documents show.
    Just €300,000 of the €3 million promised over three years by Dr Reilly in January 2012 has so far been allocated, all of it to north Dublin, according to the documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.


    There may be truth in this and North Dublin may be the area of the country in most acute need for extra funding. I don't know, the article doesn't say anything about this. The issue here is, he released funds to a clinic in his own constituency and then held back on the funds for the rest of the country pending a review of autism related spending. As I said this may be genuinely grounded but the optics of this are terrible, I'm having trouble believing he authorised this, it's just going to play extremely badly in the media and the public because it's autistic kids he's not giving the funding to.

    I think people have a genuine ground to feel very angry about this one and similar parish pump antics by the man.


Comments

  • #2
    Cody Pomeray
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,648 ✭✭✭Cody Pomeray


    We need to stop giving Ministers (not least, Ministers with a €13 billion budget) a dual mandate, and expect them to be blind to their own constituencies' interests. This is one result of that system, and so was the primary care disaster that preceded it.

    I agree the optics look bad, but the system is going to remain in place long after the optics. In that sense, I don't think this is as much a James Reilly story as another failure of our Executive system.


  • #3
    Sir Humphrey Appleby
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,465 ✭✭✭Sir Humphrey Appleby


    Just more of the same from FG and Reilly in particular, no wonder they are so eager to end any kind of oversight or accountability for their actions.


  • #4
    nesf
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 27,644 ✭✭✭✭nesf


    Cody Pomeray wrote: »
    We need to stop giving Ministers (not least, Ministers with a €13 billion budget) a dual mandate, and expect them to be blind to their own constituencies' interests. This is one result of that system, and so was the primary care disaster that preceded it.

    I agree the optics look bad, but the system is going to remain in place long after the optics. In that sense, I don't think this is as much a James Reilly story as another failure of our Executive system.

    Oh I agree, having the executive being elected from constituencies is just a bad idea on so many levels.


  • #5
    Nodin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 46,938 ✭✭✭✭Nodin


    nesf wrote: »



    There may be truth in this and North Dublin may be the area of the country in most acute need for extra funding. I don't know, the article doesn't say anything about this. .

    I'd say it is, in the same way Mayo became the booming sports hub of the Island.

    TAOISEACH Enda Kenny’s home county has hit the jackpot with funding from the National Lottery since he became Taoiseach, an Irish Independent investigation can reveal. The constituency was the biggest winner of Lottery-funded capital sports
    grants last year – getting double the allocation of Dublin city.


    Lotto grants to Mayo surged by 70pc to €1.8m – leading to accusations that
    the funding scheme is open to being operated as a political slush fund.
    http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/revealed-surge-in-lotto-cash-grants-for-kennys-home-base-26851057.html


  • #6
    mikemac1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,395 ✭✭✭✭mikemac1


    North Tipp doing ok these days for the transport projects ;)

    Local Minister, Alan Kelly, has announced €19 million in funding for Tipperary Roads.
    Public & Commuter Transport Minister and local TD, Alan Kelly, will today open the Congar/Ballylusky Realignment project along the N52.
    The road, which connects Borrisokane and Nenagh was subject to a €4.7 million investment over a 2.2 kilometre section of the road in order to make it safer.
    The long-awaited Shannon bridge river crossing and associated link roads in Killaloe and Ballina, costing an estimated €40.6million, have finally got the green light.
    http://www.clarechampion.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7043:40m-splash-on-new-killaloe-bridge&catid=74:general&Itemid=60
    STATE rail company Iarnrod Eireann has added four extra services a day -- at a cost of almost €20,000 per day -- to a loss-making route serving the constituency of the Public Transport Minister.

    Just 73 people a day currently use the Ballybrophy to Limerick line, which serves the town, generating a paltry €753 a day in fares.

    http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/extra-trains-costing-20000-per-day-put-on-ministers-lossmaking-route-26825930.html

    Nenagh has a superb inter city bus service. Locals don't use the train much at all.
    Extension of the existing walkway/cycleway along the N52 linking with tourist trail.

    335,000 for this and actually that's not a bad spend imo, a real asset to the town and very popular
    The plan to create a 54km cycle track on both sides of the R445 (old N7) between Nenagh and Limerick at a total cost of €888,000 was announced last summer by local Minister of State Alan Kelly.

    This is a complete waste of money. Just building a cyclelane down the old N7.
    There is already a large wide shoulder, there is zero need at all


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  • #7
    nesf
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 27,644 ✭✭✭✭nesf


    Nodin wrote: »
    I'd say it is, in the same way Mayo became the booming sports hub of the Island.



    http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/revealed-surge-in-lotto-cash-grants-for-kennys-home-base-26851057.html

    It seems, regardless of who is in power, that having either the Taioseach or the Minister for Finance being based in your consituency is a rather good thing when it comes to money being awarded for sport locally. Some UCC academics did a paper on this 5 years ago I think.


  • #8
    mikemac1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,395 ✭✭✭✭mikemac1


    Kerry folk wouldn't agree.

    Very ungrateful said John O'Donoghue :(
    "I hope that the irony will not be lost upon you, that I stand here on my evening of defeat, in a hall, this magnificent sports complex, which I helped to build"


  • #9
    Nodin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 46,938 ✭✭✭✭Nodin


    mikemac1 wrote: »
    Kerry folk wouldn't agree.

    Very ungrateful said John O'Donoghue :(

    Jaysus.....memories like goldfish.


  • #10
    Nodin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 46,938 ✭✭✭✭Nodin


    nesf wrote: »
    It seems, regardless of who is in power, that having either the Taioseach or the Minister for Finance being based in your consituency is a rather good thing when it comes to money being awarded for sport locally. Some UCC academics did a paper on this 5 years ago I think.

    Indeed. Can't find a free copy online, alas....
    John Considine, Frank Crowley, Sinead Foley and Marie
    O'Connor ; (2008) 'Irish National Lottery Sports Capital Grant Allocations
    1999-2007: Natural Experiments on Political Influence'.
    Economic Affairs
    Irish National Lottery Sports Capital Grant Allocations show a clear bias towards the geographical areas represented by the Minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism and the Minister for Finance. This bias is the result of the procedures by which the funds are allocated
    http://econpapers.repec.org/article/blaecaffa/v_3a28_3ay_3a2008_3ai_3a3_3ap_3a38-44.htm


  • #11
    Godge
    Closed Accounts Posts: 21,727 ✭✭✭✭Godge


    nesf wrote: »
    Details: http://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/all-300-000-from-autism-fund-spent-in-reilly-s-heartland-1.1440375?utm_source=morning-digest&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=digests




    There may be truth in this and North Dublin may be the area of the country in most acute need for extra funding. I don't know, the article doesn't say anything about this. The issue here is, he released funds to a clinic in his own constituency and then held back on the funds for the rest of the country pending a review of autism related spending. As I said this may be genuinely grounded but the optics of this are terrible, I'm having trouble believing he authorised this, it's just going to play extremely badly in the media and the public because it's autistic kids he's not giving the funding to.

    I think people have a genuine ground to feel very angry about this one and similar parish pump antics by the man.

    Beechpark is in Donnycarney so I don't think it is in Reilly's constituency. It may actually be in Roisin Shorthall's but more likely Dublin North-Central.


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  • #12
    nesf
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 27,644 ✭✭✭✭nesf


    Godge wrote: »
    Beechpark is in Donnycarney so I don't think it is in Reilly's constituency. It may actually be in Roisin Shorthall's but more likely Dublin North-Central.

    What's its catchment area though?

    Like, Cork University Hospital isn't in Cork North Central but if a Cork North Central Minister directed extra funding its way it'd definitely be parish pump politics.


  • #13
    Godge
    Closed Accounts Posts: 21,727 ✭✭✭✭Godge


    nesf wrote: »
    What's its catchment area though?

    Like, Cork University Hospital isn't in Cork North Central but if a Cork North Central Minister directed extra funding its way it'd definitely be parish pump politics.

    It would hardly be Swords, Balbriggan or Skerries who would have facilities of their own.

    It would more likely by Whitehall, Ballymun, Coolock, etc. which are Labour strongholds.


  • #14
    nesf
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 27,644 ✭✭✭✭nesf


    Godge wrote: »
    It would hardly be Swords, Balbriggan or Skerries who would have facilities of their own.

    It would more likely by Whitehall, Ballymun, Coolock, etc. which are Labour strongholds.

    It seems to serve all of Dublin and some of Kildare etc and the HQ is based in Santry. This was interesting spin by the Irish Times. But according to some articles from today it appears there's some kind of branch of the service in North Dublin and that's where the money was spent? This is confusing.


  • #15
    Godge
    Closed Accounts Posts: 21,727 ✭✭✭✭Godge


    nesf wrote: »
    It seems to serve all of Dublin and some of Kildare etc and the HQ is based in Santry. This was interesting spin by the Irish Times. But according to some articles from today it appears there's some kind of branch of the service in North Dublin and that's where the money was spent? This is confusing.

    You are right and I was wrong. Essentially Beechpark seems to be a voluntary organisation or quango supporting autism education in or around Dublin, Kildare and Meath.

    http://www.autismireland.ie/assets/files/downloads/services/Northside%20Outreach%20Team%20Santry.pdf

    These are the schools supported on the Northside. They are spread all around but include Swords and Portmarnock(?) in Reilly's constituency.


  • #16
    nesf
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 27,644 ✭✭✭✭nesf


    Godge wrote: »
    You are right and I was wrong. Essentially Beechpark seems to be a voluntary organisation or quango supporting autism education in or around Dublin, Kildare and Meath.

    http://www.autismireland.ie/assets/files/downloads/services/Northside%20Outreach%20Team%20Santry.pdf

    These are the schools supported on the Northside. They are spread all around but include Swords and Portmarnock(?) in Reilly's constituency.

    Yeah they're trying to spin it as a "all Dublin and some of Leinster" thing rather than parish pump politics but it's just reflecting really badly as a "Dublin gets services before the rest of the country" which isn't going to play well for FG especially.

    It's a messy one.


  • #17
    thebman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,007 ✭✭✭✭thebman


    mikemac1 wrote: »

    This is a complete waste of money. Just building a cyclelane down the old N7.
    There is already a large wide shoulder, there is zero need at all

    They are doing this all over, presumably because it is cheap to paint a line and put up a sign with a bike on it compared to a real infrastructure project but they will still claim at the end to have created 400,000KM of bike lanes come election time or other such nonsense.


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