"Our society is defined by how we look after the most vulnerable. 1 in 7 adults in Ireland will have experienced a mental health difficulty in the last year" says Kiran Emrich, People Before Profit Alliance (PBPA) local election candidate in Galway Central.
That is why the PBPA campaign commits to the actions on mental health that the 4MentalHealth campaign has prescribed in conjunction with the Union of Students in Ireland.
Working to improve mental health and to ensure social inclusion of people with mental health difficulties is something that PBPA Galway have been participating in for a number of years. We have been involved with Amnesty International and Jigsaw Mental Health campaigns, and also supporting The Galway East Mental Health Action Group, the campaign to retain the Addiction Clinic at Merlin Park Hospital, along with demonstrating against SNA cuts, and offering solidarity to the Psychiatric Nurses Association amongst others.
The key actions of the 4MentalHealth campaign are that
*We demand improved community-based mental health services locally for children & adults, and implementation of the current mental health policy 'A Vision for Change'.
* There must be commitments to funding for local community mental health groups that support recovery from mental health difficulties.
*In order to prevent homelessness we must ensure that there is effective communication between local authorities & community mental health teams.
If elected Kiran Emrich undertakes to present a motion to Galway City Council stating that in its work, the Council will seek to promote mental health & well-being among the whole local population.
To elaborate further, PBPA National Health Policy calls for increased funding for Mental Health to at least 10% of the health budget.
We need improved access to social support, OT & psychotherapy as alternatives to medication and ECT. Vitally important is to improve access for children to prompt, good quality mental health & developmental assessments /therapies by staffing Child Mental Health and Early Intervention Teams to age 18. Liaison with & availability of school supports including small class sizes, Resource Teachers, SNAs & NEPS psychologists needs to be improved.
Adds Kiran Emrich, "There needs to be a resolution over the stop-start implementation of the 'Vision For Change' policy. We urgently need to emphasise preventive measures such as increased welfare spending on income support & jobs to reduce mental health problems and suicide. The economic crisis and the austerity policies of the current and previous government parties are taking a terrible toll on our society."
Monday 28 April 2014
Pledge on Homelessness
Homeless pledge by Kiran Emrich People Before Profit Alliance election candidate for Galway Central.
Amid reports of housing price increases and a new property bubble beginning to inflate,the national media coverage of a homeless family,mother Sabrina Ryan with her three small children, being forced to live in her car has revealed the outrageous situation for people suffering the Irish housing crisis. People Before Profit Alliance election candidate for Galway Central, Kiran Emrich, makes a commitment to the people of Galway to protect homelessness budgets if elected.
He is also urging people to ask candidates in their electoral area to pledge the same support when they canvas homes.
"It is absolutely disgusting and sickening that families and individuals are reduced to living in cars.
One of the most cruel aspects of the system is that people are conditioned to see unemployment and homelessness as the result of some sort of failure of those that find themselves in this situation. But it is the austerity policies of the Fine Gael Labour Government that are leaving such people by the way-side. With the desperate housing situation in our city and country intensifying, the truth of the matter is that we need increased funding for homeless services in the city.
Therefore I give my pledge to the people of Galway that if elected I will protect the homeless services budget for the next five years of local government and never vote for any proposed cuts to the homeless budget. Homeless services need to know now that they will have continued support at Galway Council level. I urge people to simply ask other local election candidates to make this pledge when they canvass your homes."
The People Before Profit Alliance is campaigning at national level to have the cuts to the homeless services budget restored and for more housing to be made available as a priority. This would put the homeless services under less pressure.
Amid reports of housing price increases and a new property bubble beginning to inflate,the national media coverage of a homeless family,mother Sabrina Ryan with her three small children, being forced to live in her car has revealed the outrageous situation for people suffering the Irish housing crisis. People Before Profit Alliance election candidate for Galway Central, Kiran Emrich, makes a commitment to the people of Galway to protect homelessness budgets if elected.
He is also urging people to ask candidates in their electoral area to pledge the same support when they canvas homes.
"It is absolutely disgusting and sickening that families and individuals are reduced to living in cars.
One of the most cruel aspects of the system is that people are conditioned to see unemployment and homelessness as the result of some sort of failure of those that find themselves in this situation. But it is the austerity policies of the Fine Gael Labour Government that are leaving such people by the way-side. With the desperate housing situation in our city and country intensifying, the truth of the matter is that we need increased funding for homeless services in the city.
Therefore I give my pledge to the people of Galway that if elected I will protect the homeless services budget for the next five years of local government and never vote for any proposed cuts to the homeless budget. Homeless services need to know now that they will have continued support at Galway Council level. I urge people to simply ask other local election candidates to make this pledge when they canvass your homes."
The People Before Profit Alliance is campaigning at national level to have the cuts to the homeless services budget restored and for more housing to be made available as a priority. This would put the homeless services under less pressure.
Sunday 27 April 2014
Make them Pay on 23rd May!
Make them Pay on 23rd May!
You can help to unseat Labour & austerity party politicians.
The People Before Profit Alliance is pursuing a very deliberate strategy of seeking to replace Labour councillors with real left candidates, & thus create a different brand of politics that is not about playing the establishment’s game.
We have ruled out any coalition deal with right wing parties – either at local or governmental level.
Instead of election promises which turn into cynical lies, PBPA promises to be a force that promotes ‘people power’.
Our elected councillors will act as community representatives & will pursue every grievance that is raised with them.They will also act as a watch dog on the unelected officials who control most decision making at local level.
But the key objective will be to use the elected positions to mobilise other people into a struggle against austerity. These battles will not be won inside council chambers but outside on the streets.
One of the major issues that we confront is water charges.
The people of Togher in Cork should be congratulated for opposing the presence of Irish Water in their area. This example should be spread elsewhere.
*IF YOU HEAR OF WATER METERS BEING INSTALLED IN GALWAY, PLEASE LET US KNOW. WE WILL SPREAD THE WORD & TOGETHER ORGANISE OPPOSITION.
But alongside these local battles we believe that we need a clear national strategy that provides us with a chance of winning.
First de-stabilise the government, by inflicting huge losses on them in the local & euro elections.
Then follow that up with protests that escalate into peaceful, mass civil disobedience and workers action.
You can help to unseat Labour & austerity party politicians.
The People Before Profit Alliance is pursuing a very deliberate strategy of seeking to replace Labour councillors with real left candidates, & thus create a different brand of politics that is not about playing the establishment’s game.
We have ruled out any coalition deal with right wing parties – either at local or governmental level.
Instead of election promises which turn into cynical lies, PBPA promises to be a force that promotes ‘people power’.
Our elected councillors will act as community representatives & will pursue every grievance that is raised with them.They will also act as a watch dog on the unelected officials who control most decision making at local level.
But the key objective will be to use the elected positions to mobilise other people into a struggle against austerity. These battles will not be won inside council chambers but outside on the streets.
One of the major issues that we confront is water charges.
The people of Togher in Cork should be congratulated for opposing the presence of Irish Water in their area. This example should be spread elsewhere.
*IF YOU HEAR OF WATER METERS BEING INSTALLED IN GALWAY, PLEASE LET US KNOW. WE WILL SPREAD THE WORD & TOGETHER ORGANISE OPPOSITION.
But alongside these local battles we believe that we need a clear national strategy that provides us with a chance of winning.
First de-stabilise the government, by inflicting huge losses on them in the local & euro elections.
Then follow that up with protests that escalate into peaceful, mass civil disobedience and workers action.
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