THOMAS

PRINGLE T.D.Independent Donegal

Dáil Éireann, Phone: 01 618 3038Fax: 01 618 4118

Constituency Office, KillybegsPhone: 074 974 1880Fax: 01 618 4118

Constituency Office, Ballybofey & Dungloe. Phone: 087 216 8719

Contact: Email: thomas.pringle@oir.ie Web: www.thomaspringle.ie

Autumn /Winter 2014

I would like to commend the hill and commonage farmers for striking a better deal in the GLAS scheme after weeks of an organised protest campaign against proposals that hill and commonage farmers form collective agreements to gain access to new environmental payments in schemes such as GLAS.The campaign has been called off following new proposals that farmers can now apply as individuals for GLAS declaring that he/she is complying with a GLAS commonage management plan.I attended the commonage hill farmers’ meeting in Letterkenny in early September where there was a huge crowd in support

of the campaign, and I offered my full support in working with them to get a fair Rural Development Programme.There are some outstanding issues that need to be addressed and I look forward to working with the hill farmers on this to ensure complete fairness in the scheme. Nonetheless, this substantial progress shows how people standing together can affect change and I wholeheartedly congratulate the hill farmers for fighting for what’s right.I am 100% behind the hill farmers on this issue and will continue to work with them and represent their remaining concerns, but I am glad that this vital progress has been made.

Hill Farmers Strike a Better Deal

Get in touch with meConstituency Office Opening Hours:Connolly House, Bridge Street (Mon-Fri)9.30am-12.30pm and 1.30pm to 6pmTel: 074 974 1880Email: Thomas.pringle@oir.ie

Tel: 074 974 1880Email: Thomas.pringle@oir.ie

“No query too big or too small, my door is open”

Over the Summer I held a public meeting in Ionad Naomh Pádraig, Dobhar, Gweedore where I shared a platform with the Palestinian Ambassador to Ireland Ahmad Abdalrazek. Independent Councillors Cathaoirleach Cllr John Campbell and Micheál Cholm Mac Giolla Easbuig were also in attendance and spoke on the crisis..

There was great engagement and a positive discussion regarding the most recent tragic attack on the Palestinian people and I was very pleased with the big crowd it attracted to show solidarity with the people of Gaza.

This is an issue I am very passionate about and something I will continue to raise at a local and national level to push for progress.

Are you cycling to work or thinking about it and haven’t heard about the Cycle to Work Scheme? Under this scheme, your employer can help you buy a brand new bike and safety equipment worth up to €1,000. You can use a ‘salary sacrifice’ arrangement to pay for the bike monthly and save up to 52% off the retail price of bike and equipment.

Ask your employer about the Cycle to Work Scheme to see if it’s offered in your workplace and to apply!

Feel free to contact my office if you need further information.

News

Supporting the People of Gaza

Cycle to Work Scheme Parenting Courses

Thomas with the Palestinian Ambassador Ahmad Abdalrazek

Tír Boghaine Teo is running courses for parents with children 1-6 years and 11-16 years this October. It is also running a course for parents with children 11-16 years in conjunction with the Downstrands Family Resource Centre.

This is a great opportunity to come together with other parents in a relaxed environment to share ideas and learn new techniques.

For further information contact Tír Boghaine Teo at 074 9733 111/086 173 4497 or email: tirboghaine@gmail.com.

Fish Wash-up at Killybegs HarbourConcern has been expressed locally in relation to a mysterious incident at Killybegs Harbour in recent weeks where many tonnes of herring washed-up on the shore. We need answers as to why this wasn’t cleaned-up and clarification about the responsibility for clean-ups at the harbour. This is something I’m raising with the harbour authorities to get these answers and to resolve this matter once and for all.

This summer after a long battle I finally received a copy of the LYIT three year financial plan, along with correspondence between them and the Higher Education Authority (HEA) regarding it, the document which has our School of Tourism under such uncertainty with its proposals to close it.

I am disappointed that I had to take the Freedom of Information (FOI) route to get a copy of the plan in the first place. I am also truly shocked by the very little amount of detail in this very short plan which was used to make the case for the closure of this campus, which would have such a detrimental impact on Killybegs and the entire South West of the county. As it stands everything is still up in the air and there is a lack of information being shared. But I will continue to fight relentlessly and keep up the pressure to maintain our School of Tourism.

It has also come to my attention that apparently LYIT did not submit a report to the HEA for its September meeting which it was asked to do on foot of questions the HEA had from the report prepared from the meetings during last May/June as part of their consultations regarding the future of the Killybegs campus of LYIT (as outlined in my last newsletter).

I will be pressing for a meeting with the team that did the review over the summer and getting the other Donegal TDs on board too to discuss the outcome of the consultation and where everything stands now.

It is vital that we are all kept informed of what is going on regarding our School of Tourism and it’s very disappointing that it’s been necessary to fight for information on this at every corner. But I won’t stop and I can assure you that I will always keep you up to date on this matter and together we can fight this for the good of our community.

News

School of Tourism Update

School of Tourism

My first time raising the School of Tourism in the Dáil, 8th May 2013.

To keep up to date on the work I’m doing on your behalf, visit:

Website: thomaspringle.ie

@ThomasPringleTD

ThomasPringleTD

Killybegs Boat Park Update

As you may have noticed, work has commenced at the Boat Park in the last few weeks with the piles for securing the pontoons in the process of being installed. It’s great to see things finally getting started with the new Boat Park which will will provide a huge boost to local tourism as well as providing much-needed and long-awaited berthage for local small craft in the harbour.

Thomas at Taste of Donegal Thomas with Cathaoirleach Cllr Campbell and Captain YouthBank at the Killybegs YouthBank Awards

Dáil Éireann, Phone: 01 618 3038Fax: 01 618 4118

Constituency Office, KillybegsPhone: 074 974 1880Fax: 01 618 4118

THOMASPRINGLE T.D.

Independent Donegal South West

Constituency Office, Ballybofey & DungloePhone: 087 216 8719

0612

Out and About

Contact:Email: thomas.pringle@oir.ie Web: www.thomaspringle.ie

Out and About

Cllr Micheál Cholm Mac Giolla EasbuigGlenties Electoral Area

Mobile: 085 8042050Email: michealcholm@hotmail.com

Donegal’s Independent Team working with Thomas Pringle T.D.

Cathaoirleach Cllr John CampbellDonegal Electoral Area

Mobile: 087 657 4885Email: john@johncampbell.ie

Attending the 9th Annual Sandra’s Run

Supporting our Donegal GAA football team!

Thomas with Cathaoirleach Cllr Campbell

at Traveller Pride WeekThomas with Palestinian Ambassador to Ireland Ahmad Abdalrazek &Independent Councillors Cathaoirleach Campbell & Micheál Cholm Mac Giolla Easbuig