LETS KEEP THE RECOVERY GOING

Thomasina Connell
16 WAYS BUDGET 2016
WILL BENEFIT YOU AND
YOUR FAMILY

INTRODUCTION
I am delighted to have been selected to contest the General Election in Laois/South
Kildare. A native of Ballybrittas, I am the daughter of Mart and late Thomas Connell.
I was educated at Schoil Mhuire, Portarlington, UCD and the Law Society of Ireland.
Today, I practice as a solicitor. As a young person with a fresh perspective, I believe
that I have an understanding of the core issues affecting the lives of the people in
Laois and I will work tirelessly on your behalf to tackle these issues.
As an energetic and hardworking young woman, I am committed to unlocking the
potential of our community and offer a new voice for the people of our constituency
in Dail Eireann.
Please do not hesitate to contact me to discuss any issue that is important to you.
Together, we can make a difference.

Free GP care scheme to children aged

under 12 (subject to negotiations)
Free pre-school childcare will be avail
able for children from 3 years until they
start primary education or reach the
age of ve and a half years
Child benet is to increase by 5 per
month to 140 from January
The entry point to the USC will rise from
12,012 to 13,000. The three lower USC
rates are to fall - the 1.5 per cent rate
will be cut to 1 per cent; the 3.5 per
cent rate falls to 3 per cent; and the 7
per cent rate will fall to 5.5 per cent
The old age pension increased by 3
per week from January
Minimum wage is to rise from 8.65 to
9.15 per hour
mThe old age pension will increase by
3 per week from January
The respite care grant for carers will be
restored to its previous level of 1,700
Two weeks of statutory paternity leave
Fuel allowance will be increased by
2.50 per week to 22.50

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600 extra Garda and is receiving funds

to improve Garda technology
2,200 New teachers

KEY PRIORITES
Agriculture: Farming incomes and the welfare of
farming families in our community
Crime: Rural criminality has been on the rise. It can be
beaten
Working Parents:
I will push for affordable, tax
deductible childcare and after school-care
Senior Citizens:
Both pensions and access to
healthcare for our seniors have been squeezed in
recent years this cannot continue
Easing burden on families: Given the progress that has
been gained in our economy, I will fight to ensure
these financial burdens are lifted lower taxes on
middle income families. and the elimination of the USC

Threshold for the Family Income

Support payment is to increase by 5
per week for families with one child
and 10 for those with two or more
children.
Owners of commercial vehicles above
a certain size will have their motor tax
signicantly reduced. The maximum
rate will be 900 compared to a
current top level of 5,195.
Tax credit for people who are carers in
the home will rise by 190 to 1,000.
The Capital Acquisitions Tax tax-free
threshold, which covers the transfer of
properties between parents and their
children, rises from 225,000 to
280,000.

JOBS
The last number of years have been a time of sacrifice across Irish society. We all know the
story and we have all felt the impact: from the unemployed to working families and the
elderly. The difficult and painful policy decisions taken by the Fine Gael led government, to
bring the country back on course, are now starting to pay off. Already there are 130,000
more people in work in the country compared to 2012. Of course many of us, are yet to feel
the benefits of this recovery.
A future Fine Gael government seeks to enable the creation of 200,000 new jobs by 2020. I
am committed to ensuring my constituency of Laois/South Kildare reaps a fair portion of
that job creation, jobs that all too often have gone elsewhere in the country. This also
means supporting small business locally and breathe new life into our towns. A wider tax
base will then allow us to reinvest in our much needed public services and support the
vulnerable in our society.
By attracting high value industry, supporting entrepreneurship and ensuring a fair price for
farmers output, we can raise living standards, stop the forced migration of our young
people out of our towns and rural communities and ensure the recovery is felt by everyone.

ROADS
I was delighted to learn the news that
6,421,228 has been allocated to
Laois for road improvement and
maintenance works. Some of the
countys roads are in dire state of
repair. The funding forms part of a
298 million national investment
programme for 2016 for regional and
local roads. This is a real boost for our
local and regional roads. Projects to
receive funding include 200,00 on
bridge rehabilitation works, including
the Poormans Bridge Abbeyleix, the
Spa Bridge Portarlington, Quinns
Bridge, Borris-in-Ossery and the
Canon Delaney Bridge, Mountrath.

AGRICULTURE
I am proud The Rural Development
Programme (RDP) that will see an
investment of 4bn in the Irish
agriculture sector over the years
2014-2020. Such measures will make a
meaningful difference to farming
families, particularly in Laois where
agriculture is a core component of the
economy.

Minister Kenny officially opening my

campaign office in Monasterevin on
Thursday 28th January 2016

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MENTAL HEALTH

Budget 2016 is all about encouraging

and supporting young farmers. Indeed,
the agri-food budget will be increased
by a further EUR 109 million including
strong measures to protect the industry
for future generations. These include a
tax credit of EUR 5,000 per annum for 5
years for farmers to transfer their land to
successors over a period of time.

We need change in the area of Mental Health services across the country, with Laois and
South Kildare included. In rural areas, including in own constituency, anxiety, depression
and stress are prevalent especially among the farming community. In additional to the
strain on the person and their families, there is a huge economic cost across the economy
through sick leave, absenteeism and disability. It impacts businesses across the board, in
particular the small and medium enterprises that make up the majority of employers in rural
constituencies.
We recently saw the turning of the first sod at the new National Forensic Mental Health
Service (NFMHS) hospital, which will be built on the site of St. Itas Hospital, Portrane, Co.
Dublin.
While this will undoubtedly be a great new resource, my belief is that more local services
are also needed more directly within our community. I will fight to ensure greater mental
health services are provided in an effort to reverse the decline seen in the provision of
health services of the past decade.
The great work done by St. Fintans Hospital and the Community Health Centre Portlaoise
should be commended but still further funding is necessary to offer best in class mental
health care.

St Fintans Mental Health Centre Portlaoise

THOMASINA CONNELL
LETS KEEP THE RECOVERY GOING

Coolroe, Ballybrittas, Co. Laois.

Tel: 086 353 1539 | Email: thomasina2016@gmail.com

The 35.8 million allocation for the

Targeted Agriculture Modernisation
Scheme (TAMS) will also provide funding
for
the
Young
Farmer
Capital
Investment Scheme, which will be at the
higher grant rate of 60%.
As a member of the rural community I
welcome these measures and will fight
for further measures to benefit the lives
of our farmers, once elected.