Too many ‘continue to struggle’

Sinn Féin TD Cathy Bennett.

It has been an honour to serve and assist the people of both counties of Cavan and Monaghan as their TD over the past year.

The campaign to restore and enhance services in Monaghan Hospital recently had great success when it was announced that an MRI machine is to be put into operation in the hospital. This will allow people in Monaghan to receive care closer to home while also alleviating pressure on waiting lists in Cavan, which remain far too long. It must only be the beginning, and I will continue to advocate for a CT scanner and additional services to be provided in our community.

The opening of an interim special school in Monaghan has been incredibly welcome – but we must now ensure that a permanent school is opened as soon as possible, and that there is an adequate school place for every child in our community. Children in Cavan and Monaghan are as entitled to services as anyone else and in the new year I will continue to challenge government where these are not being delivered, such as the 2024/25 year in Monaghan receiving no dental screenings.

I was also incredibly happy to see a re-commitment to the provision of a domestic violence refuge centre in both Cavan and Monaghan, which I have campaigned on for many years as a councillor and TD. While government commitments in relation to gender based and domestic violence are positive, over the next year I hope to see these commitments put into action, the domestic violence refuge centre in our community opened, and related legislation finally introduced.

Progress towards realising the tourism potential of the region also has taken a significant step forward with the allocation of €6M towards the development of Sliabh Beagh. The Sliabh Beagh Partnership Committee and local authorities are to be commended for their work on this over many years, showcasing the potential of the border region and Ulster as a tourism destination. As Sinn Féin spokesperson on Tourism, this will continue to be a particular focus of mine.

It’s also important to remember at this time of year that far too many people in our community continue to struggle with basic life necessities such as paying their rent, mortgage, electricity or heating bills. The number of children homeless this Christmas remains utterly shameful and in the years ahead, as your TD, I remain committed to assisting all in our community as best I can.

While continuing to advocate for meaningful policies to address these issues in Dáil, I will also continue to press for transparency and accountability across government in my capacity as a member of the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee.