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S e r v i n g C o r k f o r 1 2 0 y e a r s

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EDITION NO. 34,916MONDAY, MAY 20, 2013 RRP: e1.50

20.05.13

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Divert aid tofeed our needy

SVP boss wants Third Worldcash used for feeding our poor

Carrigalineplan fornorthsidePLANS for a €50million Cork townthat will be home to12,500 people will bescrutinised today.An oral hearing intothe plan for a newsettlement at Monardto the north of the citystarts today at CountyHall.The town may not bein place for 30 years.It will be locatedbetween Blackpooland Blarney.An Bord Pleanála hasset a July deadline forapproval ordisapproval of thecounty council plansfollowing submissionsmade at the oralhearing this week.If the Monard plangoes ahead, it will beonly the secondplanned settlement inthe country and willhave five schools,sports facilities and a1km-long countrypark. BrendanO’Sullivan,programme director atCentre for PlanningEducation andResearch inUniversity CollegeCork (UCC), said thetown could do for thenorthside of the citywhat Carrigaline didfor the southside.● See page seven.

THE Government should divertsome of the money it sends to theneedy in Third World countriesto help feed ‘our own’.

That’s according to regional vice pres-ident of St Vincent De Paul, Brendan De-mpsey, who has accused the Govern-ment of being ‘completely unaware ofthe suffering and desperation ofpeople’ here.The charity’s annual report for

2012 reveals they spent €7.8 millionin the city and county helping peoplein need last year.“The crisis isn’t easing one bit. If

anything, it’s getting worse,” he said.He also said that 30 families in the

city relied totally on the charity asthey are not entitled to anything fromthe State.“These are tradesmen who were

self-employed and are not entitled tosocial welfare, business men andwomen who used to employ staff, payincome tax, rates and many othertaxes; the odd ex-millionaire who haslost everything. Many of these peoplewent bust because they could not collectthe tens of thousands of euro owed tothem by big contracting companies,” saidMr Dempsey, who also highlighted theplight of young people who are returningfrom abroad and who are not entitled toanything from the State.The charity boss has now called on the

By DEIRDRE O’REILLY

World countries and just feed our own.I am not asking for social welfare forthem, just food, that’s all,” said Mr.Dempsey.St Vincent De Paul now estimates

that up to 3,000 in the city alone are inreceipt of their assistance.“Some of these families need our

help just once or twice a year, whileothers need it more regularly,” said MrDempsey.The charity has also reported an in-

crease in the number of people comingto them for help with fuel costs becauseof the prolonged winter; has helped stu-dents with food and accommodationand those whose families have beenunable to pay registration fees.“We’re inundated with calls and are

busier now in middle class and affluentareas than in working class areas.”The €7.8m figure includes the cost of

running its two shelters which provide120 beds every night.In 2012 the charity spent €6 million, ex-

cluding the cost of running the shelters,and in 2011 its costs for the year were€5.5 million.

Government to divert some overseasfunding to them.“I’m asking the Government to divert

just a little of the monies being spent sup-porting the unfortunate poor in Third

Dempsey: Divert overseas funds to help our needy.

TONIGHT

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