Letters to the Editor, ‘Sinn Fein rolled over on Welfare Reform and Newry Swimming Pool price hike is a consequence’

Dear Editor,

For two years Sinn Fein promised us that they would never sign up to Welfare Reform and implementing the British Government and other draconian economic cuts yet they capitulated, rolled over and did just that.

Sinn Fein MP Conor Murphy vowed recently that once the cuts and reductions in benefits occur not one person will be out of pocket and should this occur they will be reimbursed by a back-up fund.

Yet it is not as simple as that as it will take many years to set up a structure and system with thousands suffering from benefit cuts in the interim period.

Already we see disabled children and adults, senior citizens and the unemployed forced to pay more out of their benefits to meet the Sinn Fein supported extortionate price hikes at Newry Swimming Pool.

Or is this Council facility to become an elite club excluding those whom fall below a certain income bracket now no longer welcome?

Also, two swimming clubs with over 30 years service at the Pool were deemed no longer welcome; El Sol and Swim Fit being given their red cards in the form of a four week notice letter with no offer of consultation.

These schools provided a professional and confidence-building service that Newry and Mourne was unable to provide but they were shafted too.

Furthermore, it is a civic disgrace that disabled children whom currently pay £5.75 per annum are now asked to pay £165 per annum.

Disabled adults was £11.45 per annum is now £165 per annum, Senior Citizens £3.35 per annum is now £65 (life) and unemployed £9.10 per Annum now £65 per Annum.

Looking beyond the economic costings there is the human cost, with the public being deprived of these popular established swimming schools and their associated life-saving training and depriving us of future life guards.

Senior citizens are being deprived of perhaps their only social day out to meet like minded friendly people. Disabled people and those suffering from mental illness having the confidence to see beyond their problems to get to the pool enabling to grow with confidence and have social interaction amongst all of us to show that we are all equals.

Yet Sinn Fein, whom publicly declared that not one of us would suffer need to look again; thousands of us are suffering over this Swimming Pool price hike scandal, especially the most weak and vulnerable within our society.

Sinn Fein supported Welfare Reform comes creeping slowly and it surely comes; Newry Swimming Pool is an indirect consequence of this as we the public are asked to dig deeper into our benefits and pockets for a wee paddle in our own pool.

John McCabe – Newry

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Posted by Newry Times News on Feb 20 2015. Filed under Community, Letters to the Editor. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry