Willie Penrose (Labour Party)

candidate Dáil election

A chara,

I live in your constituency. I am a young person, I am proud Irish speaker and I am a vote. I am, along with many others, very concerned about Fine Gael´s policy regarding Irish in the Leaving Certificate syllablus. Enda Kenny has released his plans to remove Irish as a compulsory subject from the Leaving Cert, a plan which he seems to think will solve the Irish language problem in the education system. But in all seriousness, when the policy is considered properly, it is a hugely arrogant concept that insults our language and its speakers. The problem lies not with the fact that Irish is a compulsory subject but in its teaching and curriculum. This policy makes absolutley no sense and if implemented, will do irreversable damage to our language.

If you are elected, will you support keeping Irish as a core Leaving Certificate subject?

Dear Willie

I have read today that Fine Gael intends to reverse the stag hunting ban. I am so disappointed to read this.

I would like to know what your party would do with regard to this if it were to enter into government with Fine Gael following the general election?

Would you ensure that the ban introduced by the Fianna Fail/Green party coalition remained intact?

regards
Elaine

Willie,

I work for a multi-national engineering design consultancy which over the past 4 years has seconded me to work for three to four pharmaceutical companies. I have seen and worked for the engine that undisputedly runs our economy the Pharmaceutical/Biomedical industry along with high tech technology firms such as Intel, Google and Apple. Many of my peers who I finished university with have worked very hard in their respective positions in other similar companies and have being very understanding to the pay freezes they have taken from their companies. We have also accepted that our salary expectations will probably never reach those of our predecessors in the early 2000s. As it stands currently, I believe many engineers/scientists will remain in Ireland partly due to allegiance to their country and due to the fact the export market for these goods is still booming.

There is however a possible tipping point that in my opinion could cripple the Irish economy even further. This tipping point consists of two things, engineer/scientists leaving their jobs in Ireland to work in the UK & Europe for better opportunities and pay and secondly pharmaceutical patent expiration. As you are aware, six of the top ten best selling drugs are made here in Ireland, patent expiration of these major pharmaceutical blockbuster drugs will occur in the next 18 months. Generic pharmaceutical companies in India and China are ready and waiting to pounce at the prospect of manufacturing these drugs.

My question to you Willie is what is Labour´s plan to prevent the possible closure of the pharmaceutical plants in Ireland and whether Labour will put in place a framework that would allow Irish start-up pharma companies to manufacture these would-be generics. I have not seen nor heard anything in relation to this from any of the political parties and this is why I need to question you specifically in relation to this.