Tag Archives: Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne

AN INDEPENDENT Clare TD has pledged to seek clarity on the trade relationship between Ireland and Britain, after joining a prestigious political grouping on the Good Friday Agreement.  Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne was appointed this week to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.  She joins the panel of nine TDs and seven senators to tackle matters including reconciliation, legacy issues, North-South co-operation, and Brexit and outreach. The Independent TD will be working alongside three members of her former party, Sinn Féin, as well as another ex-member of that party, Peadar Tóbín of Aontú. Clare’s other Independent TD, Deputy Michael McNamara was a member of the committee from September 2020 to October 2022.  On her appointment to the committee, Deputy Wynne described the trade relationship between Ireland and Britain as “incredibly significant” to Clare’s farming and business communities. She vowed to work to get answers to their questions on the future of trade, and to work …

FORMER Sinn Féin TD Violet-Anne Wynne took out two loans totalling €30,626 – one to repay Sinn Féin and another one to repay Dáil allowances due to her reduced attendance as a result of Covid-19 restrictions. The Independent Deputy, who resigned from Sinn Féin last February, confirmed her former political party approved a €12,126 loan as it wanted the issue concerning rent arrears due to Rural Resettlement Ireland to be resolved after details about these difficulties emerged on the eve of the 2020 General Election. In an interview with the Clare Champion, Deputy Wynne outlined she took out a loan for €18,500 from another source with no connections to Sinn Féin, to repay Dáil allowances, which are now fully repaid. The Kilrush-based mother-of-six created a political sensation by becoming the first Sinn Féin candidate to win a Dáil seat in almost 100 years after securing 8,987 first preferences in the 2020 General Election. Dáil deputies are paid a series of …

INEQUALITY in the treatment of trainee psychologists has been highlighted by Deputy Violet Anne Wynne, who raised concerns about how they are excluded from government funding support. On foot of raising the issue, the Independent TD received a commitment from the Minister for Education to fund a cohort of child and educational psychology students in Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick (UL) and University College Dublin (UCD) in exchange for them working for the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) when they graduate. Deputy Wynne told the minister that the issue had been raised with her office in the wake of Budget 2023, when it emerged that educational and child psychologist trainees are the only cohort of trainee psychologists not funded. “They pay over €30,000 in fees and therefore are financially burdened, and they feel almost disregarded by your Department even though you would be aware of the significance and value of the work of educational and child psychologists.” The Kilrush …

‘ARROGANCE’ on the part of government was sharply criticised, by a Clare TD, during a debate on a new concrete levy, proposed as a method of funding the defective concrete blocks grant scheme.  A private members’ motion, tabled by Sinn Féin, called for the levy to be scrapped and the suppliers of the defective products to be pursued vigorously for redress. While a promise to modify the terms of the levy in the forthcoming Finance Bill was enough to secure the support of backbenchers, including Deputies Cathal Crowe and Joe Carey, for the government’s position, there was stinging criticism from Clare’s Independent TDs. Deputy Michael McNamara asserted that the law underpinning the new scheme – which is to include Clare and Limerick – was badly drafted. He recalled the concerns of the Clare Pyrite Action Group (CPAG) at the scant level of pre-legislative scrutiny, and his own calls for legal action to be taken against suppliers. “At the time the …

CLARE TD Violet-Anne Wynne made history last night when she became the first woman to bring a baby into the Dail chamber. The Independent TD and young Collins Mountaine, aged seven months, were greeted with a sustained round of applause from fellow members on Wednesday evening. Ceann Comhairle Sean O Fearghaill quipped that it was the first time there had been “an actual” baby in the Dail. Deputy Wynne was present for the weekly voting blocks and given that the Dail creche closed at 6.15, she felt she had no other option than to bring Collins in with her to the Chamber. 'History' was made in the Dáil when Clare TD Violet-Anne Wynne brought her 7-month old daughter Collins into the chamber. Ceann Comhairle Séan Ó Fearghaíl commented that it was the first time an 'actual' baby was in the Dáil pic.twitter.com/awD4CZWJTs — RTÉ News (@rtenews) September 21, 2022 She told the Irish Examiner, “It’s a learning curve, but it’s …

THE partner of former Sinn Fein TD, Violet-Anne Wynne, John Mountaine was a ‘no-show’ in court this week as he is currently homeless and living in Co Longford. At Kilrush District Court, solicitor for Mr Mountaine, Patrick Moylan told Judge Mary Larkin his client’s whereabouts when explaining why he wasn’t in court to face seven alleged offences under the Road Traffic Act including allegedly driving with no insurance and driving without a licence last October. Mr Moylan said, “Mr Mountaine contacted me yesterday to say that he is in Longford and is homeless and doesn’t want to plead guilty.” Seeking a date for a hearing into the case, Mr Moylan told Judge Mary Larkin that Mr Mountaine’s defence “is based on the same argument we had before”. When the case first came before Judge Larkin in May, she had asked Mr Moylan, “If he was stopped on October 21st last why hasn’t he produced his documents?” Mr Mountaine (40) formerly …

Clare TD Violet Anne Wynne has resigned from Sinn Féin according to national media reports, claiming she was the victim of “psychological warfare” from within the party. In a statement Ms Wynne alleges she was the victim of a campaign of “psychological warfare” from local elements within the party. She said she did not have a problem with Sinn Fein TDs in the Dail however. The mother of six said she felt her unplanned pregnancy was used “as a stick to beat her with”. “I was a proud Sinn Féin TD and took my membership with the party very seriously, I believed that they were the party for United Irelanders and were the future for this island. I now have experience that I can no longer ignore that states otherwise,” she said. Ms Wynne stated the issues she continuously faced seem to be at local level within the organisation and she highlighted what she said was a lack of “structures”. …

A CLARE Dáil Deputy has called for increased resources for the ambulance service after personnel assisted her to have her sixth child outside Kilrush Golf Club on Monday, writes Dan Danaher. The ambulance that collected Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne didn’t even make it to University Maternity Hospital Limerick in time and the baby girl, who weighed 6.10oz was delivered in the ambulance beside Kilrush Golf Course. Having commenced her maternity leave in January, Deputy Wynne’s due date was not until March but she instinctively suspected it would be early. Mother and baby are doing well and the Kilrush-based Deputy was due to be discharged on Wednesday evening. She told The Clare Champion that she is delighted with her new baby. “I am over the moon to announce the arrival of my sixth child. Albeit an eventful labour and birth, I couldn’t be happier to be holding her in my arms. “I am thrilled to welcome the newest member of our family …