To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the number of persons who have subscribed to the agri environmental options scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter

With 3,500 applications as of last week still awaiting processing across counties Cork and Kerry for the back to school allowance provision must be made to ensure adequate resources are put in place to deal with applications next time according to Cork East Labour party TD Seán Sherlock

Labour Party TD Seán Sherlock has welcomed a move by the Economic & Regulatory Affairs Committee to invite the Commission for Energy Regulation to an emergency meeting to address spiralling electricity costs and disconnections to supply

Labour Party TD Seán Sherlock has said electricity providers must be challenged on their treatment of customers after a 62 year old woman in his Cork East constituency had her supply disconnected despite not owing her provider a penny.

Cork East Labour TD Seán Sherlock has said his party will lobby to prevent further hikes in school transports costs

CORK East Labour TD Seán Sherlock has criticised Health Minister Mary Harney for limiting access to dentures for those with medical cards which he describes as ‘a basic human need'

CORK East Labour TD Seán Sherlock is urging those with a business idea to check out their entitlement to the Back Work Enterprise Allowance with their local social welfare office

Oireachtas Economic Regulatory Affairs Committee Member Deputy Sean Sherlock, who has had extensive consultations with the Credit Union representative bodies has called for common sense to prevail in relation to future regulation and credit management of the sector

Labour Party Spokesperson on Agriculture & Food, Seán Sherlock TD has tabled an amendment to the Bio-Fuels obligation bill to ensure that Irish Oil Refineries will be partly stocked with Irish ethanol instead of cheaper Brazilian imports

Labour TD Seán Sherlock has slammed proposals contained in a HSE draft document to put time restrictions on the duties being carried out by home helpers.

COBH ommunity hospital is a facility that is very well-regarded by the people of Cobh. I have been asked by my Labour Party colleagues on Cobh Town Council to raise this issue as a matter of urgency because there is a situation whereby the National Treatment Purchase Fund has taken over the fair deal scheme as it relates to Cobh hospital.

I believe that the Central Bank Bill in its current unamended form, places onerous restrictions on credit unions

Labour Spokesperson for Food and Agriculture Seán Sherlock has told the Dáil that the framework for any Bio-Fuels Obligation must provide scope for indigenous production of renewable energy fuels.

Labour Party spokesperson on Agriculture & Food Seán Sherlock TD has said figures obtained in a PQ from the Department confirming that over 900 farming families have been awarded a payment under the Farm Assist scheme since the start of the year is proof that many farm families are now living on the margins

A decision is urgently needed on the REFIT (Renewal Energy Feed In Tariff) price the government will pay peat power stations for burning biomass such as miscanthus

CORK EAST Labour TD Seán Sherlock this week reiterated his belief that the impending industrial action by trade unions would be difficult to comprehend to those recently made unemployed.

CORK EAST Labour TD Seán Sherlock has slated the new Programme for Government as bad for the environment - given the amount of hot air emitted by the Green Party leadership last Saturday.

Labour Spokesman for Agriculture and Food Seán Sherlock TD has insisted that the REPS payments to farmers must be protected in the interest of protecting rural Ireland. The Cork East TD said that REPS contributes more to the Irish economy than it costs and warned that the removal of the scheme would have devastating consequences for rural communities.

Cork East Labour TD Sean Sherlock has said there is no justification for delaying construction of the new M20 motorway between Cork and Limerick.

CORK EAST Labour TD Seán Sherlock has welcomed the news that both sides of the 4HOMES dispute are to return to the Labour Relations Court - but added that Dairygold must be willing to recognise their employees' contribution to the company.

Labour Party spokesperson on Agriculture & Food, Seán Sherlock TD is urging farmers to apply for the state payment Farm Assist should they find themselves struggling to make ends meet

Dairygold Board members should lend their support to 4home workers in Fermoy and Mitchelstown by endorsing an improved redundancy package according to Cork East Labour TD Seán Sherlock

CORK East Labour TD Seán Sherlock has slammed the government for its failure to adequately promote the new property tax scheme which he said will leave thousands of property owners facing hefty fines

Cork East Labour TD Seán Sherlock has said Greencore must provide some clarification as to its intentions for the former Sugar Factory site in Mallow. This follows news that the majority shareholder plans to sell assets to generate the cash to save large parts of his other businesses

CORK East Labour TD Seán Sherlock has said he will support all efforts to have Crohn's disease included under the Long Term Illness Scheme

Labour party spokesperson on Agriculture & Food Seán Sherlock TD said the proposed cuts to Agriculture contained in today's McCarthy Report will have a negative impact on the agri-business and rural economy if implemented and further undermine our comparative advantage in food and drink production.

CORK East Labour TD Seán Sherlock has slammed the government's decision to proceed with an increase in the cost of school transport

Any attempts to justify the ending of the Reps 4 scheme by claiming it will save the exchequer a lot of money, are well wide of the mark

The decision by the Government to close the REPS 4 Scheme to new applicants will severely affect up to 34,000 farmers who are due to complete their environmental plans over the next four years

Further steps must be taken by the Department of Agriculture to improve farm safety and reduce the risk of on farm deaths, according to Labour's Sean Sherlock.

Last week in the Dail, the Tanaiste seemed to take at face value public assurances from Tesco, that their sourcing of international brands and new allocation of shelf space in its stores, would not be to the detriment Irish suppliers. The Tanaiste also stated that herself and Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith would "keep a very keen eye on the situation".

THE Government's silence on the one year pre-school promise unveiled in the recent budget is causing serious concern among parents according to local Labour TD Seán Sherlock

Deputy Sean Sherlock has called on Tesco to state what Irish brands will still be on the shelves of their 11 stores in the north east next Tuesday.

Labour Party spokesperson on Agriculture & Food is calling on Brendan Smith to be more creative in looking at ways of creating jobs in the agri-food industry.

Deputy Sean Sherlock has welcomed the appointment of Sir Andrew Large to oversee the appontment of a new Regulator."This is a welcome announcement and will send a positive signal to the International Community that Ireland is beginning to get its house in order in relation to the Regulation of the Financial Services and Banking Sector.

On this day twelve months ago, around this very time, the Bertie Ahern was announcing his intention to resign as Taoiseach and Leader of Fianna Fail.

Over the following few months Fianna Fail mourned the departure of Bertie Ahern and celebrated the accession of Brian Cowen at the very time when the attention of the government should have been focused on dealing with the deteriorating fiscal and employment situation.

For more than twelve months the Labour Party has been warning of the mounting economic crisis and calling for urgent action. Last June I was the first Leader to raise in the Dail the looming crisis for small and medium sized enterprises as a result of the refusal of banks to provide normal credit facilities.

Cork East Labour Party TD Seán Sherlock has welcomed confirmation that Mallow General Hospital is amongst the top performing hospitals in the country and officially the best performing in Cork.

There is worrying lack of awareness amongst the parents of school-going children about what is supposed to be, a major public consultation process currently underway which will have serious implications on determining the future operation of the school transport scheme.

The decision by the Batt O'Keeffe to cut special teacher support in over 100 schools is a clear indication that vulnerable children are to be the next target of this callous government according to Deputy Seán Sherlock.

LABOUR TD Seán Sherlock has said he has become increasingly concerned at the numbers of people whose life savings are being diminished because of nursing home costs.