Hair today, gone tomorrow..

YOU know there's an Election imminent when you see that all the candidates have new haircuts. Even Dick Roche's head of hair is shorn lik a freshly cut lawn.

We're all ready for the off with walking shoes, posters, suncream, leaflets and instant dinners in the freezer. So why can't the man name the day? Has he the jitters?

I wouldn't blame him if he has.

The gap between the falling FF/PD and rising Lab/FG support is widening all the time.

The people should be given the opportunity to express their preference.

Labour is ready. In Wicklow we're ready to pull off a double. McManus and Kelly.

So bring it on, Bertie.

First Post from Wicklow Campaign Team

In the next few weeks campaign team members will be contributing to this blog.

Here are my own personal experiences of the last 3 years of membership of the Labour Party and reasons why I strongly support Liz McManus.

Around the time I entered college and during my time in student politics I first became really aware of the Labour party. I grew up in a house where support fluctuated between FF and FG but never really Labour.

I became strongly involved in many campaigns where Labour was the party to the forefront; Free 3rd Level Fees, Anti Racism, Womens Rights. I eventually decided that the Labour Party was the one which best met both my political beliefs and convictions.

The party believes in Social Justice, Workers Rights, Equality, Social Liberalism, Civil Liberties; Examples would include; setting up the Combat Poverty Agency, Introducing Equality Legislation; pioneering Divorce and Contraception and Decriminalising Homosexuality.

For these and many other reasons I joined the Labour party 3 years ago.

I am strongly supporting the re-election of Liz McManus in this general election because;
She has an excellent track record in delivering for her constituents
She has consistently and strongly advocated for those on the margins of Irish society e.g. female domestic violence victims, travellers and people with poor mental health.
She has shown determined resistance and opposition to a privatised, for profit health service
The Labour Party has demonstrated in the past that it is the only party which strongly pushes for social justice and social liberalisation. Other parties have followed the Labour lead.
Labour believes in providing fair opportunities for all in Irish society as opposed to a free market neo liberal ideology which allows the strongest and the wealthiest to triumph over all others

The launch of Liz’s campaign last week was a great success. There was strong support from across the county for Liz McManus and indeed Nicky Kelly. It confirmed in my mind and many others that there is a mood for change among the electorate. A challenge has been set for us to drive that change and to win 2 Labour seats in Wicklow. We can achieve that.


Ian

(on behalf of the campaign team)

Nurses Dispute Set to Escalate

The nurses dispute is set to escalate. Although it's the last thing the health service needs, the depth of disillusion and the low morale is so serious that nurses are voting with their feet-or their bleep in some cases. It is vital that every effort is made to resolve the knotty issues that have led to this dispute. The lethargy of the government is striking. Nurses, doctors, dentists, chiropodists have all tried to negotiate with the Health Service Executive without success but the nursing crisis must take top priority.

Irish Congress of Trade Unions proposed the establishment of a Forum on Health but it's only recently that the Minister for Health decided to get going to set it up. Pity she was so slow. The Forum could have prevented the mess that the health service is experiencing now.