Countdown to Change

Under starters orders....

We're off! It was an unusually secretive start from our Taoiseach last Sunday morning but it is great to finally start the real campaign. Posters are up, canvassers have been out and the pounding of the streets has begun. Between myself and some volunteers we hope this blog will provide a small overview of the campaign here in Co. Wicklow.

I'll be back in touch soon...

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.

Getting Wicklow Moving

Nicky Kelly, Brendan Howlin TD and I launched a Transport Plan for Co. Wicklow. Twin track electrified rail system to Wexford, rural buses, improved roads are key elements in it. 37% of journeys to Dublin are by public transport. In Wicklow the figure is approx 6%-so a dramatic shift from private car to public transport is needed. On the way back from the press conference in Arklow I came across the chilling sight of a huge lorry overturned in a ditch at the notoriously dangerous stretch of the N11 between the Tap and the Beehive pubs.


24 hours later there are incredible scenes along Naas dual carriage. 18 people injured and hundreds stuck for hours in traffic jams. Nothing could reinforce our message on transport as effectively!

Dying Days of a Government

Now in its dying days the government has gone made galloping through legislation at a breakneck speed. The passing of legislation should be a slow, ponderous, line by line exercise where every aspect of its possible impact is ruminated upon without haste.

Instead we are seeing major legislation like the new Criminal Justice Bill rampaging through the Oireachtas by the Minister for Justice who is careering out of control. Seven day detention? Electronic tagging? Let it all happen is Minister McDowell's approach but without any of the safeguards that parliament should provide in an open and accountable way as prescribed under our Constitution.

The Minister for Health is trotting after him as fast as she can. The Health Bill, the Medical Practitioners Bill, the Pharmacy Bill etc etc...all guillotined pitilessly by a government that is not interested in doing things well just in doing things. Roll on the Election so we can get some good
governance back.

Government fails on class sizes

Attended the INTO/National Parents Council meeting recently in the Glenview hotel in Co. Wicklow. I had to fight my way in because the turn out was massive. Parents and teachers are turning out all over the country to highlight the Government betrayal of its own promise to reduce class sizes to the EU norm (of 20). There was an air of steady determination at the meeting which probably explains the shortage of Fianna Fail election candidates. Labour supports this campaign and our record in Government is very good.

Governments are like children. You don't reward bad behaviour and fibs whether told by children or government ministers deserve to be challenged. Parent power can be an important factor in delivering a new - and better - Government.