Gilmore & Childers in Wexford

Labour Leader Eamon Gilmore TD and party candidate for Ireland East, Nessa Childers paid a one-day visit to Wexford today to boost the election campaign in the south east. The morning started in Gorey as they walked the Main St with Gorey candidates; Cllr Bobby Ireton and Joy Rice. Next stop was Wexford Town for a lunch time meeting with Wexford Chamber of Commerce. The chamber set out their analysis of structural problems in Co Wexford such as broadband, road and rail transport as well as the high cost of business which they attributed to rates and rents. Labour candidates Cllrs Ted Howlin, George Lawlor, myself, Brendan Howlin TD and Francis O’Connor from Enniscorthy TC also attended.

Next on the itinerary was Wexford General Hospital where Eamon said that he had asked the HSE to clarify exactly what they proposed to do with A&E. Final stop in the model county was New Ross where Eamon opened the campaign office for Ollie Somers and Labours trio for New Ross TC, Cllr Ingrid O’Brien, Martin Malone and Paul Crowdle. A good boost to the campaign, the feeling on the ground from the canvas tonight is that our support from 5 years ago is still there and it was enough then to elect 5.
We crossed paths with a FF candidate and people who we called to where he had canvassed previously, told me what they said on the door to the candidate. It’s not pleasant being an FF candidate now and I remember the 1987 election and I know the grief FF are shipping on the door because I remember taking it then. .
However, what I canvassed for then is different to what FF & The Greens are canvassing for now. Labour in 1987 wanted to defend the interests of ordinary people and basic services for communities. We left government because we couldn’t not vote to annihilate hospital beds which a vote subsequently for FF or the PD’s was. Remember they were let away with it by FG. Sadly our health services have never really recovered since the Tallaght Strategy.

Wexford Local & Euro ’09 campaign launch

Last night Labour candidates gathered from around the county in the Ashdown Park Hotel in Gorey to launch both the local election campaign for Cllr Bobby Ireton and Joy Rice and the Wexford leg of the European campaign for Labour’s candidate in Ireland East Nessa Childers. The decision to require an immediate by-election for any Dail or Seanád member elected to Europe has significantly changed the race for the two big conservative parties. Heretofore a senior Oireacthas member generally a backbencher or former Junior Minister was wheeled out around a few counties to round up the party faithful and make sure the local vote transferred to their party running mate and hey presto Brussels here we come!
Things have moved on as the seats have been re-distributed to other countries but something tells me that the penny hasn’t dropped with FF or FG. Tickets are slow in being put together and campaigns are still on the drawing boards while de Rossa, Kelly and Nessa Childers are out knocking doors, shaking hands but most of all listening to how communities are dealing with the ongoing slump and explaining how a European dimension may provide some economic stability in the present chaos.

Nessa Childers is running a very strong campaign in Leinster. I met her last night and what struck me most about her is that she is an excellent listener. She said herself in relation to her family background in politics “if you know want to know where you’re going you must know where you’ve come from”. She has a constituency that stretches from the Shannon to the Irish Sea and from Hook Head to Carlingford Lough. A lot of different communities with a lot of different issues, if there’s anyone who can listen and articulate these needs in Brussels, I’m convinced its Nessa. She has identified the need for developing a new economy based on new technologies as the basis to re-boot our economy, she’s been to Brussels to put these ideas to the EU Parliament Vice President Rasmussen already. Meanwhile back home the two FF & FG still treat this election like a cross between a beauty contest and You’re a Star!

Joy and Bobby are a formidable team. They both appeal to different constituencies and I believe they make a good team. They compliment each other and I can see them both getting elected and as Bobby says holding the balance of power on Gorey Town Council. Gorey district gains a seat this time round and Fianna Fail will be under enormous pressure to hold their 2 seats. If the election was held today I don’t think they’d do it. Bobby is one of Wexford politics’ gentlemen; his day is on its way. I think that the big story of these local elections in Co Wexford will be Bobby Ireton. Don’t forget who told you that first!