My Speech at campaign launch

A CAIRDE

 

I am not going to stand here and make you a load of promises nor am I going to stand here and tell you how bad the government is.

 

I would love to promise everyone everything and I would love to tell you what I think about Fianna Fail and the Green Party and what they have done to our country.

 

I am not going to tell you that Brian Cowen is a disaster

 

Or that Fianna Fail have bankrupted this country to enrich their developer friends. 

 

You might think that…………………………………………………………..

 

but I couldn't possibly comment!

 

Instead I am going to outline what Labour is going to do for you; what David and I will do on Westport Town Council; what Harry Barret, David Moffat and I are going to do on Mayo County Council.

 

But first to recap my work so far

 

In my five years on westport town council I have ensured the replanting of the Northwoods,

I have ensured new pavements for the Quay Hill and the Pond.

I have established a budget for promoting Westport as a venue for film-making which has been a huge success.

I have worked hard with my committees to establish a Food and Craft market on the Mall and to make Westport one of Ireland's first Fairtrade towns.

I have fully supported the provision of Affordable and Social housing at Tubberhill and the re-development of the former fire station to social housing and housing for returned emigrants who have come home to Westport and As a member of the Multi Agency Jobs Creation Taskforce I am working hard to promote our town to employers and am lobbying for investment, infrastructure and job creation.

But this meeting is not about what Labour has achieved it is about what Labour will achieve in the next five years in Westport and Mayo.

Our number one priority is jobs,……….Work and Wages.

We will not allow this area, and this community, to slip backwards in the economics of the 1980s. 

We will not allow our young to be reared for export once again.

We Must not allow emigration to return.

To achieve this

We will create jobs and will work with businesses and investors to create jobs.

We will ensure that your demand for jobs and infrastructure is heard at local, regionally and national level.

We will create an allotments scheme to allow those who have no access to land to grown their own vegetables

We will fight tooth and nail the closures of rural post offices.

We will fight to ensure small farmers are treated fairly by local and national government.

We will ensure that people are able to live in their own areas in affordable homes.

We will ensure that conservation is every bit as important as conservation.

We will fight for high speed broadband throughout this county and not just where it suits broadband companies.

We will establish a film office to promote this county, the home of the quiet man and the field as a venue for filmmaking.

We will ensure that Mayo county council makes the n5 its number one priority

We will ensure that irish rail provides an early bird service from mayo to dublin.

We will leave no-one behind.

We will not allow this government to bully us into agreeing with its retrogressive and punitive cuts by threatening us with disaster if we do not agree.

Ruling through fear is not government; it is a Failure to Govern.

Finally I want to say this to the people of Westport, Murrisk, Louisburgh, Aughagower

Do not be afraid.

We can get through this

We will get through this

Things can only get better!