A round-up of the day's election news in brief
Standing room only for George Lee
It was standing room only at The Goat Bar Grill in the Dublin South constituency last night for a question and answer session with Fine Gael's star candidate in the forthcoming byelection,
writes Deaglán de Bréadún.
Former RTÉ economics editor George Lee spoke for almost 40 minutes at the start, describing how people had literally cried in his presence on the campaign as they told him of their circumstances since the start of the credit crunch.
Economic issues, predictably, were high on the agenda at what was billed as a “town hall meeting” - a term borrowed from the US. The candidate was offering a vision of no less than 84 seats, or a gain of 33 on the current Fine Gael total in the Dáil. He said 84 was his “favourite number”.
Fellow economist and journalist Marc Coleman tackled Lee about his attitude to public sector pay. Coleman wants to cut it by 20 per cent but Lee wasn’t having any of this.
However, Lee did want to see the social partnership process reinvented and revitalised with a greater emphasis on the national interest rather than the sectional interest of unions and employers.
“When will we be in power? It can’t be soon enough,” said Lee, who described himself repeatedly as “an optimist”.
Double-vision in Roscommon poll
Voters in Co Roscommon could be forgiven for thinking they are seeing double when they go to the polls next month as two candidates with the same name and address bid for election.
Cllr Martin Connaughton, a Fianna Fáil poll-topper based at Main Street in Athleague, said he was surprised that his first cousin, also Martin Connaughton, had decided to run in the local elections as an Independent.
The councillor admitted that he is worried that votes may inadvertently be given to his cousin. “It is a democracy and anyone is entitled to stand, but Martin was never been politically minded and I am surprised he is running,” said Mr Connaughton.
And it is first blood to the challenger after he came out first in a draw conducted at the offices of Roscommon County Council and will now appear above the sitting councillor on the ballot sheet. “There is no doubt it could lead to confusion, but I will be standing on record as a public representative for 10 years and am confident,” said Mr Connaughton.
Travellers seek ethnic minority status
Local election candidates have been urged to support a campaign to have ethnic minority status granted to Travellers. The Irish Traveller Movement (ITM) said yesterday that ethnic status would provide legal protections for Travellers in the provision of housing, education and health.
At the launch of its local election manifesto yesterday, the ITM also warned that the Government’s decision to reduce capitation grants for Traveller children by 50 per cent would “severely affect access” to education.
- Age Action is urging all older people to make their voices heard in the run-up to the elections. It said local authorities ought to be developing better services for our ageing society.