Cllr Tom Kelleher
Thank you for visiting my Labour Party Homepage.
I have represented Dublin North at local government level for the past twenty years and am now seeking to represent the constituency in the Dáil. In so doing, I aim to ensure that Dublin North will not only meet but rise to the challenges of the years ahead. Through my work as a County Councillor and a Primary School Principal, I am familiar with the needs of local workers, local businesses and local families and, if elected, I will advance these needs by every means possible.
Employment & Job Creation in Dublin North
In order to stem the tide of emigration and provide hope for our young people and those who are now out of work, my first priority, if elected, will be to safeguard existing jobs in Dublin North, while seeking to generate new employment in the constituency. As Chairman of the Fingal County Development Board, I have striven to make Fingal an attractive place to do business. In November 2010, I spearheaded the first Enterprise Fingal conference in Ardgillan Castle in Skerries, at which forty senior executives from some of the most successful companies in Leinster came together to discuss how best to support businesses in Fingal, while also bringing new indigenous and multinational companies to the area. One suggestion, which is now a central tenet of Labour Party policy, was to abolish upward-only rent reviews for businesses. The Labour Party is also in favour of lowering Employer's PRSI.
Metro North
I have fought, and will continue to fight, to secure the future of Metro North. The project will rejuvenate our local economy by improving our infrastructure and creating jobs in a multitude of areas, from construction and industry to services such as shops and schools. A recent study by the Rail Procurement Agency has demonstrated that for every €1 spent on Metro North there will be a €2 return for the Irish economy. It is vital that the project goes ahead.
Education
Education is the key to restoring growth to the Irish economy. The support and development of our education system must be a priority for any future government. In our preschools and primary schools; our secondary schools and universities; our apprenticeships and in adult education, we must strive for excellence, equality of access and fairness in the distribution of resources. The highly-skilled workforce produced in Ireland brought growth to our industrial sector and attracted multinational companies to our shores. Yet, in recent years, the OECD ranking of Irish students in literacy has dropped from 5th place to 17th place, the sharpest decline among 39 countries surveyed. We have also seen a widening of the wealth gap in college access, with only 33% of those from a semi-skilled or unskilled background attending college, as opposed to 100% of those from a professional background. If elected, I will ensure that education remains firmly on both the local and the national agendas.
Responsible, Transparent & Efficient Government
The next government will face many social and economic challenges over the coming years. In order that the country be brought from its current state of insecurity into a more stable, prosperous future, it is vital that we have responsible leadership. Never again can we afford to have an administration which prioritises bankers above taxpayers; developers above hospital patients; vested interests above the general good of the people. In my role as group leader of The Labour Party in Fingal County Council, I have helped to create a local government that functions in an efficient and transparent manner – in the area of planning and development, for example, Fingal has been shown to be the only local authority where vast sums have not been wasted on unwanted housing.
If you have any queries, problems or suggestions, please do not hesitate to get in touch via phone, email or text.
I would welcome the opportunity to discuss any issues that you may have.
Kind regards and many thanks,
Tom
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