North Offaly looks to Labour for solutions

Issued : Monday 31 January, 2011

Following years of neglect by successive Fianna Fail governments the people of Edenderry and north Offaly are turning to Labour for solutions.

Jobs, infrastructure, schools and basic facilities like a children's playground are the talking points on the doorsteps. There are ongoing concerns about the funding and future of Offalia House as this government continues to neglect health services for ordinary families.

Many fear it is the HSE's plan to close it by stealth.

But that's not the only area of neglect felt in a community which has seen little or no return or advantage in voting FF and having a Minister for Finance and Taoiseach down the road.

Yesterday, a team of 20 Labour canvassers headed up by local Labour councillor Declan Leddin and Offaly Director-of-Elections, Tony Maher another Edenderryman got a warm reception around the town and a resounding thumbs up for Eamon Gilmore and Labour's policies on job creation and fairness.

People around the town are furious with the level of waste and squandering, the amount of State cars and fat pensions for retiring Ministers and Labour are committed to cutting this out and scaling it back to responsible and affordable levels through an innovative programme of reform.

The areas we canvassed on Saturday included Boyne Meadows, Killane View and Killane Heights, Derrycorris, Greenwood Park and The Sycamores - where large numbers of people incicated they wanted to join the Labour Party and form an Edenderry branch to help forge change in Laois-Offaly and across the country. And sadly for some that change will come too late as we also encountered a number of families, some with small children planning to emigrate as they have lost their jobs and become so dispondent with politics and all politicians.

"It is a disgrace that another generation should have to bear the brunt of emigration as the rest of us pick up the tab for Fianna Fail's disatrous banking bailout. I am urging people not to despair, not to become embittered but to get involved in changing this country for their children's sake; not just to wish for change but to vote for change and make sure this community has a strong voice in the next Government. Fianna Fail betrayed the people of Laois-Offaly and now Fine Gael want to run the country on their own as a minority government propped up by a depleted Fianna Fail. That's just going from bad to worse and the only way to prevent it is to make sure Laois-Offaly has a Labour TD, so that we are not left out of the loop again when it comes to investment in jobs, schools and the health service."