Mac Sharry and Scanlon selected to contest the General Election for Sligo-Leitrim
Published on: 18 April 2015
Senator Marc Mac Sharry and Cllr. Eamon Scanlon have been selected to contest the General Election for the Sligo-Leitrim constituency.
More than 600 members attended the selection convention held in the Bee Park Community Centre in Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim, which was chaired by Fianna Fáil Vice President and Spokesperson on Transport, Tourism & Sport Timmy Dooley TD.
Speaking following his selection Senator Mac Sharry commented, “I am honoured to have been selected to contest the next General Election for Fianna Fáil in this constituency. This next election is not only important for Sligo, Leitrim, south Donegal and Cavan, it will be significant for the whole country and affords us the opportunity to move away from four years of broken promises and failed commitments.
“The North West has been completely ignored by Fine Gael and Labour in Government. Despite their claims of an economic recovery there are almost 30,000 people on the Live Register across the four counties. This election presents the people with an opportunity to exercise real change and choose what direction Ireland now moves in. Fianna Fáil wants a more fair and equal society where hard work is rewarded and where the most vulnerable and least well off are protected.
“We have already put forward a range of proposals on core issues affecting people in the North West including childcare provision and costs, mortgage arrears; and the rejuvenation of towns and villages across the country. Over the coming months we will be bringing all these issues together in a comprehensive manifesto, which will clearly outline our vision for better Ireland”.
Cllr. Scanlon said, “Fianna Fáil will not be making promises we cannot keep. However we have been, and will continue to bring forward policies which restore fairness by rewarding those who work hard, and takes care of those most in need. We want to create jobs, improve services and ensure that communities are rebuilt and supported.
“Rural Ireland has suffered at the hands of this Dublin centric Government. This is an issue that needs to be tackled without delay. The Government has tried to convince us that it hasn’t cut social protection payments, yet a raft of programmes including Farm Assist and the Rural Social Scheme has been subjected to a series of changes which have resulted in harsh cuts. Boarded up and empty shop-fronts are a common feature of towns and villages across the North West as Fine Gael and Labour concentrate their economic investment in Dublin and the eastern half of the country.
“The people of Sligo-Leitrim need a strong voice and effective representatives to express their concerns, champion their causes and bring about real change. I believe myself and Senator Mac Sharry are the team to lead that charge in the North West. We, along with our colleagues across the country will be working to prove to the people that Fianna Fáil is the best placed party to represent their needs and to provide a real alternative to the failed policies and broken promises of this discredited and disconnected Government”.