‘Give us a chance’: Social Democrats party leader joins local candidate

“I’m asking people in Westmeath to give us the chance” were the words of Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns on a campaign visit to Mullingar last week.

The Cork South-West TD was in the town to announce Ali Morris as the party’s candidate for the Mullingar LEA in the upcoming local elections and was joined by MEP candidate Dr Rory Hearn.

The trio visited Cúige Studios on Dominick Street on Thursday, April 4, walked to see the Joe Dolan statue.

The Social Democrats have never had an elected representative in Westmeath, having formed in 2015, but Deputy Cairns said she is hoping that will change.

“We’re a new party, but we are growing quickly and this is the first time we will have candidates in every constituency for the upcoming elections,” she told the Westmeath Examiner.

“What Ali and our candidates are hearing on the doors is people really want change – we can all feel a change in the air.

“As a result of our unique history in Ireland in having two civil war parties, we’ve never had a choice between right and left, as most countries have had.

“For too long now we have had this right-of-centre policy-making and where has that got us? They are leaving everything to the private market; healthcare, housing, all these things – and we’re really feeling the repercussions of it.”

Deputy Cairns said her party want to provide public services and make housing a right for all.

“At the moment that feels like a far-flung dream in Ireland; it’s hard to imagine not paying €60 for a GP or not being left on a trolley at a hospital,” she said.

“Ultimately, I’m asking people in Westmeath to give us a chance, vote for Ali, vote for Rory – because without that mandate we can’t effect those changes and it’s really time for a change in Ireland.”

Local election hopeful Ali Morris is an events manager and has a master’s degree in public affairs and political communications.

She said “nothing has changed” in Mullingar for years, which she finds frustrating, and decided to run to try to enact change.

“There is so much potential here; we have an enviable location in the middle of the country and could be attracting lots of things through that,” said Ms Morris.

“I’m an events worker and after the fleadh, we can see how valuable it was to the town. We can use events and festivals to educate people about climate change, better political and civic engagement, and stop treating politics as a closed club – everyone is welcome and should be involved.”

Ms Morris said she’d like to drive a number of improvements to the town centre if elected.

“I’d like to pedestrianise some spaces, as we basically have no town square any more and driving has become a nightmare,” she said.

“The park is great; it has lots of stuff for kids but it’s the only park in town and for some reason, we can’t do events there any more – why not?

“You also have Column Barracks, which is languishing and could be used as a public space, but it seems the council executive has decided: ‘Oh, we don’t need those things’.”

Ms Morris is also calling on the council to put on a “catalogue of events” for people in Mullingar and to invest in the restoration of derelict properties in the town centre.