Louth's Ó Murchú says Simon Harris 'offers nothing new'

The selection of a new Taoiseach by the Fine Gael party this week, following the stepping down of Leo Varadkar, “does not affect the reality of people’s lives and offers nothing new”, Louth Sinn Féin TD, Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú has said.

The Dundalk TD said the election on Tuesday of new Fine Gael leader Simon Harris as Taoiseach “will not make one iota of difference to the people of Louth” who will, he said, “continue to struggle under failed government policies in housing, healthcare, disability service provision and rising costs”.

Deputy Ó Murchú said: “While all the focus this week will be on the election of a new Taoiseach, the third in four years, there will be no improvement in the lives of people in Louth. It will be a case of: ‘meet the new boss, same as the old boss’. Any change that is being promised is coming too late. Fine Gael has been in government for 13 years and the problems remain.”

He pointed to the fact that Louth County Council’s first affordable housing scheme at Blackrock had seen just five out of the ten on offer being taken up, with the rest now going on the open market for sale. He said: “Council officials themselves said the scheme’s criteria was very strict and that just five applicants out of 26 were able to get through.

“Also, the 'affordability' of the properties, at €305,000, was beyond the reach of many families and workers.”

Deputy Ó Murchú said his constituency office is “full of people that are being abjectly failed by government policy and that is not going to change under a new Taoiseach”.

The Louth TD said: “Every day, people who are desperately seeking accommodation are coming to us, asking for help. Rents are out of control in Dundalk, where three bedroom houses are costing in excess of €1,500 a month.

“There remain huge difficulties in the provision of disability services for children in Louth, with incredibly long waiting lists at Children’s Disability Network Teams (CDNTs) in all areas.

“There are also problems emerging at the moment with the provision of places in autism units at secondary schools in Dundalk, with a number of parents struggling to find somewhere for September.

“In addition, there are well documented problems with water infrastructure, including water pressure issues in estates throughout Dundalk.

“We are also dealing with serious anti-social behaviour and working with communities, alongside Gardaí and Louth County Council, but we don’t have all the resources needed to deal with some very serious incidents.”

Deputy Ó Murchú added, “Independents, who support the continuation of this government in the election of a new Taoiseach, need to wake up to the reality of people’s daily lives.”