9.
Sinn Féin’s Martin Kenny TD is too hoping for a seat in the Dáil. The Leitrim native has been a member of Leitrim County Council for over a decade, and was elected to the Dáil in the general election of 2016, representing Sligo, Leitrim, West Cavan and South Donegal. The father of four believes that we “need a government that will support rural communities, particularly those in the northwest of Ireland, “Like many families living in the northwest, my now adult children have sought work and education outside this region. While of course I want my children to have the opportunity to travel and work elsewhere I also want them to have the chance to build their future in this region,” he concluded. Mr Kenny believes the areas of Ireland with hidden potential are the rural regions, but emigration is something that still looms. “This drives me to want a change for my friends, my family, and my community,” he said. One of his most important policies is that of housing, explaining that Leitrim has seen the highest year-on-year rent increase in the last number of Daft.ie surveys. On the hot topic of the ongoing housing crisis, the TD said, “We now have two and three generations of families living in one house because of the cost of rent, or some families who are facing delays in getting planning permission to build on their family land.” The Sligo-born politician wants to see a move towards a fairer Ireland, where people have the opportunity to live and flourish in their rural communities. As Agriculture spokesperson, he is committed to securing the family farm, which is the backbone of many rural communities.
10.
Sinn Féin’s second running candidate for the 2024 general election is Chris MacManus. The former MEP is well known for his community and political activism, seeking positive change and investment for all in the Northwest. The London-born politician is one of only three people from the Sligo-Leitrim constituency to serve as an MEP in Brussels, and has previously been a councillor in Sligo since 1999. He narrowly missed winning a seat at the 2016 general election. MacManus has strong links with the area. His mother, Helen McGovern hails from Glenfarne, whilst his father Sean MacManus comes from Gubaveeney, near Dowra. The candidate, who is running alongside Martin Kenny, said, “For nearly five years in the European Parliament, I championed the Northwest of Ireland, highlighting decades of regional imbalance and our communities not having access to infrastructure and services taken for granted elsewhere, He added: “I want to continue this work as a TD, and as a member of the Parliament’s Agriculture Committee, I also prioritised the need to reverse rural decline as well as protecting our farming families and our young farmers, “As an Irish Republican, I have committed my political life to Irish Unity and equality for all our citizens. This underscores all my political activism,” he concluded.
11.
Dr Edel McSharry is one of the three candidates selected for Fianna Fáil in the Sligo-Leitrim constituency. The mother of five decided to contest as her “life’s experience, as an educator, Acting President, Head of Nursing at ATU Angela’s, ICU nurse, social activist and mother of five, has given me the skills, and fuelled my commitment and determination, to make a difference to the quality of people’s lives in our constituency.” Dr McSharry added: “Sligo-Leitrim is a neglected region and has suffered from a severe lack of investment. We need positive discrimination towards this constituency in terms of access to infrastructure, health, and education.” If elected, the educator promises to ensure the new school build at Scoil Mhuire in Carrick-On-Shannon, urgently needed road upgrades for Leitrim, a Carrick-On- Shannon bypass, commonsense policies for rural planning, and a sensible approach to forestry. The head of nursing at the Atlantic Technological University will also seek support for small business, suckler family farms, and traditional industries, if elected. The activist promises that if elected to serve in Dáil Éireann, she will “be a strong voice for Leitrim and unstoppable in my efforts to bring prosperity to our region.”
12.
Aontú’s selection for the general election is professional singer and entertainer, Graham Monaghan. The 53-year-old, who was born in Lifford, was previously a Fianna Fáil supporter, canvasser and campaigner all his life until disillusionment with the group’s politics led him to leave, and join Aontú. If elected, Mr Monaghan, and his party’s policies include addressing the housing crisis, the overcrowding and waiting lists in hospitals nationwide, reducing the cost of living, and changing immigration laws by prioritising the creation of a new Irish border agency that will enforce the law, and ensure that deportation orders are enforced by the Gardaí. Other topics the father of two is passionate about, and hopes to bring to the Dáil is structural funding for the region, complete support and funding for public transport infrastructure and the full re-opening of the Western Rail Corridor from Galway to Sligo, with the ambition of completing the rail link up through Donegal and on to Derry, as well as current rail lines getting upgraded. The Aontú Party stands firm that food producers are being squeezed constantly by more regulation both from the government and Brussels, and they ooppose the EU Nature Restoration deal which would mean an area the size of County Cork being re-wetted and therefore unavailable for farming. Mr Monaghan said, “I am very proud and deeply honoured to have the opportunity to represent.”