Party leaders in Kilkenny for whistle stop tour in run up to election

Party leaders were in Kilkenny in recent days in the run up this Friday’s general election.

With just days to go to the election party leaders took the opportunity to meet and greet the electorate with local candidates.

The Green Party’s Carlow-Kilkenny candidate Malcolm Noonan was joined in Kilkenny by Party leader Roderic O’Gorman to launch the Green Party’s Cost of Living Plan. A cornerstone of the plan is the Green Party’s proposal to introduce a Basic Income for Carers, which Minister O’Gorman said approximately 80,000 carers would benefit from.

Speaking at the launch at Kilkenny Castle, Minister Noonan said: “Carers provide billions of euros of support to our society but they are not properly recognised. We want to provide real recognition to carers and the contribution they make, so we’re looking to put in place a basic income for carers.

Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman explained that the payment would be delivered in such a way as to ensure that no carer sees a reduction in their existing level of support from the State.

“We will keep carer’s allowance in place but make a weekly payment of €325 available to all carers. They will have the choice of sticking with the existing carer’s allowance or benefit payment if they qualify for it, or switching to this new non-means tested basic income for carers. This will result in a significant uplift in payment for some carers.”

Tánaiste Michael Martin was also in Kilkenny where he visited Callan with Cllr Peter Chap Cleere before doing a meet and greet with Deputy John McGuinness in Kilkenny City and also paid a visit to the Mart in Cilin Hill before moving onto Carlow where he did a walkabout with Deputy Jennifer Murnane.

Taoiseach Simon Harris was also in Kilkenny last week for the official opening of the state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, Abbott.

The Taoiseach also took the opportunity during his visit to call into the staff and students at St John’s Senior School on Ballybought Street where he was joined by Cllr David Fitzgerald and other local dignitaries.