RTÃ? presenter Miriam O’Callaghan’s brother, Cllr Jim O’Callaghan, has been selected as Fianna Fáil’s general election candidate for Dublin Bay South.
Declaring that their candidate was a challenge to
“Sinn Féin’s populism
?, the former Leinster rugby player was unanimously chosen at the party’s selectionconvention in Bewley’s Hotel, Ballsbridge.
Cllr O’Callaghan said that he was exceptionally proud to receive the support of the convention.
He vowed to repay the trust placed in him by the party’s members by espousing the core principles of Fianna Fáil – the creation of jobs and the promotion of fairness.
“The key points of my election campaign will be to promote a major capital investment programme to create jobs,
? he stated.
“We need to build homes, schools and roads and develop our infrastructure for further economic development.
“I want to support a culture of enterprise. As a self-employed person I want to help meet the challenges faced by the self-employed and those who create jobs.
“Ireland needs a taxation system that is fair to people who work and run small businesses; one that promotes work and enterprise rather than penalising those who show initiative.
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Cllr O’Callaghan said he would also roll back what he described as the
“unjust cuts in public services implemented by the Government in breach of their campaign promises
?.
“The coming election has been billed as one in which the rise of Sinn Féin is a pre-ordained outcome,
? he said.
“I believe the people of Dublin Bay South will see through the populism of Sinn Féin.
“Labour fooled people prior to the last general election. The people won’t be fooled twice.
“Fianna Fáil has a programme that will promote enterprise, not cripple it. We stand for building homes and infrastructure, not destroying them.
“We have a record of protecting victims of abuse, not undermining them. We have a record of enacting reforming legislation and implementing progressive policies.
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He added:
“Despite their sophisticated PR operation, Sinn Féin’s policies remain economically illiterate; their commitment to the highest democratic standards remains dubious and their job-killing taxes remain a serious threat to our national recovery and a return to full employment.
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Cllr O’Callaghan will be running against Sinn Féin’s candidate in Dublin Bay South, Cllr Chris Andrews.
Cllr Andrews was selected by the local Sinn Féin membership as their candidate for the constituency at a convention held in the Pearse Centre on Pearse Street
In accepting the nomination, Cllr Andrews said:
“It is a massive honour to be selected again to run for the party following our success in last May’s local elections, and to represent Sinn Féin in the communities that make up the Dublin Bay South constituency at the next general election.
“Citizens and communities across the State have suffered massively as a result of the policies implemented by the Fine Gael/Labour Government.
“This Government promised a fair recovery but has instead presided over deepening inequality and unfairness.
“We in Sinn Féin want to put money back into people’s pockets and we will work to create jobs for everyone.
“We hope to stem the tide of youth emigration and create a climate of fair work for fair pay. We will defend public services and prioritise the delivery of social housing.
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He added:
“We have also given a hard and fast commitment to abolish the property tax and water charges – measures that will benefit every single household across the constituency, from Ringsend to Rathgar.
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Meanwhile, Deputy Aengus Ã? Snodaigh was selected as Sinn Féin’s general election candidate for the constituency of Dublin South Central.