Carlow-Kilkenny General Election candidate slams Carlow Chambers 'Vote Carlow' Campaign

Minister Malcom Noonan has pushed back against Carlow Chamber' "Vote-Carlow" campaign after they have urged the people of Carlow to vote for the Carlow candidates contesting the upcoming General Election in the Carlow-Kilkenny Constituency.

The Green Party candidate has said that the Carlow people should instead be voting for candidates that "prioritise Carlow".

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He pointed out the collaboration he has had with the Carlow Chamber of the years saying, "I have always actively engaged with the Carlow Chamber, including setting up quarterly meetings with the Chamber from Day 1 of the Covid pandemic to ensure that local businesses had my support during that time and regularly attended community and business events, including the Chambers' own annual businesses awards"

And also detailed Carlow based initiatives that he had contributed to "I led the call for the Carlow town bus and worked closely with my Green Party colleague, the Minister for Transport, to deliver it. As a graduate of Carlow Technical College, I have always been extremely supportive of the development of the South East Technical University and as Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, I have delivered significant funding to Carlow through the Community Monuments Fund, the Historic Structures Fund and the Built Heritage Investment Scheme. This is in addition to creating a new post for a Carlow Biodiversity Officer and local Biodiversity Action Funding to deliver crucial projects for nature. My Department also funded a €20 million regeneration project for Carlow town through the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF). I also pushed for the funding to restore the railings for Carlow Town Courthouse. "

He ended his statement by saying:

"This is a General Election, not local authority elections or council elections," Noonan added, "and I am standing to represent the constituency of Carlow-Kilkenny as a national legislator. I would argue that my track record in supporting Carlow is every bit as strong as the sitting Carlow TD and as good as any public representative. I have a great affinity for the county of Carlow, the people, the projects and the work being done there. 

"Carlow has always had a minister in me."