Social Democrats maintained ‘consistent message’ through campaign – Gannon

Social Democrats’ Gary Gannon said his party has maintained a consistent message through the General Election campaign.

The Dublin Central TD said appointing a senior minister for disability services will resolve the issues around disability infrastructure.

Speaking on O’Connell Street on Thursday, Mr Gannon said that while there are messages about a strong Irish economy, there is a “failed” health service, high childcare fees and expensive homes.

He described the campaigning as “tiring but inspiring”.

“This is a campaign that started off with party leaders dancing, and three weeks since, they’re not dancing anymore,” he said.

“The reason nobody’s dancing is because you have to go knocking doors to meet the people whose lives are impacted by the decisions we take every single day.

“We have made it clear in this campaign and throughout our journey, it is that public services paid for through taxation are the cornerstone of any Republic, which is why we will not equivocate on that message.

“Our message is one that has been received well, it is one that has been consistent.

“Social Democrats have momentum. Our ideas are permeating throughout Irish society, with 26 amazing candidates, all with strong possibilities of taking seats.

“People are hearing every day about a strong economy, and after hearing about a strong economy, they’re telling me about the failed health service that we have, the fact that their children, their adult children, can’t afford to leave their homes, the fact that the childcare infrastructure in this country is too expensive.

“We’ve heard that every day.”

He added: “Ourselves, we’re proud of the consistency of our message. You know, right from day one, party leader Holly Cairns made it very clear that for the Social Democrats to be brought to the negotiating table, what we needed was a senior minister for disabilities as a red line issue.

“But we didn’t make that statement just for the headlines. We made it because we’re seeing every single day, because of the absence of the importance of disability infrastructure in this country, it is devastating today.

“We have momentum. I think what we’ve done has resonated. We’re proud of the campaign we’ve run and we’re proud of what we have done.”