Eugene McGuinness reaffirms intention to contest General Election in Carlow-Kilkenny
"Strong Independent TDs will be needed to hold the Government to account" - Kilkenny councillor and General Election candidate Eugene McGuinness
Independent councillor for the Kilkenny City area, Eugene McGuinness, has reaffirmed his intention to contest the forthcoming General Election in the Carlow-Kilkenny constituency.
Cllr McGuinness was re-elected as a city councillor in the local elections earlier this year, securing the third-largest amount of first preference votes.
McGuinness told Kilkenny Live that he believes that strong Independent TDs will be needed to hold the Government to account.
“One of the big things that the Government hasn't delivered on is housing,” Eugene said.
“It’s not good enough. There are so many people, and so many young people, struggling in their efforts to get housing.”
Cllr McGuinness also criticised the Government’s handling of immigration issues.
“Open border policies are a huge concern for many people at the doors,” he said.
“The country is being flooded with people who lack the necessary paperwork.”
He added that he believes that a base of Sinn Féin supporters have become disillusioned with the party over this issue.
“The far right wants to step into this vacuum,” Eugene said. “We need strong Independents who are willing to speak up.”
Another major issue for McGuinness is the health service, which he says ‘is in complete disarray’.
“Some people are waiting years to see a specialist,” he said. “It’s not good enough.”
A major redline issue for McGuinness is the completion of the Kilkenny Ring Road.
“I have seen successive governments and TDs fail to deliver on their promises in relation to the ring road,” he said.
The welfare of pensioners was also raised by the Kilkenny councillor.
“I was reading a study recently that pointed out that one-in-five pensioners are in danger of poverty,” he said. “We urgently need to address legislation around pensions.”
On farming, McGuinness stated that ‘farming is the backbone of the national economy’ and he added that he believes that ‘farmers have been demonised’.
The decision taken by Eugene to run in the forthcoming General Election was, in his own words, consolidated through discussions with other Independents.
McGuinness was also inspired by his father, the eminent Kilkenny political figure Mick McGuinness.
“He believed in strong representation of the people he represented and so do I,” Eugene said.
McGuinness holds the view that constituents will see from his track record that he is a candidate ‘who will not be afraid to speak his mind’.
“We’ve got a dedicated canvassing team who are ready to go and we look forward to speaking to people at the doors.”