Kenny’s whistlestop tour of Dublin 15
by Martin Ryan

Fine Gael leader, Enda Kenny visited Dublin 15 recently to open his party’s new constituency offices in Ongar. While this was the primary reason for his trip to the area, he also took the opportunity to call into a few local schools and businesses along with local TD and Fine Gael spokesman for enterprise, Leo Varadker, and local party activists.

At the official opening of the new premises at Ongar, the party leader said that this was one of many such premises he has opened around the country. “It is a statement of where the party is going - a statement of professionalism and business. It will enable the business of the party and the constituency to be conducted in privacy and in a business-line manner”.

He said that Ireland is going into a very competitive world arena now with developing economies such as China and India meaning that the country will have to perform like never before. He said that he sees Fine Gael as being to the forefront in taking on these challenges and that it was important for the party to not only act professionally but to present itself in the best manner possible.

Enda Kenny, as is his wont in recent years, was also upbeat about the electoral future of Fine Gael and speaking to Community Voice he reiterated his determination to make the party the largest in the next Dáil. Leo Varadkar was very hopeful that representation at county council level would be enhanced greatly in the local area in next year’s elections and that the upward trend of “a party that had been written off as a dying party and a party with no urban appeal” would continue.

He cited the great success for Fine Gael in Deputy Kenny’s native Mayo where they have taken 3 seats from 5 in what was “traditionally a Fianna Fáil stronghold” as an example of what can be achieved. While his assertion that “there is nothing special about Mayo” would be an opinion best kept to himself in Castlebar on a Connacht final Sunday, the point was well made.

Deputy Varadkar recalled how they had visited Castleknock Educate Together primary school and Coolmine Community College earlier that day. He said that in different ways these schools displayed the types of deficits that schools are left with under current education policy. The Fine Gael group then went to the eBay premises in Blanchardstown to “meet with local industry leaders”.

Among the matters discussed was the slowness of the roll-out of broadband countrywide. Leo Varadkar compared the very unfavourable broadband speeds with those of many other countries including Japan which it appears might just as well be on a different planet when it comes to broadband speeds. He said that a massive improvement in this area is an essential component in Ireland’s competitiveness in the coming years.

He thanked the many people who helped in his election campaign and who continue to assist him in his work as a TD including his own staff and the local Fine Gael organisers, Cllr. Eithne Loftus, Adeloa Ogusina and Kieran Dennison.

For political anoraks a particularly interesting feature of the new office was the display of old election posters from the Cumann na nGaedheal days. One of them said “Cosgrave for President” recalling the fact that in the days of W.T. Cosgrave the role of modern day Taoiseach was called “President of the Executive Council” making “who was Ireland’s first Taoiseach?” an especially tricky table-quiz question!

The posters also indicate that the present Fine Gael people are happy to look for inspiration towards their illustrious predecessors who saw the fledging state through a difficult first decade.

 

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