Lenihan gets top job

The historic appointment of local TD Brian Lenihan to the top cabinet post in the new government has been greeted with acclaim by community leaders throughout Dublin 15.

Both of his constituency colleagues in the Dáil, Leo Varadkar and Joan Burton are among the many people have welcomed the appointment. Congratulating the new Minister for Finance, Deputy Varadkar said “this is the second most important job in government and while many aspire to it, few have the opportunity or honour to hold it.”

Joan Burton told Community Voice “this is a great honour not only for Brian personally, but also for his family and his supporters in Dublin West.” While she promised “robust opposition” in the Dáil, at a local level the deputy leader of the Labour Party promised “to cooperate as always with the Minister on advancing investment in Dublin West in transport, schools and community facilities such as the development of much needed sports clubs for local GAA and soccer clubs.”

Business in the area was also well pleased with the news. Two weeks ago the new Minister was guest speaker at a Blanchardstown Chamber where he spoke at length about the state of the economy. Now his appointment as the man responsible for managing that economy was warmly welcomed by Chamber president Maura Cassidy.

“It is a great boost for Dublin 15 to have such a senior cabinet minister from the area,” she said. “We also look forward to working with the Minister on public transport and social order issues which have such an impact on the area.”

Community Council chairperson Charlie Kurtz also extended congratulations to Minister Lenihan “on his tremendous achievement in attaining the position of Minister for Finance.” Quoting from Brian Cowen’s recent ‘we serve the community’ speech, Mr. Kurtz called on the new Minister for Finance to “encourage greater emphasis on delivering government policies which underpin the formation and sustainment of communities.”

The new Minister’s first newspaper interview following his appointment was with Community Voice. He said his priority would be to keep the National Development Plan (NDP) as a central plank in his economic policies. “Transport and education are the two key issues of this plan. Our educational infrastructure is vitally important and I would be concerned to ensure that all programmes are expedited.”

A number of local schools whose improvement and extension projects have been “delayed” in recent months may well be looking forward to the ending of such bureaucratic delays under the new regime.

Community Voice, Media House, Church Avenue, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15
Phone +353 1 822 1432 -  Fax +353 1 640 4444
info@communityvoice.ie

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