Cannon sets out to Break the Mould, April 2007

Athenry based Progressive Democrat Councillor Ciaran Cannon has launched his campaign to be elected to Dail Eireann.

The launch took place in the Raheen Woods Hotel and was sold out for over a week before the event. Ciaran is a native of Kiltullagh and attended Presentation College Athenry in the eighties. He now lives in Carrabane and was elected to Galway Co. Council on his first attempt in 2004.

The lack of real political competition in Galway East is a central plank of Cllr. Cannon’s election campaign and he reiterated this point during a speech at the launch.

“The same parties and the same faces keep cropping up election after election. If the main players have no real competition then I believe that complacency begins to creep in. How else can you explain the appalling delays in providing much needed infrastructure in our towns and villages? For example, a new sewage treatment plant was promised for Athenry back in 2004. The latest estimates suggest that it may not happen until 2011. We need to break the mould in Galway East, to offer people a real alternative to the mainstream parties,” said Cllr. Cannon.

In his role as a councillor Cannon was elected as chairman of the Planning Policy Committee for Co. Galway. In that position he was instrumental in securing reform of the planning laws applying to rural houses. A commitment is now in place that anyone born and reared in a rural area is entitled to secure planning permission in that area.

“There was a huge degree of uncertainty in relation to planning permission for one-off rural houses. Planning applicants were very unsure of their position. We have now made things much easier for applicants and in some parts of Galway East there are hardly any restrictions on one-off rural housing. These areas have suffered depopulation over the last number of years and we need to encourage people to move into these areas,” continued Cllr. Cannon.

Since the appointment of Mary Hamey as Minister for Health, Ciaran has worked closely with her to secure major funding commitments for Galway East. “Only last July €50m in capital funding was committed to health services in Galway East. This was the biggest ever funding commitment for Galway East and includes €15m for the new Tuam Health Campus and € 15m for a new community nursing unit in Loughrea. Major funding commitments have also been given to Portiuncula Hospital and the future of that excellent health facility is now very much secured,” said Cllr. Cannon.

The countdown to election day has begun and Cannon has a very effective campaign team working on his behalf. On the doorsteps the message is very simple. Voters are being asked to give this councillor just one chance to prove himself at national level. In five years’ time they will have their opportunity to judge his performance and wield their electoral power.

“I am asking people to look at my track record and work rate as a councillor. They can trust me to continue in that vein at national level. If I am fortunate to be elected to Dail Eireann I will not be clinging onto the seat for the rest of my days. At the end of five years I will invite people to judge my performance and if they are not happy they should not allow me to continue representing them,” concluded Cllr. Cannon.

This article was first published in News and Views April 2007