Sean Byrne has been selected as the Anti-Austerity Alliance’s Galway City Central candidate for next May’s Local Elections.
Mr Byrne was chosen at the recent AAA selection convention, and his nomination brings to three the number of candidates the left-wing group is running in the city. The other candidates are Conor Burke in Galway City East and Tom Holohan in Galway City West.
The AAA will be targeting Labour seats and seeking to maximise the left wing vote in the city.
“The shift of Labour to the right means it’s more important than ever for a new left-wing force to fill the political vacuum that now exists,” Mr Byrne said after the convention. “It is the ambition of the AAA to contribute to building such a force that looks after the interests of the people and not the bank accounts of the rich.”
The AAA has been extremely critical of the pro-austerity measures and mantras of the Government and establishment parties, describing Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and Labour as “the gombeen troika”.
“The gombeen troika foster a culture of exploitation and cronyism where those at the top of society are getting wealthier, helped with favourable tax terms and bailouts with public funds,” said Mr Byrne, “while low and middle income families and the most vulnerable are being forced to endure savage austerity. The AAA is fighting to wind down this culture and bring about a more compassionate society.”
