If Ireland is to be able to cope with the social fallout from the economic crisis, all future legislation and plans for the future must have the principles of equality at their core.
This is the view of Galway West Labour candidate, councillor Derek Nolan. He said his party remains the best prospect for social protection, equality, social justice, and reform.
“Labour has a record and can be trusted on equality issues,” he said. “It has a record of advancing equality issues at both national and local level.”
To back up his argument, Cllr Nolan said: “It was Labour that established Combat Poverty. It was the Fianna Fáil government that ended Combat Poverty's independence by moving it back into the Department of Social Welfare.
“It was Labour that established the Equality Act. It was Fianna Fáil and its allies in Government that slashed the budget for the Equality Agency. On civil partnership Labour led the debate.”
Cllr Nolan has called on the public to support his election bid in order to “keep its Labour TD to have a local voice on these issues”.
“Labour gave a lead on issues of justice and peace including the rights of those in the developing world,” he said, “and in opposition to war, including the recent Iraq wars.”
