The people on the doorstep are saying they want jobs, jobs, jobs along with real leadership, whether it’s at local, or at national government level, according to Labour Party Councillor Michael O’Brien.
Speaking to the Kilkenny Advertiser, Cllr O’ Brien said that in the few weeks of canvassing the issues are stark.
“This recession has been a major traumatic blow to many people in Kilkenny. The scars of bad planning and an excessive property boom continue to blot the landscape. People are angry, dejected and are seeking solutions.
“Many of us have reasons to be angry or feel let down by the way business was done in recent years. In contrast to the ‘laissez faire’ past, we now have farmers, fishermen and small businesses being crippled by over-burdening regulation. A pro-development model is now needed as a jobs stimulus so that Irish State bodies cannot hide behind a mask suggesting that ‘Brussels’ is forcing decisions upon us.
“How we protect jobs and industry and how we create practical measures that can be taken at a local level to get us on the road to recovery is the challenge. What Kilkenny needs right now are people with leadership and energy who can engage with regional and State job-creation institutions that are good for our county,” he said.
