Councillor Harry Barrett, Labour Party candidate for Castlebar Town Council and Mayo County Council, has made a stinging attack on the Coalition Government for their lack of vision and imagination.
“The Government doesn’t appear to have any plan to solve the jobs crisis which is savaging families in urban and rural areas. Fianna Fáil doesn’t seem to appreciate the fact that this country is facing its biggest crisis since the end of World War 2. Our county capital, Castlebar, has been totally neglected in the matter of jobs, and public service workers in the area are being crucified,” said Barrett.
He said the imposition of levies, the proposed reintroduction of university fees and cutbacks in social welfare had left people reeling with frustration and anger.
“The levies are the most severe in the history of the State and many families I have met on the canvass are fearful for the future of their families,” said Cllr Barrett.
Barrett appealed to the people of Castlebar to return two Labour councillors so that they could carry out the policies of the party leader, Eamon Gilmore.
“The people must be given hope and inspiration; all they are receiving from Fianna Fáil are empty promises, half-baked policies and putting their hands into the pay packets of hardworking people,” he said.
He challenged Fianna Fáil candidates to state what policies they were putting in place to provide jobs for the young people of Castlebar.
