Deputy for Longford/Westmeath James Bannon has said that democracy was ill served on Wednesday by Fianna Fail Defence Minister, Willie O’Dea, who along with Fianna Fail Deputy Peter Kelly refused to allow the Fine Gael Deputy on the area to attend this important meeting for the future of Connolly Barracks, Co Longford.
“These were the very two Fianna Fail politicians who repeatedly vowed that the barracks would not be closed.
“I have called Deputy Kelly and Minister O’Dea hypocrites for promising one thing and then crying crocodile tears when their words were found to be mere empty rhetoric.
“This meeting between the majors of Longford and the Minister, was secretly set up by Deputy Kelly who obviously feared the inclusion of the Fine Gael elected Dail representative, who had shown him up for his failure to honour his words to the people of Longford,” he said.
Deputy Bannon went on to say that, “Once again Deputy Kelly failed to produce the goods for Longford with the Minister refusing to reverse the closure or reach any compromise.
“The anger and frustration felt by the army wives and people of Longford weas strongly demonstrated by the large and very vocal turn-out at the gates of Leinster House in protest at the closure.
“I am disgusted that any Government Minister could so lightly disregard the viability of an area such as Longford and the wellbeing of soldiers, their wives, partners and children in such an arbitrary fashion.”
