Labour Councillor Marie Tuohy officially launched her election campaign with her supporters over the weekend.
Cllr Tuohy officially kicked off her election campaign at Ramsbottom’s on Main St in Portlaoise, with guest speaker Alan Kelly TD praising Marie’s capability and dedication to her community.
In her address at the launch, Cllr Tuohy called on the Council to take accountability for additional services and facilities for the county, such as a multi-purpose sports arena.
Cllr Tuohy argues that the Council has given their autonomy and authority for too long, farming them out to others.
She also called on them to return to building houses.
Cllr Tuohy said: “It is time for the local authority and local government to get back to basics on issues such as housing and to resume directly building Council houses themselves.”
John O’ Mahony, Cllr’s Director of Elections, emphasized the importance of supporting the role of women in politics, as the Labour Party has always done, highlighting the election of Mary Robinson in 1990 as an example.
Tuohy’s husband Noel attended the event to show his support. He had to step down from his council seat on health grounds last year, which resulted in Tuohy’s appointment at that time. This is her first electoral campaign in her own right.
“I am relatively new to electoral politics. This is my first time to put my name on a ballot paper,” Cllr Tuohy begins, “But I am not new to caring, not new to my community, not new to contributing, not new to being committed to the things and issues I believe in and believe strongly about.
“I have been with Noel too, shoulder-to-shoulder, every step of the way, in every campaign from his POA days to his two successful Council elections.
“I am committed,” Tuohy continues, “I do care, and I do want to make a contribution to our community, a community and a town which we love so much.”
Cllr Tuohy then goes on to encourage people to talk about issues to the council instead of keeping quiet, in order to “talk it out and find solutions”.
“The council has an important impact on peoples lives and it’s important to have a voice in that room and around that table,” she goes on to say, “it is the Local Authority, its job is to listen to local people and address local issues.”
Cllr Tuohy then goes on to highlight the importance of representing the public’s interests, perspectives, and concerns. She also expresses her beliefs on the importance of debate.
“There is nothing wrong with robust, constructive debate,” she begins, “It’s healthy. That’s democracy at work. Councillors and officials should work together to the common good, but that doesn’t mean we have to agree, all singing off the same hymn sheet all the time.”
Cllr Tuohy then goes on to express her concerns that some Councillors have “given up their authority and autonomy” on important issues, using Health Services as a prime example.
She calls back to a time when there was a Laois Local Health Committee and a Midlands Health Board, where people could raise issues about children with Autism, and the status of Midlands Regional Hospital as an example.
She then moves on to bring up a multi-purpose sports arena, arguing against people who say it is not the council’s job to provide this.
“St Mary’s has served us well, but the provision of sports facilities for our young people is not the role of the Parish Priest, it’s the responsibility of County Hall,” she continued to roaring applause.
She then talks about how the “role and functions” of the council have been disregarded and delegated to others. Claiming that this has not always worked out, using housing as an example.
“County Councils should never have stopped building Council Houses,” she continues, “Great families came out of Council houses in this town and it’s time Councils started building Council houses again.”
“That’s how you address the housing list and the access to affordable homes, not by purchasing houses on the open market and not by farming it out to others.”
“It’s time for Council to get back to basics and build Council houses” Cllr Tuohy concluded.
SEE ALSO: A large number of affordable housing schemes in Laois officially opened
