Ní Riada hoping for nod from Wexford voters
HAVING lost out to Michael D Higgins in last year’s presidential race, there’s an element of ‘out of the frying pan and into the fire’ about Sinn Féin MEP Liadh Ní Riada’s European election campaign. Having taken on the high profile race for the presidency and all that it entails, she now returns to the campaign trail as she looks to retain her European Parliament seat.
‘I feel like the perpetual candidate,’ she laughed, while being shown around the new Wexford Men’s Shed in Redmond Park. While Ní Riada is most definitely and driven and confident lady, it’s evident that she still carries the scars of her unsuccessful presidential campaign.
‘ Too soon!’ she laughed when asked about it. ‘No, I choose to look forward and not back. It’s the things you don’t do in life that you regret. I think it’s something that anyone should do once, but I don’t think it’s something I’ll be rushing back into again, I’ll put it that way. I think I’m more effective in Europe. On the other hand, off the back of the presidential election campaign, covering ten counties seems doable.’
A regular visitor to these parts, the Cork native was taking part in a whistle-stop tour of the county. In particular, she was delighted to see the progress at the Men’s Shed - a cause that is close to her heart and one which has seen a lot of work from her party colleague Cllr Tom Forde.
‘I’ve been an advocate of Men’s Sheds since I began back in 2014,’ she said, having met a couple of representatives from the Wexford group. ‘I even brought a delegation to Brussels to allow for networking and to grow the network. It’s an invaluable service, both from a mental health and a social point of view and I think things like this can’t be supported enough.’
While impressed with the facilities, Ms Ní Riada was not in town just to inspect tools and materials. With Fianna Fáil’s Malcolm Byrne and Independent Mick Wallace both seeking to become the first Wexford MEP since Avril Doyle, she may find it that little bit harder to pick up Wexford votes this time around. However, she believes that she’s done enough work for Wexford in the past five years to give her the edge over her rivals.
‘I’ve been to Wexford many, many times in the past five years,’ she said. ‘ The reaction has been very good so far. I love getting back out into the constituencies. It’s good to remind yourself why you’re there. When you’re stuck in what, let’s face it, can be long and dreary committee meetings in Europe, it’s good to get back and meet with the people you are representing.’
One area which Ní Riada has been active in across Wexford is fisheries. Having already had numerous meetings with the county’s fishing families, things are about to get much more complicated in a post-Brexit Ireland.
‘I’ve fought tooth and nail for the fishermen and women of this country,’ she said, listing off some of the schemes that have been implemented under her watch. ‘ These people have been failed by successive governments. People say that there’s no vote there, but these are marginalised people. I see great potential in Ireland’s fisheries if it gets proper investment. With Brexit we’re going to have even bigger problems with all the foreign vessels that have been displaced now coming to fish in Irish waters. It’s my goal to continue my work on the fisheries committee and to bring things I’ve been working on over the line.’
Another key issue for the people of Wexford on a European scale is Rosslare Europort. Ms Ní Riada says major action is required. ‘It’s time to actually put our money where our mouth is,’ she said. ‘Even if we don’t have a hard Brexit, Dublin port is too congested. It’s a nightmare for hauliers. It makes absolute sense to revitalise Rosslare and with a proper rail connection, it has the potential to revitalise the whole region. Money will be provided from Europe, so it seems to be a lack of political will that has prevented action on Rosslare up to this point. Ireland exists outside of the M50.’
As well as doing her own canvassing among the people of Wexford, Ní Riada was there to support Sinn Féin’s local election candidates. Showing her around was Cllr Johnny Mythen who will contest the Enniscorthy District and is Sinn Féin’s candidate of choice for Wexford in the next general election having narrowly missed out to Paul Kehoe on the last outing.
‘Johnny has done Trojan work,’ she said. ‘He should’ve taken TD last time out and I hope to see him get over the line in the next general election. We have a very strong team in Wexford. We aim to cover all the bases from the local, to national to Europe. It wouldn’t be uncommon for the likes of Johnny to ring me up and ask my advice in relation to the availability of funding for certain things. We all work together.’
While the European elections may not be generating as much discussion as the locals, Ms Ní Riada will be hoping that her visits to Wexford and her profile from the presidential election will work in her favour as people take to the polls on May 24.