Mary Lou has confidence in Mythen
IN THE COSY SURROUNDINGS of the Gorey Family Resource Centre, Sinn Féin party leader Mary Lou McDonald sits comfortably beside Enniscorthy man Johnny Mythen and the pair are confident that the candidate is well placed to best represent the people of Wexford in Dáil Eireann this time around.
As it is not his first time on the campaign trial, the former councillor realises that things are different than the last time when he ran in the general election in 2016.
‘ The boundary changes in this year’s local election, it favoured the bigger parties and it had a major affect, that’s why lost our councillors,’ said Johnny.
‘But we feel the time is now because the Wexford people are fighters, they recognise the people who try to do good things and that the established parties haven’t delivered for them’.
Viewing himself as best suited to replace Mick Wallace, Mythen said that Wexford needs an alternative view.
‘Sinn Féin would have much the same principles as Mick. What he brought to the floor was that whistle blowers could speak, something we totally support. I think of Maurice McCabe, these are the issues we want to take on.
‘We are much the same type of mould in terms of attitude.
The Sinn Fein leader assures that Mythen will comb his hair and avoid pink shirts, but that he will impact change having the party push behind him. ‘ The core of Sinn Fein politics is standing up for people, that’s what our activism is about in terms of delivering on the ground.
‘We’re not part of that establishment consensus that has failed large sections of society, who have run this state since its foundation and believe they have a God given right to run this state forever.
‘We bring more to the table than Mick Wallace. Johnny Mythen is part of a big national team, North, South, East and West’.
Mythen feels that Mick Wallace was in there for the big issues, but instead he is interested in the bread and butter.
‘Wexford is the forth most disadvantaged county in Ireland, we should always question that. I want to see my county be one of the best, and be fair equal in its services to everybody’.
Ms McDonald said that with just a few days to go, she would caution anyone assuming that the seat belongs to any one party in particular.
‘People need to take these opportunity to actually give other politics a chance to deliver for them. It’s not written in stone anywhere that it has to be tweedledum or tweedledee, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael and there’s a tendency to lapse into that.
‘Johnny represents people who want a different and better way of delivering housing, health and sustainable incomes.
‘He is very much a people person, what you see is what you get. He’s possessed of all these old fashion things like integrity and kindness. ‘He doesn’t bluff, if you ask Johnny a question he will give you a straight answer and I’ve every confidence in Johnny’.
Describing canvassing in November as character building, Ms McDonald said that there is a fight ahead for this by-election.
‘We don’t mistake for a second that we are in a battle here. But what we bring in not being part of the cosy consensus is that we’re fresh legs, fresh eyes, we’re not in the pocket of anybody.
‘I feel we can bring a new sense of purpose and energy to politics, Johnny can bring that’.
When asked if Sinn Féin would consider a coalition with Fianna Fáil, she said the party would favour a left led government in an ideal scenario.
‘ The truth is that neither Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael are an ideal coalition or government parties for us but I’ve set out very clearly that I don’t feel we are going to sort out housing with Sinn Féin, because we have the policies and the plaforms to do so.
‘Proper funding of public health services, that are real robust and properly resourced public health service, we are the people to champion and deliver that.
‘ The only circumstances that we’d be going into government would be if we were sure that we could deliver on those core issues that matter to workers and families in their everyday lives’.
A key campaign issue for Sinn Féin is Irish unity in relation to Brexit.
‘We have to have the conversation. It’s insane that political leaders won’t talk about it, I regard that as irresponsible.
‘We criticised those across the water for walking blind into Brexit, and we don’t want an unplanned conversation on Irish unity because the referendum is going to happen.
‘It can be done planned or chaotic, and we’re for it being planned,’ she said.
Coming from the point of view of Wexford fishermen, Mr Mythen said that Brexit is not good news.
‘Rosslare needs joined up thinking, we haven’t got time for this because Brexit is not good for anybody.
‘ The bigger companies will survive, but it’s the small companies in Wexford dealing in sterling that will have the effect.
‘Particularly the fishing industry and factories in Kilmore, it’s a major problem in terms of how it will be cut up between the UK and EU’.
Agreeing with the candidate Mary Lou McDonald described Brexit as a ‘game changer’.
‘When they leave, that is only the beginning of the beginning. It will utterly change everything economically, socially and politically on the island.
‘ The reality is that the moment has now come for our politics, it has come of age. People with an eye to the future and the economy, prosperity and stability will understand that the conversations need to start around the Irish question,’ she said.
Mythen agreed saying that he will push the political will on this matter but for Sinn Féin, it’s not just about seats.
‘We are a republic, a sovereign country and the people are the citizens, they have the control, not guys in the Dáil.
‘We are not planning, we are all going to get old but we haven’t planned for it. Do not say it’s normal for a child to wait six years for a service.
‘I’ve been a member of Sinn Féin all my life. Most members are just ordinary working class people, that went through hardship. We can connect with people, we are not just there for a seat’.
With a general election very much on the cards, Johnny said that it will be down to the grassroots as to whether he is selected to contest for the party, but he looks forward to the outcome of this Friday’s vote.