Sunny side out for Karin despite gloomy conditions
IT was an afternoon of dreary conditions as the waves broke high over the pier at Courtown harbour and the skies above were hanging grey and dull.
As we shook in unison with the cold, a bright Karin Dusbky, by-election candidate for the Green Party, was dressed in a yellow coat and could be met with a beeming smile as she focused on battling on.
She had her trustee campaign manager with her, her husband Paul Dubsky.
He remarked that being retired has given him the free time for campaigning, but it has been quite a sudden campaign as Karin joined the party only weeks ago.
Hoping to make her mark in the Dáil chamber, the marine ecologist at Trinity College Dublin is gentle in her approach but once she gets the potential voters talking, it’s all about the difference she will make to how Ireland deals with climate change and the environment.
Karin is definite that she has the knowledge and experience to hit the ground running and impliment change, as over 30 years at Coastwatch has taught her a thing or two about a greener Wexford.
The Ballymoney woman points to history as we keep dry inside a Courtownm
convience store.
She says she is up against it but enjoys a challenge, pleading to some locals to put a woman in the Dáil.
With strangers, Karin has some work to do to explain her background but with those familiar faces, she is told she deserves the seat and a number one vote to her delight.
After a walk around the ghost town, Karin is drawn with excitement to visit the Courtown and North Beach feasability study on display at the Taravie hotel and it’s easy to see that this type of work is her comfort zone.
She speaks about the plans at all levels, from natural beauty and love for the area, as well as fish stocks and the natural flow of the water.
She explained that in terms of support so far, it has really come mostly from young people.
‘Many older and younger people both understood the seriousness of climate change and expressed their concerns about the unwillingness of existing politicians to address urgent issues.
‘The younger cohort want to make a bit of noise immediately, as the climate strikes demonstrate’.
Karen was asked by young people if she had marched herself and what she thought of Greta Thunberg.
‘Young people said they will vote or would if they were registered. The number who have never voted surprised me but the intention to change, that was really encouraging’.
Across the board though, Karin said she has met a lot of different reactions.
‘The commerical sector had the most varied responses, with more traditional party support but in the urban areas, there is a difference between the less and better off areas.
‘Several canvassers reported that the Green Party was being blamed for carbon tax and smokeless coal, and impatience when you go to explain that this is incorrect.
‘The threat of air pollution killing people has been brought up more frequently in better off areas’.
The main topics that have come up regardly for Karin have been transport in rural Wexford, cycle lanes and pedestrian access, law enforcement of land and sea, fishing stocks as well as public information on wind turbines off the Wexford coast.
Karin hopeful for support from farmers and fishermen.
‘Farmers are in agreement on key points of change needed in CAP and farm payments, as they are too near despair and blame for mental upset and children not taking over the farms.
‘They feel pushed to intensify with bigger herds, but also blamed for higher emissions and water quality issues. On top of that they have to deal with the implications if the price drops, if a drought occurs, if the weather stays cold and wet for too long and the slurry storage is used up.
‘Coastal land owners and communities bring up erosion, rock armour and in case of farmers too, loss of land and flooding most often. Beach and recreation issue questions featured, even marine litter as well as lack of fish and shellfish, anglers and fishermen across the county,’ she said.
Looking forward to the final week ahead before Friday’s vote, Karin is still unsure if she will be considered the general election but she’ll be having a party regardless.
Karin’s campaign team have organised DJ Hayley Connolly to perform at Place on Esmond Street, Gorey on Thursday, November 28, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and all are welcome.