Verona is first Wexford TD to register at Dáil
INDEPENDENT WEXFORD TD has been courted by political parties over recent days as they frantically try to form a Government.
The Ramsgrange woman was the first TD to register at the houses of the Oireachtas on Tuesday morning ahead of attending a meeting about Brittany Ferries arriving at Rosslare Europort on February 28.
Ms Murphy said: ‘I was the first of the Wexford candidates to register. It was exciting and a chance to get my bearings. It’s a completely different experience going in there as a public representative compared to representing a union.’
She confirmed that she has had phone calls with people about the formation of Government. ‘As far as I am concerned we are a long way from the formation of a Government. Ideally I will be looking at a Programme for Government. I don’t believe we are anywhere near that.’
Ms Murphy said she has a mandate from the people of Co Wexford which she will be taking into her discussions involving the formation of a Government and into her work as a public representative. Among the main issues she will highlight are the need for Tier I status for Rosslare Europort with the December 31 Brexit deadline looming and a campus for the university of the south east based in Co Wexford.
She said the 160 elected TDs are all very capable of thrashing out issues to form a Government. ‘ There are 19 Independents, along with Social Democrats and Sinn Fein and all have the mandate to reflect the will of the people. I have had phone calls in relation to the possibility of forming a Government and possible alliances. My position at the end of the day is that there are three leaders of the larger parties and they are the people who have to reflect that change people voted for.’