Fitzer felt like a ‘puppet on a string’ in FG
‘I felt like a puppet on a string when I was in Fine Gael... as a backbencher you are just there to push a button,’ said Peter Fitzpatrick, Independent candidate in the General Election.
He sensationally quit the party in 2018 to stand as an Independent TD, and pulled no punches about his reasons for leaving while on the campaign trail this week.
Having thrown off the shackles, as he sees it, of party politics, he told the Argus he was ‘free to speak my mind’, and to vote ‘with my conscience.’
The Dundalk man is facing the mammoth task of securing his position as Louth’s first Independent candidate to be elected to Dail Eireann.
He is among 11 candidates, declared so far, who are chasing five seats in Louth.
And, he says he’s aware of what that challenge means.
‘I know I’m fighting for the last seat, but I’m in this to win. Louth needs an independent TD, Dundalk needs an independent
Women for Election has called on all parties to aim for 40% gender balance among their candidates.
Ciairín de Buis, CEO of Women for Election said: ‘ The 30% requirement is the bare minimum, we’re calling on the parties to be much more ambitious and to aim for a more balanced ticket. GE2020 is historic in that for the first time (as far as we know), there is at least one woman running in every constituency. We saw in the local elections in May that when women ran, they were just as likely to get elected. Now we have the chance to see more women elected to the Dáil, the parties need to make sure there are more women on the ticket and so the electorate then have the chance to make that happen.’
Nominations close 12 noon tomorrow ( Tuesday).
The Irish Council Against Blood Sports has called for voters to question candidates about their stance on blood sports and animal cruelty issues.
They have highlighted sitting politicians who in June 2016 voted against Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan’s bill to ban live hare coursing which included Declan Breathnach (Fianna Fail) Peter Fitzpatrick (now standing as an Independant but a member of Fine Gael at the time), Imelda Munster (Sinn Fein) and Fergus O’Dowd,. They note on their website that in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, Deputies Breathnach, Fitzpatrick and O’Dowd voted in favour of the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations which granted €80 million/€ 80 million/€ 84 million/€ 84 million of taxpayers’ money to horse and greyhound racing. ‘I felt like a puppet on a string when I was in Fine Gael... as a backbencher you are just there to push a button.’
Peter Fitzpatrick, who sensationally quit the party in 2018 to stand as an Independent TD pulled no punches about his reasons for departing Fine Gael.
Having thrown off the shackles, as he sees it, of party politics, he told the Argus: ‘I’m free to speak my mind now, to vote with my conscience.’
Health, and specifically calls to reopen the Louth County Hospital, have been a central theme in Peter Fitzpatrick’s political career.
‘I really believe that Simon Harris has been the worst Minister for Health, overcrowding is getting worse, and all while we have a hospital like the Louth where people are driving past to go up and sit for hours waiting in the Lourdes.’
The Dundalk man is facing the mammoth task of securing his position as Louth’s first Independent candidate to be elected to Dail Eireann.
And, he says he’s aware of what that challenge means.
‘I know I’m fighting for the last seat, but I’m in this to win. Louth needs an independent TD, Dundalk needs an independent voice.’
It’s less than two years since he left the party which he represented in two successful general elections, but he adds: ‘My office was never as busy as it has been in the last eighteen months.’
‘Something I’d like people to realise is that if I don’t get elected, that office closes, and the place where we’ve been seeing so many people come into for help with a wide range of issues over these last few years won’t be there.’
He added: ‘In all my years as a TD I’ve never asked people to vote for me... but I am now.’
He is also able now to give his views on how the current government have been performing, saying they have ‘ let people down on housing’ and ‘ haven’t addressed the serious homelessness problem in this country.’
As canvassing got underway in the last week, he reveals that door to door visits around Dundalk have highlighted to him ‘just how many vacant properties there are in this town,’ houses which he said should be put into use.
It was an eye opening experience, he admits, when he became involved with the local campaign ‘Save Our Homeless Dundalk’ as the extent of the homeless problem locally became clear.
In the last few years, he has been working quietly with the local charity, without wanting to ‘promote it’ he says, to help find housing for people in difficulty.
For some of these, the battle against addiction has also been a major factor, and again he has been working under the radar to secure treatment for those needing it most.
With a lifelong dedication to sport, both as a player, manager and chairman, it’s not surprising that he sees it as a gateway to a more positive future for many young people.
‘We have to educate our young people about drugs, and provide them real alternatives. Sport provides such as social outlet, and team building skills.’
Peter Fitzpatrick’s nine years as a TD have not been
There was a call out to all candidates in the General Election not to put up posters in a number of designated areas around the county.
In a direct appeal to candidates, the Louth Tidy Towns Together group issued a statement asking them not to erect posters in areas outside of the main two towns.
‘As the general election campaign is now under way Louth Tidy Towns Together, the network of Tidy Towns groups in the county, is again asking all candidates to voluntarily comply with their request not to erect posters within the 50km/h speed limits of, nor at landscaped approaches to, 13 designated towns and villages in County Louth.
A spokesperson for the group explained: ‘We are seeking a voluntary commitment to avoid erecting posters in these designated areas, and without controversy.
The split from Fine Gael was clearly rooted in much personal dissatisfaction with the party, but it was his stance on abortion - voting no in the referendum - which also put him in the spotlight.
‘I wanted to be able to vote with my conscience’ he reflected, and although he was considered in the minority of TD’s who were against abortion being made legal in Ireland, the Dundalk man feel that this limited restriction on where posters are erected is a reasonable compromise between the need for public engagement with the election process and the aesthetic and environmental considerations that concern our member groups.’
‘We were very pleased with the high level of compliance with our similar request at the local and European elections in 2019 and the presidential election and referendums in 2018, and hope that all candidates in this election will also comply with this voluntary code.’
The 13 towns and villages involved are Annagassan, Blackrock, Carlingford, Castlebellingham/Kilsaran, Dromiskin, Dunleer, Knockbridge, Louth Village, Monasterboice/Tinure, Omeath, Sandpit, Stabannon and Tallanstown.
The towns of Dundalk and Drogheda are not included. said he had much support on the issue too.
The former Louth County manager said he would ‘always be a sportsman’ when asked about the delays in securing funds for the planned new County Stadium in Dundalk.
‘We didn’t get the sports capital grant this time... it’s been a very frustrating process. But I was up at Croke Park within 24 hours meeting John Horan who gave me his