Your ballot paper at a glance
First elected to the Dáil in 1989, he has served as Agriculture Minister since the election of Leo Varadkar as Taoiseach.
If re-elected, he has set as his priorities for the coming Dáil term:
“The timely completion of the N22 Macroom Bypass and rollout of the National Broadband Plan.
“Delivering Project Ireland infrastructure commitments such as new schools, health facilities & public works.
“Protection & Creation of Job Opportunities in the FDI, Agri & SME Sectors.”
Colette Finn is a researcher at University College, Cork. She has spent over 30 years in the Hospital Laboratory Service. She has studied Economics to doctoral level. After working in Africa, she has come to realise the importance of politics to ordinary people’s lives.
“I stand for fairness and equality. There is a considerable amount that can be achieved through cooperation. Smaller communities have always worked together to help each other. I want to promote cooperatives and work with Government port and develop co-operative businesses.”
A new candidate from a new party, Becky Kealy works in the pharmaceutical industry.
“FF and FG have been playing musical chairs with the voters of this constituency and because the main parties are so sure of their positions, Cork North West has been badly neglected by central government. The political system in Ireland is broken. The current crop of politicians are so out of touch with the people and the issues, it’s almost unbelievable.
“People are sick to the hind legs of empty promises from politicians. We need real change and beneficial reforms now.”
A barrister living in Ballincollig, Ciarán McCarthy has been seleted to run for the Social Democrats in the forthcoming election since November 2017.
“My motivations are fairness and equality.
“Caring about the most vulnerable in our society forms the basis of our party.
“Universal healthcare in our communities, affordable housing, reducing the costs of living, an anti-corruption agency and empowering local business and communities are worth fighting for and why I’m running.”