Seanie sets out stall at official launch as Hynes offers support
HE may be a first-time candidate and one who only announced his intention to run a little over a week ago, but Seanie O’Shea is already on the campaign trail, canvassing in parts of the county sometimes ignored by more seasoned politicians.
Speaking at the official launch of his General Election campaign at Ferrycarrig Park last Thursday evening, the Independents 4 Change candidate recounted how he’d purposely chosen to go to Ferndale on his first day of canvassing.
‘Mental health is a massive problem so I wanted to go canvassing where I knew it’d be tough, a tough place, with tough housing conditions,’ Seanie said.
‘Housing is a huge problem, but even people that have houses are struggling, because they might not have the money to look after them. The average unemployment nationally is 4.8% but in Wexford it’s 13%, we’re the fourth lowest rated county in Ireland. That’s where we are.’
And Seanie said that many of those he spoke to had become disenfranchised with politics.
‘I would hate to be someone from Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael going to those houses. The people there are losing interest, they’ve just switched off, they’ve nearly given up.
‘If I could get a third of people who don’t vote to vote for me I’d be a shoo-in. But how do you get those people to vote?’
Assessing his chances in next month’s election, Seanie conceded that the two main parties were likely to take at least three of the five seats on offer in Wexford.
‘I have no doubt at the moment they will have three seats between them, plus Brendan Howlin, so that’s four seats gone. So I’m fighting for just one.
‘And there’s three or four candidates looking for that seat. But I know I’m capable, what I’m capable of, and what I stand for.
‘I believe I’m honest, hard-working, fair play is my slogan, I stand for fair play. If elected I would represent the people of Wexford, I’m proud to be from Wexford.’
Introducing Seanie on the night was fellow party member and recent local election candidate Jane Johnstone, and she said the Wexford FC Chairman would seek to continue the work Mick Wallace MEP started during his time as a TD.
‘Seanie will represent the people of Wexford in a similar way to Mick, but he’s not just another version of Mick. They share similar traits, both have a strong work ethos, and the bigger the challenge the more they put in.
‘There’s a fearlessness to Seanie, he will say things that aren’t being said, start up conversations which need to be had. Seanie has made a big difference in a lot of young people’s lives, helped them to become motivated as part of a team; he can transfer those skills to the Dáil.’
One of those offering his support to Seanie on the night was Wexford Councillor Davy Hynes.
‘You are someone who will work for the ordinary people,’ said Cllr Hynes. ‘There’s three strong independents running and I hope you are the one who gets in. I’ll do whatever I can to support you.’