Cllr John Snell (Independent)
CLLR John Snell’s election campaign is well and truly under way as he and his team hit the canvassing trail throughout the county.
On Friday afternoon, the Independent candidate received a friendly welcome as he pressed the flesh while out and about in Wicklow town.
‘It’s going very well and it’s mainly the same issues you hear at the doors - housing, health, jobs and commuting along the N11 and N81. With these huge commutes, people are missing out on quality family time. It’s particularly difficult for young families. The IDA need to do more to attract business and jobs to Wicklow. There is too much of a focus on Dublin and there needs to be more of a Government focus on letting more people work in their home county by creating local employment.’
Cllr Snell is instantly recognised when he pops into the Wicklow Day Care Centre in Crinion Park. One of the first people to greet him is local Wicklow-man Bob Kearns, a former independent member of Wicklow Town Council. Mr Kearns is no stranger to an election campaign, whether it be a local election or a general election, and chats away amicably about his own old election leaflets, one of which featured a tiny mouse seemingly terrifying a huge elephant. The mouse represented independent candidates without large party backing, while the elephant stood for the large, firmly established parties.
‘My leaflets aren’t a jot on yours Bob with the elephant and the mouse, commented Cllr Snell.
‘I still have some of them left,’ replied Mr Kearns.
As Cllr Snell makes his way around the room, another resident of the day care centre is quick to state: ‘I hope he does really well. He has my vote.’
While Cllr Snell has been encouraged by the reception he is receiving on doorsteps, he has also encountered plenty of apathy, with many voters disillusioned with Ireland’s political scene.
There’s a lot of frustration out there. Quite a few people are saying they probably won’t even vote,’ said Cllr Snell.
‘They question what the point is as they feel the big parties will just get back in anyway. They just feel it’s musical chairs between the big parties. I would just stress that the importance of casting your vote can’t be over-emphasised. The next Government elected in will potentially sit for four years. It’s too late then to start complaining if you haven’t voted.’
Pensions have become a major general election issue with the intention to increase the age of payment of the State pension from 66 to 67 in 2021 and to 68 in 2028 causing a considerable backlash.
‘Well it’s pre-election time so I just hope they listen to what the people are saying,’ added Cllr Snell. ‘To ask someone who has worked for over 45 or 50 years to stand in a dole queue for a year or two years was always going to be embarrassing for that person. I know the parties seem to have rowed back now from what was initially proposed but we have heard that in the past during election time. Pat Rabbitte once said of making election promises which aren’t kept, “isn’t that what you do during an election?”. I wouldn’t like to think that’s the case now and that what the people are saying on the issue will just be dismissed.’