Like so many others, Louth no voice at cabinet
THERE was wailing and gnashing of teeth after the west failed to secure a government minister in the coalition confirmed at the weekend.
No minister from Donegal to Clare, wailed one. No minister west of the Shannon, another. No minister on the western seaboard, the wild Atlantic Way.
While Mattie McGrath and new Labour leader Alan Kelly pointed out that not only was the west denied a minister, but so too Tipperary.
The sunny south east had no minister either, with no one at the cabinet table from Wexford or Waterford.
We here in Louth are also absent from the cabinet table and the last time we had a voice at the most influential table in Irish life was in the days of the Fine Gael and Labour coalition when Ged Nash held the post of Super Junior Minister, entitling him to attend meetings but not vote. Does it all matter, yes, sadly it does. Should it matter, absolutely not. The west of Ireland is a powerful body, well able to speak up for itself and point to the economic disadvantages of living along the western seaboard, but well able to deliver in terms of attracting tourists and investment from state bodies such as Failte Ireland.
The creation of the Wild Atlantic Way was a stroke of genius and has made marketing the west of Ireland as a tourist destination much easier.
Ireland’s Ancient East has never caught on in the same manner.
Perhaps Louth suffers from being so close to Dublin on a motorway network and being squeezed between the two capital cities on the island.
Our nearest ministers are Heather Humphreys in Monaghan/Cavan and Helen McEntee in Meath West. The former represents a border consistuency and knows the challenges presented along the border and the impact Brexit will have on communities, but how Louth could have done with a voice at the cabinet table in the coming weeks, months and years ahead.
There are three parties in a coalition government, but just one of Louth’s five TDs, Fergus O’Dowd, represents any of those parties.
Independent TD, Peter Fitzpatrick has voiced his support for new government stating, ‘ the programme for Government is ambitious, and while I do not agree with everything in it, I will support it as long as it means our country is on the road to recovery.
Deputy Fitzpatrick stated that a restoration of services in Louth County Hospital remains a key principle for him and his ongoing support will depend on the progress of restoring those services.
Meanwhile it also appears Deputy Ftizpatrick is making no apologies for wearing his second hat and as Chairman of Louth County Board he is pushing the Government to ensure ‘ that this badly needed stadium is completed’.
Meanwhile Deputies O Murchu, Munster and Nash are certain to oppose much if not all of government policies and decisions in the coming weeks and months.
Louth may not have ministerial representation but it will be interesting to see if Deputy Fitzpatrick can gain any influential for Louth through his support for the new Taoiseach and government.