Mike McGrath’s
Doyle launches local election campaign
THERE was a capacity attendance at the launch at the Charleville Park Hotel on Monday night of Cllr. Ian Doyle’s bid for re-election to Cork County Council at the May local elections.
Cllr Doyle, who was elected for the first time in 2014 for the Fermoy Municipal area, has been a hugely successful councillor representing the communities in his area tirelessly over the past five years. However, due to electoral boundary changes in Cork county in this election, he will be contesting a seat in the Kanturk Municipal District and will be fighting to win one of only four seats.
Present at the launch were Michael McGrath, the Fianna Fail spokesman on finance, Michael Moynihan, TD for Cork North West, Cllr Seamus McGrath, Cllr. Gearóid Murphy and Jason Fitzgerald, who will be a candidate in the upcoming European Parliament elections.
In his address, Cllr Doyle said that it was important to have a local voice at the council table representing local matters, especially in Charleville, which was on the periphery of the county. “I am very proud to represent the Charleville area in Cork County Council as I come from a family deeply rooted in this community,” he said. “I am involved in many roles in the North Cork region, both economic and social, having been in business for the last 30 years and having a lifetime of volunteering experience.
“For the last five years I have tirelessly represented the local communities of Charleville, Newtown and Ballyhea in the Fermoy Municipal District, securing valuable funding for many local projects and schemes.
“From May 2019 we will be part of the Kanturk Municipal District and I pledge to represent the existing and extended areas with the same vigour and passion that I have done for the last five years. I have worked to foster a network of collaborations between residents, community groups, business owners and farmers, and this has formed my strong belief that community decisions must involve community voices,” he said.
Cllr Doyle outlined the improvements achieved and grants secured for Charleville and for other local communities in his area over the past five years, and stressed the need for a strong local voice in order to achieve these results.
Michael Moynihan TD endorsed Cllr. Doyle’s record and said it was vital that there was somebody from Charleville representing the town and the people of the other communities in the area, and his presence on the council was needed now more than ever. “He is aware of everything that goes on locally and knows all the citizens and they were extremely lucky to have him as their representative,” said Deputy Moynihan.
Sr. M. Celestine of the Charleville Sheltered Housing group said Ian has the capacity to deliver for his area and he must be elected again, saying he has done phenomenal work for the area working seven days a week, and even though she was a Fine Gael supporter she would be voting for Ian Doyle.
She also called on Michael McGrath TD to give small businesses a tax break of some kind. “They are striving to keep their doors open and should receive some help from government in the form of rates rebate to assist them,” she said.
Michel McGrath TD said he was delighted to be present and to see every aspect of life in Charleville town and area represented in support of Ian Doyle. “He has been an excellent representative who will leave no stone unturned to achieve and deliver for the people in association with the organisations of the town and other communities in the area, whether that be for St. Joseph’s Foundation or the St. Vincent de Paul Society, which Ian works for in an understated way,” said Deputy McGrath, adding that he would be happy to come back to canvass for Ian Doyle before the election.
He also praised the role of Michael Moynihan TD for the work he does in raising matters concerning rural Ireland at national level.
Ian Doyle thanked all the visiting public representatives for being present, the members of the Fianna Fail organisation locally and his own team of workers and his wife, Angie, and his immediate and extended family members for their loyalty and support, and said he would privileged to continue to work for them in Cork County Council for the next five years.