Party leaders focus on North Kerry
ARCHIVES 1989
TAOISEACH CHARLES Haughey and Fine Geal leader Alan Dukes are to focus their attention on Kerry, concentrating on Labour Party leader Dick Spring's constituency of North Kerry which is regarded by all parties as a key marginal in the General Election.
Mr. Haughey opened Kerry County Airport and the Blennerville Windmill complex on Sunday while Alan Dukes will campaign in North and South Kerry this Friday. Dick Spring has concentrated on North Kerry throughout the week where he scraped home by just four votes in the 1987 General Election.
The Taoiseach identified North Kerry during his weekend visit as one of a number of marginals in which Fianna Fail will have to win seats to secure an overall majority. And he plans a second personal visit to the constituency in a bid to oust either Jimmy Deenihan of Fine Gael or Dick Spring from their Dail seats.
On Friday Fine Gael leader Alan Dukes visits both North and South Kerry constituencies. In Kerry Dukes is expected to concentrate on health issues and emphasise that £30 million will be needed from Lottery funds before their reorganizational programme can be implemented.
Mr. Dukes is expected to counter Fianna Fail comments that the money has already been allocated by saying that Fine Gael will just have to reallocate it.
Meanwhile Labour leader Dick Spring's campaign in North Kerry got a shot in the arm following the decision of the Workers Party in the constituency to urge their voters to vote number one for Dick Spring in the absence of a WP candidate in the constituency.
Already an election row erupted in North Kerry over election literature circulated by Senator Tom McEllistrim of Fianna Fail who was pipped by just four votes for the final seat in the last election. In the hand-out McEllistrim lists seven “Personal achievements since becoming a member of Seanad Eireann”.
Fellow FF Oireachtas member Denis Foley is annoyed by a claim from McEllistrim that he obtained £2 million for a new school in Listowel.
“Tom might have had some involvement but he should not be claiming all the credit. I worked very hard on most of those projects,” said Foley.
Deputy Dick Spring said that projects like those listed do not happen overnight. Deputy Jimmy Deenihan said that Fine Gael created the national lottery and added that Fine Gael's Enda Kenny, T.D., allocated the £2 million for the Listowel school as a Junior Minister.