McGuinness and Cullinane to run for Dáil seats

Sinn Féin has confirmed at its convention last week that the party will run two candidates for the upcoming General Election for Waterford. 

Health spokesperson for the party, David Cullinane TD will return to the ticket, with Councillor Conor McGuinness making the leap for the first time. 

Speaking to the Waterford News & Star, Cllr McGuinness, who initially joined the Sinn Féin party with Ógra Shinn Féin in 2001, said the party is "very serious about getting into Government."

"We have the policies, we have the personnel and we have the political will to make really serious and long standing interventions in housing, in health care, in the cost of living, and in public services for the communities that we represent," said Cllr McGuinness. 

"And we're not going to be able to do that unless we're in government," he continued, "so it is up to the people. We live in a democracy, and it'll ultimately be up to the people and who they elect to government and the composition of government. After that, we will put our best foot forward."

The local Councillor is of the opinion that mid-west Waterford needs its own TD as it's the "neglected part of the county", with Waterford being the "neglected county of the South East" by Government. 

"We see that in terms of inward investment, in terms of public services right across the board, from from Kilmacthomas, back west, up to Tallow bridge, including Dungarvan, and that includes the West Waterford and this is something that I've been championing for a long time, that Dungarvan and West Waterford needs a locally based public representative at the national level."

"We need a TD for Dungarvan and West Waterford," said Cllr McGuinness. 

In addition to how the Sinn Féin party intends to make changes should the party be successful in filling the Dáil with majority members, Cllr McGuinness added that the Gaeltacht in Waterford has been forgotten about and Government needs a change of attitude towards one of the fastest growing Gaeltacht areas in the country: "When it comes to the Gaeltacht, I live in the Gaeltacht. I am very passionate about maintaining the Gaeltacht as a unique linguistic community. And the West Waterford Gaeltacht has grown, in fact, over the last 10 years, the only Gaeltacht area to do it."

He said Government appears to be "determined to undermine that growth, that progress, that development, by underfunding and under serving". 

Cllr McGuinness said to have the development of the Gaeltacht area under the responsibility of "somebody from the other end of the county, really sums up the attitude". 

"It sums up the indifference, the lack of understanding, and the negligence that exists when it comes to looking after our Gaeltacht areas and national heritage," he added. 

With a very young family, Cllr McGuinness is conscious of this being his second upcoming election in less than a year, and that there's always a heavy workload, but he added, "if you need something done, ask a busy person, and David and I seem to always be busy with family and constituents. But we're well-versed at managing." 

Cllr McGuinness spoke about how his name being added to the ballot paper for the upcoming General Election was a "natural progression" from joining Sinn Féin to his current role. 

"I'm very much involved in the community, and I'm very lucky with where I live and the community that's around me, I want to give something back," he concluded.