Minister for Finance, Michael McGrath was in Dundalk on Wednesday delivering a good news message to party supporters at a business breakfast hosted by Senator Erin McGreehan in the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
n doing so he outlined the scale of the capital investments and programmes which are in the works and Louth can benefit from or are specific to the county.
Looking towards the next General Election which will have to be held by Spring 2025 at the latest, the recently appointed Minister for Finance gave a strong endorsement to his host for the morning’s breakfast, Senator McGreehan.
Fianna Fail have no Deputy in Louth’s five seat constituency with Declan Breathnach having lost the seat he won in 2016 in the 2020 General Election.
Asked what strategy the party could adopt to regain a Dáil seat in Louth, he conceded that national policies and delivery would be crucial to the party’s overall performance but that “an equally important issue is the quality of the candidate, because candidates can buck the trend and can get elected even facing into headwinds and we do have an outstanding senator here in Erin McGreehan, who no doubt will be contesting the next General Election for Fianna Fáil here in Louth”.
“We will be putting absolutely everything behind her campaign because not only will she be a fantastic TD, she would be a great national representative and we very much hope that she can be successful”.
Although still to be formally selected as a candidate by convention nearer the time of the Election, it was a strong indication of his support for the Cooley Senator who chimed in that she would indeed be seeking her party nomination at the appropriate time.
“We have to be seen to deliver in County Louth and that comes back to all of the issues that I spoke about in my speech earlier” stated the Minister, “the investment in infrastructure, getting a settlement to the outstanding Brexit issues, investing in the Shared Island Fund, Peace Plus, supporting local businesses”
“That's what it comes down to, things that are visible that people will see and feel and benefit from, including all of the housing projects, the investment in DkIT, the Narrow Water Bridge, and so much more such as improvement in rail. There's a huge amount of money that is coming into the constituency. This is a strategic County, given that it is on the axis between Dublin and Belfast, It is the link between the Republic and the North”.
"We see huge economic potential here and are delighted to see some positive announcements by IDA clients, I think a lot more can be achieved, so we will be working with them and working with Enterprise Ireland, to build the local economy and to maximise the North South opportunities@.
Leaving Dundalk the next appointment in the day was a first meeting with UK Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt where the ongoing issues around Brexit would be on the agenda.
"I think uncertainty is the enemy of businesses, they really crave certainty and stability. So hopefully there will be a resolution. The talks are happening in a very professional manner now, we're not seeing any leaks, which is good. Having said that, the EU and UK reaching agreement doesn't mean that we get a full political settlement in Northern Ireland”.
"We have to get the Executive restored and the Assembly back up and running. We really do want to see that, not just because of the anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement is coming up in April, but the people of Northern Ireland deserve to have their democratic institutions up and running and meeting their needs”.
“There was a lot to play for, the prizes are big, a final settlement of all Brexit questions that secures the Good Friday Agreement, the open border and the island are placed in the single market and facilitates free flowing east west trade. It's a big, big prize. We think we're close to it, and hopefully we can get it over the line.
