by Alan Jacques
NEWCASTLE West councillor Seamus Browne claims that a Sinn Féin government will deliver a fair recovery for rural Ireland.
Cllr Browne made the comments at the launch of the fair recovery campaign in County Limerick this week attended by Ireland South MEP Liadh Ní Riada.
Sinn Féin rolled out a major state-wide campaign for a fair recovery in Kilteely on Monday. As part of the campaign the party will distribute 15,000 leaflets while canvassing every area of the Limerick County constituency. A town-hall style public meeting has also been planned for the coming months.
“Any recovery, if it is to be considered fair, must address the needs and concerns of rural Ireland. That is what a Sinn Féin government will deliver,” Cllr Browne vowed.
“For too long the people living in our towns and villages have been treated as second-class citizens. Government policies have both ignored and actively marginalised rural Ireland. This government is responsible for neglecting our rural communities. They have continued the trend of underinvestment perpetuated by successive government.”
The Sinn Féin councillor insists that the government are not just failing to support towns and villages, but are actively undermining our future by implementing policies that “decimate public services, tear at the social fabric of our communities and foster widespread deprivation and unemployment”.
“They do this while focusing policies for economic development on urban hubs along the east coast. This disparity cannot continue.”
Cllr Browne claims that a Sinn Féin government would put the interests of rural Ireland and Limerick County at the heart of its mission to build a fair economic and social recovery.
“We are committed to regenerating rural communities and economies. Through the rural-proofing of all policies, Sinn Féin would ensure the more equal distribution of finance and resource throughout the state. We want to meet as many people as possible and talk with them about our ideas for delivering a fair recovery.”
