COUNCILLORS are already gearing up for next June’s local elections and have begun pounding the pavement in search of votes.
Fine Gael councillor Sarah Kiely was joined on the canvass in her own parish of Janesboro last week by none other than Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Paschal Donohoe.
The former Finance Minister appears to have been a big hit with people in the working class area of the city, Cllr Kiely told the Limerick Post.
All smiles and photo opportunities, the City East representative, who is hoping to retain her seat for a second tenure, deemed it a successful outing.
“It was great to be honest. I wasn’t taking anyone else as he is in a very similar electoral area as myself. We are both from a working-class area and are not afraid to meet people and chat about all issues,” Cllr Kiely explained.
“We went to the Spotted Dog in Janesboro for a bit of lunch and the staff there were absolutely amazing, so attentive, and asked if they could get a picture with him. Other pub patrons came over for a chat too. They were asking questions about the upcoming budget and plans for the future,” she said.
According to Cllr Kiely, Minister Donohoe was “so in tune” with people on the doorsteps.
“There wasn’t a lack of conversation that’s for certain,” she said with a wry grin.
“He has a really good way with people and it was lovely to see people’s reaction when the door opened and they saw Paschal. Some reactions were very funny. ‘Oh, my God, I know you from the telly,” one person said. Others wanted a photo and asked me to send them the photos afterwards,” Cllr Kiely confessed.
The Limerick councillors says Minister Donohoe was very impressed with the Boro Park in Colbert Avenue and took pictures of the trees, which are dedicated to people in the area.
