AONTÚ councillor for Limerick City North, Sarah Beasley, has been selected to run for her party in the upcoming General Election.
Outlining her manifesto, Cllr Beasley said she wants to be relentless in holding Government to account and actively lobby for vacant houses to be turned around to provide homes for the people on the housing list.
Over the past four years, she has been providing food, warm drinks, and clothes for rough sleepers and others experiencing homelessness in the city centre.
Beasley has also pledged that, if in Government, her party will ensure that a new emergency department will be opened in the Mid West to alleviate pressure on the health system.
She told the Limerick Post this week that she plans to be the champion in the Dáil that Limerick and its health services need.
Tackling crime and anti-social behaviour, she says, is also high on her agenda.
“Limerick has the potential to be the jewel in the crown of the Mid West, but rising crime and anti-social behaviour is a blight on the city. This can be tackled by Gardaí on our streets and investing in youth programs to divert children and young people away from a dangerous and damaging life of crime,” Cllr Beasley insisted.
“Drug and alcohol addiction is a huge problem, and we urgently need beds opened in St Joseph’s Hospital for people with addiction, and step-down facilities to ensure appropriate and smooth reintegration into society”.
Her degree in veterinary science, coupled with a long history of advocating for animal rights, Beasley says, gives her a unique insight into animal welfare. Co-author of two Dáil Bills around animal theft and cruelty, she has brought local animal care charities to Leinster House to highlight the difficulties they face.
She says she is also lobbying for the appointment of an ISPCA inspector for Limerick, which she says has not been in place for the last five years.
The Aontú councillor says she is also a vocal advocate for correct planning procedures, as chairperson of the Rhebogue Residents Association – claiming she was the first person to highlight the University of Limerick’s overpayment for housing units in the Rhebogue area.
