NEWLY-elected Senator, Joanne Collins has vowed to be the strong Sinn Féin voice the people of County Limerick need in the Oireachtas.
Speaking after she was elected to the Seanad on the first count of the Agricultural panel, Senator Collins expressed her delight. A qualified Special Needs Assistant, Collins, who lives in Cappagh, Askeaton, believes that the people of County Limerick need a strong Sinn Féin voice in the Oireachtas to represent them.
“As well as being that strong voice for the county, I am relishing working on behalf of rural Ireland, our towns and our villages, and in particular having the backs of section 39 workers in our community and voluntary sectors.
“I want to thank everybody who voted for me – all the TDs, councillors and outgoing Senators.
“But in particular, I want to thank the thousands of people in Limerick who voted for me in November’s General Election,” Senator Collins said.
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She continued: “We came so close to electing a TD for Limerick County for the first time and I know that for the thousands of people who voted for me that the return of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to government will be of great disappointment to them.
“But, following my election to the Seanad today, Limerick now has two Sinn Féin Oireachtas members in myself and Deputy Maurice Quinlivan, who will go toe to toe with the government from day one.
“We will continue to have your back, and we will work to build an Ireland that is fairer, united, and more equal; to achieve a new era where workers, families and communities come first.”
A married mother of four children, Joanne is passionate about rural Ireland and ensuring her constituents have the same access to services as their urban dwelling counterparts. She volunteers in her local community and currently holds the position of chairperson of Cappagh Creche.
As a mother of four, she says she has experienced first hand some of the hardships facing families and is very passionate in finding ways to alleviate some of the pressures families are enduring. Joanne’s priorities include better rural public transport, broadband and improved access to rural childcare, as well as working to tackle the crises in housing, health and the cost of living.
