There has been turmoil within Fianna Fáil circles in Louth and East Meath ever since Declan Breathnach lost his Dáil seat at the 2020 general election leaving the constituency without a Fianna Fáil TD for the first time in the history of the state.
The failure so far by housing Minster Darragh O’Brien to deliver on his pre-election promises on the PANCR and internal squabbles over the response to the Covid-19 pandemic have also left the local branch of the party reeling.
It comes as no surprise then to hear that revitalisation of the party was the hot topic at this month’s Zoom meeting of the Louth and East Meath Constituency Organisation which took place last night.
Chairing the meeting for the first time was Bettystown activist Garret O’Brien, who welcomed special guests Kildare North T.D., James Lawless and Cllr Uruemu Adejinmi from Longford, the first black female mayor to have been elected in Ireland.
Deputy Lawless, who was recently appointed by Taoiseach Micheál Martin to chair the Commission on the Aims and Objectives of Fianna Fáil, told the meeting that his Committee was looking at making the party more relevant in a modern, changing Ireland, and better connecting with and increasing support among voters on a range of issues like housing, healthcare, child care and taxation.
He pledged to do his utmost to help the local party recover the seat lost in the 2020 general election.
Councillor Adejinmi spoke about the need to have more women elected across the country and praised the party’s prioritisation of this in recent years.
This was echoed by local Senator Erin McGreehan and Cllr. Andrea McKevitt, who spoke about how their positions have helped them to give a voice to women on a range of issues, such as the Mother and Baby Homes scandal, sexual harassment, and stalking.
A robust discussion followed with members from around the constituency saying it was vital to regain the seat lost at the last election.
Emphasising that “all politics is local” a number of members said it was vital for the party to be more engaged on local issues, whether it be cracking down on crime and anti-social behaviour or putting more investment into local schools and hospitals.
Closing the meeting, Deputy Lawless assured everyone that the party was in listening mode and that the results of his Commission’s work would be a Fianna Fail fit for the 21st century and able to deliver for the voters on the matters that concern them most.
