Labour leader Ivana Bacik paid a whistle-stop visit to County Louth and East Meath last Friday to canvass with some of the local election candidates for the party in the area, accompanied by Ged Nash TD and Labour’s European Election candidate for the area, Fergal Landy.

Having spent the morning canvassing in Ratoath in County Meath, Deputy Bacik met up with Cllr Elaine McGinty at Sonairte, the National Ecology Centre in Laytown where, as as a committed environmentalist, Deputy Bacik was delighted to be given the tour of the ecology centre before heading off to Drogheda.

Her visit to Drogheda began at Drogheda Educate Together Secondary School, accompanied by Louth Labour TD, Ged Nash, Fergal Landy, Cllr Elaine McGinty and Cllr Emma Cutlip.

Deputy Bacik took the opportunity to talk with school principal, Susan Campbell and get an update on the school’s progress towards getting a new 1,000 student school building. After that, it was time for a spot of lunch and the Labour leader made good use of a rare sunny day to eat al fresco at Relish Café in Southgate and talk to locals who stopped by for a chat.

The big set piece of the day was a visit to The Mill Enterprise Hub to congratulate everyone there on their 10th anniversary. Deputy Nash was particularly delighted to welcome the Labour leader to The Mill, which he helped progress to Phase 2 of its development while a minister in government.

Before leaving Drogheda and heading to Mid-Louth, the Labour leader took a look at the first phase of the new Port Access Northern Cross Route and the work the Labour team including Cllrs. Michelle Hall and Pio Smith are doing on infrastructural development in the area.

In Ardee, new Labour candidate, Kate Karpenko was waiting to welcome the Labour leader at NCBI charity shop in the centre of town, where Kate works. Deputy Bacik talked to locals and to Kate’s dedicated band of volunteers who are helping her take a tilt at getting elected to Louth County Council, in June.

The Labour leader’s trip around the Wee County ended in Dundalk where new candidate, Jamie O’Hare was waiting to welcome her. The visit came just two days out from the Leinster final between Dublin and Louth and Jamie took the opportunity to try to convince his party leader to switch sides and support the men in red.

Reflecting on the visit, Deputy Bacik said: “We had a great day travelling around Louth and East Meath with our brilliant Labour candidates.

“I enjoyed visiting Sonairte and hearing about the wonderful work they are doing on biodiversity there and at Drogheda Educate Together Secondary School, there was a great sense of optimism and excitement about the school’s future.

“I was encouraged by meeting the local business community at the Mill Enterprise Centre and hearing everything that is going on there and looking at the new Port Access Route, it’s clear that Drogheda can have a bright future ahead if it’s given the investment and the government attention that it deserves.

“I was hugely impressed by our two brand new candidates in Ardee, where Kate Karpenko has managed to harness a huge amount of energy and enthusiasm behind her campaign and in Dundalk where Jamie O’Hare impressed me with his passion and commitment to being a progressive voice for the area.”