Category: byelection

Gilmore to move writ on By-Election next week

30th January 2009

Statement by Eamon Gilmore TD:

The Labour Party has tabled a motion moving the writ for the Dublin South By-election. It is expected that the motion will be taken in the Dail early next week.

The Party Leader, Eamon Gilmore TD, said that Labour had made the decision to move the writ because of the failure of the government to take any decision as to when the by-election would be held.

“It is now almost seven months since the death of the much-respected Seamus Brennan. I have, on several occasions, raised the matter of the by-election with the Taoiseach, but the standard response I have received on each occasion has been that the matter had not yet been considered by the government.

“On the last occasions when vacancies occurred in the Dail, the by-elections were held within a matter of months. John Bruton and Charlie McCreevy both resigned as Deputies in November 2005, and the writs for the by-elections in Meath and Kildare North were moved in the Dail by the Government Chief Whip on February 15th.

“The people of Dublin South are entitled to the full level of representation in the Dail provided for under the constitution. It is simply not acceptable that the government should deny them that level of representation by refusing to hold the by-election.

“Furthermore if the government believes that it has the confidence of the people in terms of its performance in office so far and particularly in regard to its handling of the economy, then surely it should put this to the test by having the Dublin South by election as early as possible.

“The fact that the country is experiencing serious economic difficulties is no reason to suspend normal democratic procedures. Nor is the possibility of an embarrassing result for Fianna Fail and the Greens sufficient justification for the continued refusal to hold a by election.

“I hope that there will be support from all parties for the moving of the writ and the setting of an early date for the by-election.”

The campaign begins…

28th January 2009

Alex's ad in Dublin South

This week sees the beginning of my campaign to secure the support of the people of Dublin South in the forthcoming by-election.

Over the coming weeks, I will be out and about meeting the people of Dublin south, listening to their views on the challenges we face together, and sharing with them my perspective on the need now for a fresh approach to politics.

To mark the beginning to this intensive period of campaigning, we have mounted a short outdoor advertising campaign which will run on bus shelters and Luas across the constituency.

Remember to keep an eye on the website and blog and I have just launched my new Facebook page. You can become a supporter of mine on Facebook and receive regular updates from the campaign trail, along with receiving notification on the where we’ll be canvassing.

I hope to meet and exchange views with as many constituents as I can. In the meantime, you can contact me by using the ‘Contact Alex’ section of the site.

More :: Visit my Facebook page by clicking here
More :: Visit the main website at alexwhite.ie

Alex selected as Candidate in forthcoming by-election

21st October 2008

Alex with Local Election candidate Richard Humphreys at tonight's convention

I’m pleased and deeply honoured to have been selected by the Labour Party organisation in Dublin South as our candidate in the forthcoming By-Election in Dublin South. This By-Election, necessitated by the sad passing of Seamus Brennan, will now come at a most crucial time for our country.

Never before have we had such a clear opportunity to make decisive choices about what are the important values to our society. The recent budget statement – now apparently unravelling by the day – is the clearest evidence yet of this government’s failure on its most crucial responsibility: to secure the wellbeing of the citizens of the country, and to promote a caring and equal society. We are now reaping the errors of ten years of mismanagement and poor governance.

In due course, there will have to be a political reckoning as to what happened. As to what the current Taoiseach and indeed his predecessor as Taoiseach knew – and when did they know it. It is simply not credible to the Irish people that this economic crisis came out of nowhere. The vulnerability of our economy lies to a very considerable extent squarely at the door of the government. This is an issue which we will need to address in vigorous political debate.

At the moment, however, we are in a crisis. The solutions proposed by the government to redress the budgetary imbalance have seen cruel and unnecessary attacks on the future education of our young and the health and well being of our old. After many years of unprecedented growth and wealth generation these solutions are simply unacceptable. Labour, on the other hand, has put forward a bold and innovative programme to stimulate our economy. Over the coming months we will take this plan out to the doorsteps.

I look forward, along with many of my parliamentary and party colleagues to meeting with you and discussing the issues that are important to both of us, as we work towards delivering a decisive statement to this government that enough is enough, and that change is now required.

In this challenge, I hope I can count on your support.

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