Baxter slams FF ‘pretenders claim Labour candidate Hughie Baxter this week reminded Ógra Chairman in Roscommon, Ivan Connaughton that Fianna Fáil doesn’t have a God-given right to rule the country indefinitely to their own advantage. Responding to recent comments by Ógra Chairman in Roscommon, Ivan Connaughton, which referred to opposition candidates as ‘pretenders’, Mr. Baxter reminded him that it’s not a monarchy we live in, but rather a republic. ‘I know that there may be some people in Fianna Fáil who believe they have a god-given right to govern this country indefinitely to their own advantage. Indeed the use of the word ‘pretender’ illustrates how far they have travelled to believing that they are some kind of 21st century monarchy, supported of course by Ireland’s new landed aristocracy – the property speculators. ‘I’m not sure if it’s because they managed to get their name in the national anthem, but Fianna Fáil often seems to think that they own this country. They think that our tax money is theirs to dispense as they see fit. They may have forgotten the ‘Republican’ sub-title in their party name, but I can assure them that we still live in a democracy and a Republic, and that it is high time we lived up the ideals on which this Republic was founded and began to ‘cherish all the children of the nation equally”, Mr. Baxter added. According to recent reports in local press, Ógra Chairman, Ivan Connaughton, in his remarks introducing Deputy Michael Finneran, referred to independent and other opposition candidates as ‘pretenders’ who had the ‘audacity to stand for election’ and described their viewpoints as ‘ranting gibberish’. Mr. Baxter said he would be very happy if voters were to judge Fianna Fáil on their record of service to the people of Roscommon, as suggested at the meeting, since their record had been one of neglect and failure to realise the county’s potential. Mr. Baxter cited rising unemployment and the low level of disposable income in the county, and said that there would be more Ministerial visits to the county in the five months before the election than the number of jobs created in Roscommon in the last ten years. ‘In the last month we have seen that unemployment in Roscommon rose by 13% while nationally unemployment is still decreasing. The Central Statistics Office has again reported that disposable income per person in Roscommon is among the lowest in the country. Instead of tackling these real issues, Fianna Fáil, in their time-honoured tradition, try to blame the opposition for their government’s failures. They don’t want the facts to get in the way of a good story. These facts are not ‘ranting gibberish’ from opposition candidates; they come from the government’s own agencies. ‘Meanwhile we continue to see factory closures in places in Rooskey and Boyle. The IDA continues to direct foreign investment to the east coast. Over 50% of IDA assisted jobs went to four counties (Dublin, Kildare, Meath, Wicklow). Roscommon doesn’t even feature on the IDA’s website as a location for foreign investment. Small wonder jobs are not being created here. We will see more Ministerial visits to the County in the first five months of this year, than the number of jobs created in the County in the last ten years. ‘The next government, one in which Labour will play a vital role, must provide balanced regional development, and ensure that all counties in this Region, including Roscommon, get their fair share of this country’s prosperity. I repeat my earlier call for a dedicated Minister for development of the BMW region,’ Mr. Baxter said. Labour candidate Hughie Baxter this week reminded Ógra Chairman in Roscommon, Ivan Connaughton that Fianna Fáil doesn’t have a God-given right to rule the country indefinitely to their own advantage. Responding to recent comments by Ógra Chairman in Roscommon, Ivan Connaughton, which referred to opposition candidates as ‘pretenders’, Mr. Baxter reminded him that it’s not a monarchy we live in, but rather a republic. ‘I know that there may be some people in Fianna Fáil who believe they have a god-given right to govern this country indefinitely to their own advantage. Indeed the use of the word ‘pretender’ illustrates how far they have travelled to believing that they are some kind of 21st century monarchy, supported of course by Ireland’s new landed aristocracy – the property speculators. ‘I’m not sure if it’s because they managed to get their name in the national anthem, but Fianna Fáil often seems to think that they own this country. They think that our tax money is theirs to dispense as they see fit. They may have forgotten the ‘Republican’ sub-title in their party name, but I can assure them that we still live in a democracy and a Republic, and that it is high time we lived up the ideals on which this Republic was founded and began to ‘cherish all the children of the nation equally”, Mr. Baxter concluded. According to recent reports in local press, Ógra Chairman, Ivan Connaughton, in his remarks introducing Deputy Michael Finneran, referred to independent and other opposition candidates as ‘pretenders’ who had the ‘audacity to stand for election’ and described their viewpoints as ‘ranting gibberish’. Mr. Baxter said he would be very happy if voters were to judge Fianna Fáil on their record of service to the people of Roscommon, as suggested at the meeting, since their record had been one of neglect and failure to realise the county’s potential. Mr. Baxter cited rising unemployment and the low level of disposable income in the county, and said that there would be more Ministerial visits to the county in the five months before the election than the number of jobs created in Roscommon in the last ten years.
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