Martin Kenny

Cllr.Martin Kenny was formally selected as Sinn Fein's candidate for Roscommon South Leitrim at a well attended selection convention held in Carrick on Shannon on Thursday 27th Januray. In the absence of Pearse Doherty TD who was on Dail duty, the convention was addressed by Caitríona Ruane MLA and Minister for Education in the Northern Assembly. Ms.Ruane spoke of Cllr.Kenny describing him as an excellent candidate with a proven track record and one of the most able,fresh and dynamic activists in the party nationally: "The people of Leitrim and Roscommon are lucky to have such a quality candidate and I know he would do a good job if people would give him the opportunity." In accepting the nomination, Cllr.Kenny told the 250 or so present: "This is a milestone election. People are so sick and tired of what has gone on and I know they want change. They need change and they need help. To do that we need to change our country and by that I mean our politics. The policy decisions that have taken on our behalf by our politicans have failed us. People need only look at their pay cheques this month or the reduction they got in jobseekers or child benefit. Look at the numbers emigrating from Leitrim and Roscommon. There is so much wrong out there. People don't mind paying taxes for our schools, for our health service, to create jobs, to protect the vulnerable. But people will not and should not be paying their taxes to pay for someone elses debts, someone elses mistakes. How can we recover with that millstone around our necks. Sinn Fein believes that not one further cent should be paid to bail out bondholders who took risks. We are the only political party saying what everyone knows to be the truth. Well respected economists like David McWilliams, Paul Krugman (a noble prize winning economist) and Paul Somerville are all advocating the same policies as Sinn Fein. David McWilliams said last week that Pearse Doherty and Sinn Fein were the only party making absolute sense." "People have no hope. They don't think anyone can change things. Well let me tell you this. Sinn Fein can change things.People said what has been done in the North couldn't be done. Well it has been done. And the same can happen in the South if people make the right choices" he concluded.