Mary Lou tells Mayo party faithful that this will be 'the General Election of a lifetime'

THE Sinn Féin President, Mary Lou McDonald has described the upcoming General Election as the 'the General Election of a lifetime' and urged the people of Mayo 'to make real change happen'.

Speaking at the launch of Sinn Féin's Mayo election manifesto, 'Leading the Change in Mayo' in Castlebar this afternoon, Ms McDonald told party supporters that the party is 'very very serious about winning' the next election and electing two Sinn Féin TDs for Mayo.

“This is a chance for a generation to make real change happen and turn the page on the repeated failure of Fine Gael and Fiannan Fáil and usher in a new era of hope, ambition and delivery on the things that are most important to people.

“I think that the people of the west are up for this, I think the people of Mayo are up for it and I think the people of Ireland are now ready for it. Our message to the people of Mayo today is very clear. Vote to change the Government, vote for a better future, vote for Sinn fein

“The best way the people of Mayo can deliver that better future is by electing two Sinn Fein TDs for this county - the formidable Rose Conway Walsh Td and the mighty Cllr Gerry Murray. They are the very best team to represent this great county of Mayo in the Dáíl,” she told supporters in the TF Royal Hotel.

Rose Conway-Walsh who is based in Erris became the first Sinn Féin candidate in Mayo to win a Dáil seat in 97 years when she was elected on the first count in 2020 with 14,633 first preference votes.

Ms McDonald described her party's Spokesperson on Public Expenditure and Reform as a 'tireless advocate' for her constituents who has championed a better way forward for the delivery of public services.

“I can assure you that on the watch of Rose Conway-Walsh there will be no €360,000 for a bicycle shelter and no €9 million for pouches for phones and no €70,000 for a pair of curtains. Rose is driven by a deep sense of fairness and equality and a determination to put Mayo on the political map. We need to do everything possible to ensure she is returned to the Dail in two weeks time.”

In the 2020 General Election, Sinn Féin ran only one candidate but Cllr Murray was added to the ticket with the party hoping that they would get a bounce during the election to take the fifth and final seat.

Ms McDonald said that the party will 'move heaven and earth' to get their candidates elected and is positive it will happen.

“We have our eyes and efforts firmly set on winning two Sinn Féin seats here in Mayo. Over the 14 days we will give this our all to elect Rose Conway-Walsh and Gerry Murray because we know it can be achieved. This is a big opportunity. The people of Mayo will have a big say in the outcome of this General Election and if you elect two Sinn Féín TDs for this constituency that is a massive step towards changing the Government and giving that new government to put you and your family and your community first,” she said.

The Mayo manifesto included commitments to to investing in extra beds in Mayo University Hospital as well as district hospitals in Ballina, Swinford and Belmullet as well as commitments to reopen the Western Rail Corridor and 'ramp up' investment in the road network in Mayo including the delivery of the upgrades of the R312, N26 and the N17.

The party also gave a commitment for a 100 percent Pyrite Redress Scheme and a public enquiry into who was responsible for the pyrite and mica crisis in Ireland.

“This manifesto demonstrates the scale of their [Rose Conway Walsh and Gerry Murray] ambition for Mayo and their determination to deliver for the people of this county. I urge you all to read and study it. It is comprehensive, ambitious and it is also realistic and most important it is deliverable.

“It is an exciting and positive plan for the future of Mayo. This is the type of vision that rural Ireland deserves because rural communities are the beating heart of this country. They deserve far more than the decades of neglect and sidelining by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael governments,” Ms McDonald said.