Billy launches his campaign

Cllr Billy Hillis gave the current Government a roundhouse blow at the weekend when he said they hadn't had 'the guts' to stop the current economic problems developing.

"They can blame the developers and banks, but the truth is that if the Government had the guts to stop them five or six years ago, we wouldn't be in the mess we are today," he said at the official launch of his local elections campaign. "They claimed responsibility for the Celtic Tiger, though it was Alan Dukes and the Tallaght Strategy that actually laid the groundwork. Now they can take responsibility for this mess."

But, recalling that he went through a similar situation during the 1980s, he said he wasn't going to be negative. "We can get out and work our way through this," he said.

Earlier in the proceedings, former FG leader Alan Dukes had commended Billy for his ability to 'get results' during his years working as a councillor in Kildare.

"He has a business mentality and an efficiency mentality, and the ability to find his way through all the arguments," he said. "That's something that is very valuable on the Council. He's not a drama merchant ... he goes about things quietly and that's the way he gets things done."

Alan Dukes, and later, Mayor of Kildare Senan Griffin, both paid tribute to how Billy had fought and won over his recent serious illness, without letting it stop his work on the Council even while undergoing treatment.

Billy in turn said he couldn't have done it without the constant support of his family.

Billy is running in the Athy Electoral District along with colleagues Martin Heydon and Richard Daly.