#GE2020: Cllr Fiona McLoughlin Healy, Independent candidate
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| Cllr McLoughlin Healy signing her nomination papers in Naas Courthouse with her husband, Dr Bernard Healy, and County Registrar Eithne Coughlan. |
Her strategy emphasises her work in this regard with the Kildare Wicklow Education and Training Board. She raised what were to be telling questions about its governance, when appointed to the board after winning a Newbridge seat in the 2014 local elections. She promises to bring the same attitude to the Dail if elected, with transparency in government a strong focus of her strategy.
But there’s much more to getting elected than putting a forensic magnifying glass over the nuts and bolts of how public bodies work. Getting an historically high vote as an independent in her electoral area in last year’s Council contest was arguably as much to do with everyday matters. These are also key to pulling in a Dail seat — to modify a well worn political phrase, ‘all votes to national office are local’.
So she points to her work over the years in helping to deliver the Newbridge Town Hall refurbishment, the town’s skatepark, funding to protect the Curragh Plans from a range of problem issues, and the success of her campaign to have webcasting of public Council meetings.
Formerly a nurse, and being married to Kilcullen-born GP Dr Bernard Healy, she has front-line knowledge of local and national health care problems. Bringing up a family of three also tends to keep her grounded in everyday reality. Part of that is her role on the management board of the Kildare LGFA U14s girls county team.
She is an accomplished communicator, with a qualification in the field, and among her recent initiatives is a series of podcasts — ‘Straight Talking with Fiona Mac’ — which has dealt with subjects including women in sport, drugs, climate change, and local government reform.
Her election manifesto promises she will be a ‘truly independent TD, unfettered by the party whip system or by any pre-election deals’. “I have the potential to hold the government to account and to really put the Kildare South constituency on the map,” she says. “For too long this constituency has been the poor relation of the commuter belt constituencies ... people remain frustrated and angry about access to essential services such as healthcare, policing, public transportation and social housing. We also face serious quality of life issues due to high rents, long commutes and childcare costs.”
She lists a long range of policy priorities under Accountability in Government, Transport and Sustainable Development, Environment and Climate Action, Health, Education, Policing and Defence, Housing, and Small Business Tax Policy.
Just some among the details are seeking more autism support units, an independent statutory pay review body for the Defence Forces, funding for safe pathways, cycle paths and cyclist facilities, increases in the construction of social housing, and the provision of an independent valuation office for dealing with business rates.
The whole thing is an exhaustive list. And exhausting just to read it all, let alone get it all implemented. Maybe candidates should be careful what they wish for?
(Article derived from material supplied by the candidate.)
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