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Orla Kelly to stand for Thomastown/Callan area in local elections
Orla Kelly, Local election candidate with her two daughters Morgan and Freagh
Reporter:
Mary Cody
19 Mar 2024 6:00 PM
Orla Kelly had her campaign launch in the community hall in Thomastown recently and was joined by Deirdre Clune MEP and a good mix of friends, family and Fine Gael members.
The Fine Gael candidate spoke about her ambition to represent the people of Thomastown and the wider area with a clear voice and bring her strong work ethic to solving problems in the area. She explained her vision for the future of villages like Thomastown, Bennettsbridge and Inistioge and the need for sustainable housing, better transport infrastructure and that there is a great future for this part of Kilkenny.
"I have been out on the canvas trail for several months now with very positive feedback, and I am engaged in querying local issues and presenting solutions for regional concerns that have been brought up on the doorstep. There is demand for smaller housing units in communities, in addition to family housing, and for planning permission reform," she said.
The Fine Gael candidate also has had plenty of engagement with the farming community and is adamant that she will speak up for good farming practices, acknowledge farmers who are making huge efforts on climate mitigation, and support the agricultural sector who are one of the few sectors who will meet their climate targets.
Concerns with flooding and flood-relief have been raised as funding has been allocated for Kilkenny county but has not been drawn down for use in many towns and villages in the constituency.
"I want to tackle this issue and advocate for both organic and engineered solutions to the flooding problems that so many villages experience in my area. There are also issues with safe water supply that I am addressing with Uisce Eireann and I am determined to make progress on. There have been various road safety and traffic calming measures that residents are looking for, which are particularly significant to local communities given the rise in fatalities on our roads.
"Constituents are having difficulty accessing certain services from the HSE, especially for senior care and children with autism.
"I want to voice this concern and ensure that carers are supported financially to do the valuable work that is so important to local communities. Members of the defence forces are looking for a later retirement age to help solve the retention problem and people all across the area are looking for certainty around school buses.
"By focusing on local issues concerning the people of the area, I hope to bring about solutions that will help people where they really need it. The problems that people are concerned about are varied but there are some constant themes and these are the issues that I plan to focus on," she added.
Orla lives in the village of Dungarvan with her husband, Blaise Smith, who is an artist and her two daughters. Her mother Terry Kelly was CEO of The Crafts Council and was instrumental in the development of Craft courses in Thomastown and Kilkenny. Terry was also a former Fine Gael councillor and Mayor of Limerick and Orla has been steeped in politics all her life. She ran in the local elections in Kilkenny city previously and did not win a seat but is now delighted to have the opportunity to run in her own area, where she is very well known and has been involved in many community projects over the last 25 years.
Deirdre Clune MEP for Ireland South spoke highly of Orla’s determination and work ethic, her political experience and the strong team that she has organised for her campaign. Deirdre discussed Orla’s role as Chair of the Carlow/Kilkenny constituency for Fine Gael for the past two years, where she organised political events and information evenings, and the invaluable experience it has provided her with. Deirdre is Orla’s first cousin and they spoke of politics always being discussed around the dinner table as they grew up, and the passion they both share for Fine Gael.
Deirdre Clune gave a fascinating insight into the workings of the European Parliament and all the legislation that is constantly being passed, noting that the bill passed recently on the AI regulation will effect all of us positively. Deirdre stressed that even if Orla is a great candidate and a committed and hard worker that she will still need everyone’s support and help to get elected.
Orla said she is looking forward to meeting more of her constituents out canvassing and will be running various Town Hall events, the first of which will take place in Thomastown to discuss positive ageing, in response to the many queries and concerns she has heard on the doorstep.
The local elections will be held in June and Orla is encouraging everyone to register to vote to make their voice heard. Both Irish citizens and people with an address and PPS number can register to vote in local elections. You can find out more onchecktheregister.ie.
Orla also thanked Seamus Quigley for the fantastic facilities that he provides in the community hall in Thomastown.
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