Cllr Long goes into battle with a low blow
ONE West Limerick-based candidate for the local elections jumped the gun by five days, others stole a few hours, hoping the powers that be wouldn't notice, or mind.
Prime position on lampposts was the name of the game and when we woke up in the Mid-West this Wednesday morning the poster swere starting to appear everywhere – though there was evidence that candidates in the south-east of the county were slower off the mark.
In boxing parlance, the rival candidates have nowtouched gloves but will we see a 'good, clean fight'? It seems unlikely, for no sooner did the bell ring for round one than another local candidate weighed in
with a blow that was well below the belt.
It is painfully obvious that these elections are being fought against a backdrop of rising unemployment and fear among many of those fortunate to still be in jobs. Economically, the Mid- West is an utterly different place than when local elections were last held, back in 2004.
Back then, the Celtic Tiger was still roaring and thousands of migrant workers arrived in the Mid-West, where jobs were plentiful.
Unfortunately, Fine Gael's Cllr Jim Long now appears to see electoral capital in making the claim that jobs have somehowbeen stolen from under the noses of local people, as if Ireland has the option to ignore the rights of EU citizens nowthat times are tough.
This is what Cllr Long said this week: "I see little evidence that Polish people or any other non-nationals have created jobs in the city but I will go on record and confirm they are detrimental to or are the cause of massive job losses in this city and I think that should be addressed."
Cllr Long's language is so loose that in one fell swoop he appears to condemn everyone who does not speak with an Irish accent, including – to take one just example – restaurant owners who have been serving the people of Limerick for decades.
No doubt, he will pick up some votes as a result of this and other outbursts aimed at the so-called 'new Irish' – maybe enough to get him re-elected to Limerick City Council.
It would be foolish to pretend that his views are not shared by others in the Mid-West, particularly with workers being laid off every day.
But Cllr Long is on a Fine Gael ticket and it beholds that party to put candidates before the public who are at one with their policies. Quite clearly, the party would not in any way endorse the views expressed by Cllr Long on migrant workers, not just this week, but previously. So why, then, does the Fine Gael logo appear on the newly hung posters bearing Mr Long's face?
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Thursday 17 May 2012
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