Senator: ‘I will make Europe relevant to everyday people’

SINN FEIN Senator Paul Gavan has pledged if elected to the European Parliament, he will make it relevant to everyday people - and remain “visible” in Limerick.

The Castleconnell man, bidding to become Limerick’s first MEP in 20 years, launched his election campaign with party president Mary Lou McDonald in at the Strand Hotel in the city centre.

“My first aim is to ensure a real strong visible representation for the people of Munster and Ireland South. I don’t think we have that. We need someone to connect the fact really important legislation which governs all our lives is made in Europe, and I don’t see the accountability,” Mr Gavan said.

A senator for the last eight years and a trade union official before that, the Sinn Fein candidate pledged to be back in Limerick on a regular basis.

“I will be visible. I won’t be heading into the midsts of Europe to reappear like Bobby Ewing in five years time out the shower. I’ll be back every weekend. I’ll be holding meetings, information sessions and campaigning with people here,” he added.

“Part of the reason the European Parliament doesn’t have the level of importance it needs to have is because the representation has not been there. We need MEPs who are going to be visible and I think there is a complete disconnect at the moment,” added Mr Gavan.

Sinn Fein is running two candidates in Ireland South - a vast constituency serving the Munster counties plus Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford and Wicklow.

Mr Gavan is joined on the party’s ticket by Carlow-Kilkenny TD Kathleen Funchion.

An agreement is in place which ensures both candidates only campaign in certain areas, and the Limerick senator is confident Sinn Fein can take two seats.

“Kathleen is a comrade of mine. We are friends for years. We’ve divided up the constituency 50/50. Unlike Fianna Fail, where you can see the candidates appearing in each other’s back yards, we are going to work collegially and collectively,” he said.

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In his eight years in the upper house of the Oireachtas, Mr Gavan was the only opposition politician to get two bills through to legislation stage.

Arguably the most notable one was his tips bill, which gave service staff a legal right to gratuities given by guests.

He mounted a nationwide campaign on this alongside trade unions and student unions. “I know one in three workers weren’t getting those tips, and I know these tips often made the difference between then paying their rent or not in any given week,” he added.

Ms McDonald said her party colleague, if elected, will fight for “a Europe which is a beacon of democracy and human rights.”