Official website of Trevor Sargent, Green Party
Thursday, 24 February, 2011 – day before the election
On the final day of the campaign for election 2011, Trevor Sargent and his Green team undertake a lighting tour of the constituency. The tour concludes with a stop at the site of the future maritime museum in Balbriggan, where Trevor took the opportunity to say thanks to his team. It’s been a hectic three weeks but spirits are high.
Wednesday, 23 February, 2011.
Long day beginning with meeting commuters at Rush and Lusk Train Station before 7am. Had to break away after 7.30pm to take a call from Morning Ireland on RTE Radio. Interviewed by Rachel English about what is Green Party programme of work in the next Dáil and how we are fighting for the last seat in many constituencies, probably against Fianna Fáil.
Left the station after 8.30am to attend Dublin Fingal Chamber of Commerce meeting in Carnegie Court Hotel, Swords. Made a few suggestions on how Main Street could be made more attractive to the 45,000 population in the hinterland of Swords, e.g. weekly outdoor market run in co-operation with the existing traders as happens already in Balbriggan, and to an extent in Skerries and Malahide too. As well as that, I suggested tapping in to the Bike to Work Scheme cyclists and locate bike lock up U-bars near shops along Main Street which would alleviate car parking hassle too. Both ideas well received and will be following up with FCC and the Chamber.
Into Leinster House then and a quick meeting with colleagues John, Eamon and Ciaran. Then a quick canvass from King Street, down Grafton Street and across to the Shelbourne Hotel for the final Green press conference of the campaign. Got some progress on the Davenport Hotel exploitation of low paid workers. The National Employment Rights Authority, NERA, has to become involved as what Mr Callaghan in doing is in my opinion wrong. I am contacting NERA about this matter today.
Back to Swords then to canvass the centre of Swords and the Drynan Road estatezs. Great bunch of canvassers again and mainly very good response once we had a chance to explain why it is so important for Greens to be elected so sustainable jobs can be created.
Then Vincent Browne on TV3. Not a pleasant experience especially when a body is tired. Deputy leaders of the other parties were on the panel too. Got in a mention for Gaelcholáiste Ghlór na Mara i mBaile Brigín. Go raibh sé ann go luath agus 460 dalta claraithe le blianta beaga amach anseo.
Driving home in the early hours, stopped by a Garda checkpoint. Everything in order and they wished me good luck in the campaign. We’ll see how all that pans out soon enough. Meanwhile another day of canvassing to go before I get to vote for myself.
Tuesday, 22 February 2011.
Not the best of weather but good to be meeting so many people and welcoming more and more people to canvass as Friday Polling Day looms. Much calling back to houses when canvassers are told that householders want to talk with me personally. I enjoy being asked to drop in as these houses are ready and willing to engage and more often than not want to vote SARGENT NUMBER ONE, but just need some clarification or have a specific request
Monday, 21 February, 2011
Wet start to the day standing from 7am at Babriggan Train Station in the rain handing out the commuter flyer. Joined by Stephen, Lorcan, Frank and Diarmuid. Hardly any litter which suggests the leaflet was interesting.
Recording a video interview for the "Ask a Green" online event
Got new tyre for €70 as old out wrecked by pothole between Oldtown and the Naul. Then Lorcan filmed Q&A session with me for Ask a Green Day event running online tomorrow.
Canvassed Dun Emer in Lusk. Many people caught in negative equity bind. I explained the Green inspired Mortgage Protection Measures.
Evening time, took up Fingal Independent invitation to a Q&A session for Dublin North candidates in the Carnegie Court Hotel in Swords. No show again from Fine Gael. Labour and Fianna Fáil reps absent too but at least they sent running mates. Finished off night with meeting to discuss progress on getting Gaelcholáiste Ghlór na Mara to be built in Balbriggan. Spoke with Tánaiste’s advisor before meeting and will do so again tomorrow morning.
Thursday, 17 February, 2011
Another early rise to meet commuters in Skerries boarding trains going south and going north as well as those coming to school or to work in Skerries. Glad to be joined by helpers such as Zoe, Frank, Diarmuid and George when the numbers were large and everyone was in a hurry. Had a good few chats with those who had a little more time to talk.
Trevor Sargent pays a viisit to Donabate Community College
Then dropped in to Donabate Community College to meet Principal Ms Olive Laffoy, the Green Team Leaders., to congratulate two Young Scientist entries and the brains behind them, as well as speak with a CSPE class I had previously shown around Leinster House. The lovely coffee and biscuits was much appreciated too.
On to Swords then for a canvass during which I was in contact with the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills about securing recognition and a go-ahead for Coláiste Ghlór na Mara, an Irish medium secondary school to serve the Gaelscoileanna and other pupils with a love of Irish in the North County Dublin area.
A brief stop for a bowl of soup for canvassers in Adam’s Apple Cafe and Restaurant, a great place to meet in Applewood, Swords. On then for a meeting with Balbriggan Chamber of Commerce and then an evening canvass in Skerries. Fingers crossed for no more rain this evening.
Monday, 14 February 2011.
Swords Manor and Lusk are the areas today for the candidate to meet as many people as are at home to answer the door. Many matters relating to Fingal County Council are raised, such as footpath shortcomings to Swords village from Swords Manor, the long awaited Community Centre plans for this Brackenstown area and a badly planned wall in the Ormaond estate which encourages trespass of a private back garden. All these individual concerns will be personally followed up. The sooner the Green Party has an elected councillor for the area, the more we can do to address these and other local authority responsibilities.
Meanwhile, the future of our young people depends on this generation taking the right and often unpopular decisions now to incentivise moves towards a sustainalbe society. When the railways were built, people were afraid and objected, likewise when the Luas was being planned and now with the Green Party’s work to deliver the Metro to Swords, there are opponents of the Green Party who object. I do hope I will get enough NUMBER ONE votes to have a MANDATE FOR METRO.
Friday, 12 February, 2011
Hectic day, but very interesting. Began with Donabate Green volunteers, Jim, Rita, Roger at the Train Station meeting commuters from 7am onwards. The leaflet, Commuter flier Jan 2011 highlights my own efforts and successes in improving the transport infrastructure of Dublin North.
Headed to Balbriggan Farmers’ Market which is set up on George’s Square every Friday from 9am to 2pm. I like to provide free tea and coffee to stallholders so as to keep their spirits up while then serve the community in all weathers. The colour and vibrancy of the market brings people to the centre of the town and this benefits other shopkeepers and traders like the hotel and coffee shops in the town.
Did an interview then with Robin Kiely of the Fingal Independent in the Grand Hotel, Malahide before heading out to canvass a few doors locally along the Swords Road. Then headed for the RHA Gallery in Ely Place, Dublin 2, for the Green Party / Comhaontas Glas Manifesto. Straightforward enough with job creation and preparing the country to be free of oil dependency by 2030 being the short and long-term focuses.
Evening canvass was in Swords Manor area of Swords. Serious situations for many families with negative equity. Had many chats with people about experiences and challenges in establishing new business ideas. Difficult as the changes in tax were to encourage greater fuel efficiencies, many residents understand that leadership in a Green direction is needed to develop the new Greener economy. Given I am fighting for that last seat, I am asking voters to help me to help them by giving SARGENT No. 1 in two weeks time on Friday 25th, Polling Day.
Thursday, 10 February, 2011
Today was tragically overshadowed by the terrible plane crash at Cork Airport. I expressed sympathy to the families of those who died and good wishes to the injured, as did Green Party Leader, John Gormley, when interviewed by RTE News Outside the North County Leader offices in Swords before lunch. I made the point also that such a tragedy reminds us all of the vital role played by the emergency services and medical teams who answer such emergency calls, whether that be in Cork or here where the Swords Ambulance Service is threatened by a dispute between the HSE and Dublin City Council. I have spoken with John Tierney, the City Manager, and he granted more time to allow for discussions. Again I appeal to both sides to consider the many calls on this service, not to mention if a similar tragedy was to occur at Dublin Airport, which thankfully to date has an excellent safety record.
The walk about was I’d say 90% positive, with longstanding pledges of support and No. One votes. People I had helped, people who were pleased with how I had raised issues nationally and people who were proud of how I had handled situations such as the illegal leaking of Garda correspondence to the Evening Herald newspaper, felt I should be a TD in the 31st Dáil. On the other hand, I was accosted by a very angry man unhappy in the way the biscuit factory in Tallaght had closed in the face of cheaper overseas competition. Notwithstanding my representations to the Minister for Enterprise, Mary Coughlan TD at the time on the matter, this man was inconsolable. I certainly lost that battle but I am more determined than ever to continue supporting the manufacturers and other food producers as a former Minister of Food, who can adapt with the changing market. Some are doing well but some are sadly unable to cope against fierce competition.
Now on to Donabate to canvass and then a visit to a fundraising event at Ardgillan Community College in Balbriggan. Back to Donabate for 7am on Friday morning to meet train commuters and discuss work we have done to improve various transport services.
Wednesday, 9 February 2011.
Today, in Rush, Trevor urges the people of this north Co. Dublin town to support the development of a local farmers’ market.
This broadcast, delivered as Gaeige, was simultaneously recorded by Raidió na Gaeltachta.
5 February 2011
Cllr Cadogan Enright and his team from Co Down and Co Antrim turned up this morning for another Swords canvass and joined in with the local Green volunteers to meet the large number of people living in Holywell. Since the last General Election, the new Holywell Educate Together National School has been opened. I recall having the honour of planting an apple tree at the entrance to mark the Oscailt Oifigiúil.The apple variety was a Katie if I remember rightly, a delicious dessert apple originally bred in Sweden.
Sweden is one advanced country with a Government strategy published to end their reliance on fossil fuels by 2020. Such big picture planning did appeal to some folk in Holywell, but for others it was the here and now which we discussed, e.g. housing, starting a business, loss of income. Improvements in broadband availability were acknowledged but we realise we were starting from a low base. For most people the fact that I am locally available and active with a full time office open 6 days a week in Rivermall off Main Street, Swords, was more influential than any policy discussion. The exception to this being the appreciation expressed to Green Ministers in Government (including myself!) who had strongly and unanimously backed the roll out of Metro North.
At the invitation of Area Organiser, Ken Duffy, the all island canvassers then took a well earned break to watch the all island Irish rugby team play Italy, courtesy of The Slaughtered Lamb in Swords. This pub serves good food, by the way.
Wee interview with The Irish Times back at the office in Swords and caught up on some paperwork. Then out in the rain again to meet the people of Lusk. Must put in a call to the Council on Monday morning to have two broken street lights fixed at the Quickpenny Road end of The Green in Lusk. Always wondered how that road got its name, maybe I’ll find out tomorrow when I am back in Lusk, before moving on to Loughshinny.
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