MEET THE CANDIDATES: Housing, amenties and transport among range of issues challenging Ashbourne hopefuls
SALLY HARDING
TWELVE local election candidates are battling it out in the Ashbourne area with just six seats up for grabs when voters take to the polls this Friday.
Ashbourne has undergone a rapid transformation in recent years going from a small village of 400 in 1970 to developing into Meath's second largest town after Navan now boasting a population of nearly 13,000 and doubling in population since 2002 according to figures published in the last census.
Issues for the electoral in this area include public amenities, green space, traffic, water quality, public transport, soaring rents, anti-social behaviour and the need for an improved Garda presence.
Sharon Keogan is again running in two electoral areas - Ashbourne, where she narrowly missed out on a seat in 2014 and Laytown Bettystown where she is a sitting councillor.
Ashbourne auctioneer Conor Tormey is hoping to secure a seat having returned as a member of Meath County Council last year after a 14-year absence. The "new/old" councillor was formally co-opted to the 40-member council to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Cllr Sean Smith who emigrated with his family to the United States.
Joe Bonner has completed his third term as a councillor – having topped the poll in the last local elections in 2014. Bonner was first elected to Meath County Council in 2004 as an independent councillor. Being an experienced councillor without party affiliation he says he represents all of the community without the influence of a party whip.
Fianna Fáil Councillor Claire O'Driscoll's decision to stand down might pave the way for some of the newcomers hoping to make an impression such as Fianna Fail's Lisa Mellor, Social Democrat candidate Paul Nolan or Sinn Fein's Aisling O' Neill who ran as an independent in 2014.
Joseph Tuite has been put forward by Peadar Toibin's new political movement Aontú. The aircraft engineer living in Skyrne is hoping to tackle road safety issues around the village and traffic management in the area. Another first timer is Fine Gael's, John Stillman. The quantity surveyor who lives in Gormanston wants to bring issues such as public amenities, illegal dumping and rural isolation to the forefront.
Hoping to continue her run is Fine Gael's Suzanne Jamal, Vice-Chair of Meath County Council. Suzanne was the first Cathaoirleach of the new Ashbourne District following boundary changes in 2014.
First-time general election hopeful for Fine Gael and Ashbourne businessman and sitting Cllr Alan Tobin is hoping to tackle poor water quality in the area, a huge issue for residents.
Sinn Fein's Darren O'Rourke is going in for a second term while Fianna Fail newcomer Sarah-Jane Reilly who works as a psychotherapist aims to highlight issues surrounding mental health for children and adolescents.
A major issue for the area is the lack of local amenities such as green space and playgrounds. Niamh Gallagher, vice chairperson of Ashbourne Green Space has lived in the town her whole life. The area, home to many young families has just one public playground that has been closed since January for renovations as she explains,
"Our kids have nowhere to play freely because there is no public green space. We have to load up into the car and hit the road if we want to go for a walk or bring the kids somewhere to play. Our playground is currently under development as it is getting a massive upgrade which is fantastic but there have been delays and it's looking like the playground will be closed for the summer."
A plan for the Linear Park got the go-ahead in 2003, a move that was welcomed by residents says Niamh,
"We were delighted at the news of the development of a Linear Park and we were hoping to see the transformation of the river and adjoining land into a beautiful civic amenity which we would all benefit from, sadly the council did not fulfil its promise.
"Out of a proposed seven zones, for this park, only four are under construction and it was announced a few months ago that once the playground is completed they have no more funding to further develop Linear Park so it looks like it will never be fully developed.
"Planning permission was obtained for a number of housing estates based on access to this proposed park. I was recently looking at old images of Ashbourne with lovely pockets of green space, there was so much potential and it was just developed over without any real thought put into it. It was just houses, houses and more houses. No infrastructure, no schools and no green space.
"It should be a community and not just somewhere to live."
Broadband, transport and safety concerns along the N2 road surfaces and safety issues regarding parking at schools are amongst the pressing concerns for rural areas.
(Clockwise) Sarah Jane Reilly, Alan Tobin, Conor Tormey, Sharon Keogan, Suzanne Jamal, Tracy McElhinney