Byrne, O'Reilly on the general election ticket for Fianna Fail
Dunboyne councillor Caroline O'Reilly has been selected by the Fianna Fáil party to run alongside sitting TD Thomas Byrne in the Meath East constituency in the forthcoming general election.
Cllr O'Reilly was co-opted to Meath County Council last year to fill the seat of her late cousin Damien O'Reilly who died suddenly last September, aged just 40. She was subsequently elected in the recent local elections in the Ratoath electoral area.
She will run alongside Minister for Sport Thomas Byrne in what will increase to a four-seater constituency on the next outing. The convention, which took place last Wednesday night was chaired by Senator Gerry Horkan.
Cllr O'Reilly said: “It is an honour and a privilege to be selected as a Fianna Fáil candidate for the upcoming general election along with our local Minister, Thomas Byrne. I look forward to campaigning with Thomas and I am confident that Fianna Fáil can challenge strongly for two seats.
“I thank my party colleagues for believing in me and for giving me the opportunity to stand as a candidate.
“With Fianna Fáil in government, our country has made significant economic strides. We should be proud of our achievements, but we must also recognise that the benefits of growth have not been felt equally.
“I will campaign on addressing the housing crisis with bold and compassionate solutions. We need to support the squeezed middle- and lower-income families who are struggling to access the property ladder.
“Our healthcare system must be accessible and efficient, ensuring timely care for everyone. If elected as a TD, I will work to reduce waiting times, improve mental health services, and expand access to high-quality healthcare for all citizens, regardless of their income or background.
“Our future lies in the hands of our young people. We must invest in education, from early childhood through to higher education and training.
“We also remembered Damien. We can never know what would have been, but this would have been a milestone on the road to Damien’s dream. As a family, we miss him every day. He worked like no other, and every day I meet someone whose life he quietly made better. In his memory, I will do my utmost."