GE2024... ‘I’m not going in to talk. I'm going in to get things done’ - French

Friday's General Election is Trim councillor Noel French's second outing in Meath West but while he ran for the Fine Gael party in 2020, this time he is contesting the election as an independent.

He was one of three Fine Gael candidates in the three-seater constituency last time and polled around seven per cent with his transfers helping bring Damien English over the line. He left the Fine Gael party last year, and ran as an independent in June's local elections where he topped the poll with over 3,500 votes though he acknowledges that his biggest challenge is getting the message out there past his own area of Trim to the wider constituency.

“It is a big area. My difficulty is that people in other areas like Navan, Athboy and Oldcastle haven't seen how I work and how well I am regarded.

“It's hard to sell yourself. I'm not known as a worker in the other areas and I am known as a worker in this area.”

As a party candidate last time, is it very different running as an independent?

“It is huge in some ways and not so different in other ways. Last time round I didn't get a lot of help and support. This time round I don't have a lot of help and support so that's not much different.”

A big difference he does see in the five years is out canvassing and how few people are answering the door. “It was the same in the local elections and that is a big change from 2019 and 2020. Though I'm looking it as a good sign, people are out working, they are busy. Or maybe they are sick of politics, it's hard to know.”

“We know 30-40 per cent of people don't vote. Why don't they vote? They don't see it as relevant to them so that's concerning.

“For me politics is about deciding the future. I want to have a say in deciding the future. And everybody should want the same thing. We are voting in a parliament for the next five years and during those five years there will be a whole lot of different issues and it's important that we put the right people in there who reflect people's view. That is what is big for me. I want to reflect ordinary people's views in the Dáil.

French's priorities are housing, mental health, drugs and addiction, supporting community groups, supporting local employment, disability and supporting children’s service, better child services, supports for carers, supports for older people to be in their own homes, better public transport, agriculture, youth services, traffic concerns such as parking and speeding and also the environment and climate change.

If he gets elected, as an independent TD can he make a difference? “I want to make a difference. I am going in to make a difference. I am not going in to talk. I'm going in to get things done. That might frustrate me trying to get things done because there is a system in place and certainly for independents it is not easy to get things done. But that is what I want. I want to improve people's lives. I want to get things done for the people of Meath West, the people of the country. I may only be running in Meath West but I am going in to the national parliament. We will be passing laws there not only for Meath West but for the whole of the country.”

With independents doing well in the polls, French says the vibes he is getting are hugely positive. “A lot of people say I couldn't vote for you when you were in that party and now that you're independent, I'm glad I can give you a vote.”

He is very much running a solo campaign with a small team around him. “I'm an independent independent. I would share some views with other independents but not all views. I want the people to have a clear view of what my views are rather than getting mixed up with other people who have other issues and other axes to grind.

“Anybody who can help me improve the lives of the people of Meath or the people of Ireland, I am happy to talk to.”