'In the interest of fairness and justice we need to make changes now to help people down the line'
Meath West Candidate Focus: Seamus McMenamin (Green Party)
As the Green Party candidate for Meath West, Dr Seamus McMenamin, faces into his third General Election campaign, he does so in the knowledge that Ireland's carbon emissions have fallen significantly, in no small way due to the implementation of Green policies by the government.
“We have been the most successful small party in government ever. We have seen emissions falling and an improvement in public transport, but there is still a lot to be done.
“Most people who join the Green Party don't want to be in politics. They are there to sort out a problem, we have a clear idea of what we want to do and the other parties know why we are there and we can work with them,” he says.
Seamus McMenamin got involved in politics as he could see the effects of climate change on communities.
“With my background in science and medicine I could see climate change and what was happening. The people affected first are those in poverty and the elderly, not just in other parts of the world but here in Ireland.
“In the interest of fairness and justice we need to make changes now to help people down the line.”
He is pleased to see progress on emissions with our greenhouse gases currently the lowest in 30 years.
“The fall in emissions and improvement in public transport are significant but there is still the cost of living and housing crises and we need to see a reduction in the cost of childcare.
“We have to expect more challenges, but we have a strong manifesto,” he says.
Dr McMenamin recalls that in 2012 people were told the rail line was coming. “My parents in law recall being told that in the 1980s. Eamon Ryan was the first to approve it, it is great that there is now approval, but I fear that if the Green are no longer in government, the focus might return to roads, so a strong Green vote will make the case for it.”
As regards Our Lady's Hospital Navan, Dr McMenamin believes that not along should there be no question of downgrading the A&E, but there should be further investment in the facility.
“We have seen what happened at Limerick hospital when they closed Nenagh and Kerry hospitals. Drogheda will never be able to take on the patients from Navan safely. What we need is more investment in Navan. The Green Party has no baggage and we will work with other parties to save the A&E.
“All of these issues are related to quality of life which is my main priority - introducing measures that make life easier for everyone,” he said.
On Background... Seamus McMenamin
Navan GP, Dr Seamus McMenamin has been a member of the Bedford Medical Practice since 2010.
A native of Omagh, Co Tyrone, he studied at Trinity College Dublin and has worked in the Republic since 1999.
He lives in Navan, with his wife, Aoife and their two children.
He joined the Green Party in 2009 as he could see very clearly that something had to be done about climate change.
His first foray into politics was in the 2016 genera election, when he tripled the Green vote in Meath West from the previous election in 2011.
In the local elections of 2019, Dr McMenamin narrowly missed out on taking a seat on the council, losing the last seat by a mere 11 votes.
While his performances in the 2020 general election and last June's local elections weren't as good, he feels the party has been holding its own in Meath West.