Fianna Fáil general election candidate Linda Gordon Kelleher has described the radical changes to the electoral map in 2014, when Kerry was controversially turned into a single five-seat constituency, as disastrous.
She said she has observed very significant problems emerging since then and it has become quite clear that Killarney, East Kerry, South Kerry and Mid Kerry have been very seriously neglected.
She told the gathering at her campaign launch in The Brehon Hotel, Killarney on Saturday night that outside of tourism, in terms of job creation opportunities and the attraction of major industries, it is fair to say that South Kerry has become forgotten territory.
Ms Gordon Kelleher said it is very evident by the unacceptably long delays in providing funding for projects like:
* The N22 Farranfore-Killarney bypass
* The South Kerry Greenway
* The Tomies-Lakes of Killarney looped walk and the Dinis-Torc projects
* The urgent need for a primary care centre in Cahersiveen
* The planned development of the former Pretty Polly site as a 3,000-student hospitality training college
* The future of the St Finan’s Hospital complex in Killarney and the two soon to be vacated community hospitals
* Measures to support the farming community and to enhance harbours and the fishing industry by increasing supports and removing red tape
“Getting right down to absolute basics – everybody deserves to have a roof over their head. I will fight longer, harder and louder than anyone else on the provision of affordable housing,” the FF candidate pledged.
“It has become blatantly obvious that Killarney and South Kerry needs a stronger footprint along the corridors of power and this area absolutely needs an influential voice in government.
“I have lost count of the number of people that have said to me over the past two weeks that Killarney needs a government TD,” she added, stressing that there has been a real lethargy when it came to delivering to Killarney and South Kerry over the past 20 years and more.
“This area must get a fair share of funding in a timely fashion. Essential projects must be financed as a matter of absolute priority,” she told the gathering which was also addressed by Cllr Norma Moriarty, former Killarney councillor Sheila Dickson and, by video link, MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú.
The attendance at The Brehon also included former minister and South Kerry TD John O’Donoghue, Senator Mark Daly and Cllr Fionnán Fitzgerald.
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