THE newly-formed Milford Electoral Area needs a strong voice in Donegal County Council and in Government, says a senior Fine Gael activist running in May’s election.
Eimer Friel, (35), from Cashel, Fanad, works as Parliamentary Assistant to Donegal TD and Education Minister Joe McHugh.
Having worked in McHugh’s Constituency Office for the past five years, Eimer says she knows the issues on the ground.
“I work on constituency issues in Donegal every day and I know what the issues are and I know what the solutions can be,” said the native Irish speaker and Irish Studies Graduate.
“Working alongside Joe has given me a unique insight into the issues that matter to people, and that includes investment in roads, tourism, broadband and public transport.
“It was the Fine Gael Government which introduced the Wild Atlantic Way, invested hundreds of thousands of euro in opening Fanad Lighthouse to the public, rolling out broadband to more and more homes – with many more to go – and subsidised increasing Local Link bus services.
“While I have worked as a voice in National Government for so many people from Na Dúnaibh to Ramelton and from Milford to Kilmacrennan over the past few years, I want to be their voice now at County House in Lifford, to ensure concerns are dealt with properly in local Government.”
Eimer says she has been inspired by the work of Minister McHugh as well as 31-year-old Maria Walsh who is also running for election on May 24th, seeking to become an MEP for Midlands North West.
“Joe has been Delivering for Donegal at the heart of the Government and I have been privileged to have been on that journey over the past five years – helping sporting groups for example to access Sports Capital Grants from the Department of Sport,” she says.
“We get to see all the positive work which goes on; the elimination of the Blue Banks for example took a €19M Government investment and that has been just one of many positive outcomes working for a hard-working TD like Joe McHugh.
“But there is much more to do. For example I believe we need to re-introduce European funding for regional roads so that the road from Letterkenny to Milford – and from Milford to Kilmacrennan get the upgrades needed for the future.
“I am conscious that towns like Milford, Ramelton, Rathmullan, Kerrykeel, Carrigart and Na Dúnaibh all need someone who actually works on their behalf in Donegal County Council. Rathmullan for example needs a new pier – I want to deliver that.
“Milford and Ramelton both need renewal schemes and it is vital that someone in Council is actual working to deliver projects like that.
“My native Fanad needs a new voice too, a young voice with new ideas and new ways of doing things. The peninsula has so much going for it.’
Eimer, a mother of twin boys, works hard in her local community to keep the Irish language alive and to help it flourish.
“I believe in a new way of thinking when it comes to Irish, sharing it with others, rather than the old ways of the State in the past when it was forced on people. I am involved with a language group in Fanad and our aim is to make our Gaeltacht a destination again for summer colleges. That could be huge for the Fanad area. Just look what the Lighthouse is doing for the area – but we need more people to come and for more people to stay in the Milford area longer,” she said.
Ms Friel says she also wants to inspire more women into politics and public life.
“Fine Gael is such a diverse party with people from all walks of life and it’s important that women like me help to create role models for the next generation; strong women are at the heart of families and communities and we need strong women in our county councils and in Dáil Éireann reflecting those views and reflecting the needs of rural communities and rural villages and towns,” said Eimer.
“I want to inspire young people to look to a brighter future for Donegal. I want to inspire hard-working families and retired people to believe we can all work together for this beautiful county in a positive way; re-calibrating our communities for the better.
“I believe in the ‘can-do’ spirit of the Donegal people. That’s where my heart lies.”
Gealann Friel go ndéanfaidh sí an beart do Cheantar Bardais Bhaile na nGallóglach
Tá guth láidir de dhíth i gceantar bardais Bhaile na nGallóglach i gComhairle Contae Dhún na nGall agus sa Rialtas, dar le gníomhaí sinsearach de chuid Fine Gael atá mar iarrthóir i dtoghcháin mhí Bealtaine.
Tá Eimer Friel (35), as an Chaiseal, i leithinis Fhánada, ag obair mar Chúntóir Parlaiminte don Teachta Dála agus an tAire Oideachais agus Scileanna Joe McHugh
Mar thoradh ar an obair atá déanta ag Eimer in oifig dáilcheantar McHugh le cúig bliana, deir sí go dtuigeann sí na ceisteanna atá lárnach i measc an phobail.
“Oibrím ar cheisteanna an toghcheantair i nDún na nGall gach uile lá, tuigim na ceisteanna agus tá mé ar an eolas faoin mbealach is fearr le teacht ar réiteach ar na ceisteanna sin”, a dúirt an céimí le Gaeilge go bhfuil an Ghaeilge mar theanga dúchais aici.
“Thug an tréimhse a chaith mé ag obair le Joe tuiscint ar leith dom ar na rudaí go bhfuil suim ag daoine iontu – rudaí cosúil le bóithre, turasóireacht, an córas leathanbhanda agus seirbhísí iompar poiblí.
Ba é Rialtas Fhine Gael a chuir Slí an Atlantaigh Fháin ar bun, a rinne infheistíocht de na céadta míle euro i dTeach Solais Fhánada chun go mbeadh an áis ar fáil don phobal, a chuir seirbhís leathanbhanda ar fáil do go leor, leor tithe – agus líon na díthe sin ag fás i gcónaí – agus atá ag cur maoiniú ar fáil chun an seirbhís Local Link a fheabhsú agus a leathnú.
Cé gur oibrigh mé mar ghlór do líon mór daoine ó na Dúnaibh go Ráth Mealtain, agus ó Bhaile na nGallóglach chomh fada le Cill Mhic Réanáin sa Rialtas Náisiúnta le bliana beaga anuas, ba mhór liom ionadaíocht a dhéanamh dóibh anois i dTeach an Chontae, i Leifear, le cinntiú go bhfuil aghaidh tugtha ar a gcuid imní ag leibhéal an rialtais áitiúil.”
Deir Eimer go bhfuair sí spreagadh ó obair an Aire McHugh agus ó Maria Walsh, bean 31 bliain d’aois, atá ag seasamh don toghchán ar an 24ú Bealtaine, agus é mar sprioc aicí bheith mar Feisire de Pharlaimint na hEorpa do cheantar parlaiminte Lár Tíre-Tuaisceart-Iarthar.
“Ba mhór an phribhléid dom é go raibh mé mar chuid lárnach d’fhoireann Joe agus é ag déanamh beart ar son mhuintir Dhún na nGall le breis is cúig bliana anuas – ag tabhairt cuidiú agus tacaíocht do eagraíochtaí spóirt agus iarratais á dhéanamh acu ar dheontais faoin Chlár Chaipitil Spóirt, mar shampla” a deir sí.
“Bíonn deis agam an obair dhearfach go léir a dhéantar a fheiceáil. Is sampla maith den thoradh dearfach an infheistíocht de €19 milliún atá déanta sna “Blue Banks” chun na corracha atá ansin a dhíriú; rud a tharla mar gheall ar an obair chrua a rinne Joe McHugh”
“Ach tá go leor rudaí eile fós le déanamh. Creidim go gcaithfear maoiniú ón Eoraip a thabhairt ar ais chun tabhairt faoin obair uasghrádaithe atá le déanamh ar bhóithre réigiúnacha cosúil leis an bóthar idir Leitir Ceanainn agus Baile na nGallóglach agus an bóthar idir Baile na nGallóglach agus Cill Mhic Réanáin.”
“Maidir le bailte cosúil le Baile na nGallóglach, Ráth Mealtain, Ráth Maoláin, An Ceathrú Chaol, Carraig Airt agus Na Dúnaibh, is maith is eol dom go bhfuil gá le duine atá sásta oibriú ar a son i gComhairle Contae Dhún na nGall. Tá gá le cé úr i Ráth Maoláin, mar shampla – teastaíonn uaim é sin a chur ar fáil.”
“Tá scéimeanna athnuachan ag teastáil go géar i mBaile na nGallóglach agus i Ráth Mealtain. Tá sé ríthábhachtach go mbeadh duine éigin sa Chomhairle Contae ag gníomhú chun tionscadail mar seo a thabhairt chun críche.”
“Tá glór úr de dhíth ar mo cheantar dúchais Fanaid chomh maith, glór óg le smaointe úra agus bealaigh úra le rudaí a dhéanamh. Níl aon amhras ach go bhfuil áiseanna den scoth ar fáil ar an leithinis”
Oibríonn Eimer, máthair de chúpla, go crua ina pobal áitiúil leis an Ghaeilge a choimeád beo agus a chothú.
“Creidim go bhfuil bealaigh níos fearr leis an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn. Measaim go bhfuil sé níos éifeachtaigh daoine a mhealladh chun í a fhoghlaim agus a labhairt in ionad brú a chur orthu í a fhoghlaim. Tá sé mar sprioc ag eagraíocht teanga i leithinis Fhánada, atá mé bainteach leis, coláistí Gaeilge a bhunú arís sa cheantar. Bheadh sin ina bhuntáiste eacnamaíochta, cultúrtha agus sóisialta do phobal na háite. Féach, mar shampla, ar an deá thionchar iontach atá ag an teach solais don cheantar – ach caithfear iarracht a dhéanamh níos mó daoine a mhealladh teacht, agus fanacht níos faide, i gceantar Bhaile na nGallóglach.” a dúirt sí.
Deir Eimer go dteastaíonn uaithi níos mó mná a spreagadh le páirt a ghlacadh i gcúrsaí polaitiúla agus an saol poiblí.
“Tá éagsúlacht ag baint le páirtí Fine Gael agus daoine as gach cúlra mar bhaill. Tá sé tábhachtach go mbeadh mná cosúil liomsa mar eiseamláir don chéad glúin eile; tá mná láidre i gcroí lár teaghlaigh agus pobail agus tá gá, sna comhairlí contae agus sa Dáil, le mná láidre, a chuireann riachtanais pobail tuaithe agus bailte tuaithe chun tosaigh”, a dúirt Eimer
“Tá fonn orm daoine óga a spreagadh breathnú ar thodhchaí níos gile do Dhún na nGall. Teastaíonn uaim teaghlaigh a oibríonn go crua agus daoine atá imithe ar scoir a spreagadh creidiúint gur féidir linn go léir obair as lámh a chéile, i slí dhearfach, ar son an chontae álainn atá againn anseo.”
“Creidim i spiorad dearfach mhuintir Dhún na nGall. Is ann atá, agus a bheidh, mo chroí go deo.”
