THE Glenties Electoral Area needs a strong voice in Government to deliver for the people, a newly-announced Fine Gael election candidate said today.
Evelyn Sweeney, (42), from Gaoth Dobhair will be on the party ticket for the local council elections on Friday, May 24.
She is a Constituency adviser for Donegal TD and Minister for Education & Skills Joe McHugh and believes his record in delivering for west Donegal in Government needs to be repeated in the Donegal County Council chamber.
“I work for constituents every day in west Donegal; in my home parish of Gaoth Dobhair but also right across the west of the county, from Glenties and Ardara to Gweebarra, Dungloe, the Rosses and right up to Falcarragh and Dunfanaghy,” said mother of three Evelyn.
“Working with Joe has given me a unique insight into the issues which affect ordinary hard-working families in the county. Helping people overcome those issues is very rewarding but I feel I also need to the voice of people in Lifford too, working on issues which the County Council needs to address.
“Joe McHugh and grassroots party members have been extremely supportive and that’s why I have decided to try to get a seat for Fine Gael in the next Council.”
A native Irish speaker originally from Cnoc An Stollaire but now living in Bun A Laca, she says she’s proud of the work of Minister McHugh and the Constituency Office team for communities across the west of the county.
“In my own parish of Gaoth Dobhair Joe’s dedication to the Amharclann showed his passion for our culture and our language; it’s the same with the new St Finian’s Hall in Falcarragh, both wonderful centres for real people in real communities to meet and engage with their neighbours and ,” said Evelyn.
“Infrastructure projects along the N56 have opened the West to business and for communities. Fine Gael in Government is investing tens of millions of euro on the route – and also in providing facilities for jobs creation in new centres in Glenties and expanded facilities in Gaoth Dobhair.
“It’s a privilege to be part of Joe’s team helping to deliver for Donegal. But I also know there is a lot more to do. The Wild Atlantic Way is bringing tens of thousands more tourists to our beautiful west coast but we need to create more facilities – and encourage new hotel and B&B accommodation so that people from around the world stay longer with us.
“While I have worked as a voice in National Government for so many people from Ardara to Dunlewey and from Gaoth Dobhair to Dunfanaghy, I want to be their voice now at County House in Lifford, to ensure concerns are dealt with properly in local Government.”
Evelyn says she has been inspired by the work of former Minister Dinny McGinley as well as Minister McHugh.
“Joe has been Delivering for Donegal at the heart of the Government and I have been privileged to have been on that journey with him as part of his Constituency team – helping sporting groups for example to access Sports Capital Grants from the Department of Sport and a range of groups deal with Roinn na Gaeltachta.
“We get to see all the positive work which goes on; there’s a very positive focus in the team. That’s the only way to get things done. Dinny worked that way as a TD.
“I am conscious that west Donegal needs a new voice in Donegal County Council.”
Evelyn has vowed to keep the Irish language at the heart of her work.
“Our language is our heritage,” she said.
“It must be front and centre of Council policy going forward, but not in the old ways in which it was forced upon people. It must be about sharing our language in way which encourages its daily use, particularly in our gaeltachta areas.”
Evelyn believes it’s important that there are more female voices in the Donegal County Council Chamber.
“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,” she added.
“I want to inspire young people to look to a brighter future for west 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.”
The Gaoth Dobhair mum will be on the Fine Gael ticket alongside Michael McClafferty. She is one of four women candidates on the Fine Gael election team.
Gaeilge:
Tá glór láídir de dhith sa Rialtas, i dtogh cheantair na nGleanntach, le freastal ar lucht na taobh seo tire, a deir iarrathóír nua de chuid Fhine Gael.
Beidh Eibhlín Nic Suibhne (42) ar thicéid na phairtí, i dToghcháín na Comhairle Contae, ar an 24ú Bealtaine seo chugainn.
Is comhairleoir toghroinne í ,don Aire Oideachais agus Teachta Dála Dhún na nGall, Joe Mc Hugh, agus creideann sí ins an obair mhór mhaith atá déanta aige sa rialtas i n-Iar thuaisceart Dhún na nGall, rud atá le h-athdhéanamh i Rannóg an Chomhairle Chontae.
“I mo phost leis an Aire, bím ag obair go laethúil ar son muintir an togh cheantair, ó cheann ceann an chontae” a dúirt Eibhlín, atá ina máthair ag triúr gasúr.
“Tugann mo phost le Joe Mc Hugh, deis iontach domh léargas a fháil ar na fadhbanna atá ag teaghlaigh atá amuigh ag obair sa chontae seo, ach tá glór láidir agam le tacaíocht a thabhairt do na daoine seo ar dhóigh eile, agus taobh istigh de réimse an Chomhairle Contae”.
Tá tacaíocht faighte agam ón bhun aníos, le troid ar son suíochan do Fine Gael, agus táim buíoch do Joe Mc Hugh as an t-uchtach sin a thabhairt domh mé féin a chur chun tosaigh.
Cainteoir dúchais Gaeilge, as Cnoc A Stollaire ach a bhfuil cónaí uirthi i mBunLeaca le fiche bliain, tá sí bródúil as an mhéid ata déanata ag an tAire Mc Hugh agus a fhoireann do cheantracha ó iarthar Dhún nan Gall.
“I mo cheantar féin I nGaoth Dobhair, bhí Joe iontach dílís dár gcultúr agus dár dteanga, agus thaispeain sé sin leis an infheistíocht a rinne sé i nAmharchlann Ghaoth Dobhair- bhí an scéala amhlaidh ar na Crois Bhealaigh le Halla Naomh Fhionáin- áit a bhfuil anois deis ag daoine buaileadh le chéile”.
“Tá borradh tagtha ar infastructúr an N56, agus tá gnónna anois oscailte, agus ag forbairt tar eis infheistíócht de na milliúin euro ar an bhóthair seo – cuidíonn sin le bailte beaga agus le forbairt postanna”
“Tá sé ina onóir domhsa a bheith ag obair mar pháirt do fhoireann An Aire Joe Mc Hugh, ag cuidiú le Tír Chonaill. Ach tá sé soileár go bhfuil cuid mhór le déanamh go fóill. Tá na mílte turasóirí ag freastal ar áileacht Slí na Atlantaigh Fhiain, ach tá níos mó seirbhisí de dhith le h-iad a mhealladh- óstáín mar shampla le tabhairt orthu fanacht sa cheantar níos faide.”
“Go dtí seo d’obair mé mar ghlór do na daoine ar leibheal náisiúnta as Rialtas- do dhaoine ó Ard a Rátha go Dún Lúiche, agus ó Ghaoth Dobhair go Dún Fionnchaidh. Anois ba mhaith liom glór a thabhairt daofa I dTeach na Contae I Leifear, lena chinntiú go mbeish an ábhar a chuireann as dóíbh a phlé go h-éifeachtach sa Rialtas áitiúil”
Deireann Eibhlín go spreagann an obair ata déanta ag iar aire Dinny Mc Ginly í, chomh maith leis an obair laethúil atá a dhéanamh ag an tAire mc Hugh.
“ Tá Joe Mc Hugh ag cuir Dún na nGall ag croí nlár gach rud a dhéanann sé sa Rialtas, agus is onóir domhsa a bheith ar an turas sin leis, mar pháirt dá fhoireann sa togh cheantar.
Is iomaí deontas agus tógraí amholadh aige ó chúrsaí spóirt, ina rannóg mar Aire Na Gaeltachta, agus anois mar Aire Oideachais”
“ Feiceann muidinne- an foireann- an obair mhaith a théann ar aghaidh sa cheantar, de thairbhe an maoiniú atá Joe a chinntiú sa Rialtas”
“Tá sé soiléar go bhfuil glór de dhith ón Iar thuaisceart- glór úr- ar Chomhairle Chontae Dhún na nGall”
Tá suim mhór ag Eibhlín sa Ghaeilge agus I gcúrsaí na Gaeltachta, agus beidh said lárnach ina cuid oibre. “ Is í ár dteanga ár n-oidhreacht- caithfidh sé a bheith I gceartlár polasaithe an Chomhairle Contae, agus muid ag dul chun tosaigh”.
Creideann Eibhlín go bhfuil sé tábhachtach go mbeadh glór níos láidre ag na mná sa Chomhairle Contae.
“Is páirtí a shealbhaíonn éasúlacht í Fine Gael, le baill as gach rian den tsaol, agus tá sé tabhachtach go mbeidh mná cosúil liomsa mar rólchuspa don chéad ghlúín eile; mná láidre a chuireann a dteaghlaigh agus a bpobail chun tosaigh. Tá mná ghlórach de dhith sna Comhairle Contae agus i nDail Éireann , le tuairimí agus dearcadh ár gceantáir tuaithe a chur os comhair an Rialtas.”
“Ba mhaith liom daoine óga a spreagadh le fís a bheith acu dár gceantar dá dtodhchaí. B amhaith liom uchtach a thabhairt do theaghlaigh a oibríonn go dícheallach; don lucht atá éirithe as a gcuid oibre, agus a bhfuil seirbhís tugtha acu dá bpobail, chun go dtig linn uilig comhoibriú le cheile dár gcontae, ar bhealach atá dearfach. Creidim go mór sa meon dearfa atá ag daoine sa taobh seo tíre”
