Sorcha comes to town

Sorcha O'Neill of Sinn Fein and friends canvassing in Kilcullen this morning.

That Town Meeting ...

With some 2,500 households in Kilcullen, it might seem a small result that about 50 people turned up to last week's Town Hall Meeting to hear and talk to Naas area election candidates, writes Brian Byrne. And for the nine councillor-hopefuls who turned up, it was a gamble to spend a full night of shrinking canvass time in front of an audience prepared to ask questions ... and in some cases take no quarter.

But it was an enlightening couple of hours for all concerned, and when it was over there was a definite sense that dialogue more than a doorstep conversation had taken place. Those voters who came along had the benefit of comparison which a Town Hall Meeting forum can provide. And the candidates probably learned as much about each other as they did about the issues which exercise Kilcullen people.

Those issues are arguably not any different than in any other community. Jobs, business support, roads and footpaths maintenance, communication with the people on decisions that potentially effect their lives and businesses. Oddly enough, the national matters that are on the loose didn't intrude on the evening, reflecting again the truism that all politics is local.

Since a number of the candidates present — Darren Scully, Anne Breen, and Seamie Moore — are current Naas area councillors, the matter of business stagnation in Naas leaked into the evening. A number among the audience expressed concern that even on the smaller scale of Kilcullen, they weren't optimistic that the relevant candidates had shown an ability to deal with the blight of Main Street closed shops in the town.

"What can you deliver to Kilcullen more than what you have failed to deliver in Naas?" asked Kilcullen resident and Naas shopkeeper Antoinette Buckley, kicking off a sometimes heated exchange between herself and the Naas councillors. Others in the audience also expressed their worries in this regard.

Potentially lethal road design and traffic lights sequencing, which have been issues of long standing in Kilcullen, were also raised. Sabina Reddy made it very plain to the candidates that she had little time for a design situation at Thompsons Cross on which KCC and the NRA seemed not to agree, but the real results are a string of accidents and motorists being hospitalised.

At footpath level, the issue of poorly maintained paths was brought up by Sheedhna, a wheelchair-using resident of the Bridge Camphill Community, who related one incident where the footpath condition tipped her chair out onto the road. There was a collective scorn levelled at the local authority's management of issues like these, and candidates scribbled hurried notes.

One big issue was communication with local people in relation to planning and other decisions which might effect the local community. Orla O'Neill used an example of a planning application facilitated by Kildare planners for a proposed vehicle recycling plant close to a large residential area. "Not one of the councillors of the time forewarned us of this, and it took a lot of effort by ourselves to make that go away," she said.

The Direct Democracy candidate, Martin Byrne, probably picked up points there, as it's the main plank of his political movement that representatives would directly inform constituents of such matters, rather than leaving them to be noticed later.

A question as to whether elected councillors would come back to Kilcullen for a forum again in advance of voting on submissions to the Draft Kilcullen Local Area Plan got a predictable 'yes' from all there. Seamie Moore noted, though, that Kilcullen as a community should decide what it wanted from the Plan and make a submission accordingly, as it's 'very difficult to make a judgement on a whole pile of submissions'.

The evening passed quite quickly, with nobody losing interest. In the final roundup, the candidates were asked to say in a minute why they felt they were right for the job. Billy Hillis noted that he had been a councillor since 1985, losing out only in 2009 when the boundaries were changed, and was the only candidate from the Kilcullen area. "Return the local councillor you had, and I'll look after the town," he concluded.

Darren Scully said it was important to return councillors who are not afraid to stand up to officials. He pointed to a 'strong record' in that sphere, and said he'd got 'into a lot of trouble' with officials on that basis over the years. "If you're elected, you're there to do battle. You're batting on behalf of the people, and that's what I'll continue to do, hopefully for this area."

James Lawless reprised that he's had a lot of experience in working with community groups in his own Sallins area, and is good at getting things like local business organisations up and running, and engaging with public bodies. "I'll keep you informed, I'll engage, I'm up for the job."

Rob Power said he has been knocking on doors since October, and after the election, if elected, he'll still be knocking on those doors to see what's required. "I don't have the experience of being a sitting councilor; in fact I wouldn't like to hold that badge, given some of the decisions that have been made to date. I'm a new voice, I want to bring fresh thinking to Kildare County Council."

Anne Breen noted that she had the time, the commitment and the energy for what is to her a full-time job. "I can safely say that this is a full time job. I've been a councillor for five years. I address every issue and have done over the five years — I hope that you will consider all that when making your decision."

Fergus Carpenter had come to listen, he said, noting that this was something he did well. He added that he's also a good negotiator, and 'not stuck in old ideas'. "I will commit to giving accurate information to the people of Kilcullen, not what I think you want to hear, but what's actually happening. Kilcullen is not just an economy, and your young people need activity with which they can engage after school. Roads and footpaths need to be made safer."

The reason Sorcha O'Neill is running is because 'she's angry'. Angry at the state of the towns, that it has taken so long to come up with initiatives — except now at election time. "My anger will drive me, but I'm also more inclined to the collaborative approach rather than the bull in the china shop. I think you need to negotiate through Council."

Martin Byrne noted that he's the only candidate subject to recall, that people have the right to remove if he doesn't perform as promised. "I don't think anyone else here is going to commit to that, because they all have their careers on the line."

Seamie Moore described his political strength as being a community person with no ambitions to higher level. "I've ran for election four times in Naas and I've never been out of the top three. I have brought Naas Tidy Towns from a very low level of 27 to in the top seven positions. I'm a self-starter. I don't wait around."

Well, they only have to wait around for the rest of this week to see what effect their two hours in direct contact with Kilcullen might have done for them. The count is Saturday, in Punchestown Convention Centre.

It's all about communication

There is a unique event in Kilcullen this evening, to which everybody with a stake in the future of the town should go, writes Brian Byrne.

Almost all of the 16 candidates for the nine council seats in the Naas area — to which Kilcullen now belongs — have accepted an invitation to a Town Meeting hosted by KCA.

It is unique, because it is Kilcullen being pro-active about sussing out the plans and personalities of the candidates seeking the positions from where the successful ones will be making decisions on many aspects of Kilcullen life over the next five years.

It is Kilcullen people not waiting to be canvassed for two minutes on our individual doorsteps. It's a very important opportunity, and if we as a community don't grasp it, then we have no business complaining about councillors and Council activities that bear on our lives and businesses for the life of the next Council.

I'll be blunt. I never expected that so many of the candidates would accept the invitation. I thought the party ones would hide behind the 'electoral strategy' gambit and maybe just send the one in their number concentrating on the Kilcullen area. I thought the established councillors amongst them might feel Kilcullen had a nerve in asking them to come before the community. I thought we'd be lucky to have maybe four or five, if for no other reason than requesting them to give up one night of their canvas with just a week to go is a big ask.

So I salute in advance the candidates for making themselves available to Kilcullen tonight. As a group they are extending us a significant courtesy. And I make a plea for Kilcullen as a community to respond to that.

It's a plea to every individual in the town who might read this. Whatever other plans you had for tonight, drop them and come to the Town Hall at 8pm. Show that you also have the courtesy, and the commitment to Kilcullen, to be prepared to spend just a couple of hours in a one-off with the candidates who want you, and me, and the rest of us, to make them decision makers on our behalf.

Kilcullen has a lot going for it. Always had. But no less than any other community we also have issues. Infrastructural development, street-cleaning, roads maintenance. Business support, social and leisure facilities. Community services over which the Council has mandates. Allocation of financial resources which are never enough to satisfy all needs.

We can complain of 'faceless politicians'. Tonight is the chance to see the faces from which we will elect the local politicians who will serve us for the next five years. Tonight is your chance to ask them how they plan to represent the needs of our community in that time. Tonight is the chance to show them that we mean business, and find out what they mean.

Very few communities will have had such a chance as we have tonight. Don't waste it. Please come out and get to know, even a little bit, those who will be our next local representatives. Give them a chance to get to know you too.

Communication is a two-way street. Communication is the Town Hall, 8pm tonight. Be there.

Meet the Candidate: Martin Byrne, Direct Democracy

If there's a David tackling multiple Goliaths in the Naas Area local elections, it's Martin Byrne, writes Brian Byrne. His budget is €800, he doesn't have a large party machine behind him. He's a baby in political terms. And he's campaigning while making a living working on IT contracts from his home and minding his daughter half of the week.

The odds are stacked high against him. But you have to admire his guts. And hope that the experience doesn't blunt his idealism. We always need idealists.

Originally from Baltinglass, Martin has travelled. After stints as a barman and gardener in Ireland, he worked in Germany for a while. From there he went to Greece, crossing the former Yugoslavia during the war there. He saw stuff that still upsets him today, especially when the current situation in Ukraine comes on our TV screens. But that's not what he came to talk to me about.

After his travels he went to college, got a place in NCAD and qualified in graphic design. He was employed in that area until 2005, when companies began outsourcing their design work. Now he works for himself across the internet, on freelance IT contracts as far away as Canada. Local politics happened gradually. He did some work for Sinn Fein when he lived in Dublin. Came down to Naas two years ago with his girlfriend. Now, though, he's a single father, sharing the work of rearing their little girl.

He voted Labour in the last general election, but has since become frustrated with the Government ("they've gone back on everything"). He was talking to another candidate, who suggested that councillors shouldn't really give too much of the power back to the people who elected them. They might not make the 'right' decisions'.

"It was the way he said it, made me feel there's this class of people who consider themselves to be the ones who should make the decisions. That it's their own opinions that really matter. That day I decided to see if I could get a nomination from Direct Democracy Ireland."

Martin had come across DDI on the internet. He was impressed by the movement's Ben Gilroy. "He seemed like somebody who was fighting back, standing up for the people with no interest in anything for himself." He got the nomination to run for Kildare at a small meeting in Sallins last September. Since then he's been wearing out shoe leather on the doorsteps. On his own, mostly. "There are a couple of friends involved, but one is ill, the other has a small business to look after. DDI in Dublin handles the online, organises the leaflets and posters."

He has to pay for the campaign materials himself. He could only afford 6,000 leaflets ("so I have to be careful how I distribute them. I was able to put two posters in Kilcullen"). On the doorsteps, if there's somebody at home, he gets about a minute on average. "They don't know about Direct Democracy. On four RTE political programmes recently, we had candidates in the audience, but they got a total of about 40 seconds exposure."

The biggest issue he hears about is water charges. So he brings with him a DDI campaign petition which hopes to raise enough signatures to seek a national referendum on the whole water charges thing. There's also the matter of hardship. "We need a food bank in Naas. I've had three different people knocking on my door looking for food for their children. These were ordinary people, red-faced because they have to ask strangers. People shouldn't be going hungry here in this day and age."

Direct Democracy candidates work on the principle that they don't represent a party with particular policies. "Our policies are what people tell us are the issues that directly affect them locally. Those are what we will represent them on. If I'm elected, my job will be to make sure that people will be kept informed about any decisions coming up which will affect them. I'll take their feedback, and vote in terms of the majority of those who provide that feedback."

Maybe the whole DDI thing seems too loosely based. Ephemeral, even? Idealistic but impractical? After all, people will always push their self interest rather than the common good? Martin Byrne points to Switzerland, where in individual cantons people have been known to vote for higher local taxes because that's the right thing to do, even if personally painful.

DDI is small, set up back in the latter half of 2012. "But we're growing pretty quick. We have 19 candidates, for local authorities and Europe." And who'll vote for him and his fellow candidates? "People who are disaffected by the current system, which is too easily manipulated by the political interests. You don't join DDI to further policies, or for financial gain. We believe we have a system that works for the people, and that is at odds with the main political system."

In the end, it will come down to whether people going about their everyday business and struggles will be interested enough to back something that would require a lot of research, and subsequent direct involvement.

So far, in Martin Byrne's case — and presumably his fellow candidates around the country are facing the same things — the Goliaths have the arena. Where DDI goes in these elections might well hinge on whether there's still enough grá for the underdog. Still, the biblical David did defeat the Philistine enemy, and went on to become King of Israel.

Good response to Town Meeting invite

There has been a strong positive initial response to an invitation to local election candidates to participate in a Town Meeting in Kilcullen next week, writes Brian Byrne.

Confirmations of attendance have come from James Lawless (FF), Willie Callaghan (FF), Rob Power (FF), Anne Breen (Lab), Fergus Carpenter (Lab), Seamie Moore (Ind), Billy Hillis (FG), Darren Scully (FG) and Sorcha O'Neill (SF).

The meeting is an opportunity for local people to find out how each candidate will deal with Kilcullen issues if elected. Scheduled for the evening of Thursday 15 May, the event is organised by Kilcullen Community Action and will be chaired by Maurice O'Mahony.

Election biography: Martin Byrne, Direct Democracy

This material was provided by the candidate.

I decided to join Direct Democracy after witnessing the unending parade of unfair taxes, charges and cut backs by government parties which no longer listen or represent the interests of the people of Ireland. I realized that, if things were going to change, the people had to be able to have a real say in the running of the county.

By giving the people real control of their county councillors through Direct Democracy the people can, bit by bit, take back control of our county and then our country.

Unlike councillors from other political parties, who make all the decisions for you without ever consulting you until the next election comes around, a Direct Democracy councillor would be the only member of a county council who would vote on council proposals based solely on the expressed requirements of the majority of the people of the Naas Municipal area.

As a Direct Democracy councillor it would be my job to notify the people of every future plan the council has that would affect the people of the Naas Municipal area. The people would then have direct access to me as a council member through online forums, telephone or letter, for the full term of my councillorship to propose whatever issue the community think needs to be addressed or what position the direct democracy council member should take on a particular subject. I would adhere to the majority will of the people on every issue, giving the citizen a real voice for the first time ever in the running in our local government.

Direct Democracy councillors are also the only representatives that will adhere to political re-call giving the public the power to remove any Direct Democracy councillor, TD or MEP who fails to live up to their promises.

Facebook.com/MartinByrneDDI. Phone: 0877649902. martin@martinbyrne.co. twitter: Martin ‏@martinbyrne1968

Sixteen nominated for Naas LEA

At the close of nominations today, the following have been nominated to contest the upcoming local elections in the Local Electoral Area of Naas.

Ger Dunne, Monread Heights, Naas (Labour); Anne Breen, The Paddocks, Naas (Labour); Fergus Carpenter, Sallins (Labour); Darren Scully, Kerdiff Park, Naas (Fine Gael); Jacinta O'Sullivan, Craddockstown Road, Naas (Fine Gael); Fintan Brett, Johnstown Gardens, Naas (Fine Gael); Billy Hillis, Brannockstown, (Fine Gael); Seamie Moore, Ashfield Park (Non-Party), Naas; Francis O'Rourke, Eadestown (Non-Party); Martin Byrne, Morell Manor, Naas (Direct Democracy); Sorcha O'Neill, Esmondale, Naas (Sinn Fein); Robert Power, Osprey, Naas (Fianna Fail); Willie Callaghan, Esmondale, Naas (Fianna Fail); James Lawless, Sallins (Fianna Fail); Paddy Horan, Ballymore Eustace (Non-Party); and Cathal Spelman, Mullacash, Naas (Non-Party.

The candidates have until 12 noon on Tuesday 6 May to withdraw their nomination.

(Please note that this story has been corrected to make Martin Byrne a candidate for Direct Democracy rather than Sinn Fein. Apologies for confusion, due to layout issues on official information received.)

Election Biography: Sorcha O'Neill, Sinn Féin

This material is supplied by the candidate.

I am a very new addition to the election race, writes Sorcha O'Neill, the Sinn Fein candidate in the Naas Municipal Area for the elections to Kildare County Council. I am standing for the Kildare Local elections for Naas, Sallins, Bodenstown, Ballymore Eustace, Killashee, Killcullen, and Caragh areas.

I got into politics having been a voluntary citizen member and steering group member of the Constitutional Convention since 2012. This convention opened my eyes to the rights and power we as ordinary people have. It was an educational and enlightening experience where I had the opportunity to spend time with politicians from all parties.

I came to notice that Sinn Féin representatives always contributed to the process in making sure that each topic was approached in an inclusive and fair way, where others were quiet or interested in sound bites. I also came to realize that each of the outcomes and recommendations that the citizens and polictians had voted on were things that Sinn Féin had already been asking for years to be introduced. I was impressed in the level of detail and effort that their representatives in each topic that I did not see from other candidates.

What really drew me into the party was when I attended the Ard Fheis as a guest and I saw all the women involved, young and old, as candidates, policy makers, researchers etc. It was like a home from home. They were welcoming, inclusive and energized. I knew then this was the party for me. Sinn Féin has over 30 percent of female candidates running this year and no other party comes close. I am delighted to say that three of the seven candidates running in the Kildare local elections are female.

I intend to use my experience as a small national business to help others. Everyday I see businesses closing down and nothing is done to help them. As a business teacher for the ETB I will offer my experience and advice freely to anyone that needs it. If elected, my focus will be on job creation by supporting local businesses and upcoming projects as well as fighting for those who have been most hurt by austerity measures. I will be lobbying for Sinn Féin's policy of a fairer model of commercial rates for businesses.

I will of course be lobbying the lowest water rates possible and will continue to lobby for the abolishment of them entirely.

People seem to be surprised to see a business person running for Sinn Féin and I have gotten a few curious looks. I think there is a common misconception about Sinn Féin that if they got into power that there would be a risk to business and free enterprise or our policies might hurt our economy. When in fact the opposite is true. Sinn Féin has produced a comprehensive policy to assist SMEs and support up and start ups. Thus creating jobs and stimulating the local economy. We also have several initiatives to boost community work and services.

In addition, I would like to extend an invitation to anyone in the area interested in a cupla focail circle. Please get in touch as I hope to start an informal Irish Circle.

I look forward to opportunity to serve this community at our clinics. It's time to build a fairer Ireland.

For more information please visit www.sorchaoneill.ie or email sorchaoneillsf@gmail.com. Phone: 085 2000 600.

A Sinn Féin clinic will be held in the Hideout on Saturday 10th May at 3pm. All welcome/ Gach failte Roimh.

Meet the Candidate: James Lawless FF

Meeting James Lawless for the first time is a concentrated experience, writes Brian Byrne. He speaks quickly, and you get the sense of a man in a hurry to get places, and to get things said and done. But he listens too.

He's been doing a lot of that since he was first appointed a Fianna Fáil Local Area Representative two years ago. That's a title without power, but the Sallins man originally from north Wexford has been making the most of it to set himself up for this local political challenge.

"I decided from the beginning that I wasn't going to be the kind of person who just turns up at election time," he says. "I've really been canvassing for the last two years, knocking on doors in Sallins, Naas and Kill. Most people said it was good to see someone coming around, and it gives you an understanding of the issues in advance. You get several different viewpoints."

James says he has always been a 'doer', reckons it comes from his parents, who 'were always involved in things'. "My mother in particular was with the Parents Council, the Parish Council, the whole lot, so I grew up in that kind of ethos."

It wasn't a particularly political one, though James remembers his grandfather who was of staunch republican beliefs. "He passed away when I was a teenager, but I grew up with the stories, and the patriotism. I remember them as great stories, maybe because I always loved history."

When he went to TCD, his inclination to 'get stuck in' prompted involvement in the Students Union. And with politics, in particular Fianna Fáil. "It just seemed that the people who were doing things there were Fianna Fáil, so I formally joined the cumann eventually."

Qualifying, then a job, and a move to Sallins to set up home and family ('we found a train station with new houses nearby'). He took a step back from politics, but in a new estate there were the usual issues and it didn't take long for James to get stuck in again. "Some people sit on bar stools or in armchairs and complain. I've always been inclined to jump up from the chair and put my hand up." So he set up a residents committee, and one thing led to another. "I worked a lot with Fianna Fáil's Cllr Michael Fitzpatrick, but trying to get things sorted in my estate was a cross-party effort. We worked with any councillor who might be able to help, any party and no party."

It proved a frustrating process, and more than a decade later his estate is still trying to get Kildare County Council to take it in charge. "We're making progress, but slowly. This was one of the reasons I was prompted to go for a position where I can do things directly. It can be the case that in trying to get something done, you're beating at the door, and often the door is closed. I want to get through that door."

The process reconnected him with Fianna Fáil and he joined the local cumann and took officer and board positions. The collapse in the fortunes of the party he sees as an opportunity to rebuild. "A huge political price has been paid, but there's now the chance to recast the party to what it should be and could be. It's stepping up to the plate, not so much to restore what was there, but to create new ideas."

His political activity is all very time-hungry, especially for somebody with a full-time job. James's previous interests in hurling and fishing have been relegated by what he sees as a different 'hobby that has become my work'. He's not complaining, says it's just a reality that there are only so many hours in the day. "I do enjoy it, going to meetings, having a chat at the gates on issues, trying to follow them up and come back with a result. It's very satisfying."

His professional lawyer background can be useful in helping him see a bigger picture from all those chats. Patterns can emerge which are possibly best dealt with at national or Dail level. "Problem solving and spotting anomalies are part of what I do for a living. I can bring things to the attention of whoever needs to know, and it can be very rewarding to get the opportunity to help change the way things are done."

But this coming election is local, and does he think he has a good chance to make it onto Kildare County Council along with his electoral running mates Rob Power and sitting councillor Willie Callaghan? "It takes a lot of work to get elected, and it's a big area with around 40,000 people. But I've put in plenty of spadework, and a lot of people are saying that even though I'm new as a candidate, they already know me. We'll see."

If he makes it, it will be a learning experience for him as a new councillor. But it will also be so for everybody involved, experienced local representatives, officals and the newbies all together. The new Council system is a change that on a personal level he believes will rebalance the area at representational level. "Naas Town Council is being abolished, and I know some people will miss that. But I'm of the view that there were all sorts of anomalies created when you had two councils in the same area."

The issues for the next six weeks — he has taken the time off work to devote himself fully to the campaign — are a varied mix, but similar to what he has involved himself with for the past two years. The taking in charge of estates, small communities losing garda stations and, potentially, post offices. Supporting small businesses in towns and villages. Broadband, 'the water service of the 21st century'. And more.

The biggest issue just now, though, is to do his utmost to convince the people on the doorsteps to take a flyer on someone who can be cast as representing a new future in political representation. He's game for it. "It's a bit like the All-Ireland season just now," he muses as I take his picture for this piece. Then he's gone, a young man in a hurry to get things done.

Sinn Fein announces candidate

Sinn Fein is running a candidate in the Naas area in the coming local election.

Sorcha O'Neill is new to the party. She served on the Constitutional Convention which recently made recommendations on aspects of the Constitution.

Sinn Fein is running six candidates in total in County Kildare.

Election biography: Jacinta O'Sullivan

I would like to introduce myself as one of the few female candidates
running in the upcoming Local Elections. My name is Jacinta O'Sullivan and I have been selected to run for Fine Gael in the Local Elections for the Naas and surrounding Electoral Area. Taking in Naas including areas of Kilcullen, Ballymore Eustace, Two Mile House, Caragh, Kill and Johnstown.

I live in Naas and work as an Office Supervisor in Enfer Labs. If elected I will endeavour to work hard on all local issues in Naas and the surrounding areas in the district as a whole. I have gained a wealth of experience dealing with constituent queries through my work in Anthony Lawlor TD's constituency office in Naas town. I am also very involved with Special Olympics being one of the founders of the Naas Special Olympics club serving many areas in Kildare and

I act as public relations officer for a Kildare organisation promoting suicide awareness and prevention. I am running for election because I want to enhance local government and to maintain, and improve on, services available in the Naas and surrounding areas. I have a strong commitment to my local area as proven through my voluntary work. If elected my objectives are

* To represent and assist the electorate of Naas and surrounding areas to the best of my ability in their dealings with local government;
* To promote and adopt policies that are in your best interests;
* To ensure the efficient use of resources available.

We have a great Fine Gael Team and my running mates are Billy Hillis, Fintan Brett, and Darren Scully.

This material was provided by the candidate.

Meet the Candidate: Darren Scully FG

In seven weeks' time, Darren Scully will almost be a shadow of his former self, writes Brian Byrne. Quite literally.

"I'll lose up to a stone and a half on the campaign," the Fine Gael candidate working to be re-elected to Kildare County Council says. It's a shoe-leather thing, walking the estates and giving the electorate a chance to actually talk to a councillor or a candidate to be one. "I've always said that politics is a contact sport. The only way to get people to support you is to meet them face to face. Look them in the eye and tell them what you're about.

"You can have all the internet campaigns you like, all the posters — which I think are a total waste of time anyhow — and all the leaflet drops, but this is the only way. Or have people who know me recommend me to their friends."

Darren Scully does have a Kilcullen connection. He went to school at CPC, which seems to be a College that turns out local and national politicians while not having any political ethos itself. But he has no political background, and says he originally got involved out of frustration. "I saw a lot of politicians who were themselves turning into civil servants. I have beliefs and ideologies, and I wanted to make a difference in my area, in my county. And I felt that I could do a much better job than people who were in politics at the time."

Doing it better can mean different things, but in Darren Scully's case it was sometimes being more vocal than some. Getting stuck in to lobbying officials to get things done for his area. Doing the best he could to push through 'a hundred reasons to say no rather than one reason to say yes' attitudes. "One of the things I found out about the public service when I was first elected was that if we had the same kind of systems in the private sector, we'd go broke very quickly."

He doesn't sit on the fence, believing that a politician who is all things to all men is 'about as useful as a chocolate fireguard'. "You can't achieve anything if you're trying to appease somebody, because life isn't like that. I know there are people who can't stand the sight of me and my opinions, but that's fine, that's politics. I never was after all the votes, I have my views and my opinions about the way things should be done."

He's ten years in the political business now, operating alongside his day job as a surveyor in the insurance industry for most of that time, and most recently while running his own business. "I've always said I'm not a career politician, and I never will be. But I'll keep on doing it while I'm enjoying it. You have to, in the pit of your stomach, really want to be doing this when people are ringing you up late at night and at weekends, but there's no better feeling in the world for me personally when you meet somebody who has a problem and you can help them."

Since first elected to Naas Town Council in 2004, and to Kildare County Council in 2009, Darren Scully has experienced the differences between working with small and large local authorities. He admits that the Town Council was nicer, probably because it was smaller and easier to get things done. But the new system of the Municipal Area is going to be an even bigger change.

"I don't think many people realise it yet, but the working week for the councillor is going to be much more intensive. There will be more coming down the track to deal with. Councillors are getting more powers, including a direct say in the budgets and the right to vote against candidates for the new position of chief executive that will replace the county manager system. But with those extra powers comes more responsibility."

The responsibility of the new chief executive changes too. Instead of the manager being accountable to the Department of the Environment, the CE will be accountable to the Council, effectively the 'board' of the county. "Along with bringing the work of the former County Enterprise Boards directly into the Council, working out of Arus Chill Dara, I think the citizens of the county are going to see better customer service, questions and answers will all travel through the same channel."

Darren Scully acknowledges that there's a very strong cynicism about politics out there, and he understands the reasons why that might be so. But after a decade on the inside, he's still positive about it. "I think most people in politics are in it for the right reasons, their hearts are in the right place, they want to serve their community and help out, and they want to make a difference.

"And for those who complain about it when you knock on their doors, I believe that democracy is the best system we have. Unless you want what's happening in the Ukraine, or communism or dictatorship, it's the best we've got. And the people have the ultimate power to change things through the ballot box."

Kilcullen being moved back to the new Naas Municipal Area, he firmly believes will be good for the town. "I never saw the reason in Kilcullen and Ballymore being lost to the Athy area, it makes more sense both geographically and economically to have them part of Naas. I think it is going to benefit Kilcullen greatly in being back. Even purely on a population basis, where the revenue stream from the property tax is going to be much greater."

That's another area where the local government reforms are going to have an impact. With some 85 percent of the tax being ring-fenced from 2016 to go back to the area it was collected, and constitute a significant portion of a Council's budget, councillors are going to have to be very professional about managing the 'enterprise' that the county is.

"I do think that the new system will give more equality of representation. I think it's going to encourage better use of taxpayers' money. It's going to take time to bed in, but I think that whoever is elected, if they drive on hard and push it, hold officials to account, it should benefit everybody."

Kilcullen voters who want to put Darren Scully in their lists won't really get the chance to meet him directly. As part of the strategy he and his three fellow FG candidates are operating, he'll leave the Kilcullen canvassing to Billy Hillis, who is better known in the area. "It's all about our team, not about the individuals, and I think we have the geographically best placed team to maximise our return."

But if you really want to look him in the eye and ask him what he stands for, you could catch him most Saturday mid-mornings when he comes to Nolans in Kilcullen for his meat.

Guess it was hard to break all his associations with the town when he graduated from CPC ...

Billy Hillis campaign launch

Billy Hillis (second from right) with Alan Dukes, Fintan Brett and Jacinta O'Sullivan (candidates), and  Deputies Martin Heydon and Tony Lawlor.

To get the kind of ringing endorsements from a former Leader of the Fine Gael party and two of its sitting TDs that Billy Hillis received last night could go to any election candidate's head, writes Brian Byrne.

But Billy Hillis isn't that way, and that was the underscoring made by Alan Dukes as he launched Billy's campaign in The Stray Inn in Mile Mill. Describing his work as a councillor over three terms as 'exemplary', he noted Billy's respect for everybody's personality and opinion, 'whether they're Fianna Fáil, Sinn Fein, Independents ... or something even worse than all those put together'.

"He has a straightforward dedication to everything that he does," the former FG Leader continued. "And that was shown even when he was seriously ill, he never missed a Council meeting. He was known on occasion to leave a meeting, go for his chemo treatment, and then come back to the meeting. That was one measure of his dedication."

He noted that the candidate 'never goes in for hyperbole', or the kind of inflated 'Armageddon' language too often observed in national politics. "Billy's approach is what we need in politics today, people prepared to look at the facts, examine the pros and cons, and then deal with the situation accordingly. Given the new responsibilities which councillors will have, I think that's more important than ever."

He concluded by emphasising that support for all four of the party's candidates in the Naas Area be sought in the canvassing. "That's the best chance we have of getting them in."

Deputy Martin Heydon of Kildare South said the areas around Kilcullen, Brannockstown, Two Mile House and Ballymore are 'absolutely crucial' in this election. "With the upgrading of the councils to have municipal powers, it is extremely important that candidates like Billy Hillis and his colleagues be returned to Kildare County Council to make the most of the new responsibilities."

As the Naas area straddles two Dail constituencies, Deputy Tony Lawlor was also there to support the candidate's launch. Noting that it was Billy who persuaded him to run for the Council in 2009 when the electoral area was changed, he said he would not be there last night as a TD for Kildare North otherwise. He promised the full availability of his constituency office to support the campaign of all four FG candidates in the municipal area.

For himself, Billy Hillis says he's running again partly because he just loves local politics, but also because he believes the Kilcullen/Ballymore sections of the electoral area must have a representative who lives in their locality. While new residents have changed the demographic of the area since he was last elected, he's confident that his traditional method of 'quietly meeting with everyone' will work to his advantage.

As for the new Council, he notes that the authority will now be responsible for raising most of its own funding, and thus will need to have members 'with backbone'. "When the responsibility is given back to the councillors, then they'll have to take responsibility for it. It's not going to be easy, and it's not going to be like when I was last in the Council Chair and members left meetings when awkward decisions had to be made, later claiming they wouldn't have voted for what went through."

He concluded by recounting what a 'wag' said to him after the party convention which appointed him to this campaign. "He said, 'you can't have done too much wrong while you were a councillor, because it took two TDs to replace you'."

Like all witticisms, it's the kernel of truth in them that makes them work.

James Lawless campaign launch

More than a hint was given at the launch of Fianna Fail local election candidate James Lawless's campaign that his party views him as going further than Kildare County Council, writes Brian Byrne.

Over a hundred supporters who attended the event in Naas GAA Centre heard party finance spokesman Michael McGrath TD say that 'it would be a pleasure to work with him in Dáil Éireann at some stage in the future'.

Deputy McGrath described James Lawless as someone who has 'worked hard' as a community and political activist in the Naas area for many years. "He's an example of the future generation of public representatives coming through in this country, and will make an excellent addition to Kildare County Council."

At the event, the candidate outlined a wide range of issues on which he has worked over the past few years. These include commuter problems, taking-in-charge issues, involvement in local crime prevention initiatives, and setting up new business associations.

"If elected to the council I can continue my hard work, but with much greater capacity and determination," Lawless says. "It would be an honour to be elected on May 23rd and I would like to thank everyone for the huge support I've received so far."

This report is based on PR material provided by the candidate. We are arranging interviews with candidates between now and the election to establish their proposed connections and policies with Kilcullen matters.

Power pushes campaign on Facebook

It seems that there are around 1,400 people over the age of 18 in Kilcullen who are regular Facebook users, writes Brian Byrne.

That's according to FF candidate in the upcoming local elections in the Naas Area Rob Power, who gave us the information today while taking part in the fundraising 5K Fun Run organised by Grainne McGrath in aid of Halverstown NS and St Anne's School on The Curragh.

We mention it because local Facebook users will probably have noticed the candidate's 'sponsored post' coming through their News Feed relating to the state of Kilcullen Main Street (with a cheekily 'lifted' photograph of your editor's from a post about the same issue on the Kilcullen Diary a while ago).

"Facebook is a great tool," Power told us today. "They were able to tell me how many users there are here, and it's a great way of getting the message across."

It just underlines that this might well be a local election unlike any that has gone before. Social media, including this blog, is coming of electoral age in Ireland. Remember, Barak Obama got elected in no small measure because of his use of the internet. We should watch this space.

By the way, you might not recognise Power from the photo above. He has dropped the moustache and smig which feature on the photo on his blog. "My grandmother insisted," he told us today.

Grandmother knows best. She does.

James Lawless FF, concerns about community security

James Lawless, a resident of Sallins, is one of three Fianna Fáil candidates for the Naas electoral area. As a Local Area Representative for the party he has worked with the people of Naas town and the wider Naas area which encompasses Sallins, Kill, Johnstown, Caragh, Kilteel, Eadestown, Two Mile House, Kilcullen and Ballymore Eustace.

Originally from County Wexford, he lived in Dublin before moving to Kildare. He studied Maths and Finance at Trinity (BA, MSc) and worked in IT before more recently training as a Barrister (BL). He has campaigned for more community policing and has helped communities including Kill, Kilteel and Ballymore Eustace deal with the aftermath of Garda station closures by setting up alert systems. He campaigned within Sallins for more facilities and the much needed bypass. Within Naas town he will advocate for a revitalization of the town centre and has proposals to address parking issues, rates and other current difficulties. He has been very active in campaigning for unfinished estates to be taken in charge and has successfully progressed this recently for a number of local estates. As a daily commuter himself, James is also a long standing campaigner for the Naas and Sallins Rail Users Group and has worked to improve the conditions.

James has been active politically since university and is a member of Sallins Cumann and secretary of Naas Area Fianna Fáil. He was elected a member of the Fianna Fáil National Executive at the 2013 Ard Fheis. In his spare time he enjoys jogging, socialising or exploring the great outdoors with his children and their dogs. He is a keen follower of Gaelic games and is PRO of Sallins GAA club.

This information is taken from the James Lawless website. We will be talking to James Lawless and all other candidates over the coming months to establish their views on the issues in Kilcullen.

Election campaign launches

Naas FF local election candidate James Lawless is getting an early kick-off to his official campaign with an event in Naas GAA Club on Tuesday 25 March.

The launch starts at 8.30pm, and the guest speaker will be Michael McGrath TD, opposition finance spokesman.

Of course, both Lawless and his FF colleague Rob Power have already made their presence felt here in the Kilcullen area during some advance canvassing.

Meanwhile, Billy Hillis for FG will be doing his launch the following week, on 3 April. His gig is closer to Kilcullen, in the Stray Inn in Mile Mill, with a start scheduled for 8pm.

Things are beginning ...

Rob Power, from a tradition in politics

Robert Power is one of the three Fianna Fail candidates in the Naas Area for the local elections in May, along with James Lawless and Cllr Willie Callaghan.

He is a 25 year old Naas area native, having grown up in Caragh and attended Naas CBS. He qualified from Dublin City University three years ago, and since then has been working in online marketing for Paddy Power.

Robert became interested in politics at a young age with his father Seán and grandfather Paddy having served over 40 years between them in Dáil Éireann. Since 2011, Robert has been actively involved in party reform and public policy debates. Most recently, he has joined the Fianna Fáil Enterprise committee led by Dara Calleary.

His particular interests are youth employment, the 'brain drain' of young people via emigration, and the tough job market for newly qualified graduates.

This information is taken from the Kildare Fianna Fail website. We will be talking to Rob Power and all other candidates over the coming months to establish their views on the issues in Kilcullen.

Billy Hillis, the Comeback Kid?

When Billy Hillis lost his Council seat in 2009, it seemed the end to a long Fine Gael local representative career where by general agreement he had served his community well, writes Brian Byrne.

He had fallen foul of a boundary change which switched Ballymore and some of the Kilcullen part of his voter base to the Athy Electoral Area. He had the choice of running either in Naas or Athy, and chose the latter, a new 4-seater. His run ended when the seats were filled by Mark Wall (Labour), Martin Miley Jr (FF), Martin Heydon (FG) and Richard Daly (FG), the latter kicked home without making the quota by a very good transfer of Billy's votes.

In choosing the Athy area, he had also enabled Anthony Lawlor to take a Naas Area Council seat for FG. When both Martin Heydon and Anthony Lawlor were elected to the Dail, in 2011, Ivan Keatley and Fintan Brett were co-opted to the Council in the respective areas.

At a Council level Billy Hillis has been Mayor of Kildare, and was a member of many key committees over his career. He was some years ago commended by former Fine Gael Leader Alan Dukes for his 'business and efficiency mentality' and his 'ability to get results'.

With his traditional base now back in place, he's running with current Naas Town Councillor Darren Scully, Cllr Fintan Brett and Jacinta O'Sullivan on the FG ticket for the Naas area.

Darren Scully has a strong base in Naas, and did very well as an FG candidate in Kildare North in the 2007 General Election. Many expect he will top the poll in May. Fintan Brett can gain well from the Anthony Lawlor machine in his own Johnstown area, and Jacinta O'Sullivan also has a strong Naas base and a high profile in voluntary work.

Billy Hillis will be very much depending on his traditional strongholds of Ballymore Eustace and fully reconstituted Kilcullen. But Kilcullen's population size and mix has changed significantly since he was last a councillor in the area, and he'll have to fight hard to gain recognition in some parts. Five years absence is a long time in local politics, and there are newcomers in the fray already making serious attempts to secure the Kilcullen vote.

Still, anyone who knows him also knows that he's a fighter, especially if it's against the odds. Not just in politics, as he successfully beat serious illness while still a Councillor, at the time never letting it interfere with his Council and community duties.

This is by way of being a scene-setter, and we'll be doing something similar about each candidate in the area. We will also be talking directly to the candidates over the coming weeks and months to try and tease out how they intend to deal with Kilcullen issues if elected.

Could Kilcullen field its own candidate?

A call has been made for Kilcullen to field its own independent candidate in the coming local elections, writes Brian Byrne.

Sabina Reddy, in a comment on the first post on this blog, says there is a 'golden opportunity' for such a candidate to gain maximum votes, as this time around the community 'is not fragmented'.

"Can we step up to the mark and put forward a candidate?" she asks. "If we don't, what guarantees do we have to gain equal opportunities as our neighbouring communities such as Newbridge and Naas? My fear will be if Kilcullen becomes a satellite town/community will we run the risk of being at the bottom of the list when finance is handed out for repairs and maintenance of our area?"

Sabina, who is dealing with major health issues and therefore can't put herself forward as a candidate, also raises the fear that if Kilcullen becomes more of a satellite town, will it run the risk of losing such vital facilities as the Post Office, bank or Garda Station? She is also concerned that if the Eirgrid plan goes ahead, Kilcullen will become the 'national spaghetti junction of pylons'.

"We have enough issues to deal with in the community that an independent candidate would be fine. We were strong at one stage in having a local Fine Gael branch, and we did have an active Progressive Democrats group. The late Pat Dunlea ran a very strong campaign fighting for a northern link to the motorway for the community. He lost out due to the Kilcullen election area being fragmented. We have the manpower, so the opportunity is there."

Referring to an article online about Ireland 'owning its own oil', she adds that Kilcullen needs to 'own its own community'. "If we don't, we will lose out!"