Gerard Herdman Selected To Contest the Black Mountain DEA in West Belfast for Aontú
Aontú have selected Gerard Herdman to contest the Black Mountain DEA in the upcoming Local Election. A native of West Belfast, Gerard currently works as a plumbing tutor.
Speaking after his selection, Mr Herdman said: “I’m very excited to be given the opportunity to run as a candidate for Aontú in the upcoming local elections. For decades West Belfast has been left behind, problems have compounded and have gotten worse. The Stormont parties have consistently demonstrated their unwillingness to tackle these issues. Our community needs change. West Belfast has been left behind by the failed policies of the Stormont parties. While MLAs play political games, still taking a wage, our community is really suffering with the cost of living crisis. Aontú believes MLAs should lose their salaries if they won’t do their job. It would not be tolerated in any other walk of life. We are also calling for an end to the system where one party can crash the Assembly or block the Assembly from functioning. We want to devolve economic power from London to Belfast, so Stormont has actually got the financial capacity to help people of West Belfast. We intend to shake up the political system. Political parties are not entitled to votes, they should have to work for votes. We in Aontú are determined to re-establish the link between votes and delivery for this community”.
"There is a complete lack of adequate health care services in our community, and accessing basic services such as GPs is becoming extremely difficult. Belfast has suffered from years of political mismanagement. As a result we're seeing the biggest cost of living crisis and housing crisis in living memory. This year alone we saw a 35% price hike in the cost of fuel. 75% of people are living in fuel poverty. We need representatives that will actually stand up for the needs of our community rather than sitting on their hands. If elected, I will fight on the bread and butter issues. I will push to for increased funding for housing in West Belfast and to have developers legally mandated to consider vulnerable groups such as the homeless. I will campaign for drug rehabilitation services. I will work with statutory bodies and charities to help mitigate the effects of addiction in our community.
I’m proud to stand for Aontú, as the party has consistently shown that it is the change that our community needs. Despite being only four years old, Aontú has rapidly become the fastest growing political movement both in the North and the South. Aontú representatives have consistently challenged the status quo everywhere and we are building in West Belfast. Standing up for victims of survivors of British crimes in Ireland is an issue that I'm very passionate about. I will wholeheartedly oppose the Legacy Bill. Indeed Peadar Tóibín our leader has travelled to Westminster and Washington DC to campaign against this Bill. He has stated that he will use Dáil privilege to name those with in the British Military who have murdered our loved ones if this Bill proceeds. Tóibín has also called for the Irish Government to go on the record that they will take the British Government to the European Court of Human Rights if they proceed with this Bill”.
“I have lived in West Belfast my whole life and love this community. I am ready to work hard to improve the lives of everyone in our community and do the work the Stormont parties have neglected”. CRÍOCH
