“Petition for Full Reopening of Castlepollard Social Welfare Office Gaining Traction Locally”

“Petition for Full Reopening of Castlepollard Social Welfare Office Gaining Traction Locally” – Laura O’Neill

Aontú Representative for Westmeath, Laura O’Neill, has called on the people of Westmeath to support Aontú’s campaign to re-open the Castlepollard social welfare office

Speaking today, Ms O’Neill said: “It so important that we reopen the welfare office in Castlepollard, it is an essential service to the area. By limiting access to the welfare office, it’s inconveniencing the most vulnerable in our community”

Laura O’Neill continued “I’ve heard amazing stories about the centre from the community. One individual told me that the lady in the welfare office was the only one who ever helped her. This individual also highlighted that without the office she’d have struggled to fill out forms, due to her disability. The Castlepollard office had a wide catchment area. Closing the office with no notice, when so many people depended on it, is shameful and has left many people in limbo”.

“We’ve had a huge response to our petition over the past week. The government cannot be allowed to continue to strip regional and rural Ireland of its essential services. The Aontú team in Westmeath, along with Meath West TD and Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín, are committed to fighting and campaigning for the re-opening of a full-time social welfare office in Castlepollard, and we’ll be hitting the doors in Westmeath in the coming days and weeks looking for more signatures on our petition", concluded Ms O’Neill.

Members of the public are invited to sign the petition in the Aontú Office on Main Street, Delvin, which is open every weekday from 9am until 1pm.

ENDS

The Irish political system is radically broken

In Ireland the vast majority of elected representatives put a finger in the air to check which way the political wind is blowing. They have one eye on their leaders – seeking brownie points – and another eye keeping their seat safe. If elected reps shut up and do as they’re told, they are promoted; if they stand up for what they believe in, they are demoted. No wonder we have the political class we have. No wonder one point one billion euro is being buried in a hole under the National Children’s Hospital and that Stormont is in stalemate.

Throughout Ireland, many people are now afraid to say what they feel, many are afraid to respectfully engage on a range of different topics. Many feel there is a new censorship and a new political correctness in Ireland, that opposition to the establishment is being deleted.

Respectful opposition is not the enemy. Respectful opposition is a critical element of a functional democracy. Aontú will have the backbone to stand up, without fear, for you.