Kelleher seeks Seanad seat

PRINCIPAL of Scoil Mhuire Náisiúnta in Corofin, Declan Kelleher is to run as an independent candidate for Seanad Éireann.

Mr Kelleher, a former Irish National Teachers Organisation president, will contest the election as an independent candidate on the NUI University panel. He currently represents the INTO on the executive council of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.
He will be attempting to win the seat currently held by outgoing senator Joe O’Toole, a former general secretary of the INTO.
Mr Kelleher admitted to The Clare Champion that nobody could be blamed for calling for the abolition of the Seanad in its present form as “it has been hijacked by the political parties and used as a retirement home by them for many politicians down through the years”.
“I believe that the entire political system needs to be examined, radically overhauled and slimmed down. Then and only then should decisions be made about the future of the Seanad,” he suggested.
Mr Kelleher said it is vitally important that a voice for education be heard on the university panel within the Oireachtas, given that the future is so heavily reliant on the education system and given the threat that now hangs over rural schools arising from the McCarthy Report.
“These schools are the lifeblood of rural Ireland and given the fact that the post offices and shops are now gone from the countryside, we must jealously guard their presence. Second-level schools must be sufficiently resourced to offer a broad and balanced curriculum to their students.
“Given that a dynamic and thriving economy was wrecked by greedy developers and unregulated banks, our public services are now under severe threat. Yet every citizen must have access to quality healthcare, education and justice. Society needs doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, psychologists, teachers and gardaí.
“As public service workers, they are entitled to their dignity at work and I oppose vigorously those voices in our society who, for their own purposes, seek to divide public and private sector workers,” he added.
Mr Kelleher stressed that small industry is vital for the future of the Irish economy. “It must be protected and nurtured so that more jobs can be provided. Small and medium enterprises require support for research and development and also need financial incentives for their early years. For too long the financial incentives have been given to the large developers who went on to bankrupt our state,” he argued.
The Corofin school principal identified rural infrastructure as in need of significant attention and development.
“In many places broadband services are still patchy and unlike the main roads to Dublin, rural roads have been left at the bottom of the pile. In Clare, Shannon Airport has been allowed to run down to an almost unsustainable level with the result that the entire Mid-West region has been negatively affected in its development.
“If elected to the Seanad, I will articulate the importance of our airport and the lack of decent rural infrastructure. The future of the Western Rail Corridor is also vital to sustainable development along the west coast,” he vowed.
“Our environment is of the utmost importance to our future and is one of the greatest assets that we have. The current unsustainable reliance on the use of fossil fuels must cease and we must support the development of alternative energy sources. We have a duty in this regard to future generations of young Irish people we must respond to their needs now,” he added.
There are almost 2,000 registered NUI voters in County Clare out of a national total of 133,000 and Mr Kelleher is appealing for strong support within the county.