Clare TD Michael McNamara has been formally nominated to contest the next General Election for the Labour Party.
At a convention meeting, Mr McNamara told delegates Labour must campaign to remain in Government now that it is in a position not just to mitigate the worst but achieve the best for the people of Ireland and Clare
Mr McNamara, who was invited to rejoin the Parliamentary Party last month having lost the whip after voting against the sale of Aer Lingus, retained the support of the Clare Labour Party members and was selected uncontested at Treacy’s West County Hotel, Ennis on Sunday night.
“It is important that Labour remains in Government now that we are in a position not just to mitigate the worst but to achieve the best, because a lot of what we had to do was to try to mitigate the worst and frankly there isn’t a lot of thanks for that,” he told the convention, chaired by Minister for Education Jan O’Sullivan.
Deputy McNamara said that while workers rights continue to be eroded across Europe, especially in countries where there is a bail out, Labour ensured that in Ireland collective bargaining rights were increased, the minimum wage was increased, and there was no mass sell-off of State assets.
“While this was going on, and against a back drop of having to make horrible cuts that no one wanted to support in Government, we did achieve very significant investment in our infrastructure here in Clare.
Deputy McNamara said he was prepared to go before the people whenever an election was called. “We shouldn’t be afraid of an election now, we shouldn’t be afraid of an election a year ago, in a month’s time or three month’s time. If you are afraid on an election then you are in the wrong business if you are an elected representative.”
Deputy McNamara was nominated to run for the Labour Party for a second time by Clare party member Jo Walsh and seconded by Jimmy O’Callaghan.
Ms Walsh who has been appointed director of elections for the Labour Party in Clare, described Michael McNamara as “a brave and talented TD, with a well considered stance on the issues of the day.”
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.