THE Social Democrats have selected Hilary Tonge as the party’s general election candidate for Clare. Following a selection convention in the Old Ground Hotel last week, Hilary said, “It is a great privilege to be selected as the party’s first ever candidate to contest a general election in this constituency.
“Like other parts of the country, housing, health and childcare are important issues in Clare and will be a major focus of my election campaign.
“As a founding member of the Mid-West Hospital Campaign, I have consistently called for the reinstatement of the Emergency Department at Ennis Hospital, as its closure was a disastrous decision for Clare. If elected, I will work tirelessly for a complete overhaul of health services for the entire Mid-West region, which has been shamefully neglected by this Government.
“I also believe that people should be able to afford to live in the communities they grew up in. As a party, the Social Democrats will always speak up for the generation locked out of home ownership and offer workable solutions to Ireland’s housing emergency.
“This crisis is a direct result of the Government’s inability to provide affordable homes when and where they are needed.”
Welcoming Hilary’s selection, Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns said, “I recently had the pleasure of meeting Hilary in Clare and hearing about the local issues she cares so passionately about. I know that she would make an exceptional TD for this constituency and be an important new voice in politics for the people of Clare.
“It’s exciting for the party to be contesting a general election in Clare for the first time and we couldn’t have hoped for a better candidate than Hilary. I look forward to working with her in the months ahead and wish her every success with her campaign.”