GENERAL ELECTION: 'They're not taking our jobs. We have full employment' - Laois Fianna Fáil candidate

As the only Laois candidate who has served in Government, outgoing Minister of State in the Department of Foreign Affairs, Fianna Fáil TD Sean Fleming is a surefire certainty to win enough votes to keep his seat.

A TD for 17 years, the accountant told the Leinster Express / Laois Live what he still believes he has to offer.

“One thing I'm pleased with in Laois is the increase in special education classes. I was the only candidate in the last election to put Kolbe's new school as a personal priority. I delivered on that, construction is underway, and it will open next year.

“St Francis School opened in recent years as well so in special education we've done tremendous work.

“The two other major education issues I'm dealing with now if reelected is the new LOETB second level school in Portlaoise and the new school in Portarlington for 1300 students. Both are badly needed. Getting those delivered are key priorities.

“Every single election up to this, the issue of Portlaoise hospital always came up. Now I can say for the first time that with the €30 million we are investing across the hospitals in Portlaoise, Mountmellick - and people can see the cranes, I'm not making this up - with €17 million or so going into Portlaoise, the future of Portlaoise hospital is safe for generations to come.

“€5 million was invested in Abbeyleix hospital, which was almost closed down to one patient, now there's a step down facility and at least 12 beds, it's back in operation.

“My task now is to get further staff in.

“Another thing I've been proud of and I'm working on, for the first time in decades, I've got the IDA to purchase a 45 acre site in Portlaoise to bring foreign direct investmen. The IDA have a deplorable track record of bringing business to Laois.

“Plans are underway to install all the footpaths and services so we will have a site to market to any foreign company that is thinking of coming here. Up to now we didn't have that. Once works are done we will have a very marketable site to bring jobs into the county.

“The second half is now to be done, to complete the site and the IDA to hopefully get a client in as soon as possible.”

More below link to see all 12 candidates competing for one of three seats in Laois in 2024 the General Election.

Dep Fleming listed what is coming up on the doorsteps.

“Housing continues to be a big issue especially in Laois.

“What I'm hearing on the doorsteps more often is the issue of special education. That's an important issue for so many young families. It's raised with me every day.

“We've given a commitment as a red line issue for Fianna Fáil entering Government with any other party after the election, that we will have therapists based in schools, multi-disciplinary teams at all special schools. In Laois that's Kolbe and St Francis. Those services will be delivered in schools rather than having to go to clinics.

“Unless there's agreement on that we won't be going into Government with any party.

“There has been a tremendous increase in facilities for children with special education needs since we reentered Government in 2020. There were 32 special education classes in Laois primary schools then, now there are 83. If we get another couple of years in Government we will have all that requirement fully met in Laois. Most importantly the secondary schools is the gap that has to be filled now. If we get the same result as we did in primary schools we will really have done an exceptional job”.

He said however that not enough qualified therapists are coming through college or from agencies to staff those teams so more needs to be done to attract students.

On rural transport, he said more could be done.

“There's people in Durrow would love to use the bus to get to schools in Johnstown but the schedules don't facilitate the right times.

“We have a level of local link and town link buses in the county and maybe we can do something on the timing to help people get into college or work in Portlaoise.

“A few years ago we had very little of it. We have a good skeleton in place and we have to flesh it out,” he said.
Emigration as an issue is coming up on doorsteps.

“I find that everybody sees the number of foreign people working in the hospital and nursing homes, most consultants are not from Ireland where there is a skills shortage. We ma need more in special education teams.

“People don't have a problem with other nationalities but some people like to stir it and they can make people angry.

“A lot of our parents and grandparents went to England or America and it was always the men who went to raise the money and send it back to Ireland. Ireland has a very long tradition and deep down people appreciate that but it's easy to annoy people.

“They're not taking our jobs, we have full employment. 40,000 people come to Ireland every year on new legal work permits.

“I do believe that we need an effective system for those seeking asylum that if they are allowed stay they can get work but if applications are refused there has to be an effective mechanism to make sure they leave the state.”

On climate action in Laois, he said electric cars need to have more chargers and longer distances batteries

“People will switch once its convenient. The IFA are all up for helping sustainable development on farms, and they want to do it better. But they are custodians and we need more grants for farmers setting land aside for nature restoration. We need more forests, we've stopped growing them, the acres have decreased.

“A lot of council houses have heatpumps so we are making progress. We want to help people make the changes in their own homes. Public transport instead of people relying on cars as well. We're working well but it's the start of a long journey.

“The reaction is better on the doorsteps this time than in the last election. I don't know is it that the public are being nice to everybody. It's not as polarised as last time.

“One thing I do pick up is around 40% of people decide not to vote. You meet a lot of people who are not interested in the election. That's a shame because they are effectively saying 'I want to live in a country under a system that I want the other 60% to decide for me. Use your own voice,” Sean Fleming said.

See next Tuesday's Leinster Express newspaper for a 20 page election preview special with interviews of all 12 candidates. The election will take place on Friday, November 29.