‘Ultimate underdog’ in Laois General Election race campaigns on housing and health

Jason Lynch was one of the last minute entrants to the race to represent Laois as a TD in Leinster House.

The Portlaoise native announced his intention to contest the General Election with just over two weeks to go before polling day.

He told the Leinster Express / Laois Live he had considered a tilt at the local elections but did not have the time during the summer to dedicate to running.

“This General Election came and I said to myself if not now, when,” he said.

Mr Lynch, a paramedic, chose to run as an independent because he said it is a lot less complicated than going through the party system. He also said being independent would allow him to better represent his colleagues in the health service.

He said he had always wanted to get involved in politics and had considered joining political parties in the past and looked at Sinn Féin years ago but did not join.

He said he was inspired to run by a friend who won a county council seat in Kilkenny last June as an independent.

The top General Election topic is the main manifesto item for Mr Lynch.

“The big issue for me is the housing crisis which has been an issue for too long. Houses went from being super cheap but nobody could buy them to now being super expensive but nobody can buy them,” he said.

Mr Lynch, now aged 32, said he has been affected by the problems since leaving school and into his 20s.

“There was no opportunity to buy a home. Even with a decent job it is still very difficult to buy a home. It breaks my heart when I hear the homeless figures in a first world country like Ireland,” he said.

Working in the ambulance service he sees the problem first hand.

“As a paramedic, I go into places where people are living in hotel rooms and I can tell you that there is nothing nice about it. I couldn't imagine living like it,” he said.

Lots of ideas have been floated on how to improve the situation to increasing supply to controlling prices.

Mr Lynch believes the Help to Buy scheme needs to be looked at as it is inflating the prices of houses. He said he is aware of properties being bought with the scheme and being sold on at a big profit. He says house prices in Portlaoise continue to spiral up.

“I looked at a house in 2019 before Covid in Aughnaharna (Portlaoise) and it was on sale for €275,000. Within six months the asking price had gone up by nearly €60,000,” he said.

He believes that a balance needs to be struck in the market between profit and price. His job gives him insight into the other big General Election issue, the health service.

“I'm on the frontline working with doctors, nurses, healthcare assistants, cleaners. The service is not getting any quieter, it is getting busier but it is seriously understaffed,” he said.

Mr Lynch welcomes work on new facilities at the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise but he has fears about the new and expanded services in the pipeline.

“We can build the extensions but do we have the staff to work in it and are we going to motivate the staff and give them incentives to stay in the service,” he said.

He said the embargo on HSE recruitment that was in place had an impact on the hospitals and the ambulance service. He says the staffing issue is compounded by retirements which means recruitment is only keeping pace with departures.

“The big thing is that we need more staff and we need to incentivise them to stay. It is a great career being a nurse, doctor or paramedic but there is only so much they can do until they get burn out. Staff are exhausted especially at winter time when people are getting sicker,” he said.

He believes that while the thriving economic situation is to be welcomed, staffing hospitals should not be a problem.
The independent candidate says many doctors, nurses and other workers have emigrated.

“There is no incentive to come back,” he said.

Mr Lynch also higlighted, what he called disgraceful, St Francis Special School in Portlaoise being instructed by the Department of Education that it had enrolled too many pupils and was warned not to do it again.

He said he has a family member who has to travel to Roscrea with children because no ASD place could be sourced locally  MORE BELOW PICTURE.

Jason Lynch signs his election papers witnessed by Returning Officer Rory Hanniffy in Portlaoise Court.

The aspiring TD says his job as a paramedic gives him insights into society and how people live. As to how an indpendent can be effective in the Dáil, Mr Lynch believes he will be able to contribute.

“Firstly, you have your own views as an independent but you also have to be open to the views of other parties and independents,” he said.

He said that if he is elected he would put the people of Laois at the top of his agenda.

“First and foremost you go into the Dáil to serve the people of the constituency first and be there for the people who would elect me,” he said.

The Portlaoise man outlined what sets him apart from the other 11 General Election candidates.

“What makes me different is that I would see myself as a working class person. I am not a councillor nor have I have ever been.

“I am not associated with a political party and don't have any businesses and my job as a paramedic is my only job. If I was successful in this campaign that would then be my only job and priority.

“I am not a landlord and I have nothing else to gain by being elected other than to help the people of the constituency,” he said.

He added that a lot of local people will be able to relate to him as having grown up in a council estate and working hard. He hopes first time voters will see a reason to back him.

“If things remain the same they are also going to struggle. I want better for them and better for my own children...I want them to know that if elected I have their back,” he said.

Describing himself as the 'ultimate underdog' he concluded his pitch for votes by appealing to staff working in Portlaoise hospital and other parts of the health service. He says he can be the voice for healthcare staff.

“I can be the voice that they desperately need,” he said.

PROFILE

Jason Lynch works with the HSE's National Ambulance Service as a paramedic based in Portlaoise.
Aged 32, he has a wife and two young daughters.
He grew up in St Brigid's estate which is one of the biggest estates in the County.
He says his grandfather is the well-known minibus driver Billy Lynch
Not a member of any political party but considered Sinn Féin in the past.