Meet the election candidates in Roscrea on Monday night

Roscrea Community Development Council (RCDC) will hold their traditional 'Meet the Candidates' public meeting in the Abbey Hall, Roscrea on this Monday, May 20th at 8pm.

The event has become a highlight of election season in Roscrea and offers a unique opportunity to meet the candidates hoping to represent the people of Roscrea and surrounding areas on the local authority and the European Parliament.

“It is primarily to offer the people of Roscrea and district an opportunity to listen to and question those candidates who have put themselves forward for election as County Councillors in the Roscrea/Templemore electoral area”, RCDC Chairman and founder, John Lupton, told the Tribune ahead of the event.

There is also an open invitation to any European candidates in the Ireland South Constituency who have an interest and commitment to Roscrea to attend and listen to the concerns of Roscrea people, the Chairman added.

“The meeting will be open to everyone and primarily intended for the public to question and hear from local election candidates from the Roscrea/Templemore Electoral area, whose names will appear on the local election ballot paper for the local elections for those voting in Roscrea and District”.

He said the next five years will be an important period for Roscrea’s development, as the town is now facing many challenges.
“In terms of infrastructure, employment opportunities for younger people, business supports and development, the challenges are huge”, Mr. Lupton said..

“So Roscrea and district needs the strongest possible voice at Municipal Council and County Council level and on the various committees of these Councils to support Roscrea’s much needed development over the next five years.

“Infrastructure, business development and opportunity for our younger population in Roscrea, while having benefitted from some development which must be acknowledged, has nonetheless lost ground relative to it’s neighbouring towns in the past number of years.

RCDC Chairman - John Lupton

“This trend needs to be reversed and effectively tackled in the years ahead”, Mr. Lupton said.
The RCDC Chairman said they are also issuing an open invitation to candidates in the European Parliament Elections for the Ireland South Constituency, of which Roscrea is on the periphery.

“I’m sure Roscrea may not be on the top of many of their electoral agendae, however, in the context of balanced regional development, they should take an interest in Roscrea and the challenges facing the town and its people.

“We are hopeful that some of the European candidates for Ireland South may consider it worth their while to visit Roscrea on May 20th and attend our pre-election public meeting and listen to the concerns of Roscrea people and the challenges facing them especially, in the context of balanced regional development and Roscrea’s present relative disadvantage in that regard.

“However, in the context of future development, Roscrea needs an elected member(s) of the european parliament who have an absolute commitment to Roscrea’s development into the future and who do not treat Roscrea as an outpost to pay a brief visit to at election time, and, have no contact with the area thereafter”, the Chairman said.

RCDC are hopeful for a good turnout of people in the town’s Abbey Hall at 8pm on Monday night, May 20th to meet the candidates and “impress upon them the urgent needs of Roscrea and its people”, Mr. Lupton said.