Healy-Rae hits back over ‘vicious’ letter campaign

AN angry Kerry Independent councillor has hit back at an allegedly dirty tricks campaign being waged against him and others members of his family.

Danny Healy-Rae has taken out advertisements in Kerry newspapers to respond to a “vicious campaign”, involving the circulation of anonymous letters, aimed at undermining his efforts to be re-elected.

Thousands of what was described as nasty, untrue letters detailing the earnings of the three politicians in the Healy-Rae family have been circulated, he says.

“I don’t engage in nasty politics. I am going before you on my track record and my ability to serve,” stated Mr Healy-Rae, a candidate in the Killarney Electoral Area, in his newspaper notice.

He also chastises some political opponents for “codding” the people by saying the long-awaited Castleisland bypass would not go ahead.

His father Deputy Jackie Healy-Rae has claimed the credit for getting government approval for the bypass.

Michael Healy-Rae, an Independent candidate in the Killorglin area, has also attacked the letter campaign.

Meanwhile, a Sinn Féin candidate in the Killarney area has suggested a European-style solution to the problem of posters in future elections.

Lynn Ni Bhaoigheallain has called on local authorities in Kerry to introduce a system whereby postering is limited to a specific area, usually a main road leading into a town. In some European countries, candidates are allowed to put up one poster in such areas, with all posters the same size.

“This system ensures candidates are given equal exposure, visual pollution is kept to a minimum and no road signs are blocked,” she said.

Kerry Co Council has already written to candidates whose posters were obscuring direction signs at road junctions, asking them to remove such posters.

Ms Ni Bhaoigheallain said many people regarded election posters as eyesores.