Decision time for Skibb: National versus local interest
Since the campaign began, the Irish Examiner visited Skibbereen on three occasions to try and ascertain what people living in a typical Irish town felt about the campaign around them.
This week, everyone we spoke to had made up their minds about which way they were voting.
Aughdown farmer Sean O’Driscoll said he spent yesterday weighing up the national and local virtues of each candidate — he described it as a “dilemma”.
Even after attending an IFA-organised event last week, he still hadn’t been won over by any candidate.
“The big thing is deciding between the local and the national and the fact we are remote is important. Who will fight our corner in Dublin yet who will offer the best way out of the current crisis? I also think that a lot of the vote around here comes down to the character of the person,” he said.
For Catherine Thornhill, who is the mother of two adult children with cerebral palsy, what shocked her about this election is how little special needs was raised as an issue.
She is still seething since the Government cut her daughters’ disability allowance by €15 each.
Anne, 24, and Julie, 34, both have problems walking unaided and have serious speech and language difficulties. The girls require 24-hour care, something which will be an increasing problem for their parents as they grow all grow older.
“When you have children with special needs, you try and give them the best they can possibly have as you want them to have a bit of comfort. In our case we are lucky enough to pay that ourselves but I see so many parents out there who can’t do what they want by their children as they don’t have enough money. To take that money from these parents was appalling,” she said.
Catherine’s children attend Co-Action West Cork, an organisation she says is “completely cash strapped”. Much of the extra statutory funding they received during the Celtic Tiger is not available any more.
“There are serious staffing shortages at Co-Action and that affects everyone attending the services. Respite is also very thin in West Cork now. If you’re on the respite list already, you’re getting respite but if you’re trying to get in, they don’t have the houses or the staffing for you.”
Catherine dreams of a Government who will invest in respite need and will look at long-term life planning for adults with special needs.
“I won’t vote independent as that just leads to the likes of Jackie Healy-Rae ruling the roost in Dublin. I’m thinking national this time around. I’m thinking about what kind of country I want. I’ve made up my mind now,” she says.
Over at the Corner House, publican William O’Brien is looking forward to seeing how the anti- Government wind blows.
“I’m very interested in the turnout as you have to wonder will the diehard Fianna Fáilers not vote rather than vote against the party or will there be a big turnout because people will want to oust Fianna Fáil?” he mused.
It’s been a busy week over at the Church restaurant, thanks to the school midterm. Regina Daly admitted last week that she’d made up her mind on week two and that it was the “loud local voice” that won her over.
“Me? I want someone who will make a difference. I need someone who will help small business.”
Butcher William Walsh is clearcut on the national versus local dilemma. “I made up my mind based on local issues. The Skibbereen Business Association (SBA) organised a meeting of all the candidates and just four turned up. Two of them impressed me and they’re getting my number one and two,” he said.
“I don’t think we’ll get all the answers from the incoming government. Things happen so quickly, just look at how fast this crisis happened, and the political system in Ireland is always too slow to react. I think that they are incapable of making good decisions at the top.”
