Well-known Donegal community activist Siobhán McLaughlin vowed to be an inclusive and effective representative for the Letterkenny/Milford electoral area as she officially joined the list of candidates seeking to serve on Donegal County Council.
She becomes the seventh woman to enter the race for a seat on the Council, which currently consists of 3 women and 26 men.
McLaughlin, who first ran for the Council as a Labour Party candidate in 2009, was last week selected by the party to contest the upcoming election, as was former Garda Sergeant Christy Galligan.
“I have the skills, the capacity, and the expertise to represent and work for communities, families, women, children, and all those affected by poverty and inequality,” McLaughlin, 51, told the Labour Party Selection Convention in Letterkenny. “I will work hard, I will honour my promises, and I will do what I set out to do with honour, transparency, openness, and honesty.”
McLaughlin, who has lived in Letterkenny for the past 13 years and previously in Ramelton for 8 years, went to school in Milford. Her mum Mary (Fries) is from Kilmacrennan.
McLaughlin has been a respected and effective member of numerous local bodies and committees, including the Social Inclusion Measures Group, the Donegal County Development Board, East Donegal Forum, the County Community Forum, Donegal Local Development Company, and the Intercultural Platform. She has also served on a range of national forums and advisory committees, and for the past two years has been an active voluntary member of the board of Pobal.
“Serving on national bodies has given me considerable skills to represent everyone in this area,” said McLaughlin, who is mother to 18-year-old Katie and 30-year-old Fela. “Pobal manages various funding programmes, such as childcare, after-school, and local community development. Everybody who knows me on that board knows that I am never silent! I argue passionately on the issues affecting Donegal.”
McLaughlin, who graduated from NUI Galway with a degee in Sociology and two years ago went on to earn a Master’s in Applied Social Studies from NUI Maynooth, said the stakes are extremely high in the upcoming election due to the recent passage of the Local Government Reform Act 2014.
“Local authorities in every county in Ireland are now going to have much more responsibility for the allocation and administration of resources,” she said. “The County Development Board has been replaced by a Local Community Development Committee which will have a huge role in allocating local resources. My skills, experience, and academic background mean that I have the expertise needed to make sure this committee and other new structures will work effectively for you, the people of Donegal. I will work tirelessly to make sure everyone, and I mean everyone, is included. We in the Labour Party are committed to making sure that communities have the opportunity to be represented on these new structures and that their needs are articulated. Democracy is not just about elected representatives but about local community participation, as well.”
McLaughlin said cornerstones of her campaign would include the importance of ensuring that the Letterkenny/Milford area receives its fair share of resources and sustainable employment as the country emerges from recession. The importance of protecting the interests of individuals and communities experiencing social exclusion is another top priority. “I am passionate about the principles of freedom, rights, community, democracy, and equality,” she said. “I am committed to working for the economic, political, social, and cultural development of every person in the Letterkenny/Milford area.”
In conclusion McLaughlin addressed the young people in the audience, saying: “You are not just our future but our present, and I commit my work on the Council to including your voice, your issues, and your interests.” Her speech was received with rousing applause.
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