Labour election candidates selected

Two candidates will run for the Labour party in the forthcoming local elections - one for Cavan County Council and another for Cavan Town Council. Sitting Cavan Town Councillor Des Cullen will be seeking re-election on the party ticket to the Town Council, while Liam Hogan from Knockfad, Ballyhaise, will contest for a County Council seat in the Cavan electoral area. Both men were formally selected to run for the party at a convention meeting last week in the Farnham Arms Hotel, which was chaired by Mags Murphy, regional organiser for the Labour party. She said: 'It was the largest turn out at a Labour party convention for some time, which is a clear indication of how hungry people are for change.' Accepting the nomination to once again contest the Town Council, Des Cullen said that there was anger amongst hard working people who have lost jobs, saw their incomes slashed and face uncertain futures. He said the challenge ahead was to show that Labour offer an alternative that will help to create jobs and protect essential services, while ensuring that those that have caused the problems pay. He believed that everyone was not sharing the burden equally and that ordinary families have been hit hardest. Liam Hogan thanked the local branch members for their support in his selection and expressed a drive to inject additional energy into local Labour politics. Liam noted that given the current turmoil that our economy is going through, he believes the people of Cavan deserve a more effective service from politicians. Liam believes that these elections will give the people of Cavan an opportunity to send a message to national government that they are frustrated with a lack of leadership and transparency. 'Those pensioners who will not receive their bonus next Christmas, and PAYE workers looking at their pay packets at the end of May, will have many reasons to vote Labour.'