Dynamic Dundalk

Ahead of next Friday's General Election Dundalk native Mark Dearey has highlighted his track record in local politics and asks for local people for a mandate to build on that record so he can help return Dundalk and North Louth to prosperity and sustainable progress.

"Even before coming into local politics in 2004 I wanted to improve the quality of life of my community. It is why I took on Sellafield back in the 1990's and I and 3 others spent 11 years in the Irish courts fighting for an end to nuclear reprocessing which at the time was a public health issue for us in Louth.”

“My commitment to public service led me to run for the local elections in 2004. Since entering public life I have restored the Dundalk St. Patricks Day Parade and run the Dundalk Drugs Action Group.

“I understand the importance of a healthy local business community to the vibrancy of a town. It is why every year since 2006, I have proposed a reduction in commercial rates vigorously support the regeneration of the Market Square."

“Access to high quality local health services is a priority for me which is why I stood shoulder to shoulder with my fellow councillors in trying to save the Louth hospital. I have also worked steadily with health agencies north and south of the border to develop a plan which would see the construction of a state-of-the-art cross border hospital to serve the health needs of the region.”

"My record shows I have always been a serious critic of the overzoning of lands by Councillors for retail and residential purposes. I am proud of the new planning legislation that means future development in Dundalk will start from the centre outward and reinforces the town’s commitment to being a low carbon town by 2020."

Dearey believes that the phrase “Political reform” has been over-used in this campaign. But real reform is not possible without clean politics with no ties to vested interests. “When faced with making a decision in your best interests or for the good of vested interests, can you be sure that your local politician will make the right call? My party has never accepted political funding from big business or trade unions and nor have I. Consequently I am free to make decisions based on the common good and this is how politics must be in future.”

"With good political leadership locally I know we can become the best local economy in Ireland. If we are properly connected to the new digital networks that will see Dublin becoming a Digital hub our SME's locally will benefit. If we play to our strengths we are the obvious place where green energy companies and smaller companies producing downstream green goods and services will come and cluster.”

“This can all happen. With the prospect of 350 megawatts of clean wind energy coming in off Dundalk Bay we could be offering the town as the home to data storage for all of Ireland. The possibilities are endless and I know too that we can get our share of a global green goods market that the Confederation of British Industry estimate will be worth 15 billion euro by 2015. This is what the new economy will look like. It won’t be bricks and mortar and dodgy land deals. Our kids deserve better and they are educated for it. I can help make it happen for them.

He concludes “For honest politics and commitment to delivering for Dundalk please vote No. 1 Dearey on February 25th.