OKEEFFE HITS OUT AT LACK OF MITCHELSTOWN SUPPORT
With the O’Keeffe clan relegated to serve at Cork County Council level, retired Fianna Fail TD Ned O’Keeffe is very disappointed with the lack of support from Mitchelstown for his son Cllr Kevin O’Keeffe who was one of many unsuccessful Fianna Fail election candidates last weekend.
Speaking to The Avondhu at the election count centre in Mallow Mr O’Keeffe blamed what he termed the ‘Dairygold debacle’ for the lack of votes in the town.
JUST NOT TRUE
“We were blamed for the Dairygold debacle and that is just not true. As far as I am concerned, I fought single handed and fought alone on the Dairygold issue and the blackguarding that went on,” Mr O’Keeffe said.
However, the one time maverick politician said he was not surprised at the near wipeout of Fianna Fail support nationwide.
“I have to admit that I did see this coming. This did not just happen overnight. The defeat came about because of a lack of commitment in the party from the leader Brian Cowen, the Finance Minister Brian Lenihan and others. They became too complacent. Fianna Fail should never have been the party of Cheltenham or the golf course,” Mr O’Keeffe continued.
STRAIGHT, HONEST POLITICS
Ned O’Keeffe pointed out other areas that he feels let the Fianna Fail party and the country down.
“We adjourned the Dail for a week to go to America (St Patrick’s Day) and to go to Cheltenham for the races. That sent a message and now the people have rejected that kind of thing. They don’t want that, they want straight honest politics.”
Mr O’Keeffe went on to say that he is being blamed wrongly for the problems in Mitchelstown today.
“The biggest losers in Mitchelstown are the people who are left with no jobs, the farmer producers and the farmer shareholders whose assets were devalued. They are blaming me but they did not come and support me when I fought for the jobs at Dairygold and at Galtee.”
Published:
Thursday 3rd March 5:39pm
