Aisling Moran eyes up general election seat in Laois

CLLR Aisling Moran campaign team along with her supporters were out in force on Saturday night as they rallied around their candidate at her general election launch.

Christy Farrell’s pub in Killeen village was packed to the rafters with supporters with the firm belief that “Aisling Moran is seriously in the hunt and in poll position to challenge for the third seat in Laois.” 

The outspoken Independent councillor was surrounded by family, friends, supporters and three fellow Independent councillors Ben Brennan, James Kelly and Tommy Mulligan anticipating the intriguing possibility of electing Aisling Moran as the alternative Independent voice for Laois in Dáil Éireann.

Her three fellow councillors lending their full support behind, and actively campaigning for her, are calling on their supporters across Laois to throw their weight behind Aisling Moran.

Aisling’s son Charlie O’Meara who is her Director of Elections said he has known all his life just how “kind, caring and committed his mother is to helping others,” and he wants everyone else to see it.

Her Campaign Manager Gavin Deering told the large attendance how Aisling Moran had always impressed him with her “integrity, decency, and work rate,” and that he was delighted when asked to head up her campaign and said that people could contact him if they wanted to help and support Aisling’s campaign in anyway.

Cllr Ben Brennan said: “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to get such a good TD elected in this area,” and made an impassioned call for everyone to support and vote for her.

Cllr James Kelly told the audience that his family connection with the Moran’s goes back to the time his uncle, Cllr James Kelly (now 94 years old) worked with Aisling’s father the late John Moran when he was a Fine Gael councillor in Laois for 30 years.

He said: “Aisling’s insistence of value for money and accountability to the taxpayer mattered as the budget over run on projects like the Childrens Hospital alone could have otherwise paid for thousands of houses or much needed primary care health centres across the country.

“She is right to ask the questions, we have a right to know the answers”, he insisted.

Cllr Tommy Mulligan spoke of his “longstanding admiration” for Aisling Moran: “Due to her honesty, integrity and as a person of principle. She doesn’t just ask the hard questions, she offers solutions.” 

Aisling Moran said: “We are here to offer solutions, workable alternatives to the failed policies of government. The list of their failures is a long one. They are wasting your money hand over fist and yet they didn’t want to take the billions in tax from Apple, didn’t know what to do with it.

“They can start by recruiting more nurses and guards and by relieving the tax and cost of living burden on families and small businesses, many which are going to the wall due to excessive rates, VAT and red tape.

“They talk about their achievements in housing and health. Try telling that to mother’s of autistic children, people with disabilities, elderly looking for home help. Try getting a GP at the weekend or waiting for hours at Portlaoise A&E which they had the neck to try and close, and where hard pressed staff are run ragged, not only in the frontline but in the firing line as sick people wait for hours.

“This must stop. There is a better way. This must change, and that change starts here,” she said.