Young blood is needed in Galway City Council to inject the chamber with a more modern way of thinking,
That’s what first-time Fine Gael candidate Eddie Hoare told Galway Daily this week, as the local election campaigns enter their final phase.
Hoare is running in the Galway City Central Ward and has been involved with Fine Gael for all of his adult life, canvassing for former TD Pádraic McCormack and current TDs Hildegarde Naughton and Sean Kyne.
The fresh-faced contender for the Council is firmly embedded in the local community through his dedication to the local St Michael’s GAA Club.
In speaking to Galway Daily, Eddie Hoare outlined his main priority areas and policy ideas.
Sport/Recreation
Eddie Hoare emphasised the importance sport and recreation play in people’s lives, stressing the role that sport plays in both personal and community development.
Eddie has seen the significant impact of sport through his long active background in Gaelic Football.
The St. Michael’s clubman described how participation in team sport leads to positive mental health and wellbeing.
He vowed to do his upmost to promote and encourage the active involvement of people in community sports, clubs and societies, and promised to campaign to increase investment in facilities around Galway City.
These facilities would be beneficial to those active in sport, clubs and societies.
Business
Eddie Hoare alluded to his experience of being a chartered accountant in Galway City.
He claimed this experience provides him with a thorough insight into the needs facing local businesses in Galway.
The Fine Gael candidate is a member of various business groups and is keen to support business around the city.
He highlighted the important contribution of businesses within the city when it comes to the budget.
He listed the positive effects of local business in creating employment and generating taxes for the exchequer which cannot be overstated.
He referenced the seriousness of maintaining an encouraging and supportive environment for businesses to thrive in the city.
A particular example of how Eddie Hoare would hope to achieve this would be through his efforts to remove the Sunday parking levy.
The Fine Gael candidate was adamant that we should not be deterring anyone from coming into Galway City to avail of the services of local businesses.
Housing
Eddie Hoare pointed out that big business won’t invest in Galway if their staff can’t buy houses.
He promised to be a proponent of increased investment in social and affordable housing.
He claimed the lack of investment in affordable housing leads to a lack of supply which increases prices.
He remarked that a solution to alleviate the ongoing housing crisis would be found through an increased investment in affordable housing schemes in the City.
This could be particularly useful for first time buyers or the “squezzed middle” as he referred to them.
Young couples are paying massive amounts on rent. While these couples have shown an ability to meet large monthly repayments their ability to raise a mortgage is restricted by Central Bank lending guidelines.
Should more affordable housing schemes be introduced more rental accommodation could be freed up which would drive down rental prices.
Traffic
Alleviating the ongoing traffic crisis around Galway City is a consistent priority for a lot of City Council candidates and Eddie Hoare is no exception.
The Fine Gael candidate declared his intention to help dampen down the crisis which plagues commuters around Galway on a daily basis.
Eddie stated that he was conscious of the role the traffic crisis plays in the ‘curtailment of other multi nationals entering Galway”.
He expressed his support for the Galway City Centre Traffic Management Plan labelling it as a ‘welcome investment’.
Despite it being a beneficial investment, Eddie Hoare emphasized the need for this plan to be delivered in a timely manner and within budget.
He referenced his background in accounting as being a useful tool to help scrutinize and analyse council projects to ensure they are within budget and rolled out as efficiently as possible.
Health
The Fine Gael candidate praised the Government’s efforts to construct a new elective hospital in Galway.
To add to this, he promised to use his position in the Council to encourage and push for increased investment in the Accident and Emergency Department in University Hospital Galway.
If elected, Eddie Hoare pledged to ensure that Galway gets its fair share out of the €116 billion Ireland 2040 plan.
Vision and Philosophy
All in all Eddie Hoare is firmly of the opinion that young fresh blood is needed in Galway City Council.
The first-time candidate described himself as approachable, accessible, here to work hard and enthusiastic to work for the people of Galway City.
He declared that his financial experience will be of huge value when it comes to examining budgets at council level.
If elected, Eddie promised to bring a positive element to the Council looking at solutions-based policies rather than relegating himself to the sidelines only to criticize.
