Ballyjamesduff MD Candidates: Angela Gaffney (SF)

Angela Gaffney from Mullagh is running for Sinn Féin in the Ballyjamesduff Municipal District. Originally from Dublin, she moved to the area with her husband and three children 23 years ago. She says the people of Mullagh welcomed the family with open arms and her children “thrived” there. Now that her children are reared, Angela feels that the time is right for her to contest the local elections. She is currently chairperson of Cúchulainn Ladies GAA, which won the Junior Championship.

How do you unwind?

I don’t get too stressed. I love the outdoors and watching a good football match. I really relax when people are around me and I love going away on holidays.

Why should people vote for you?

I’m an ordinary woman; the housewife, the mother and hopefully one day I'll be the grandmother. There is so much that I would love to change and being part of Local Government would help me to achieve that. I want the opportunity to get in and work with all the other representatives so that we can build on what we have in our communities. I’ll do everything that I can to address the problems that are there and help better the lives of everyone living in Co Cavan. I don’t have a track record yet but I would ask people to take a chance on me.

What will you do to address housing supply?

I wouldn’t be able to do anything on my own but it would be great to have a voice on the Council on this issue. Houses can’t be built overnight and it is going to take time but, with the right number of Sinn Féin candidates in the right amount of seats, it's an issue that we could work on collectively. We do have a plan, one that will give people the chance to buy their own home. People also need to be informed on how the planning system works, what housing lists mean and become more informed about social and affordable housing.

Has Ireland taken in enough refugees?

I think we have taken in a good share of them but I think there is a need for a fairer system in respect of this. There are rules that need to be followed and they are there for those coming into our country and for the people who already live here. If people are arriving here with no passport or identification they need to be vetted before any decision is made on their status. Once their identity is established, provide them with a status and let them move on. The world is built on migration; we’ve all moved around or know someone who has, so it's important that the process in Ireland is made more efficient and becomes effective so that it does what it is supposed to do. There should be ease in the process for everyone and everyone deserves to be listened to.

What is your main campaigning issue?

Affordable housing for everyone and healthcare. These are the two issues that my campaign is running on. I believe the healthcare system is in turmoil particularly for children and the elderly. I bring my mother to Cavan General Hospital, which is a fantastic facility with the most amazing staff there could be but unfortunately the system is just broken. Everybody needs to be able to access a hospital locally - Navan Hospital is one of the main ones and yet it never has enough staff to run it. There is no forward planning in this country when it comes to healthcare; we always seem to be reacting but someone needs to get in front of this and show some leadership. If that happened, healthcare in this country might stand a chance.

Should the biodiversity/climate crises be at the very top of the council's agenda?

I think it is top of the agenda. Just last week we opened up a new biodiversity walk in Mullagh and it really is a fantastic amenity to have locally. Children and adults love it. I think that Cavan County Council is actually doing a great job on strategies to deal with climate change and biodiversity. There is so much happening countywide. You really don’t realise what you have until someone from outside your area points it out to you.

Who, in the political sphere, has influenced you the most?

I have great time for Pearse Doherty. He is very grounded, well-educated and articulate. No matter how much pressure he is under, he remains civil and good mannered, and is a man of conviction.