It seems that at the Progressive Democrat conference over the weekend, Cllr Mags Murray announced her intention to stand for the PDs in Dublin West. I’m glad to see that Mags has decided to run in the general election. This will ensure that the people of Dublin West have a wide range of political positions to vote on and I think it can only add to the debate over the direction of our community and our country over the next five years.
I also think there is an important aspect of accountability in the Progressive Democrats standing a candidate. Cllr Murray is going to have to answer a few questions about the PD’s broken promises made to Dublin 15 during the last general election. I was looking over their 2002 manifesto recently, in which the Progressive Democrats promised a number of specific public transport projects for Dublin 15.
- City Centre – Blanchardstown Metro by 2007 (page 28)
- Fast and efficient commuter services on the Dublin-Dunboyne-Navan route by 2007 (page 27)
- Provide a high speed bus link from Luas at Heuston to the western suburbs and via the Phoenix Park to Blanchardstown (page 27)
I think it’s safe to say that none of these projects are going to be completed in the next 3 months, never mind by the end of the year!
As far as I know, Cllr. Murray wasn’t even a member of the PDs when these promises were made. However, as the candidate she will have to explain why the PDs have broken these commitments. Public transport is the number one concern for the people I have met on the doorsteps in Dublin West.
In light of the failure of the Progressive Democrats to fulfill the promises they made to the electorate of Dublin West in 2002, how can voters be expected to trust them this time?
