ISN announce John O'Neill to run in General Election

national | politics / elections | press release Monday February 05, 2007 12:17 by The National Secretary - Irish Socialist Network

John O'Neill will seek election in the Dublin North West Constituency

FINGLAS COMMUNITY WORKER TO STAND FOR DUBLIN NORTH WEST IN GENERAL ELECTION

John O Neill, a local community worker, is standing as a socialist candidate for the Dublin North West constituency in this year’s general election. With a solid performance in the Finglas Ward on his first electoral outing in the 2004 local election (where he finishing on the fifth count with 1300 votes, ahead of the Green Party and Progressive Democrats), John is in position to make a breakthrough on a clear platform of independent working class politics.

John has worked in a lone parent community development project for the last number years. He had worked previously as a printer. An experienced political activist, he played a key role in the success of Proinsias De Rossa and the Workers Party in the Dublin North West constituency during the 1980s. Unlike some of his former colleagues, John has remained committed to a radical democratic vision of socialism. His campaign offers a real socialist alternative to those sick of the betrayal of their communities by the current government and the coalition politics of the Labour Party, Sinn Fein and the Greens, all of whom have indicated their willingness to abandon their politics in return for a few ministerial seats.

John is a member of the Irish Socialist Network, a democratic socialist organisation mainly active in the Finglas/Ballymun area. He has an unrivalled campaigning record, spending a fortnight in Mountjoy Jail for participating in a peaceful Anti-Bin Tax protest in Finglas South in 2003. He is also an active anti-war campaigner, was the main organiser in the Finglas area for the massive anti-war demo that was held in Dublin on February 15th 2003 and is currently involved in the campaign to halt the use of Shannon airport by the US military. He has also been involved in a number of local campaigns in Finglas, including the maintenance of a comprehensive local bus service, the protection of the historical heritage of the area and the development of anti-racist strategies in the community.

John is not a career politician and his reason for participating in the general election is to encourage people to organise themselves in their communities and workplaces so that they can fight to win in the struggle for houses for all, an equitable health service and a decent education for our kids. John is making one simple promise; that he will use his position to encourage and assist that empowerment process. He also hopes to cooperate with other socialist and community candidates throughout the country who share his perspective on the need for a radical alternative to the conservative parties and their subordinates in the coalition oriented centre-left. Preliminary discussions have already been held with a number of such candidates.

PHONE: JOHN O NEILL 087-6367175 OR PAUL MOLONEY 087-6433538

ISSUED BY THE IRISH SOCIALIST NETWORK

Email: irishsocialistnetwork@dublin.ie