Socialist Voice June 2002
Socialist Party TD Joe Higgins was re-elected to the Dail increasing his vote by more than 20%, despite the constituency being re-drawn.
Joe spoke to
Socialist Voice about his re-election. " The ordinary people of Dublin West have witnessed unprecedented wealth being taken away from working people and into the hands of a corrupt elite through massive tax cuts for the rich. At the same time, the establishment parties are determined to drag ordinary decent working people in front of the courts for refusing to pay the unjust bin-tax. I will use my position in the Dail as a voice for working class people, and will continue to build a socialist alternative to the corrupt political establishment." Joe will only receive the average workers wage and will donate the rest of his TDs salary to the Socialist Party and working class campaigns.
In Dublin North Socialist Party Cllr. Clare Daly doubled her vote to get 5,501 votes. Clare only just missed out in getting the second Dail seat for the Socialist Party. Clare is a shop steward in Aer Lingus who received national attention for fighting to defend jobs at Dublin airport. Clare spoke to Socialist Voice about her campaign " The vote for the Socialist Party in Dublin North has rocked the establishment. Our campaign focused on issues such as opposition to the privatisation of Aer Lingus and defending jobs and conditions in Dublin Airport as well as the battle to defeat the bin tax. We got a huge response right across the constituency. The Socialist Party is now well known in every house in Dublin North. We are going to build on this support and are confident that we will win next time."
The Party ran three other candidates, who all did well. In Dublin South Lisa Maher polled an excellent 1063 votes. Lisa has led the campaign in her area for non-payment of bin charge and this is reflected in the growth in her support.
In Dublin South West, Mick Murphy did well getting 954 votes. Mick is active on many local issues and has spearheaded the national campaign against the car insurance rip off of young people. He polled well given that this was the constituency where Sinn Fein concentrated their effort in Dublin.
Mick Barry, in Cork North Central, also did very well, getting 954 first preference votes. Mick is also a leading campaigner against bin charges and went to jail over his refusal to pay this tax.
The votes that we got provide a base to challenge for local government seats in all of these areas in two years time.
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