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David Daly- Local Fianna Fail election candidate for Youghal Town Council
Posted on Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009“Instead of trying to predict Youghal’s future-Let’s create it” -David Daly Photo: Michael Hussey e mail news@youghalonline.com
David Daly (centre Back) with fellow Fianna Fail local election candidates Eoin Coyne, Mary Linehan-Foley and Sammy Revins
As we move into more uncertain economic times, one thing is certain, Youghal needs the best candidates elected on June 5th if it to have any chance in riding out the worst global recession since 1929. It is a common misnomer that local councillors have little or no power, Local Councillors through effective communication and negotiation can influence the ‘Real’ power brokers, The Cork County Council, local TD’s, The IDA, anyone that can help Youghal to its feet, and this in itself ‘IS’ power to change things for the better. During the ‘Boom’ years the Celtic Tigers roar was not heard on the streets of Youghal, whilst most big Irish towns and cities prospered Youghals factories were closing down one after another and more and more of our townspeople had to travel to look for work in towns like Dungarvan and Midleton, which were thriving. Could more have been done to attract or save Youghal jobs? ‘Yes’ I believe there could. For me there is no Doubt Youghals future lies in Tourism, and Youghals natural beauty and rich History should be an easy sell to tourists , but I don’t think we have done an effective enough job to do this, we need to think outside the box and be more clever how we market the town. We also need to do everything necessary to bring a marina here as soon as physically possible which will lead to new business opportunities and jobs.
It angers me think that at a time when we should be showcasing the natural beauty and rich history of Youghal to potential tourists, the Cork County Council continues to draw refuse and sludge from all over to our very own ‘Super Dump’. It is obvious that the dump is not only poisoning the lands around it but also poisoning the Blackwater River and its estuary and any streams which adjoin it, not to mention the nauseous smell it produces which is polluting our air. I believe it is vital to Youghals future that this dump be shut down immediately and a major cleanup operation take place before we have an environmental disaster on our hands. Was enough done at local level to prevent the Super Dump? Was there enough skills and experience in the Council to negotiate a better outcome for the town? In summary If Youghal fared so badly in ‘Boom’ times, what’s going to happen to it given the dire economic times that are forecast?
None of us have control of what’s happening globally or even nationally but we have control over what happens in our town and the local elections give us all the opportunity to set Youghal in a new direction by electing a strong town Council. I feel now is not the time for party politics as the consequences for the town are too grave. If the above issues are of interest to you and you wish to provide insight or advice, or help in my campaign I would love to hear from you.
Protecting Youghal’s Children from the scurge of drugs.
Youghal like many towns and villages in Ireland has seen an increase in drug use over the last number of years predominately among our teenage population, having lived and worked in London for many years I am well aware of the devastating damage drug use can have on individuals, their families and ultimately the wider community.
Sadly I see some of the all familiar signs that harder drugs are being used in Youghal which is leading to more and more violent crime on our streets as we have all been aware off and unfortunately some have experienced firsthand. Unless something is done we will see more and more of this vicious activity, and everyone in our community will suffer.
There needs to be more awareness around drugs especially in our local schools, to prevent more of our younger generation falling into this path , I believe this can be done by informing them of the consequences of choosing such a path , and it is my intention should I be elected to start an initiative in our schools to bring experts who can explain about the mental and physical damage that’s drugs can inflict, reformed users who have seen their own family and world torn apart by drugs and law enforcement who can remind them of the legal consequences and punishments for using selling or committing crime for drugs. I have seen these types of initiatives implemented in schools in the UK and they are very effective.
Like every responsible parent I am concerned for the future for our kids and I believe this type of initiative is vital. If this is an area that you are also concerned about and would like to offer some advice or support in my campaign I would love to hear from you.
Party: Fianna Fáil
Position: Youghal Town Council Local Nominee
Occupation: Sales Director Cupron Ireland (Cupronireland.com)
Education: Leaving Certificate 1991 Youghal Christian Brothers. Financial Planning Certificates 12&3 Certificate of Mortgage Advice and Practice (CeMAP) Qualified Financial Adviser (QFA1-5)
Born: 24/12/1973
Family: Married, 1 son
Achievements:
As a director of CupronIreland.com, I am proud to have expanded the company’s sales platforms, and despite the economic downturn i have overseen the ongoing recruitment and subsequent employment of new staff.
I would be delighted to hear from experienced retail salespeople from the Youghal region, please email your C.V to sales@cupronireland.com, or alternatively call 087-942-7501
Interesting Fact: Appeared on Dragons Den 2nd April 2009, received funding from Niall O’Farrell for my bathroom cleaning device. Episode can be seen at rte.ie/dragonsden (episodes)
YoughalOnline.com would like to wish all the candidates in the local and county elections best wishes on Polling Day. We tried to coverage each and every candidate during the election campaign and found every one without exception courteous and responsive. If we left anyone out it was unintentional on our part but are happy that we gave all the main parties a fair crack of the whip especially the new kids on the block!
We hope that we brought exposure to the people of the town the issues that are going to be top priority of the new council through our postings, comment box, featured video of An Taoiseach Brian Cowens visit to the chamber and the monthly meetings of Youghal Town Council reports by Christy Parker. We hope to have the results of the local election in and posted by Saturday night.
All the best
Michael Hussey
YoughalOnline.com
Hi Eanna,
Just read your note after I last posted. I apologise if I came across defensive earlier, but my wife was upset after reading some internet postings about my campaign that got really personal, so I’m hoping you can see where I was coming from. I have every intention of working with Eric in his endeavours whatever the election results are in the morning, and I hope I can be of some assistance to him. Apologies put this is definitely my last post.
Kind regards
David.
Gordon thanks again for your comments.
Eric I look forward to speaking with you again and meeting you in person to agree a strategy going forward. I have always preferred dealing with people face to face and any outstanding business I have from the election will be conducted as such. As this will be my last post, if anyone should care to contact me my number is 087-942-7501.
Kind regards
David.
David,
thanks for clarifying that your profile is dated since before Christmas. I had read it as being contemporary.
I alluded to your company in my posting because your profile highlighted your successful development of the company as your achievement of note. I hope the business continues to be successful and that it negotiates these difficult times of economic adjustment.
It’s a positive that the campaign for the local election allows members of the community to become aware of the range of work and services ongoing in Youghal. I’m glad to hear yourself and Robert contacted Eric, and I hope that consensus will be found to support the work he and his colleagues in Nagle House are doing.
I had no intention of making personal remarks, and I regret my posting came across that way. I have no personal issue with you at all, I admire you for standing for election and wish you all the best in your political career.
On the substantive issue of drug use in the community, Gordon is right in asserting we need something beyond the quick fix. Perhaps future work in this area will get more attention and support, and that would be another positive to emerge from this discussion.
As I wrote earlier, I would like to see the new Town Council, regardless of the personalities and party affiliations involved, engage with the professionals active on drugs and other initiatives. Youghal needs an army of professional and voluntary community workers to deal with the plethora of social issues simmering in its post industrial community. You don’t need a seat at the Town Council to be an active citizen for positive change in your community.
David.
You ask others not to make personal remarks on this forum, yet do so yourself?
The only thing I take an interest in, is the role local government has to play in this and in other respects. Obviously any would be candidates for town council or otherwise should bear scrutiny, if they stand for office. If you’re talking about the thread on politics.ie (linked below should people wish to read it) , quite a few candidates there came in for criticism and/or questioning (it is by no means as civilised a place as youghalonline, and people should leave their sensitivities and multiple identities at the door!) Most of those that responded there did so with honest answers and good grace, Donie Daly and Eoin Coyne being prime examples.
http://www.politics.ie/cork/41098-local-elections-youghal-09-a.html
If we may venture back to the real world for a moment, I hope that any communication between the community workers and yourself proves beneficial and constructive, to both parties, and I hope that your initial experience with the vagaries of the ballot box proves also to be constructive for you. I am no fan of your party, but I commend anyone who puts themselves out there.
I would like to thank both David Daly and Robert Sweetnam for their calls since my post. I’m of the opinion that both have the best interests of the area at heart, and will be of benefit to Youghal Community Based Drug Initiative if elected. I wish both the best in todays elections
Sorry about the name mix up, David.
Dan
Fairplay for a responce.
I feel the FF party vote will not have done the majority of their representatives any favours today but its the feeling of the electorate that needs to be heard,thus is democracy.
I wish you well today and i am available if you need to look at this issue further if elected.
I leave you with a qoute from a voice that was heard at a consultation meeting for the new drugs strategy…
“The drug misuse problem is a much a symptom as a problem in itself. It is the tip of the iceberg. It is a symptom and not a cause. It is important that we are not all the time crisis led. We need to go beyond the quick fix. Maybe there is something aboutt space and dialogue,listening and conversation and the need to think in terms of the long term and not be lurching from one scheme to another. That isn’t particularly helpful. Something about slowing the whole thing down as well. There needs to be a longer slower approach. We need to give people some quality, the quality of been listened to”
Regards
Gordon
Eanna,
my article was written before Christmas and should have been updated, Youghalonline.ie basically cut and pasted from micandidate to this site. I can assure you I am no political opportunist, and I have seen firsthand the misery drugs can cause so its not my intention to pay the subject lip service.I was not aware of Eric’s work until recently, and I am delighted someone is tackling the problem. Funding for allot of worthy causes is going to be an issue going forward as we all know the state of the country’s finances, but if I am in a position to help I will.
I’m not sure why you feel my company and its products are relevant to this subject, and I see no reason to make personal remarks, it’s not constructive and prohibits possible participants in the debate.
Kind regards
David.
I can only endorse what Gordon and Eric have posted on the drugs issue. It’s a disgrace that the funding for Youghal’s Community Drugs Initiative was cut last November. It beggars belief that a political opportunist can highlight an issue but not engage with the professionals working on that issue in town. It’s disappointing that no politician or would-be politician has discussed Eric’s work with him.
Eric has talked on CRY about his work in the CDI and made his phone number available via Youghal News and on posters/fliers throughout town. He’s not that hard to find, and informed and articulate too.
Despite Mr Daly’s interest in drugs, he appears not to have done his research. That bodes ill for the future – what other issues will he take on without understanding the full implications? Mr Kinsley is well placed to offer an experienced critique of Mr Daly’s proposal.
Perhaps Mr Daly could donate some Cupron products to clients of the Youghal Coommunity Drugs Initiative. Surely they could avail of the gloves, pillow cases and socks he markets?
Beware of business men taking on community issues without knowing what they’re talking about! They may mean well, but their policy intitiatives could have been cooked up with cronies down the back of the pub, rather then evolving through a detailed, thoroughly researched analysis.
I would like to see the new Town Council, regardless of the personalities and party affiliations involved, engage with the professionals active on drugs and other initiatives. Youghal needs an army of professional and voluntary community workers to deal with the plethora of social issues simmering in its post industrial community. The front line staff deserve the support of public representatives, rather than having their dedicated, difficult work undermined.
Gordon & Eric thanks for your comments,I will be in contact soon to discuss your work.
Ryan,
Im glad you take an interest in everything I do and say lately, things drying up on p.ie, love the photos hopefully see you soon.
Just to back up the commentators of the previous posts..
I’m the worker currently occupying the post in the Youghal Community Based Drug Initiative. I have been working with drug users, families, agencies and schools in the town since i started the job. I’ve been here 6 months but have NEVER been approached by a politician seeking information regarding the impact of drug use on the community, much less what we can do to alleviate the suffering, and work with those affected.
I don’t want to undermine anyone or cast despertions on their agendas or sincerity, but why are politicans TALKING about these issues coming up to election time?? …why has the project in Youghal not been approached about what can be done to help its work? ….its funding was cut last November!!
If Mr. Daly is serious about what he says and wants to have a conversation about it (or if anyone does for that matter!), my contact number is 086 3842183.
Well said Gordon, and I for one commend what you have been doing.
I would paraphrase (and decidedly not cheapen) the comments of Michael O’ Brien recently, when he asked a politician to “stop making a political football out of this”.
Knee jerk reaction is right. “Sure no one is doing a tap, and here I am to reinvent the wheel.” It ‘aint that simple.
We all know there are issues in society, most of which are not unique to towns like Youghal. Constructive debate is good. Sweeping statements that dismiss the work of many people within the community, is not.
DAN COMMENTED ON:
“Unless something is done we will see more and more of the vicious activity”
If you are not aware we have a communtiy drugs project in the town of youghal who has been working with Drug users, family members affected and the wider community over the last two yrs. Other work was to advocate for drugs policies in all schools in youghal which would involve actions in relation to any aspect of drug taking behaviour in schools.
This is only one aspect of intervention.
I am of the opinion that your responses above would not stand up ethically in best practice in drugs education and would only act as a knee-jerk reaction to the problem of drugs and alcohol in the town of youghal. Any intervention has to be done in consultation with a lot of people and has to be targeted to a specific group.
Their is no quick fix in changing drug taking behaviour.It’s not an event, its a process of change which everyone needs to buy into before change can take place. This happens over time which the community drugs project in youghal is setting the foundations for.