Meet the candidates: Eddie Fitzpatrick, Independent

Here is our Q&A with Eddie Fitzpatrick who is running as an Independent in the Offaly constituency.

Do Independents have any real power to enact change in the Dail?

I believe they do, and I would see myself as someone who would work constructively for the betterment of both my country and my county. As an Independent I don't believe in always being critical, you have to work within the system as it presents itself. If you have the ear of a Minister as an Independent TD, that can work to your advantage in getting things done at local level, and that's the type of Independent I would hope to be.

What one issue would be your top priority if you are elected to the Dáil?

Housing is obviously a big issue, but I would also hope to work towards securing greater access to services for families whose children have autism, as I am constantly meeting parents on my canvass who are really struggling to get help. Having worked in farming all my life, I also feel the agricultural sector needs more support and incentives need to be provided to encourage young people into farming.

Do you think the roll-out of the Just Transition process in Offaly has been a success to date?

The funding allocated to county Offaly so far has been less than adequate, and I do believe that the whole Just Transition process has been diluted across too many counties. Offaly has been the county most severely impacted by the move away from turf and fossil fuels and needs more support.

Considering you were a long-standing Fianna Fail member prior to standing as an Independent do you think that voters in Offaly who are dissatisfied with the Government parties will still vote for you?

It was a very difficult decision for me to make to stand as an Independent, but I have over 20 years of experience working in local government and I am standing on my record. I would hope that voters will look at me as a person and not as someone who is aligned to a political grouping. I am not going to be an Independent TD who is critical, I will be positive and will work in the best interest of the country and also in the best interest of Offaly. I believe I can be the first TD from North Offaly since 1997. I know the challenges that Edenderry and North Offaly face, and I think now is a very opportune time for people in this part of the county to elect their own TD. Ultimately, that is a decision for the voters to make.