Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)

When the people voted for change in February, it was not change as a buzzword or empty rhetoric but as meaningful root and branch reform and a new departure from the old corrupt and unsustainable way Governments have operated in the State for generations. Unfortunately, the political class sold them empty rhetoric and buzzwords and a people crying out for hope bought the line. Eight months on, they can see what change means for Fine Gael and the Labour Party. Nearly 500,000 people are still on the dole and we are facing a regime of austerity not seen in a lifetime. The Government is subservient to the EU-IMF bank bailout schemes which are not about economic sense or living up to responsibilities but about foisting the burden of a European banking crisis on the people of the State.

The people have been reminded of the old adage of the new boss being the same as the old one, but they will not go back to the old days of believing nothing better is possible. The imagination and hope of the people have been ignited and they will look past the Government and seek a better way forward. Sinn Féin is that better way. We have shown in opposition here and government in the North that we have the drive, capability and conscience to lead from the front to deliver for the people. In the North we have stood fast when faced with Tory cuts, in stark contrast to the capitulation by Fine Gael and the Labour Party. We have fought the cuts and saved services and jobs. We have made job creation a priority. Mr. Martin McGuinness has travelled to America to meet CEOs and business people and results and investment have followed.

In the South we have been the voice of those struggling against a Government more concerned with meeting the targets of the European Union and IMF than the needs of the people. We have stood up for local hospital services, distressed mortgage holders, children with special needs and struggling families and low paid workers. Deputies Adams, McDonald, Doherty and others have held the Government parties to account and shown them up as uninspired opportunists implementing Fianna Fáil's failed policies while bringing very little to the table. Thus far we have seen the continuation of the bailout and further moneys being thrown on the bonfire that is Anglo Irish Bank. Prior to the general election we were told by the parties now in government that Anglo Irish Bank would not receive another red cent. They were barely in the door when they handed over billions of euro of the people's money for nothing. They spoke about burning bondholders, but all they have burned are the fingers of those who chose to believe them.

In this context, I am glad to commend to the people of Dublin West an opportunity for change and a voice for ordinary working families. That opportunity is presented by Mr. Paul Donnelly, the Sinn Féin candidate in the Dublin West by-election. Aged 42 years, Paul Donnelly is chairperson of Sinn Féin in Dublin and a member of the party's ruling ard chomhairle. He is the father of four children and has been living in Clonsilla in west Dublin for over 15 years. He is a project worker with the school completion programme in Coolock and also works in Bonnybrook Youthreach, a second chance education centre for young people. His involvement with Sinn Féin can be traced back many years to election campaigns in the north inner city where he was born. He joined Sinn Féin in Blanchardstown in 1995, became the party's public representative in the area in 1996 and has stood in various local and general elections. He polled 2,597 first preferences in this year's general election.

Paul Donnelly is extremely active in the community, having served as a community representative in numerous projects. He is chairperson of the Mountview-Blakestown community drugs team, a project in which he has been involved since its inception in 1996. He was also a founding member of the Blanchardstown local drugs task force and the Mountview-Blakestown youth initiative. He is also a community representative in the safer Blanchardstown forum, a community policing project which tackles crime and anti-social behaviour in significant parts of Clonsilla, Hartstown, Huntstown, Corduff and Mulhuddart. An ardent Dublin GAA supporter, he is involved with his local St. Peregrine's GAA club as a juvenile mentor.

Paul Donnelly is acutely aware of the challenges the people of Dublin 15 will face in the coming years, most notably the deteriorating economic situation, spiralling unemployment, the escalating drugs problem, the disgraceful waste of funds spent in renting portacabins in local schools while millions of euro are sent back to the Exchequer by the Department of Education and Skills, the shameful lack of purpose built youth facilities and the fear of closure of existing community centres. Paul is committed to working hard to represent the whole community and will continue to fight to ensure the people's voices are heard. He is determined to fight for all those who feel they have been let down by the politics of corruption, greed and self-interest.

Paul Donnelly and I have been involved in the Save Connolly Hospital campaign and have campaigned regularly on the issue. He will put people first. He shares Sinn Féin's vision of treating everyone on the basis of equality rather than wealth. He got involved in politics to make a difference and challenge injustice and inequality in his country. He will work to create jobs, a fair and equitable taxation system that ensures those who can afford to pay the most pay their fair share and a health system that treats people as human beings when they are ill and need treatment rather than as customers to be sold health care packages. He will continue to strive to ensure policing is focused on the problems the community faces, in particular, anti-social behaviour, drug dealing and intimidation, and that the justice system is reformed to focus on rehabilitation in order to address the revolving door prison system.

Paul Donnelly stands for reform of the political system. As a former councillor, he saw at first hand how much power was in the hands of a very small group of powerful council officials. He recognises that the political system needs root and branch reform at local and national level if citizens are to have more of a say in what happens in their communities. Mr. Paul Donnelly pledged to only take the average industrial wage from the disgracefully huge salary awarded by previous administrations to themselves, including Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Labour and the Green Party. The surplus will be shared out between local community groups in Dublin West and will also be used to build Sinn Féin across the constituency.

I have known Mr. Paul Donnelly for more than 20 years. I commend him to the people of Dublin West and call on them to look at the Government's record, the inaction on jobs and the continued adherence to the deflationary cuts and the bank bailout started by Fianna Fáil. They should look to the real candidate for change and progress, that is Mr. Paul Donnelly.

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