Flaherty vows to address struggles facing Longford town

Cllr Joe Flaherty will also be contesting the next general election as a candidate for the Fianna Fáil party.

“As a father of three young daughters and with deep ties to the local community, I am acutely aware of the struggles and challenges facing Longford families,” said Joe.

“The current government and its previous incarnation has shown scant regard for our county. Longford has not felt any of this much publicised recovery and it is time for us to stand up and seek our fair share.

“Longford has the highest unemployment rate in the country at 19.6%. We need a new and sustained approach to job creation based on training and actively seeking out new employers.

“Small businesses are at the core of the Longford economy but have received little support as they battled on to protect jobs in our communities. It is time to support SMEs and family run businesses.

“Home care support is a major issue as families are struggling to provide the care that relatives require and deserve. We must immediately address the shortfall in home help hours.”