'Frustrated' Longford independent councillor Gerry Warnock has announced that he won't be seeking re-election later this year.
He was co-opted onto Longford Town Council in 2011, following in the footsteps of his father Christy, and was elected to Longford County Council on his first attempt in 2014 and he served as Cathaoirleach during that term. He was re-elected in 2019.
Cllr Warnock broke the news of his shock decision via a press release posted on his Facebook page confessing that he had become 'increasingly disillusioned with politics' and the 'diminution of powers at local level' leaving him powerless 'to effect the change that is required at local level to resolve the many issues beleaguering our community here in Longford Town'.
While he is stepping away from local representation, Cllr Warnock stopped short of ruling himself out of a future involvement in politics, adding "but for now I just need a little time of simply being Gerry."
While this may come as a shock to many of you, it’s a decision that I’ve been wrestling with for some time now.
Over the last number of years, I’ve become increasingly disillusioned with politics here in Ireland. Politics should provide a space where the welfare of the citizen is paramount, and politicians should aspire to continuously enhance the quality of life for those citizens.
In my view this is not happening, and we are witnessing a divisiveness in society that I have not encountered before.
I believe that this can be directly attributed to government who have dropped the ball on the ‘bread and butter’ issues (such as housing, health, law and order and unsustainable migration policy), in favour of a weak form of politics branded as being ‘progressive’ where “spin over substance” appears to be the order of the day.
However, the main reason for my decision is that I feel unable to effect the change that is required at local level to resolve the many issues beleaguering our community here in Longford Town.
This is certainly not due to lack of effort on my behalf, but the reality is that the diminution of powers at local level (particularly since the abolition of Longford Town Council) coupled with protracted processes has overridden any ambition that we as elected representatives have had for our county town.
This has frustrated me to the point where I can no longer put up a veneer that there’s light at the end of the tunnel when that’s simply not true.
The town that I am proud to call home has changed beyond recognition in the last couple of decades and unfortunately that change is not all positive.
Bad policy decisions by successive governments from the Celtic Tiger era to date has changed the very fabric of our town.
The strong commercial centre that was once Longford has transformed into a tired residential hub complete with all the deprivation and societal problems that go with that.
We have lost our pride as a community, and I genuinely believe that the people of Longford Town feel so demoralised by the many false dawns and lack of progress (particularly in respect of Regeneration) to the point where any hope of a turnaround is fast becoming a pipe dream.
I and other members within Longford Municipal District have been hammering the need to address these issues for years now, but the urgency required and the will to prioritise the rejuvenation of our county town is simply not there at council level and I feel that I can no longer be part of that.
It has been the greatest honour of my life to represent my community as an Independent Councillor.
I had the privilege to follow my in my father’s footsteps when I was co-opted onto Longford Town Council in 2011.
I was elected to Longford County Council on my first attempt in 2014 and had the honour to hold the office of Cathaoirleach during that term.
I was re-elected in 2019 and was humbled by the trust that the people of Longford Town continued to have in my ability to be their voice.
This is one of the things that makes this so hard.
I am proud of my record over the last thirteen years and to borrow a phrase “I did the State some service”.
I’m particularly proud of the many projects and initiatives that I helped deliver for the people of Longford Town, the Regeneration of the Royal Canal Walkway holding a special place.
My consistent lobbying for and eventual realisation of the extension of the gym at Longford Leisure Centre in the Mall, has not only saved the Council hundreds of thousands of euros every year through reduced subvention, but has provided a state-of-the-art facility that will serve the community for many years to come. The works to extend and upgrade the Astro Turf Pitch in The Mall due to commence later this year forms part of this programme.
My work on retaining the Longford Greyhound Stadium as a sporting and recreational amenity in the face of a government landgrab to provide modular homes for refugees is also a highlight.
It was a privilege to mobilise the wider community who were being wrongly left out of the conversation.
A Masterplan for this site will soon go out to public consultation and includes a walkway linking the Park Road to the Royal Canal Walk, the much-needed soccer pitch to cater for our young players and other amenities.
My work on hundreds of individual cases over the years has hopefully made a difference to those people, and it has always been a privilege to be able to help.
I want to thank the many people who have helped me out during my tenure as a councillor and who have trusted me with their precious vote at election time. I will be forever in your debt.
I wish to thank my councillor colleagues and the Management and Staff of LCC, who I’ve worked well with over the years, for their collaboration and assistance.
Most of all I want to pay tribute to my family and close circle of friends who have supported me every step of the way.
I make particular reference to my wife Rachel, my children Katie and Rian and my father Christy who have been my rocks over the years. I couldn’t have done what I’ve done for so long without that intimate support.
While I am stepping away from local representation, I will stop short of ruling myself out of future involvement in politics and service to the people of Longford, but for now I just need a little time of simply being Gerry."
