Longford Local Elections 2024: Rising cost of living is a major concern

The Irish People candidate in Longford MD is Gareth McKendry who originally hails from Dublin. He spent his childhood summers in Clondra near Richmond Harbour.

His partner is Bernadette Brady and her family has deep Longford roots in Longford, and Gareth has come to appreciate the great community spirit in the town. They are a busy homeschooling family with five incredible sons.

Gareth has always been interested in current affairs, but as a parent, politics has become more of a concern. He says the lack of action from elected officials motivated him to pursue a political career. He chose to align with The Irish People, as they are a group of like-minded individuals.

Gareth’s priorities include “housing (focusing on Irish citizens), sensible immigration policies, making streets safer, and maintaining proper refuse removal.”

He says that feedback from canvassing reveals concerns about the future, lack of social housing, rising cost of living, delays in almost all children’s services (such as dental appointments and speech and language support), and diminishing support for local businesses.

“Some long-time Longford residents fear leaving their homes due to large groups of immigrants congregating in public spaces.”

Gareth believes people should vote for him as ‘Longford deserves passionate councillors who actively engage with communities, seeking practical solutions’.