Maganey man will seek a seat in Kildare South
Anthony Casey is a former civil servant and a father of three living in South Kildare
A Maganey man has thrown his hat into the Kildare South ring for the Irish Freedom Party ahead of the forthcoming General Election.
Anthony Leo Casey, who ran for local election earlier this year, is a former civil servant and a father of three living in South Kildare.
“I want to run for election in the Dáil because I believe we need people in power who are not bending their knee to the dictates of the European Parliament. People who want their kids to have a safe and democratic future in this country,” he said.
“Our tourism industry is gone, our health service is on its knees, our freedom of speech is being threatened, and something drastic needs to change, fast. I believe I have the know-how, the passion and the determination to relentlessly pursue these issues as a major immediate priority.”
Mr Casey said he was prompted to enter the world of politics because he had been aware of “very unsettling” trends beginning to emerge within the Irish landscape.
“We have record high homelessness, a record housing crises, a record crime rate, record inflation, record high emigration and record uncontrolled mass immigration, ‘Uncontrolled’ being the operative wording,” he said. “I want my kids to have a good quality of life here in this country, full of opportunity in a safe and secure environment.
“The Irish Freedom Party shared my values, the membership was enriched with knowledgeable members of society from ex-army to ex-revenue workers, all unified within their concerns regarding the trajectory of this country. Hermann Kelly’s political expertise also made the decision to become a member an easy choice.”
This year was the first time he ran in a local election.
“I decided to run at the last minute and could only canvass for a week before the count, however, I knew it would provide an important opportunity for people to get to know me in the run up to the general,” he said. “I had to officially resign as a member of the court service, and indeed the greater civil service, to qualify myself as a candidate. I believe that sometimes these are some of the sacrifices have to be made, and I enjoyed getting out and meeting people.
Mr Casey grew up in Maganey, not far from Athy and Castledermot, where his family have lived since 1996. He explained that their family history is rich with Irish culture, from musicians to writers, and stretches directly back to the Rising in 1916 – to when his great grandfather, Leo Alfred Casey, fought under Éamon de Valera.
“I personally have worked in several industries including the building sites, transport offices and, most recently, the Court Service, where I sat as Family Law Carlow/Kilkenny registrar,” he said.
“Some of the key issues that I would tackle in the Dáil would include policies geared towards: revamping the health and education sector; lifting the embargo and implementing financial incentives aimed at keeping qualified teachers and nurses to stay within this country. Implementing social welfare incentives aimed at homemakers; promoting an affordable future for Irish couples who wish to start their own families in this country. Calling a halt to the current mass immigration situation by introducing a logical statistics-based review, and proposing a new controlled-based system of appropriation. Exploring more practical affordable housing practices, community watches, voting transparencies and much more.”
Mr Casey said people should vote for him because he is running for the ‘right reasons’.
“To protect our culture, our economy, our safety and our futures. I am visible, I am sharp, I am accountable and I am ready to stand up for what is and what should be for the Irish people,” he said. “That is what we need, and what we deserve inside our Dáil. Honest Irish people with the right intentions. There is a narrative out there that, if you stand to oppose the current government’s policies, you must be an extremist, but I personally do not condone any extremism that exists on either wings of politics. What we need are honest discussions, reliable narratives, and sensible policies. And the time to do it needs to be now.”
The Maganey man noted that he is out and about at the local town markets, “so if you see me, please do come over and feel free to have a chat. I will do my best to answer any questions you have. I am running an IFP South Kildare Cumann group for people who wish to come along to meeting and help out on the ground. I have a GoFundMe set up on my social medias for my campaign so I can stand a better shot at tackling the task, so I would very much appreciate your support.”
