Tánaiste canvasses Waterford for a 'Yes' vote in referendum

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Eamon Gilmore, T.D., paid a one day visit to Waterford on Friday last to canvass support, with Labour Party members and supporters, for a Yes vote in the upcoming Referendum on May 31 next.

Earlier in the day Mr. Gilmore opened a new constituency office for the Waterford Constituency T.D., Ms. Ciara Conway, in Dungarvan.

"I'm delighted to welcome the Tánaiste here to Waterford, and we're honoured to have him officially declare my constituency office open to the public,” said Ciara Conway, T.D.

"This operation started off in the front room of my parents' house in Abbeyside. We moved to Mary Street just over a year ago, so while we have been working hard, it's great to have our party leader here to cut the ribbon, and help canvass for a yes vote on May 31st.”

The Labour Leader laid a wreath by a plaque commemorating the late Councillor Mike Byrne, who was member of the Dungarvan Board of Guardians from 1913 to 1917, and who is chiefly remembered for having the brand removed from the clothes of the inmates.

He also took the time to pay tribute to the late Eamon Martin, owner of Bridie Dee's pub and the first chair of the Dungarvan James Connolly Labour Branch as well as paying tribute to the late Cllr. Lar Harte.

Later on in the afternoon the Tanaiste visited St. John's Park area in Waterford where he canvassed door to door for the Yes vote. He was met by a group of protestors who were campaigning against the water tax and household charge.

Mr. Gilmore also called into the House of Waterford Crystal showrooms where he was the centre of attention of a large group of American tourists visiting the showrooms. At a wide ranging press conference in the coffee shop in the showrooms, Mr. Gilmore said that a Yes vote was essential if Ireland was to have access to emergency finance if needed after 2013. Queried about possible jobs for Waterford, he said that the government welcomed investment wherever it came from to all parts of the country. He said that recent announcements tended to come in clusters, but he was confident that there would be good news for Waterford in the near future. Asked about prefab schools in Waterford he said that the government were investing €2bn. in new school buildings throughout the country.

He said it was vital that Ireland send a strong statement to the European Union that we wanted to see an end to economic uncertainty and instability.

There would be no rerun of the vote if it went against the government. He decried what he termed the "fairytale" economics of Sinn Fein. He said that Gerry Adams, on one hand, said that he would veto the ESM fund, then said he wanted to borrow from it. He said that the Labour Party were not taking anything for granted and would be canvassing strongly right up to the day of the Referendum.

Joan Kennedy from St.John's Park chatting on her doorstep with An Tánaiste, Mr.Eamonn Gilmore, last Friday as he canvassed locally with Cllr. Jack Walsh and Ciara Conway, TD.