Kildare turfcutters endorse Joanne
Kildare Turf Cutters Association have endorsed Joanne Pender (Independent) as their preferred candidate in the upcoming local elections. The announcement was made at a well attended Turf Cutters meeting held in Prosperous on Sunday 13th April.
Fiona Conlan, President of the Turf Cutters Association & Secretary of the Kildare Turf Cutters Association said “I am personally delighted to endorse Joanne Pender in the upcoming local elections. Our organisation of Domestic Turf Cutters has every confidence that Joanne will represent us fairly and honestly in her role as a Local Councillor for the greater Newbridge Area. Joanne has struck me as an ordinary hard-working lady with strong principles, honesty and integrity and I would hope that the local people of Newbridge & Kildare would show strength in numbers and vote for her on May 23rd. She has a proven track record in standing up for what she believes in and we are confident that she will represent the interests & concerns of the many 100’s of domestic turf-cutters to the best of her ability. Joanne Pender is my number 1 vote”
‘I’m delighted the Turf Cutters have such confidence in me’ said Joanne Pender. ‘It’s an honour to be asked to represent them in the council chamber. Most of the turf cutters in our area are domestic cutters, they cut turf to fuel their homes. Fuel poverty is a serious issue in austerity Ireland and by denying domestic turf cutters the right to cut their bogs this government are forcing those people into fuel poverty. We already have children going to school hungry and many elderly people are forced to choose between food or fuel. That is wrong and needs to be addressed. We cannot allow the same thing to happen to the turf cutters as well.’
Roscommon-South Leitrim TD and European election candidate Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan was at the meeting and encouraged all turf cutters and their supporters to vote for Joanne in the upcoming elections. ‘Joanne is a great candidate, I’ve no doubt that she will be a fantastic representative for the people of Newbridge-Kildare. Having spoken to her on a number of occasions I was struck by her honesty and integrity and am convinced she’ll make a fine councillor.’
Joanne Pender Independent 