Meet the Louth General Election candidates: Antóin Watters - Sinn Féin

“I am a man who likes to get things done and having been a Councillor for the past eight years I am often frustrated by government policy, indifference towards and neglect of rural areas in Louth.

“I am married with two young children and like any other parent, I want the best for them, the best education, the best healthcare and I want them to be able to build a home on their own land if they so choose.

“We need real, meaningful reform of the restrictive planning laws currently in place. I don’t want to lose them to emigration like many other parents in rural Louth so we have to make this country a better place for them.

“My main priorities should I be elected is to help rural Louth flourish, better investment, better infrastructure, maximise tourism opportunities and the most basic of all, ensure people have a consistent, clean water supply.

“We need to reduce the cost of living for everyone and especially for small businesses. A permanent reduction in VAT to 9% for parts of hospitality sector would go some way towards that together with the PRSI rebate scheme.

Louth General Election candidate Antóin Watters alarmed at rural housing allocations

Sinn Féin Councillor Antóin Watters has expressed his alarm at the 'paltry’ number of social homes that have been allocated in Louth’s rural areas over the last five years.

“Families and transport/ delivery businesses in rural Louth that would benefit from a reversal of the latest two fuel price hikes.

“The biggest thing for rural Louth is housing as people are being driven into urban centres away from the community they grew up in.

“We need social and affordable houses in rural areas. Sinn Féin has the policies, has the experienced people and the determination, all we need now is the opportunity and I want to be part of that change.”