Meet the candidates: Micheál Carrigy, Fine Gael (Longford Westmeath)

Our Q&A with Fine Gael Senator Micheál Carrigy, who is running for the Dáil after five years in Seanad Éireann and a previous spell as a member of Longford County Council.

On housing, why should the Irish people vote Fine Gael back into power when homelessness is at a record level?

We set ambitious targets for housing over the next six years to achieve 300,000 houses over the term of the government, on a sliding scale increase over the years. The difficulty at the minute in building housing is the lack of people in the trade, but there are increased numbers going into apprenticeships in the various trades. We’re confident we can hit that target, all 300,000 houses built, by the end of the Government term.

We are putting in place the various schemes, the help to buy scheme, and schemes that other political parties are hoping to get rid of. Those are in place to help people who wish to buy or build their own homes. We’ve made significant investment into derelict or vacant houses, and there are tens of thousands of those houses around the country.

How do you intend to address the economic concerns many are facing due to the rising costs of groceries, insurance, etc?

We have put significant supports in place for people through Covid, the energy crisis and the cost of living crisis to support people and, particularly in Budget ’25, for the squeezed middle. We upped the tax band, we reduced the USC, brought in savings for child care, brought in the free book scheme for families... so we have addressed that by putting some money back in people’s pockets, and we put in two further energy credits over the winter period.

Why did you decide to run for the Dáil?

I come from a very, very strong community background, and have been involved in community work in my own local area here. I want to make it a better place. I would hope that my track record shows that I’m the best person to make our county and our constituency a better place.

What one issue would be your top priority if you are elected?

To continue to advocate for the N4, and to see that come to fruition, from Mullingar to Rooskey. I think it’s important for the economic viability of the Midlands going into the future, and also from a safety point of view.

I do a lot of work in the areas of disabilities and I chair the joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism, and I will continue with that advocacy until we implement the recommendations that were in the joint committee report.

It’s a priority for me that we give every child in this country the opportunities to maximise their potential, whatever that may be.