Kerrane says “lots and lots to do” following re-election
Sinn Féin's TD Claire Kerrane has said she was “very honoured and privileged to be re-elected”, and that it proves that her election as a first-time candidate four years ago was not just “a good day out for Sinn Féin”.
She thanked people for “putting their faith in me again”.
Kerrane also said that Sinn Féin had done well across the country, despite what some people may have predicted a week before the election.
Kerrane said she put “my whole life” over the past four and a half years into her work in order to deliver for her area.
“I'm not the type to be here, there and everywhere at every thing to be seen. I put my head down and do the job. I think my hard work has paid off this time, for which I am very grateful.”
She said she has some outstanding issues that she was working when the election was called that she plans to concentrate on when she gets back to Leinster House.
“For example, the fire station in Castlerea remains an issue that I have been working on for a number of years. There's been no movement on that. The 24/7 advanced paramedic role at Roscommon Hospital that hasn't been there for almost a year, that's really important.
"And the fact that we have no rehab beds in any nursing home in County Roscommon, people coming out of the county hospital unable to get rehab, particularly after a fall or a hip surgery. So, lots and lots to do.”
In her address to the count centre after the final count on Sunday, December 1,, Kerrane said she would work together with Micheal Fitzmaurice and Martin Daly for the benefit “of the good people of Roscommon and Galway, who would always come first, because for many issues in our constituency, many of them go beyond and above politics.”
Kerrane was one of the many Sinn Féin TDs who was elected on the party's wave of support in 2020. This time around, many of those saw their vote fall significantly, with some losing their seats. However, Kerrane actually increased her vote percentage (from 17.54% to 19.55% on this occasion).