A NORTHSIDE carpenter is hoping to give politicians a run for their money in the upcoming election and has put himself forward to run in the Dublin North West constituency on behalf of construction workers who have borne the brunt of the recession.
Andrew Keegan, of Shanliss Road in Santry, has thrown his name into the hat in the three-seater constituency under the banner of the Campaign for Building Workers.
The 48-year-old, who has over 30 years’ experience in the building industry, has been asked to be the voice of all those who have suffered as a result of the collapse of the construction sector.
“I’ve been talking the talk and giving out about the Government for some time now, which is probably why my construction worker friends put it to me to walk the walk and put myself forward in the general election,” he told Northside People.
“There are over 100,000 unemployed construction workers out there so I intend to represent them and their families.
“I don’t believe that there’s been a downturn in the construction industry – it’s a complete collapse.
“With thousands of families losing their main wage earner due to the collapse of the construction industry, they find themselves on the breadline, in debt and unable to provide the basics for their families.
“Often they are even unable to maintain a roof over their heads.”
The outspoken father-of-one admits that his chances of getting a seat are “slim” but says he is using the election as a platform to voice the frustration, needs and concerns of those directly affected by the recession.
“I know I probably have a very slim chance of winning a seat but I could be surprised,” he said.
“There’s a lot of frustration out there and I’m using this election as a platform to highlight people’s anger, more than anything else.
“Also, if I could get a few thousand first preference votes then that would put those going for Government under increased pressure.”
Mr Keegan is buoyed by the support he’s received from the local community.
He explained how his policies are geared towards stimulating the construction industry and in turn the national economy.
“I am pushing for the expansion of the school building programme and to retrofit buildings to make them energy efficient.
“Recent events have shown that major investment is needed in our water infrastructure. It is totally unacceptable that thousands of construction workers are left on the dole when there is lots of useful work they can be doing.
“I’m also calling for assistance for construction families in debt.
“All these policies would help the wider community and the economy by increasing tax takes through increased employment.”
He also wants a guarantee that all apprentices will be allowed finish their training.
Through his experience and knowledge of the building trade, Mr Keegan also intends to highlight how the hundreds of thousands of properties in ghost estates that are not occupied within a year of completion will be fit for nothing more than demolition.
“There’s only a certain amount of time that a property can be vacant before the fixtures and fitting begin to rot,” he explained.
“The only material that remains mainly unaffected when a property is vacant is steel, metal and plastic.
“Wood and concrete will begin to show signs of deterioration after about a year of a property being idle without proper ventilation.”
Noel Pollock, who is supporting Mr Keegan’s campaign, said construction workers and their families need to get organised around the country.
“Some 50,000 families face real difficulties and need help,” he said.
“We’ve got to help ourselves by getting organised.
“I appeal to construction workers and their families to help in Andy’s campaign in whatever way they can, but also to help us build our broader campaign for a building industry with a future.”
Mr Keegan pledged that he will only take the average industrial wage if elected to the Dáil.
(Article taken from Northside People Newspaper: http://www.dublinpeople.com/content/view/4207/57/)