General Election 2007

Danny, Deputy Dan and Counsellor Tom Neville outside Leinster House on the first sitting of the 30theann on 14th June 2007

Dan Neville TD celebrates his election victory

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Election Results

                       Quota         1st  Pref      Count 2       Count 3  

                      10,108                                 (969)         (4,680)

Collins Niall          FF                        10,396   Elected

Cregan John       FF                           8,701             +122              1,532

                                                                                8,823             10,355  EL

Neville Dan           FG                      8,314              +190             +1,514

                                                                                8504             10,018 EL

Finucane Michael   FG                   7,893              +136               +1052

                                                                               7,975               9,027

Heffernan James Lab                2,277               +410                   Exl

                                                                                2687

Nix, James            GP                 969                      Exl                   Exl

Non Trans/ Spoilt                      381                      53                    582

     Dan Neville TD’s Priorities for General Election 2007

 I am committed to playing a strong role in dealing with the crisis in our health service.  It is affecting all sections of our society from the disastrous neglect of the orthodontic services, MRSA in our hospitals, to long waiting lists and the need for a strong policy in relation to the supervision of our nursing homes and support for families of residents of the homes.

I have been centrally involved in drawing up policy in relation to suicide prevention and services for the bereaved of suicide.  This includes the development of multi-disciplinary community based psychiatric services. I am deeply committed to its implementation of this FG/Labour programme for Government both nationally and locally. 

I am deeply committed to the law and order ethos of Fine Gael.  People no longer feel safe in their homes and crimes of murder, rape and robbery are rampant.  In government Fine Gael is committed to ensuring that this crime wave will be seriously tackled.

Ireland’s success has been achieved with an enormous contribution from the education sector.  However, 20% of people leave education without literacy and numeracy skills.  Their life opportunity is severely restricted.  Many are suffering from conditions which the system is not addressing, those with autism, aspergers syndrome, attention deficit, hyperactivity disorder, slow learners, personality difficulties, mental illness etc. It is our duty to respond to the needs of all and investment must be made to do so.  We must address facilities for young people.

I am committed to the support for those with special needs, those unemployed, on sick benefit, pensioners and those who cannot afford housing accommodation etc.

I believe that we have a special duty to ensure the dignity of our senior citizens and recognise the immense contribution which they have made to our country.

I am committed to improving the financial support and give carers recognition by removing the partners means from the means calculation and to changing the situation where a small number of elderly people and widows/widowers are disqualified for carer’s allowance because they are in receipt of a state pension.

The protection of the environment is a priority for Fine Gael.  The plan contains proposals on housing, transport, power generation, bio-fuels and research and development.

The development of the infrastructure of West Limerick is a priority for me.   The urgent need for acceptable access roads to Limerick West has been ignored which has seriously inhibited economic development.  No progress has been made on improving the N69 coast road.  The need for by-passes of Adare, Newcastle West, Abbeyfeale and the road from Banogue to Charleville are just examples of where there is urgent need for investment.

Our towns and villages are crying out for development.  Because of the lack of services especially sewerage and water the opportunities to develop our towns and villages is passing by.  We continue to demand the upgrading of sewerage schemes throughout the constituency.    Examples of these are Askeaton, Glin, Foynes/Shanagolden, Athea, Adare, Patrickswell, Dromcollogher and Kilmallock and Bruff.  The opportunities to have housing in such areas are severely hampered and in many cases are stalled.  The difficulties in relation to rural planning is seriously inhibiting the development of rural communities and must be addressed

Agriculture has been very important to the life-blood of West Limerick.  Rural decline must be stopped and a programme of regeneration introduced.  I am committed to the extension of the CLAR Programme and to the active development of rural areas including the regeneration of the areas with people and the removal of inhibitors and encourage orderly and sensible planning policies.

As the person who played a central role in drafting the policy document on mental health 'Reaching Recovery' which Fine Gael and the Labour party are committed , I am determined to ensure that the programme is introduced to improve the mental health services and reduce suicide.  I have been commiteed to this issue since I successfully campaigned in the early 90s to have suicide decriminalised and treated as a public issue rather than I crime.  I look forward if elected to playing a key role in the implementation of the new government (if elected) to the introduction of 'Reaching Recovery' Click here to view

Speech by Dan Neville TD,  Fine Gael Convention, Rathkeale House Hotel 21^st October 2005.

I thank my proposer, Cllr. Jim Houlihan, Bruree Fine Gael and my seconder, Alice O’Callaghan, Glenroe Fine Gael.

Fianna Fail and the Government have ignored West Limerick since coming into office.  This neglect must stop by  changing  the present administration.  The urgent need for acceptable access roads has been ignored which has inhibited economic development.  No progress has been made on improving the N69 coast road.  The need for by-passes of Adare, Newcastle West, Abbeyfeale and the road from Banogue to Charleville are just examples of where there is urgent need for investment.

Our towns and villages are crying out for development.  Because of the lack of services especially sewerage and water the opportunities to develop our towns and villages  is passing by.  We continue to demand the upgrading of sewerage schemes throughout the constituency.    Examples of these are Askeaton, Glin, Foynes/Shanagolden, Athea, Adare, Dromcollogher and Kilmallock.  The opportunities to have housing in such areas is severely hampered and in many cases is stalled.

Agriculture has been very important to the lifeblood of West Limerick.  Yet during the period of this administration, agriculture has suffered serious decline.  The industry is being regulated out of business.  On Tuesday and Wednesday this week, Fine Gael introduced a debate in Dail Eireann on the draft Veterinary Medicines Directive which will increase enormously the cost of animal treatment.  The present situation fits perfectly with the EU directive but yet the Minister for Agriculture insists that the severest of restrictions are introduced. 

There has been no active promotion of employment creation.  No announcements which are enjoyed by our neighbouring constituency.  We hear of job enclosures and of potential developers walking our industrial development areas.  Yet no jobs.  In this area as in others Fianna Fail has failed West Limerick.  It is time for a change.