It can be said that Byrne has seen the rough and tough side of politics in his time in office. He was first elected to the 30th Dáil in 2007 when Fianna Fail were the kingpins of a Celtic Tiger era, that ultimately, saw a horrendous collapse. We had to go cap in hand and look for a bailout. Prior to the collapse house building was off the wall, they couldn’t be built fast enough. Literally anyone could get a mortgage or two, borrow for anything and get it and we were promised a soft landing, we will say no more.
The collapse saw Thomas Byrne, a qualified solicitor in Ireland and the States, stay the course. He was fortunate to get a Seanad seat and keep the political profile on a national and local level.
One of the questions Meath Live asked him was he still getting the buzz out of a political career and his response confirms his love for a tough and unforgiving career, ”Every day I walk into Dáil Eireann, it feels such an honour, like I ask myself what I am doing here. Between the Dáil and the Seanad I have been at it since 2007. Byrne was born in 1977, so his term in political life is over 17 years as he puts his name on the ballot paper next Friday, 29th November.
It comes at a time when his coalition partners Fine Gael will see 18 of their team walk away from political life. When we put it to Thomas Byrne he talks with a passion about the achievements in delivering on projects with Kells Handball Club, Ashbourne United, Duleek GAA and Duleek , the athletic club and Eureka School in Kells among many other clubs and organisations. ” I am very proud to have helped achieve these projects and they are badly needed and would not happen without the hard work and commitment of the volunteers in the various clubs.” he acknowledged.
He gets the satisfaction of achievement, you get that from speaking to him, and the appetite for a political life is as strong as ever. When we challenge him about the main issues of the canvass to date he will concede much more needs to be done with housing, cost of living, crime, and health. He is adamant that the Fianna Fail input into the coalition has brought about decent numbers in housing and their programme for housing has delivered over 115,000 homes.
From speaking to him it appears housing it is his absolute number one issue ” and I think what you see since 2020 since Fianna Fail came into that department is a step change in the provision of housing in the country, we have had 115,000 housing units completed in the four and a bit years since we came in. You can see that in Navan, Kells, Dunshaughlin, Ashbourne, Dunboyne. We need to move that forward so that we can reach higher targets that we set ourselves. We need to make sure there is much more affordable housing and affordable renting.” He admits most of the housing is priced high but contends that with two people on reasonable income levels they should be in a position to buy a home or avail of the affordable housing scheme or social housing.
”At the moment it is difficult, there is no question about that ”he conceded when Meath Live challenged him on the affordability issues and supply of housing.
” More houses is actually the key to it, the laws of supply and demand apply to housing as anything else.” he adds ”but it is essential for the government to ensure the services such as water, sewerage, road access to housing land are available. There are a lot more houses needed, fully accepting that fact. He does point out that there has been more social housing provided ”than at any time in the last 50 years.” Again we questioned the bulk buying projects that has happened in social and private housing projects which Byrne said has been stopped in the private sector.
Coming to the cost of living crisis he is adamant the government is getting on top of it. He addresses the Ukraine war which internationally has had implications in fuel and energy inflation as well as food inflation. These have been international factors but we are getting there.
The Children’s Hospital is another bone of contention, Thomas Byrne accepted the overruns have been exceptionally high but bats that one back into the hands of Fine Gael with the then Minister for Health, Simon Harris, now Taoiseach. Crime and Garda numbers were discussed and he intimated if they form the next government Fianna Fail would certainly want the Department of Justice, if you read into it, you can see where that is going- remember, Thomas Byrne is a competent legislator and a qualified solicitor.
He did accept that Garda numbers are low and ” yes the Dublin riots showed that for a time Dublin was lost to a mob but we got back control of the city.”
Thomas Byrne TD and Cllr Caroline O’Reilly go into the cauldron of Meath East next Friday and to try and win two seats in what will be one of the most interesting constituencies in this election. Ultimately, the people will decide, that is democracy.
Thomas Byrne
