Green Party fielding new candidate in Macroom area for local elections next year

THE Green Party will be fielding a new candidate, Harriet Burgess, to contest a seat on Cork County Council, for the Macroom Local Electoral Area, in the upcoming local elections next year.

Trinity College and Oxford University alumni Harriet is the first candidate in over a decade to run for the Green Party in her local electoral area of Macroom.

Harriet is an Inniscarra native, and a barrister by profession.

“I’m honoured to be selected by the Macroom LEA members as their candidate for 2024. I want to give the people in my local area an opportunity to vote for a progressive, young candidate who believes that we need to take immediate action on climate change, across all levels of Irish society. I know that I can be an excellent advocate for our community," Harriet said.

The election hopeful will  support the communities of Gaeltacht Mhúscraí on their campaign, “Cá bhfuil Gaeltacht Mhúscraí?” 

"We need to promote our beautiful Gaeltacht areas and ensure proper signs are on the Macroom bypass now - there are so many tourist opportunities in our area that are being squandered," she added.

Harriet believes biodiversity in the Lee Valley needs to be protected, and the Gearagh is "an incredible nature reserve, for example, located just outside Macroom town, which has not been adequately promoted to date.” 

She also promises to campaign for regular bus routes in the Macroom area.

“Whilst public transport is rightly being developed in Cork city and its suburbs, it is essential that rural areas are not left behind. I will campaign for regularised bus routes in my area, enhanced pedestrianisation, and the development of greenways, like the plans proposed in the Lee to Sea greenway.

"I will work to change the thinking that cars should be prioritised ahead of all other forms of transport. This will be better for our towns and villages in the long run," she concluded.