Labour nominate Evie Nevin to contest Cork South West in GE

Clonakilty-based disability activist Evie Nevin is back in the electoral fray after being nominated to contest the forthcoming general election on behalf of the Labour Party in Cork South West following a convention held in O’Donovan’s Hotel in the town on Wednesday night.

Speaking to The Echo, the newly selected candidate said that the motto of the Labour Party, ‘Bread and Roses’, signifying the provision of the basic essentials as well as the things that make life worth living, was very much to the forefront as she seeks election to help make life better for those struggling with the cost of living.

Her viewpoint is that economic prosperity needs to be for the many rather than the select few.

“The cost of living crisis is hitting hard — groceries, energy, childcare — people are struggling,” she said.

“Meanwhile, the Government sits on surplus funds while carelessly spending taxpayer money... what’s the point of economic success if people can’t meet their basic needs? Labour’s vision of ‘bread and roses’ is about more than survival — it’s about thriving.”

The Cork South West Labour Party representative is also concerned about local issues and has pointed to the impact climate change is having on West Cork and the need to mitigate this in some way.

“The climate is affecting potato crops, fishing is impacted, because of the change in the weather planting is delayed — this affects everybody but in West Cork, we depend on the food industry and tourism, it’s really important so that those industries that we have here in West Cork are not impacted as severely,” she said.

“It’s not just about the environment, it’s also about the local economy, sustainability and job creation.”

The breadth of Cork South West — according to Ms Nevin it’s three hours from one end, the Viaduct to Kerry — means the region faces challenges with regard to access to emergency services.

“The delay in response time to emergency calls is an ongoing issue — they’re overworked and there’s not enough to go around. We are the biggest constituency in the country, so we need to make sure emergency services are effective,” she said.

Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik said she has visited the Cork South West constituency on several occasions to join Ms Nevin’s campaign and has “seen first-hand her commitment to her values, her community, and the welfare of all who live in the area”.