Responding to the visit of new Fianna Fáil leader Micheá Martin to Dublin South West yesterday Seán Crowe said “Micheál Martin’s snap visit to the crèche in St Dominic’s Community Centre in Tallaght yesterday was nothing more than a public relations exercise and hopefully it will be the last we see of the new Fianna Fáil leader during the election and for years to come”.

“Fianna Fáil have consistently ignored the people of Tallaght. Conor Lenihan in 2007 even went as far as to claim that there was no jobs crisis in Dublin South West, yet unemployment has risen from 3,798 in 2007 to 10,178 in December 2010.

“Voters should remember that the despite soft words and new found concern for the community sector, Fianna Fáil were the instigator of all the cuts, the tax hikes and stealth levies that are now paying off the billions poured into banks like Anglo Irish.

“This week €750 million was paid to Anglo Irish bond holders, a figure just higher than the total amount of social welfare cuts announced in the December budget. The people of Tallaght and Dublin South West are now living with having less money to spend on day to day expenses and a photo-op by Michaeá Martin is not going to change this.”

“Voters in Dublin South West should also remember that Charlie O’Connor and Conor Lenihan voted for each and every cut and tax hike.”