Nenagh's increased appetite for activism will be critical in this election

The selection of strong candidates this year is making for an interesting race. There’s no questioning each candidate’s experience so the real question will be which of them can answer the issues closest to the hearts of the people of the Nenagh Local Electoral Area.

A lot has happened since the 2019 elections. We have seen the beginning and end of a global pandemic, an ongoing war in Ukraine and further conflict in the middle east between Israel and Palestine. Not only has there been the presence of these impactful issues on a global scale but on a local level we’ve seen significant ongoing struggles with the Emergency Department in Nenagh Hospital and the changing plans for St Conlon’s Nursing Home amongst a host of other community concerns.

All of these heated issues have served as prime launch pads for candidates to vocalise their opinions and ideas in the lead up to the election and for a relatively small town, the people of Nenagh have become accustomed to regular protests. 2019 was a simpler time, when local issues such as litter, planning permission and farming issues were the bread and butter of the county council, but the times have changed.

The councillors of the future are ones that need to be able to answer to a much wider array of concerns. People are becoming more and more educated on the problems they’re facing as well as the potential for problems of the future through an increasingly online life. Nenagh knows there is a version of the future where the most vulnerable members of the community are fully cared for; where those who need nursing home care do not have to worry about bed space, classes are there for children in need in school autism units and vacant houses are made available to those without a home.

The next council will have the significant task of being able to answer to an educated cohort who can debate them on these issues. Of course, the regular day-to-day concerns of the community like sight lines and biodiversity will be as present as ever but for the county council to be effective into the future, its members need to be equipped to deal with a future that is sure to only bring more and more questions and demands.

All-in-all, after a fairly lackluster turnout by voters in 2019, the growing appetite for community activism and the emergence of what is certainly a more “tuned in” electorate, is sure to bring more voters to the ballots. Whether or not the additional voters will affect the line up too much is to be determined.