INDEPENDENT Councillor Eamon Keenan vowed to continue to put people first after launching his campaign for the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council elections.
The sitting Erne East councillor will be standing in his first election after being co-opted onto the Council for John McCluskey after he retired three years ago.
A prominent campaigner for Lisnaskea health centre and the SWAH, he vowed to continue fighting for essential health services in the area.
“GP provision in Erne East is unacceptable at the minute and it has snowballed since the closure of Roslea GP surgery in 2017,” Mr Keenan said.
“I will continue to fight for, and with, my community on this issue and I am very happy that there is another local woman, Tina McDermott, who is also standing in the election as an independent to also take on this fight.
“Myself and Tina have both been active in the SOAS campaign which has been fighting for the reinstatement of Emergency Surgery at the SWAH. I have successfully put the Western Trust in contact with the Cuban Medical Services to recruit Cuban Doctors for the SWAH and this process is now well underway.
“Tina was a vital part of the SOAS campaign and she will be an asset for Erne East and all of Fermanagh if elected.”
At an election launch night on April 5 in the Castle Park Centre, Lisnaskea, people of all ages and backgrounds attended as Mr Keenan outlined his style of politics, which is based on community empowerment, accountability and transparency.
“As an independent, I am directed only by the people, I do not have to take direction from a party leadership and this is how I have operated over the last three years,” he explained.
“I have brought the requests, needs and concerns of the people of Erne East directly to the Council or whatever government department that was involved, and I will continue to do this if elected.
“I see myself as a facilitator or a conduit for the people as I believe that the real power lies with them. They can make a difference in their own area and their own lives.
“The SOAS campaign is a perfect example of this and I look forward to seeing more of this type of positive community empowerment in the future.”
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