TRYING to interview Cllr Michael Creed in his native Macroom is a tricky business.
Our coffees no sooner arrive than people starting coming over to him, wishing him well for his campaign or asking for his help with something.
In between those chats, his phone is ringing.
Eventually he has to silence the phone temporarily, or we would never get the job done.
After 17 years in local politics, with poll-topping success in local elections and a reputation for being an excellent County Councillor, why is he running for the Dáil?
‘I suppose it feels like the next step for me. I enjoy the work of a Councillor, I get a great kick out of helping people to navigate their way through grant applications and advising them on anything and everything. But I’d like the chance to represent this area at a national level and make my voice heard in government,’ he said.
‘Cork North West has done well out of the current government, but I see some crucial gaps that will need to be filled in the next five years, and I want to make sure the work is done to fill those gaps.’
‘For example, we are very proud of the Macroom Bypass and it has made a huge difference to all the mid-Cork region. But now we have a gap to fill – the road between Macroom and Ovens is in urgent need of upgrading. Motorists who drive that road and residents living on either side of it are constantly telling me about near misses,’ he said.
‘I know Cork County Council has plans to carry out works to allow people to turn off the road safely, but that’s a short term fix. That whole section of roadway needs to be improved to a level similar to the Ballincollig Bypass and the Macroom Bypass. The funding needed to make that happen will have to be approved by central government, and it will take strong voices from this area to achieve that.’
A native of Carrigaphooca, Macroom, and now living in Macroom town, Michael first took a seat in Cork County Council back in 2007.
Seventeen years later, the mid-Cork area has changed a lot.
What would be his main priorities as a TD?
‘We have a thriving area, but it would thrive even more if we had enough housing. I know the government has made huge investment in housing, and we are making progress with housing in Macroom itself, for example, but there is scope for a lot more housing in rural villages. I hope the next five years will see a lot of that coming onstream, and our communities getting stronger as a result.’
Michael worked with the Department of Agriculture for many years, and has a great affinity with the farming community.
‘I know how hard farmers work, and I know how much their work means to them,’ he said.
‘Farmers today are being landed with the responsibility to make farming more sustainable, but they can’t be expected to do that without making it economically viable,’ he said.
‘Another thing is that the future of Irish agriculture depends on the current generation, because they need to motivate and encourage their children to take over. We have to help with that – the supports have to be maintained and improved, so that farming is a real option for young people.’
A few more people stop by to say hello, when they are gone I ask one last question.
What are his chances of taking a seat?
‘I know I can win a seat in Cork North West. Every time my name was on a ballot paper, I was elected on the first count and I headed the poll twice. Those votes were earned with hard work. If I’m elected to Dáil Éireann, I plan to continue working hard, serving the people of this area.’
Time to get moving again.
He shakes my hand and he’s off out the door.
Cllr Michael Creed
Mobile 086 8052792
Email: [email protected]
