'Local democracy should be local' insists newly elected TD for Tipperary South

Newly elected TD Seamus Healy has blasted the decisions to abolish Clonmel Corporation and South Tipperary County Council.

Following his election Healy said that Clonmel, with three TDs now based in the town, lost out in recent years because of the abolition of Clonmel Corporation and South Tipperary County Council.
“Local democracy is supposed to be local. Those decisions were wrong and the town lost out as a result,” said Seamus Healy.

At the outset of the campaign Healy said he had “unfinished business” .
He has now been given a chance by the voters of Tipperary South to pursue a reversal of decisions taken to close St Brigid’s Hospital in Carrick and St Michael’s acute psychiatric unit in Clonmel.Seamus Healy has made a truly spectacular return to Dáil Eireann.

In the political comeback of all comebacks, Healy took the third seat in the Tipperary South constituency after an almighty battle.

Healy was deemed elected after the sixth count was announced shortly after 5.30pm in the count centre on Sunday.
He had already overtaken incumbent Sinn Féin TD Martin Browne in an epic rollercoaster of a battle of transfers over a number of counts before cruising to victory in passing out Fianna Fáil’s Imelda Goldsboro.
Imelda Goldsboro’s 955 vote lead was not enough for her to hold on to third place as Healy powered home taking 3,285 transfers from Browne compared to just 577 for Imelda Goldsboro.

Tipperary South General Election candidate thanks supporters

The Independent candidate John O'Heney received 3,979 votes before being eliminated after the third count

It was an astonishing triumph for Seamus Healy on an afternoon filled with incredible drama, emotion and tension.
Earlier in the day Healy had as much as had given up hope.

Told by the media that they had already written his political obituary, Seamus Healy believed he was gone as well.
“I had written my own obituary,” confessed Healy whose Lazarus type resurrection to overtake Browne put him in a strong position to take the seat prior to the transfer of Browne’s votes.
Healy had started off 142 behind Browne on first preference votes.
Transfers from Michael “Chicken” Brennan, John O’Heney and crucially Mattie McGrath started to go his way to allow him to finish ahead of Browne.
Browne’s transfers saw Healy cruise to victory. Four years ago 2,000 transfers from Healy to Browne saw the Sinn Féin man over the line.

On this occasion, the favour was reciprocated.
This was Healy’s fifth General Election victory and the sweetest.
“While the first win was exceptional, this was a remarkable day. We had given up but then the transfers started to go our way. Transfers from Brennan and O’Heney were crucial to bringing the McGrath surplus back into play and that was vital for me,” said Seamus Healy.

Healy won a by-election in 2000 to be elected to the Dáil for the first time and won General Elections in 2002, 2011 and 2006.
He lost his seat in 2007 by 59 votes. On that occasion it was Healy who had to ask for a recount.
“I was losing my seat by 59 votes. I asked for a recount at the time but it was not granted and I was given a recheck. I won back a tiny amount of votes, two or three, but it made no difference and I lost my seat,” said Seamus Healy.
He won that seat back in the General Election of 2011 and 2016 before losing out again in 2020.

STANDING OVATION
He received a standing ovation in the count centre that day with those present not expecting Healy to come back.
74-year-old Healy, however, never contemplated stepping away from politics.
He started out in politics when he was just 14-years-old when he canvassed with Sean Treacy, and he firmly believed he was in with a great shout for the third seat on this occasion.

FIGHTING CHANCE
“I would not have stood unless I believed I had a fighting chance to win it. I have a magnificent team and I want to thank them for all they have done for decades now,” said Seamus Healy.
The Clonmel man said his team had gone over and above during the campaign. He was very proud of the fact that so many of the people who started out in politics so many years ago were still actively involved supporting him.
He said the closure of Kickham Barracks cost €10 million to the Clonmel economy and that event, he said, started the decline of the town.