Mid point in the day. Good work done but much more to. Spent the day returning phone calls to people who have offered to help. Putting this kind of campaign infrastructure in place makes all the difference, but it does
take time.

I had a very important media engagement to do. All done and now getting ready for our public meeting tonight with Richard Bruton, Half Way House at 7.30.

Thanks to everyone who has contacted me with best wishes for the campaign and, yes, pictures of the campaign wagon will soon be on the site.

Today is the first day of the bye election campaign. As I write this I am in our campaign van heading into Leinster House to meet the Broadstone Bridge Club for a tour and a quick bite to eat.

I’m very excited but am sobered by the news of the day. 380,000 people unemployed. Swine flu could already be in the UK. People have been so good to me today. Calling me, greeting me and writing to me. I think people want to see politicians responding more firmly and proudly to all of this. 

Was struck by the quality and variety of questions I got over our Universal Health Insurance proposals. A sign of the times, I think.

Watch Paschal here:

Speech by Paschal Donohoe upon receiving the Fine Gael nomination to contest the Dublin Central bye election.

“I am honoured to accept the nomination to contest the by election caused by the tragic early death of the late Tony Gregory TD.

Our country stands at a cross roads. The President of America writes and talks of the audacity of hope. By contrast, the people whom I want to represent in Dail Eireann, are in hope of audacity. Read More…

I have just seen Michael Martin’s statement about not giving up his teacher’s job. He has said that he wants to keep this job open because of how uncertain political life is. This man is a cabinet minister (has been since 1997 I think) and a regular poll topper. What a gutless thing to say and do. If I lose my job in the Oireachtas I will be unemployed. That risk is a price worth paying for life as a politician.

But actions and statements like these bring my chosen career into disrepute. Is it any wonder that so many accuse politicians of not living in the real world? Of not understanding what life is like for the people they serve? I am just furious to hear of such a spineless statement.

I have a young family too. I am not a poll toper, anything but. FF deserve to be thrown out and kept out because of statements like these.