Ask the TDs: Damien English on Fine Gael’s leader Enda Kenny

Each week in the run up to the General Election, JOE is asking a representitive from each of the main political parties to answer a burning question relevant to Irish men in 2011.

We're not putting any spin on their answers: we ask the question, they give us their answers, and we print what they tell us.

Representing Fine Gael on our virtual panel of Dáil Deputies is the TD for Meath West Damien English.

Question: "Why is your party leader the right man to lead the country in the years to come and to get us out of the financial mire we’re in? And what qualifies you to represent the young men in your constituency, many of whom will have given up hope in the political elite of Ireland?"

Answered by Fine Gael's Damien English TD

Firstly, in 2002, Enda Kenny took over as leader of a disillusioned Fine Gael party at one of its lowest points in its history. I was one of only 31 Fine Gael TD’s elected at the time. Fine Gael then, as the country is now, was broke. There seemed little to look forward to for Fine Gael at the time.

Enda, through his organisation & delegation, rejuvenated the party & brought  it  back  from the brink. Fine Gael fought two successful local elections and almost doubled its seats in the 2007 General Election.

He built the party up to form the best possible team to get Ireland back on track, with a 5 point plan for jobs, economic recovery, a fair health system, and reform of both the political system and the public sector.

People now have the chance to select a Taoiseach that can bring this disillusioned country back from one of the lowest points in its history. His priority is to get Ireland working. He is committed to investing in the  infrastructure needed to create employment, overhauling the corrupt banking system to make banks work for small businesses and homeowners, and generating employment and economic growth.

Enda Kenny, along with his team and Fine Gael’s 5 Point Plan, is determined to fix the mess created by Fianna Fail over the past ten years, and to set the precedent of treating the Irish electorate with the honesty and integrity that they deserve.

The  best  way  for me to answer the second part of your question – what qualifies  me  to  represent young men in my constituency of Meath West, many  of whom will have given up hope in the political elite of Ireland? – is  to  tell  you  a  bit  about myself & my experience so far as an elected  public  representative. At the end of the day  it is the electorate  that  will  decide  who  is  best qualified from the list of candidates standing for election to represent them.

I am 32 years old (33 on the 21st Feb). I was brought up by my parents, with my two brothers and two sisters, with a strong work ethic in mind, where effort & reward worked in tandem. It wasn’t wrong to try and fail growing up. This was a great grounding for me in life and in my work as a public representative.

In 2007 I married Laura; we have one son, Harvey, who was born in 2009. This,  as  with  anyone else, has been totally life changing for us.  We love  being  parents and facing all the challenges and sleepless nights that come with it.

I have combined my interest in running with my belief in the work of the community & voluntary sectors by completing two Dublin City Marathons. In  2008  I ran in support of the Aisling Group which was established in response to a demand for information concerning alcohol & drug problems. Last year I ran to highlight the work of the SOSAD (Save our Sons and Daughters) office in Navan – a charity aimed at increasing awareness of suicide in Ireland, as well as getting rid of the stigma attached to it.

I have studied and attained a Diploma in Management Accounting through the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) following stints at the Dublin Institute of Technology & Dublin Business School. CIMA combines accounting finance and management skills to interpret information. It teaches skills for strategic advice, managing risk and making key decisions.

Having  this  qualification  has  stood well for me in my role as Deputy Finance Spokesperson for  Fine  Gael since September 2010. Management Accountancy has improved my skills for the pre-Budget discussions we had with  the  Department  for  Finance & in understanding the detail of the EU/IMF bail out deal so that a renegotiation of the crippling interest rates  burdened  on  the  State can take place with confidence, not just political bravado.  It also better qualifies me to work on Fine Gael's Finance  team  with  Michael  Noonan  TD & Brian Hayes TD on budgetary & fiscal issues.

I  have gained a broad range of prior political experience since 2002 in Dáil  Éireann, having worked in the areas of Enterprise, Trade & Employment; Economic Regulatory Affairs; Justice & Community Affairs; Arts, Sport & Tourism in the Dáil.

Damien English TD is standing for election as a Fine Gael candidate in the Meath West constituency. Check out Damien's website at www.damienenglish.ie