Edition Bobbett2. Speeches and statements by Elizabeth F. Bobbett

1953 Ashford, By-election Meeting

Source: Wicklow People, 16.05.1953

Miss Bobbett, in asking for support for herself, said there were a few who might not be able to give her their number one vote, and to those she appealed to give her their second preference. She made a special appeal to the ladies of the Ashford electoral area, reminding them that while they had a few ladies as deputies in An Dail, they were not representatives of what women thought or wanted. These deputies, like all the menfolk were tied to their own particular party, had to sit, act and vote according to plan and order, and they simply cannot be permitted to look after women’s interests for fear that such interests would in any way conflict with the party plans and interests. No matter what came up in the Dail that should be considered purely from the point of view of the women of the country, the mothers of the families, the bean-atighe, these women, if ordered to do so by their party juntas must vote against it or for it, just as they are ordered. They had the remarkable prospect in their little Parliament of women on opposite sides of the House voting differently on the same subject that should interest them solely from the women’s viewpoint. She was going forward to contest this bye-election as a completely Independent candidate. By doing so, if elected if the men and women combined in this county gave her the responsibility and the privilege of looking after their affairs, she would be in a position to do so and would be able to vote for what was good for them and for the country.

“I belong to no political party. I have no allegiance to any political party. I will vote and act as my conscience dictates or as my constituency party advises me, and I think you will realise that it is the best way in view of the results we see to-day. We have had government for the past thirty years by various parties. What have we got out of it all? It has brought us a huge amount of national debt. They tell you they look after agriculture, but they have left us without butter, which is being imported from all quarters of the earth into this purely agricultural country. We are told that we must produce more, but when the former complies with that order and produces more food, down go the prices for his produce no matter how high his costs may go. You have seen what has happened with the poultry: what happened lately when they have got into more pig production. The farmers, from their point of view, have no friends in these parties. Mr. James Dillon when he was in office as Minister of Agriculture, called the Wicklow farmers beggermen, and he refused to meet them. Quite recently Mr. Eamon de Valera put farmers into prison for peaceful picketing.”

Miss Bobbett said she wished to see more employment throughout the country, to see an end to emigration, to see that their menfolk and womenfolk had full-time occupation throughout the year. She believed that cannot be done under their present financial system. One of the points in her policy was to bring about a reform in their existing financial system, so that they could see what credit they had in the nation for the benefit of the nation, and so give employment instead of the dole. She had listened to the Fine Gael Party speaking at Rathdrum, and they were making a great blow about the 40 millions which they had spent in their period of office as an inter-party government on the farm re-habilitation scheme. One would think the people were all fools that they should be asked to believe that these 40 millions came out of the Fine Gael Party’s pockets for their benefit. That 40 millions was American money, given to Ireland at 3½ per cent, and from this year on they would have to pay interest on all that money, and they would have not only to find interest but the repayment of the principal as well, and every year to come it was going to add another crushing burden to the community.

Miss Bobbett believed that Irish people were facing critical times, and it was full time that their representatives in Leinster House came together to select the best brains amongst them, irrespective of party, allegiance and in a fair, impartial and honest way, try to bring their little country out of this huge burden of debt. They knew that in their land they had a wealth-producing commodity, and by proper usage and given the means of doing it they could produce wealth for the national benefit. Listening to the various parties it was a case of the kettle calling the pot black. They fought with one another on the platforms and in the Dail, but they could afterwards sit down at the same table, go to the same golf club or race course, and appear the best of friends. When it comes to the important task of building up the country, helping the people, giving employment, improving agriculture, providing industry and houses, they fight like terrier dogs. And what was worse, they expect their followers like fools to be the same. Taxation was increasing every year, but she believed that if they had more Independent deputies in the Dail they would be able to do something tangible to bring about a brighter future for all the people. Farmers were lectured about efficiency and progress, they were told to adopt the American ways and methods, but after thirty years of party government is it not about time that there was a change of method and more progress in the government of the country. If this party business was eliminated they could find ways and means of looking after the interests of the country. She was a farmer, a working farmer, and they were all aware of her position amongst them. In the past County Wicklow had created history in Ireland; from this bye-election it would appear that the county was going to make history, and she hoped that they would for the first time in Ireland elect an Independent lady deputy. If they placed this responsibility on her shoulders she assured them she would do her best to serve the people of the county as she had been doing for the farmers of the county for the past seventeen years (applause).